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The Big Ska Thread (Not Quite Dead!)
SolidGobi
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Ok before you say or think about this thread listen to this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLYkwjgokLI
Awesome right? (If not well… keep reading anyways!)
Ok what’s up with this thread?
This thread is designed to talk about one of the most polarizing music genres, Ska. Love it hate it, talk about it here! Indie music has a thread, so I don’t see why Ska should be left out! But before you get too carried away let’s go through some basics.
Ok SolidGobi WTF is Ska?
Ouch that’s a tricky one, I thought we were buddies? Well since the so called “third wave” of Ska (i.e. American Ska) has made the sound fucking confusing I’ll have wikipedia explain it instead!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ska
Umm why the hell are we talking about this Ska is dead anyways!
Well yes and no. Sure it’s not as popular as it used to be in the 90’s, but it’s still not quite dead yet. In fact the genre has never been better IMHO. Streetlight Manifesto’s newest CD came out last November and their tour went very well as far as I’m concerned. Also other bands are touring around as well! Remember The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Reel Big Fish? You guess it they are touring still too! Although the Mighty Mighty Bosstones may be suffering from Less than Jake Syndrome, or LJS. WTF is LJS I’ll explain later.
Ok I’m Morbidly curious SolidGobi are you going to recommend me anything?
Well hell yeah! I want this thread to turn into a giant Ska cred dick measuring contest by throwing out bands that no one except you have heard of! Ok kiddies let’s do this!
The Basics
These Bands don’t need a huge introduction, if you were vaguely aware of music in the 90s you know these guys.
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones: I’m not a huge fan surprisingly, don’t ask me why but here’s a song anyways!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7A8Mkg1qYQ
Reel Big Fish: Ah this is my personal happy place, the band that got me into Ska in the First place. Very famous for their covers like this one!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ4S-UiNmzo
Less Than Jake: Oh how the mighty fall, time to explain LJS, LJS is when I good Ska band turns into a shitty punk band. (I have no beef with punk but Ska bands that change their sound to be cool with the kids is not cool!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIdT9rpjDQI
Ok now it’s time to educate you kids with some other stuff!
Early Catch-22/ Streetlight Manifesto: The current king of Ska is far as I’m concerned, my personal favorite. Too many good songs I’m just going to pick one at random!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9VO-w3djsA
The Slackers: I’m not a huge fan, but that does not mean they are not good. If you are turned off by the energetic sound of Ska and want more chill music try these guys out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAv5ACzq6fY
The Aquabats: If you like Reel Big Fish even a little this is the band for you. I’m not an expert on these guys so if you have a better song selection… well too bad this is my thread!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIqLz6LqMsU
Big D & the Kid’s Table: Ok not for everyone because they have a very punk sound, but they have grown on me big time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8oM_-K9rXY
Suburban Legends: Ok these guys have one of the best Ska songs of all time IMHO. It’s called Car 54 as far as I know and I can’t find it on youtube, so here is another song by them!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abT2MyLctlE
The Toasters: A modern Ska band that I feels has a very “2nd wave” feel, great band.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvEaasy2FLw
Ok that’s all you get because I think I’m running out of space. Ok so everyone let’s talk about Ska. Let’s talk about tours we know of, new CDs coming out, shout outs to bands that I did not list. (And yes I did not include The Specials in my list, wanna fight about it?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLYkwjgokLI
Awesome right? (If not well… keep reading anyways!)
Ok what’s up with this thread?
This thread is designed to talk about one of the most polarizing music genres, Ska. Love it hate it, talk about it here! Indie music has a thread, so I don’t see why Ska should be left out! But before you get too carried away let’s go through some basics.
Ok SolidGobi WTF is Ska?
Ouch that’s a tricky one, I thought we were buddies? Well since the so called “third wave” of Ska (i.e. American Ska) has made the sound fucking confusing I’ll have wikipedia explain it instead!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ska
Umm why the hell are we talking about this Ska is dead anyways!
Well yes and no. Sure it’s not as popular as it used to be in the 90’s, but it’s still not quite dead yet. In fact the genre has never been better IMHO. Streetlight Manifesto’s newest CD came out last November and their tour went very well as far as I’m concerned. Also other bands are touring around as well! Remember The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Reel Big Fish? You guess it they are touring still too! Although the Mighty Mighty Bosstones may be suffering from Less than Jake Syndrome, or LJS. WTF is LJS I’ll explain later.
Ok I’m Morbidly curious SolidGobi are you going to recommend me anything?
Well hell yeah! I want this thread to turn into a giant Ska cred dick measuring contest by throwing out bands that no one except you have heard of! Ok kiddies let’s do this!
The Basics
These Bands don’t need a huge introduction, if you were vaguely aware of music in the 90s you know these guys.
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones: I’m not a huge fan surprisingly, don’t ask me why but here’s a song anyways!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7A8Mkg1qYQ
Reel Big Fish: Ah this is my personal happy place, the band that got me into Ska in the First place. Very famous for their covers like this one!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ4S-UiNmzo
Less Than Jake: Oh how the mighty fall, time to explain LJS, LJS is when I good Ska band turns into a shitty punk band. (I have no beef with punk but Ska bands that change their sound to be cool with the kids is not cool!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIdT9rpjDQI
Ok now it’s time to educate you kids with some other stuff!
Early Catch-22/ Streetlight Manifesto: The current king of Ska is far as I’m concerned, my personal favorite. Too many good songs I’m just going to pick one at random!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9VO-w3djsA
The Slackers: I’m not a huge fan, but that does not mean they are not good. If you are turned off by the energetic sound of Ska and want more chill music try these guys out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAv5ACzq6fY
The Aquabats: If you like Reel Big Fish even a little this is the band for you. I’m not an expert on these guys so if you have a better song selection… well too bad this is my thread!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIqLz6LqMsU
Big D & the Kid’s Table: Ok not for everyone because they have a very punk sound, but they have grown on me big time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8oM_-K9rXY
Suburban Legends: Ok these guys have one of the best Ska songs of all time IMHO. It’s called Car 54 as far as I know and I can’t find it on youtube, so here is another song by them!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abT2MyLctlE
The Toasters: A modern Ska band that I feels has a very “2nd wave” feel, great band.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvEaasy2FLw
Ok that’s all you get because I think I’m running out of space. Ok so everyone let’s talk about Ska. Let’s talk about tours we know of, new CDs coming out, shout outs to bands that I did not list. (And yes I did not include The Specials in my list, wanna fight about it?)
SolidGobi on
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ska music makes my heart jump. i love this shit.
one band that wasn't mentioned (and i can really see why) is Bomb the Music Industry!
they're ska in the sense that they have a full brass section, up beat tempo and upstroke guitar, but outside of that they're pretty insane. But give them a listen.
skip to like 45 seconds in it's a fan video
Nice, I've heard of these guys before I loved the title track of Get Warmer but was too afraid to listen to their other stuff because I was not too sure about their sound. After hearing this sound I'm giving them a shot for sure now. Hey how can anyone hate a band that gives shout outs to Tome Waits? Do you know if Get Warmer is a good CD or not? Or have they already come out with another CD? I’ve heard these guys have a new CD out like every other month practically.
go to bands, then BTMI
every one of their records is available for free download from the label
Their older stuff is very electro/fuckin crazy. Get Warmer is my second favorite album. personal favorite is To leave or die in long island
Cool free music is the best music, I know what I'll be doing the rest of the night. Thanks
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=u9VO-w3djsA
ALSO
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=UVtG0J4k3O4&feature=related
PLUS
Pretty much everything from Energy and Destruction by Definition.
Anyway, before you go and bash Less Than Jake, you should hear their newest album that came out a couple weeks ago. It's really their best since Hello Rockview.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGqKIoGKvRE
We Will Fall Together
This song is the best set opener evah.
Any BOTAR fans here? I've given up on ever seeing anything else by them.
here are some more lesser known ska bands I'd endorse checking out
- Potshot, the Japanese aren't going to be let us have all the fun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS-S0pB_6sI
- The Hippos, ignore the hackers motif in this fan video... dunno what that's about
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9XQI9cB30o
- Mad Caddies, I'm suprised the OP didn't include these guys, what with his good taste and all
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_zSReGkt18
- And your video for the Toasters is down
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9Qy1KCej0M&feature=related
The Specials
Hey to be fair to me I can't list every band I love in the OP that would just be way too long. I'm a huge fan of the Hippos so kuddos for including them. I never really got into the Mad Caddies as much as I should have actually so maybe I'll give them another shot. Also Potshot sounds awesome, good find. Speaking of Ska bands that don't speak English try Ska-P on for size!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpMkKs-QA-E
Also I guess I need to issue a formal apology to Less Than Jake that new song is fantastic. Welcome back guys!
Edit: Thanks for telling me the Toasters song was down, it should work now.
Some other lesser known bands that I find pretty good (although not as good as the previously listed ones):
Something in Itself - This band from western Pennsylvania don't have anything good that I could readily find on YouTube, but if you decontaminate your browser and head over to their MySpace Page (http://www.myspace.com/somethinginitself) you can hear the really awesome "Smonkey Treats and WahWah" playing on their player and some other songs. They apparently broke up, though.
Dirty Larry - Another NJ-area ska band, but I think they broke up as well. I didn't really like their later stuff, but I liked their first album "Lady in Leopard" a lot. Their MySpace page is at http://www.myspace.com/dirtylarry. I can't seem to find anything from that album on YouTube, though.
Go Go Rays - Also from western Pennsylvania, this now defunct band put out a pretty good album called "Family Fun Night". You can listen to some of the tracks from that album (or buy it) over at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Family-Fun-Night-Go-Rays/dp/B000001HRF/ref=pd_sim_m_1
Love first and second wave, though!
One of my bosses is really into ska, and I have another friend who grew up with (and outgrew) the scene, and she still goes to shows for nostalgia purposes. Last week, I went with my boss to see Suburban Legends, Big D, Goldfinger, and Less Than Jake on the same bill.
1. Suburban Legends are just the absolute worst. Ever. Seriously. They look like Disney would buy them after Miley Cyrus implodes.
2. The rest of the bands on the bill just came off as terrible. I was kind of excited to see Big D because my friend made them out as awesome, but when I told her I was going she admitted they kind of suck and she only sees them for old time's sake. They were in fact, pretty bad.
3. Everyone there, bands and fans alike, all seemed to be stuck at a level of perpetual adolescence. The majority of the crowd actually was around 15 years old, which surprised me because I thought the scene was pretty dead these days.
4. They played so loud that by the end of the show I literally just heard white noise with a barrage of sounds off way in the distance. This might have been to cover up the suck.
I know that these bands are more "punk," but it seems like all punk means these days is "shitty" or "musically incompetent." You don't see any of these guys ever really growing the way many of the bands and musicians of the 70s and 80s punk scenes eventually grew into extremely technical musicians (Ian MacKaye and the rest of Fugazi, for example).
RANT OFF
Anywho, I do kind of dig Streetlight. And I have fond memories and lasting appreciation for Reel Big Fish and the Aquabats, simply from being a kid in the 90s.
Well you like the hippos, so you're a-ok in my book, Potshot is more a wildcard inclusion for the hell of it. I like to play them for friends and try to play the what language are they singing in game, I still have no idea... sounds like a half-and-half. For anyone else who wants more though, find their song "Under the Blue Sky", I do love that song, though I couldn't find it on youtube.
So yeah.
That's all I got.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfwsxoo_FL8
I would have posted their great cover of "99 Luftballons" but even though it's a fun song I assume everyone else is as sick of the "ska cover of a song I never thought they'd cover... but they did!! deal as I am (see [but don't really see.. cause they suck..] NOFX... any of the covers they've done)
that's almost set to explode"?
those lyrics are awful.
I want to get into Ska but I just can't.
That said, needs Five Iron Frenzy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSpXIQ1qya4
I have four of their albums, and they're all excellent.
Well that's a good enough complaint as any about Ska, I would recommend listening to more Streetlight Manifesto. A lot of people are impressed by their lyrics compared to other Ska bands.
Hadji I think you make an good point about third wave in general. Yeah it's more punk than Ska in a lot of cases. A real Ska song should never have a guitar with more than 4 strings as a rule. But beggars can't be choosers so I take what I can get. That’s really disappointing about the Suburban Legends being a horrible live band I was going to try to see them live sometime, but I might just steer clear of them now. Also I fully expected Big D to suck live, for every good song like Shining On there is a Those Kids Suck, so yeah a very love hate band IMHO.
Suburban Legends live is like seeing Britney Spears or Hannah Montanna or some shit. It's entirely choreographed, and those boys are polished to shine. Towards the end, they even bust out a disney cover. They're like the Jonas Bros of ska.
As for Big D, that song you have in the video up there wasn't terrible, but they only played 2 or 3 slower numbers at the show because the crowd gets pissed when they can't mosh. The two or three slow numbers they did play were, in fact, pretty awful, and I think one of them was a cover, but I couldn't say of what.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7jAahzzlw4
He does awesome, one-man covers of mostly first-wave skatalites stuff, but he also does some second wave stuff, and a handful of straight 70s and 80s punk and new-wave songs.
but I'll give you that the lyrics aren't the main draw to most ska bands
See how many books I've read so far in 2010
Thanks for the suggestion! I will check them out.
I went to see Streetlight while they were on tour with 'em with a few friends. One of these friends is REALLY into them. He was saying stuff like "Even if you don't like them on record you'll love them live". I couldn't talk to him for the rest of the night.
Originally, I didn't even know Streetlight was playing it until I bought my ticket, and my whole reason for going changed.
See how many books I've read so far in 2010
See how many books I've read so far in 2010
I'd recommend Skankin Pickle, but linking to youtube vids seems to be the m.o., and the only ones I found were low quality live videos.
I also have an irrational love of The Suicide Machines. No Face
Also, I'm at work so I can't find a rancid youtube or see the one's here. Did anyone post the awesome ska song from Back to the Beach with Frankie and Anette?
Pretty much agreed that Streetlight Manifesto is the greatest thing of anything now. Somewhere in the Between makes me ooze with pleasure.
Also, surprise to see that there was no mention of The Arrogant Sons of Bitches even though BTMI! was brought up. One of the "punkiest" ska band that ever came out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEbTQ1qKiuE
The Flaming Tsunamis, one of the weirdest, more experimental and a great ska band all round.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jBY7nQWuLo
Rx Bandits. Progressive rock ska? Possibly. Barely ska nowadays but still great.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq0j2Ot1NHo
For a video game twist, the Toasters and the Pilfers both had Coolie Ranx as singer. Coolie Ranx is aka "Little Jacob" from GTA IV (and one of the smoothest guys you'll ever meet).
ed
While I'm at it some defunct bands that were good skafolk
Edna's Goldfish
Spring Heeled Jack (USA) - not the full song, make an effort for this one, its worth it
Sgt Scagnetti (no video) - I recommend "Drop and Roll" and Necromance
QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
Are these guys still playing? I remember going crazy at their Ska shows back in high school(7-8 years ago?).
Also, The Impossibles are very good.
Pretty sure they aren't unfortunately. A lot of the good ones have broken up.
QEDMF xbl: PantsB G+
Mephiskapheles - Doomsday
and
Mustard Plug - Beer Song
and
Skankin' Pickle - Fakin' Jamaican
and
A band that I probably won't find videos for. They were a local band here in Vegas years ago. Soto's Fault. They were pretty awesome, and they will be missed.
EDIT: They have some songs on their myspace page. Soto's Fault. Check out Pickin' Flowers and Blame.
Hahahahaha. Jolly good show.
Great post all around, Mustard Plug barely missed the OP, I really dig these guys a lot. Have you ever seen them live? I'm wondering if driving down to LA would be worth seeing these guys come fall.
Antihippy, Rx Bandits is a really cool band, I have never heard of these guys before. They have an awesome sound, not quite sure I'd call them Ska personally, but third wave is so crazy right now that I think anything with a horn is called Ska now. o_O
Too lazy to look who made the Mad Caddies post, but I do love drinking for 11 (great song!) but I think they suffer from massive LJS. What songs would you recommend from them besides Drinking for 11?
Yeah, they're barely ska anymore nowadays, instead they've turned into some sort of progressive post-hardcore kind of thing with occasional horn lines.
And yeah, they do have a great sound.