The Specials reunite for 2009 tour

The Specials are reuniting for a 2009 tour to celebrate their 30th anniversary.

The legendary ska band have announced they are getting back together to play a series of UK gigs next April.

In an exclusive interview in this week's issue of NME, which hits newsstands tomorrow (December 3), frontman Terry Hall said that the band were playing in 2009 to celebrate their significant birthday.

"It's the right time to do it [reunite] - we talked about it at 25 but we weren't together enough. Now we're all getting on and it feels comfortable again," he said.

Original members of the band including Hall, Neville Staple, Sir Horace Gentleman, Roddy Radiation, Lynval Golding and John Bradbury are all confirmed to play the gigs.

Hall revealed that Specials founder member Jerry Dammers is not set to join the band on the tour, although relations between the two parties are strong. "The door remains open to him," Hall said.

The gigs will mark the first time the Coventry band have officially worked together since 1981. As NME.COM previously reported, members of The Specials did play a secret show at this year's Bestival under the title Terry Hall And Friends.

Tickets for the tour go on sale at 9am (GMT) on December 11.

The Specials will play the following dates:

Newcastle Academy (April 22)
Sheffield Academy (23)
Birmingham Academy (25, 26)
Glasgow Academy (28)
Manchester Apollo (May 3)
London Brixton Academy (6, 7)

To check the availability of The Specials tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/GIGS now, or call 0871 230 1094.

To get the full story on The Specials reunion and read an exclusive interview with singer Terry Hall, check out this week's issue of NME, on newsstands nationwide from tomorrow (December 3).

The Specials tickets:

If you're on O2 you can get Priority Tickets to The O2 and O2 Academy venues up to 48 hours before they go on general release. Register at o2priority.co.uk. Terms apply.