The Fun Boy Three

The Fun Boy Three (sometimes just Fun Boy Three) was a group formed in 1981 by ex-members of The Specials: Terry Hall, Lynval Golding and Neville Staple (for unknown reasons credited plurally as Neville Staples during FB3's existence).

The group released two albums, with quite distinctive sounds. Because only Golding actually played an instrument (he had been rhythm guitarist in The Specials), and initially the group didn't want to bring in a lot of session musicians, the first album was largely percussion-based. For the second album, a six-piece backing group was assembled (all-female, due to Hall's distaste for the macho element he'd experienced on tour with The Specials) and the music took on more ornate arrangements, with elements of "pastoral pop".

The group split in 1983, Hall announcing he was quitting without telling the other members first. He moved on to The Colour Field.