Terry Hall was always the epitome of cool. That’s really how I always saw him. On tour together in 1979, I was struck by his boundless elegance, a quiet charisma that voiced universal struggles with such depth and care. Now, even in passing, he remains impossibly cool. Terry was subversive to the end. There was no drama diary of his last weeks, no fuss – he went out in style and with pure dignity.

For his fans, his death will come as a tremendous shock, a deep sadness and irreplaceable loss, as it is for all those who knew and loved him. The Specials had a neverending quality that made you feel they could carry on going for ever in different iterations, and Terry was always special – the man with the golden voice. We will remember his prodigious vocals and songwriting talents, but also his unique place in a radical, visionary movement for humanity that still resonates today.