The new face of ska. A discussion

[chech95]

I recently went to the Shout it Loud Tour feat. Less Than Jake, and Goldfinger. This is by no means a rip on any of the bands, but I noticed that both Less Than Jake and Goldfinger were definitely getting up there in age (they are by all means still tearing it up, the Philadelphia show was sick) along with alot of other ska bands; The Slackers, Reel Big Fish, The Toasters. And it made me think, what young ska bands do you think are going to be next Goldfinger and Less Than Jake?

hmm...

[hockeyguitar99]

thats a damn good question, I'm not really that into ska, but the bands that I do like are getting old.

[TheOtherAndrew]

Ska is dead

[KidRobot]

What's Ska?

[TheOtherAndrew]

No Doubt Hey Baby best ska song ever

[El_Jeffe]

there's soo much up & coming talent in ska music. some who are really taking ska music in new directions, fusing new genres & doing all sorts of creative brilliance

as for pop-punk/ska... i wouldn't have a clue. probably largely on it's way out

[chech95]

yea im talking about any sort of ska

[KidRobot]

No Doubt Hey Baby best ska song ever

Oh wow. I love ska!

[El_Jeffe]

sweet as, nz has a huge ska & dub culture that's always expanding. new bands, with talent, are cropping up all the time. some i'd suggest:

the black seeds (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=241156)
fat freddy's drop (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=281192)
katchafire (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=262322)

& sooo many more. ska internationally is far from dead, far from dying. it'll always be around, you can't kill soul music

[chech95]

Yea I don't think its dead at all, not just because I like ska, but just look at all the sold out ska shows there are.

Some bands I recently found;

Philadelphia--Last Martyrs of a Lost Cause: www.myspace.com/lastmartyrsofalostcause (http://absolutepunk.net/www.myspace.com/lastmartyrsofalostcause)
UK--Fandangle: www.myspace.com/fandangle (http://absolutepunk.net/www.myspace.com/fandangle)
Michigan--We Are The Union: http://www.myspace.com/wearetheunion

As far as old school ska goes such as The Toasters I do think old school ska is dying. There seems to just be either Dub or Reggae bands around. No classic ska.

Oh and apparently Houston Calls used to be a Ska band???

[Jumpoff]

sweet as, nz has a huge ska & dub culture that's always expanding. new bands, with talent, are cropping up all the time. some i'd suggest:

the black seeds (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=241156)
fat freddy's drop (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=281192)
katchafire (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=262322)

& sooo many more. ska internationally is far from dead, far from dying. it'll always be around, you can't kill soul music

Three great bands.

Ska is a timeless genre. Regardless of music trends there are always going to be bands playing good Ska.


By the way El Jefe, the main reason I quoted.. any news on new Hepcat material?

I really wanted to like LTJ and Goldfinger but they were just bad to me. Only bands that mix punk/ska ever that I like are... Fishbone and Streetlight. My main problem with ska/punk is how weak the emphasis on horns are. Half the time I can barely consider bands like Choking Victim ska, though I do like them.

[El_Jeffe]

Three great bands.

Ska is a timeless genre. Regardless of music trends there are always going to be bands playing good Ska.


By the way El Jefe, the main reason I quoted.. any news on new Hepcat material?

I really wanted to like LTJ and Goldfinger but they were just bad to me. Only bands that mix punk/ska ever that I like are... Fishbone and Streetlight. My main problem with ska/punk is how weak the emphasis on horns are. Half the time I can barely consider bands like Choking Victim ska, though I do like them.

backed!

well they had wrote & recorded almost an entire new album last year when the legendary bassie (their bass player david fuentes) unfortunately passed. nothing has really been released since. not even sure if they've moved on & using a new bass player on tour... if they're even touring right now. it's pretty sad times all around for the great hepcat & their loyal fans

i can't stand any of that stuff, well besides fishbone, but they're pretty funky. the only punk & ska fusion that matters to me was some bands from the 2tone era & that's because they still largely remained true to the ska melody. today's efforts are much more punk than ska. even streetlight, a a respect the ethics of, their horn section can't keep a melody for the life of them. they really are a punk band

[Jumpoff]

backed!

well they had wrote & recorded almost an entire new album last year when the legendary bassie (their bass player david fuentes) unfortunately passed. nothing has really been released since. not even sure if they've moved on & using a new bass player on tour... if they're even touring right now. it's pretty sad times all around for the great hepcat & their loyal fans

i can't stand any of that stuff, well besides fishbone, but they're pretty funky. the only punk & ska fusion that matters to me was some bands from the 2tone era & that's because they still largely remained true to the ska melody. today's efforts are much more punk than ska. even streetlight, a a respect the ethics of, their horn section can't keep a melody for the life of them. they really are a punk band

The whole David Fuentes situation is pretty sad. They really were picking things back up, and then that happened and everything seemed to fall apart. RIP to the man.

For some reason, that reminds me.. I need to listen to redlight. Cooking for Tommy is such a great tribute song, though it was purely instrumental. The whole packaging for that album is great ; love how it explains every song in the liner notes.

Haha, I can agree with most of that. But as a punk fan I don't mind some of it.

Streetlight has more interesting horns than any other punk/ska band, aside from Fishbone (though you are right. Fishbone is far more than a punk/ska band. Really more eclectic than any other band I listen to probably.) Though they aren't the best at all, their horns are interesting to listen to at the very least compared to hearing the same horn pattern every song.

I've been trying to get into more 2Tone lately. However, having a hard time with The Selecter.. the lead singer's voice is so.. off? sounding to me.

[Protested Hero]

Big D
We Are The Union

[EchoPark]

I saw the Black Seeds a club here in Sydney and I think I was the only NON Kiwi in the whole venue. They had the place going off eh bro.

[Regards]

Punk is dead

[SLoT]

I'm pretty much through listening to ska. LTJ and RBF are about as much ska as I listen to anymore, and they've become really hit or miss with me. I used to listen to them so much in high school.

[big mondo]

As far as old school ska goes such as The Toasters I do think old school ska is dying. There seems to just be either Dub or Reggae bands around. No classic ska.


come to california. our entire state will prove your statement wrong

:P

backed!

well they had wrote & recorded almost an entire new album last year when the legendary bassie (their bass player david fuentes) unfortunately passed. nothing has really been released since. not even sure if they've moved on & using a new bass player on tour... if they're even touring right now. it's pretty sad times all around for the great hepcat & their loyal fans

i can't stand any of that stuff, well besides fishbone, but they're pretty funky. the only punk & ska fusion that matters to me was some bands from the 2tone era & that's because they still largely remained true to the ska melody. today's efforts are much more punk than ska. even streetlight, a a respect the ethics of, their horn section can't keep a melody for the life of them. they really are a punk band

hepcat is essentially done at this point, and i've heard this from a lot of people out here in the southern california scene. alex desert already has a new band, the lions, who are really awesome reggae band

as far as up and coming bands. check out the bohunks.
http://www.myspace.com/thebohunks

they have been a band barely a year and they are already opening up for rancid in september. that gives you an idea of the talent and energy they possess.

[Judge'sDaughter]

come to california. our entire state will prove your statement wrong

:P



hepcat is essentially done at this point, and i've heard this from a lot of people out here in the southern california scene. alex desert already has a new band, the lions, who are really awesome reggae band

as far as up and coming bands. check out the bohunks.
http://www.myspace.com/thebohunks

they have been a band barely a year and they are already opening up for rancid in september. that gives you an idea of the talent and energy they possess.

I don't think that opening for Rancid means much anymore, though I don't deny that The Bohunks are a good band.

[big mondo]

I don't think that opening for Rancid means much anymore, though I don't deny that The Bohunks are a good band.

the point i am trying to make is that bands like t.s.o.l. and the aquabats and the adolescents open up for rancid, meaning that you can debate the quality of said bands but you can't debate that they are well known. so it's pretty good for a relatively unknown to get a slot like this

[Jumpoff]

Punk is dead

It's just another cheap product for the consumers head!

[Whimsikill]

Yea I don't think its dead at all, not just because I like ska, but just look at all the sold out ska shows there are.

Some bands I recently found;

Philadelphia--Last Martyrs of a Lost Cause: www.myspace.com/lastmartyrsofalostcause (http://absolutepunk.net/www.myspace.com/lastmartyrsofalostcause)
UK--Fandangle: www.myspace.com/fandangle (http://absolutepunk.net/www.myspace.com/fandangle)
Michigan--We Are The Union: http://www.myspace.com/wearetheunion

As far as old school ska goes such as The Toasters I do think old school ska is dying. There seems to just be either Dub or Reggae bands around. No classic ska.

Oh and apparently Houston Calls used to be a Ska band???

Correct, Houston Calls was formed out of a ska/pop-punk band called Face First.

[xBITCHxPLEASEx]

Streetlight Manifesto.

[stupidtyonparad]

first of all. reel big fish is not old and even when they're 75 i wont consider them old. i expect those guys to tear it up till aaron barrett dies

but....next big ska band
big d and the kids table
listen to their last album strictly rude and youll understand

oh and streetlight is incredibly overrated and not all that special

[versus_god]

Streetlight is the only ska-punk band I can really listen to anymore.

[KatieKutthroat.]

Ska is dead

Just wanted to say that your avatar is the best. Youk is my favorite. And he is awesome.

[TheOtherAndrew]

Just wanted to say that your avatar is the best. Youk is my favorite. And he is awesome.
We are friends. :-)

[Jumpoff]

first of all. reel big fish is not old and even when they're 75 i wont consider them old. i expect those guys to tear it up till aaron barrett dies

but....next big ska band
big d and the kids table
listen to their last album strictly rude and youll understand

oh and streetlight is incredibly overrated and not all that special

But Streetlight shares far more in common with actual ska than both Big D and RBF. Big D is a punk band, they are barely ska at all....

[versus_god]

Streetlight's a punk band with a killer horn section and the occasional upstroke.

[Jumpoff]

Streetlight's a punk band with a killer horn section and the occasional upstroke.

Yeah. Their horn section puts them closer to ska than Big D and RBF are though, in my opinion at least.

[GuitarR0cker1]

It is too bad punk ska is dying. I really like Goldfinger and LTJ too but I guess all music trends have to die out at some point.

[Jumpoff]

It is too bad punk ska is dying. I really like Goldfinger and LTJ too but I guess all music trends have to die out at some point.

Punk/Ska is not dying by any means. There are still a shit ton of bands playing it, they just aren't blownig up like they did in the mid 90's.

[big mondo]

But Streetlight shares far more in common with actual ska than both Big D and RBF. Big D is a punk band, they are barely ska at all....

musically speaking

streetlight shares the least amount with actual ska music, in comparison to old reel big fish and new big d and the kids table.

horns does not equal ska, if you pay attention to the actual music there is very little if any ska in streetlight manifesto's music especially when taking SitB into consideration

[Jumpoff]

musically speaking

streetlight shares the least amount with actual ska music, in comparison to old reel big fish and new big d and the kids table.

horns does not equal ska, if you pay attention to the actual music there is very little if any ska in streetlight manifesto's music especially when taking SitB into consideration


I can see what you are saying about streetlight, but I never really heard the similiarities between RBF and Ska. They sound nothing like it to me. And I haven't heard Big D's newest album, so that could be why, but on their older albums they don't really give me any ska feeling either.

[GuitarR0cker1]

Punk/Ska is not dying by any means. There are still a shit ton of bands playing it, they just aren't blownig up like they did in the mid 90's.
Of course but they are getting older and no new ones are starting up so it kinda is dying. I don't mean that bands like Goldfinger and LTJ are loosing lots of their luster its just they will simply because that is what happens when you age.

[Jumpoff]

Of course but they are getting older and no new ones are starting up so it kinda is dying. I don't mean that bands like Goldfinger and LTJ are loosing lots of their luster its just they will simply because that is what happens when you age.

I meant that a lot of new bands are playing that sound on the local and underground level haha. I know of at least 3 punk/ska bands currently playing in my area, and there's probably a lot more if I looked harder.

[GuitarR0cker1]

I meant that a lot of new bands are playing that sound on the local and underground level haha. I know of at least 3 punk/ska bands currently playing in my area, and there's probably a lot more if I looked harder.
There is? Awesome, its just I haven't heard of any even slightly above underground level bands playing Punk/Ska.

[bribot]

1st wave ska is cool and all but i would much rather listen to bands like big D and streetlight. seems like there is alot more variety with these bands. not the same old ska riff and horns like first wave.

did anyone mention mustard plug yet? they're probably one of my favorite ska bands. along with link 80, slapstick and mu330... its all good

[versus_god]

You obviously haven't listened to much first wave ska if you believe ska-punk is a more varied form of music.

In other news, Mustard Plug covered "Waiting Room" last time I saw them.

[El_Jeffe]

i nearly wept when i read that comment haha. ooo how beautiful the early sounds of ska was, such sounds of freedom, such optimism, the drive for social awareness & change

also don't believe in the wave theory one bit. i don't know who came up with it or how it took off, but it's a bizarre concept

[Matthew Tsai]

it's all about a five iron frenzy reunion. all about a five iron reunion.

[versus_god]

Jesus would be stoked.

[turncoat93]

i would say a band that will be remembered like goldfinger or someone along those lines is Big D and The Kids Table.
i really think real ska is largely local though. I find alot more credible ska locally.
Im really liking Manic Sewing Circle out of Chicago.
On a side note i really dislike less then jake

[turncoat93]

It is too bad punk ska is dying. I really like Goldfinger and LTJ too but I guess all music trends have to die out at some point.
ska punk is not dying.
its trendyness is dying.
and i for one think thats a good thing

[bribot]

Jesus would be stoked.


hahahahahah

[harveyn590]

I think Streetlight and Big D are really gonna break. My friends that hate ska like streetlight, and the last big D album, strictly rude.

[big mondo]

I can see what you are saying about streetlight, but I never really heard the similiarities between RBF and Ska. They sound nothing like it to me. And I haven't heard Big D's newest album, so that could be why, but on their older albums they don't really give me any ska feeling either.

old reel big fish has some ska there, underneath all the pop rock, but its there

Jesus would be stoked.

i hear that when they do reunite jesus will be there on the bari sax

[Jumpoff]

i would say a band that will be remembered like goldfinger or someone along those lines is Big D and The Kids Table.
i really think real ska is largely local though. I find alot more credible ska locally.
Im really liking Manic Sewing Circle out of Chicago.
On a side note i really dislike less then jake

Basically I agree.

Some ska/punk off the top of my head from my area would be... Slightly Askew and No Service Project.

[ska4life07]

I think Streetlight and Big D are really gonna break. My friends that hate ska like streetlight, and the last big D album, strictly rude.

Streetlight is a punk band with brass. They said it themselves basically, to my face.

As for big D, they are a good punk ska band. The new album they slowed down their beats, and traditionally they play really fast paced.

[ska4life07]

Stereohype is a very popular ,local, ska band in my area. They open for concerts at the Gulf Coast Coliseum all the time. They could make it big someday. Check out their myspace and Sorry I dont have the link right now.

[KandiDinosaur]

Streetlight is a punk band with brass. They said it themselves basically, to my face.

As for big D, they are a good punk ska band. The new album they slowed down their beats, and traditionally they play really fast paced.

Thats why all the gangsters go to see Big D.

[ska4life07]

How are big D gangsters? Oh yeah, they're from boston.

[mattmatumbo]

anathallo haha

[allthruwinter]

Big D
We Are The Union

OH hell yeah brother.

[LSHchicka]

not only is Last Martyrs of a Lost Cause really good, they just posted 4 new sick tracks that are going to bring ska punk back up at http://www.myspace.com/lastmartyrsofalostcause


Yea I don't think its dead at all, not just because I like ska, but just look at all the sold out ska shows there are.

Some bands I recently found;

Philadelphia--Last Martyrs of a Lost Cause: www.myspace.com/lastmartyrsofalostcause (http://absolutepunk.net/www.myspace.com/lastmartyrsofalostcause)
UK--Fandangle: www.myspace.com/fandangle (http://absolutepunk.net/www.myspace.com/fandangle)
Michigan--We Are The Union: http://www.myspace.com/wearetheunion

As far as old school ska goes such as The Toasters I do think old school ska is dying. There seems to just be either Dub or Reggae bands around. No classic ska.

Oh and apparently Houston Calls used to be a Ska band???