years_active alias birth_place label name background birth_date instrument genre image article_title birth_name occupation
1968 -- present brad , jb coventry , england rca , victor , emi , chrysalis , two tone john bradbury non_vocal_instrumentalist 16 february 1953 drums , congas , bongos , , vocals , synthesizer , piano , keyboards soul , ska , reggae , john bradbury - rhythm magazine shoot.jpg john bradbury -lrb- drummer -rrb-
 john bradbury drummer , multi-instrumentalist , record producer , activist
john bradbury -lrb- drummer -rrb-

john `` brad '' bradbury -lrb- born 16 february 1953 , coventry , england -rrb- is an english musician , multi-instrumentalist , and record producer .
he is best known as the drummer in the english ska group the specials .
he co-wrote `` the selecter '' , a joint `` a '' side with `` gangsters '' .
he joined the special aka when the original specials split in 1981 ; they had a top 10 hit with `` free nelson mandela '' .
he was the main instigator .
during the lifespan of the special aka , he also headed a band called jb 's allstars - a soul revue influenced by bradbury 's enthusiasm for northern soul - releasing several singles on 2-tone .
bradbury agreed to participate in the reunion tour of the specials in 2009 .
