Wow....I had no clue this discussion topic I started would blow up like this...I had no clue Ska had such a strong fan base....

I was thinking the same thing myself, spd. It surprised me, but in a very pleasant way. Nice job!

I wonder what other sub-genres we ought to trot out next?

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quote:

Originally posted by LinnTate:

quote:

Originally posted by Imprezu21:
I dont remember when ska was popular on the "charts" so I dont know what other kind of poularity i would be referencing.

Then again i dont pay attention to the charts and I was unborn and very young in its hayday.

This was just another excuse to call me old again, wasn't it...

Nobody around here thinks you're old, LT. Honest. Now, could you tell me the story again about the time you and Robert Johnson met the devil at the crossroads?

I know this is a bit off-----topic,,,,, but would you mind not using really excessive punctuation in your thread titles,,,,, in future????? One question mark is quite sufficient.....

On a related note, how long do you guys think that ska has been an established genre? Certainly longer than the twenty or so years it's been a common-place part of modern punk rock, but I'm guessing it's a relatively recent sub-genre of reggae.

I don't know, LinnTate....maybe Psychobilly.....
-Just Kidding-

quote:

Originally posted by philosopherEric:
Nobody around here thinks you're old, LT. Honest. Now, could you tell me the story again about the time you and Robert Johnson met the devil at the crossroads?

Is that the best you've got? Is it? I hope so, 'cause that was pretty good.

quote:

Originally posted by Biggles:
On a related note, how long do you guys think that ska has been an established genre? Certainly longer than the twenty or so years it's been a common-place part of modern punk rock, but I'm guessing it's a relatively recent sub-genre of reggae.

Actually, the reverse it true by about a decade or so, B.

Ska starts showing up in Jamaica in the early 1960s on the heels of an wave of enormous popularity of American (especially New Orleans) R&B on the island. I read a very funny account (that I cannot find at the moment) of A&R types travelling to Jamaica in the late 50s to find musicians to capitalize on the success of Harry Belafonte's Calypso who were shocked to find the people were crazy for Fats Domino rather than "Day-O."

Reggae comes along just shy of a decade after ska's first wave. In its early years, reggae is sometimes hard to clearly differentiate on purely musical terms, distinguishing itself instead with its emphasis on social themes and Rastafarian influence.

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I love ska! As I anxiously await the newest Slackers album to arrive by mail, I can dig these latest buys from that great ska/reggae/calypso music site, Jump Up records:

The Starlites The Roads of Love
V/A Caribbean Shakedown- Original Ska, Reggae, Calypso & Dub
The Barrymores All Nighters
The Scorchers Stuntin'
Top Cats Mr. Donkey Paradise
Pepper Pots Swingin' Sixties
K Mob Cushdy
Skapoint Skapoint
Moon Invaders Breakin' Free

I been listening to the Moon Invaders today. One of the best ska albums I've heard in a long time (on the Grover label outta Germany). It's an '05 release and a definate would've been in my top 10 last year had I heard it earlier.

Why am I not surprised to find that you would prove to be a wealth of helpful and interesting information on this topic as well, c.?

There are a number of names on that list that are unfamiliar to me, especially Moon Invaders. Given that it would have made your top 10 of '05, tell me more. Where are they from? What's their background?

Dish, man, dish!

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quote:

Originally posted by LinnTate:
There are a number of names on that list that are unfamiliar to me, especially Moon Invaders. Given that it would have made your top 10 of '05, tell me more. Where are they from? What's their background?

Ah, the Moon Invaders are invaders from Belgium. They've been invading since 1999 and Breakin' Free is their second album (not counting an earlier released ep). Their sound is very much like the Slackers- ska with rocksteady, a very soulful beat. Their '03 s/t release was one of the first ska releases I picked up at Jump Up. The newest album tops the debut. I can't get over how it compares to old Slackers albums. Their site has some samples for anyone interested. I do highly recommend Jump Up records for a great selection in ska and calypso/reggae.

Moon Invaders

I believe that Brandon Flowers said that the guy from the Bravery used to be in a group called Skabba the Hut. He didn't say that the Bravery are a ska group.

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Originally posted by philosopherEric:

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Originally posted by Imprezu21:
I think the question should be "Who cares if ska even existed?"

Ska's relevance has been minimal at best, even at the "high" times of ska's popularity?!?

I have to second LT's point...if ska had never happened, reggae and rocksteady may not have followed. Would Bob Marley have become an icon without the first wave of ska?

And my love of second wave ska aside, while ska may have never done much on the charts, I'm not sure mass popularity increases "relevance." There are lots of little subgenres that may not be outrageously popular, but that doesn't mean they're irrelevant, does it?

I'll have to third philosopherEric's point. actually, bob marley originally was ska and more 50's style pop. so ska definitely has some relevance.

also, the reemergence of ska in punk-ska stuff in the 90's (bands like operation ivy, rancid, slapstick, catch 22, less than jake, etc.) gave rise to the emo movement IMO. as much as i f'ing hate emo, bands like the lawrence arms, alkaline trio, honor system, broadways....all these bands stemmed from slapstick and chicago punk. in addition, bands like suicide machines made hardcore a little more accessible for people.

granted, i think this type of music is kind of crap and very juvenile, it definitely beats the terrible mall punk and pop punk of the past 10 years, and all of this makes it definitely relevant.

Please move to the new Punk Category. Thanks.

The ska I like has more to do with world music than punk.

quote:

Originally posted by crazed:
The ska I like has more to do with world music than punk.

I've got a couple of great first wave, Ska compilations, and while they don't particularly fit in "punk" they certainly influenced a lot of the movers and shakers in the punk generation.

How can there be two pages on ska bands yet no one has mentioned Reel Big Fish?

Another great ska band is Suburban Legends.

quote:

Originally posted by Person In Planes:
How can there be two pages on ska bands yet no one has mentioned Reel Big Fish?

Another great ska band is Suburban Legends.

I'm not a real big (pun intended) fan of third (or fourth?) wave Ska Revivalists. I think they haven't been able to improve upon the work of bands like the Specials or the English Beat. I don't want to come off like a jerk, but have you checked out those bands?

What is Ska????????????????, you ask? Well, I am not too sure on how to define it but there are a lot of Spanish-singing bands that I listen to that have some Ska influence in them. The guitars are nice and upbeat and they flash some horns. I think Ska can take a lot of different forms though and when done well, it can sound pretty fantastic.

quote:

I'm not a real big (pun intended) fan of third (or fourth?) wave Ska Revivalists. I think they haven't been able to improve upon the work of bands like the Specials or the English Beat. I don't want to come off like a jerk, but have you checked out those bands?

Actually, I have never checked out either of those bands but I think that I shall do that.

Regardless, RBF is tight as hell.

quote:

Originally posted by Person In Planes:
Actually, I have never checked out either of those bands but I think that I shall do that.

Regardless, RBF is tight as hell.

Cool. If you get a chance listen to The Specials' sel-titled debut from 1979 and the English Beat's, I Just Can't Stop It from 1980. And if you want to dig a little further try the uniformily excellent two-disc compilation by the Skatalites, Foundation Ska.

Latest ska wave is more Caribbean based music through reggae & calypso.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: crazed,