Recently I listened to the Specials self-titled 1979 album and really enjoyed it. I’ve been wanting to try out some Ska music for awhile now because it’s a genre I don’t know a whole lot about. What recommendations do you guys have as far as Ska music?
Your "very old " is second wave. Further back is legit Jamaican Ska like the Skatalites and Desmond Dekker and early Wailers.
Streetlight Manifesto. I recommend the albums Everything Goes Numb and Somewhere in the Between.
Great recommendation. Somewhere in the Between was my introduction to the genre! So many good memories listening to both of these albums nonstop in high school, totally reshaped my whole musical identity at the time.
Streetlight are an amazing band, but even by Somewhere in the Between they’re moving away from Ska to something else. By the time of The Hands that Thieve, their sound was like no one else’s, amazing stuff.
Absolutely agreed. I like both eras a lot.
Original rude boy ska. The best of all time:
- Desmond Dekker, “007 Shanty Town”, 1967
- The Skatalites, “Guns of Navarone”, 1965
- Tony Tribe, “Red Red Wine”, 1969
BONUS TRACK is it ska or is it rocksteady? either way one of my favorite songs in any genre:
- Toots and the Maytals, “Sun Moon and Stars”, 1969
Trojan Box Sets are great compilations that give an all over taste. Some you may have to search for but I had an excellent one which I might be able to get the Google drive link for later
I had a GREAT Trojan box some years ago. A triple CD that covered from the '60 to the '80s. Some absolutely PROPER tunes on it.
You can’t really go wrong with any of them, they’ve pretty much got everything covered. There’s some of their catalogue on streaming and YouTube etc but I’m sure I remember having more on CD.
The one I’m thinking of is Ska revival but all I can find is someone’s put Disc 3 on YouTube. I’m pretty sure it’s one of the one I backed up when I had to clear out my physical media though it was that good
The Toasters. They’re 3rd wave ska, after The Specials, who were 2nd wave. Try the early albums. Look for the song “Mister Trouble”.
Some good recommendations in here.
I’m gonna
takes off glasses
pick 'em up, pick 'em up, pick 'em up.
Mephiskapheles
Sublime, Less than Jake and RX Bandits have Ska elements.
I also enjoy Mustard Plug and Spring heeled jack
I don’t know many. The only one that comes to mind that isn’t already listed is Reel Big Fish.
I was never BIG into ska, but of the limited amount I listened to, by far my favorite Ska Album was Mighty Mighty Bosstones: Jacknife to a Swan. There’s nothing SPECIAL about it, it’s just got a ton of hooky, upbeat, quality ska bangers on it. My personal faves from the record are: Sugar Free, Mr. Moran, You Gotta Go, and Old School Off the Bright.
Also check out older gold finger albums, they had some solid ska tracks but were never really a ska band. Reel Big Fish and Less Than Jake are probably the most main stream bands. Ska has always been a more underground genre, you kinda gotta dig around a little bit to find the gems.
Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra
Aah Rantanplan, ich war mal Vorband fuer Rantanplan, irgendwann Anfang der 2000er oder so :D
Full Trojan Ska Revival box set. Mainly live versions which are often better than the originals, especially The Selecter who are just absolutely blistering live.
EDIT Just found an old Spotify playlist I made as well
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4XA9MCTCLmsYtkrqXvxmES?si=TDfy-kw8QV-cuQlB_mCiQg
Aaron Barrett of the Reel Big Fish had a side project for a while called The Forces of Evil that’s got some fun stuff in a ska vein.
Professor Plum was a small ska band I really enjoyed when they were doing things (oh golly thirtyish years ago).
+1 for Skatalites, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Reel Big Fish, RxBandits, Less than Jake
The Arrogant Sons of Bitches is one of my favorites, and not just because they spent time mic’ing a playskool xylophone for their sets. They’re not as, um, clean as the Reel Big Fish but there’s a ton of fun to be had with their songs.
If 90s California Ska is the target then along with RBF and Less Than Jake check out The Skeletones, The Nuckle Brothers, Mealticket, No Doubt (first album) and Suburban Rhythm. Some might be hard to find as they never hit it big. If I remember some more I will ad them to the list.
I was in a SoCal ska band in the 90s so saw a lot of bands, few went on to get national recognition.
These are all great additions! The only one I’m not familiar with are the Nuckle Brothers, I’ll have to go looking for some of their stuff so thanks!
Suburban Rhythm
Why did Ed and Scott quit =/
I wish I could remember but it was a LONG time ago. Anything I had to relay would only be 2nd hand anyway, for even though I knew Ed from shows and college classes together I dont recall ever discussing it with him at the time.
I’ve always loved The Pietasters. They were the first show I ever went to.
If you want a punk/ska mix, Operation Ivy is excellent.
