Teh Interwebs is full of Best Thing Evars. But really and truly, the Best Thing Evar is that THE SPECIALS (Best BAND Evar) are playing Letterman (Best Late Nite TV Show Evar) Thursday night, August 26. So you see, Best Thing Evar.
Since The Specials have toured only a wee bit in the US since their reformation this year, this is for many of us American ska doggies and kittehs the best opportunity to see them play on our fair soil. The Specials “30th Anniversary Tour” DVD is also out now, so we can all see what they looked and sounded like on their European tour. Now if they would only play the San Francisco Bay Area, where this ska doggeh lives, then the universe would be perfect. Til then, you heard it here. Thursday nite you know what I’ll be doing. W00f!
The songs stuck in my head is a super shweet skinhead reggae and ska podcast from Cloverdale Dave outta (u guessed it) Cloverdale, CA, the 2nd coolest small town in America. Have a listen, you’ll be glad you did. This is all str8 from Dave’s gr8 collection of original vinyl sides, and we’re talking some of the best music evar. Two paws up. Learned of this gem from Milesgehm on BayAreaSka after I posted the Uptones Cloverdale date there. Ah, and if I didn’t mention it here, The Uptones play Friday Night Live in Cloverdale, August 27. W00f.
A fun podcast from Minnesota’s ska community, featuring an entertaining interview with Sic & MAD‘s Vic Ruggiero and Happy. You may bust it by clicking here. Fans of The Slackers must not miss, and all the rest o’ you ska doggies and kittehs should check it out too! Skaducational. Inskarational, even. Buster approves.
For the second year in a row, teh Vans Warped Tour has teamed up with iTunes store to deliver a free promo DL featuring some of the bands playing the tour. This one is heavy on the punk and ska, and that makes this ska doggie happeh! Check it out =) One for USA, and one for Canada.
Listen to the original roots of The Uptones performance for the upcoming Ska Parade‘s “Six Hours Of Ska” on the Kevin Says Stage on the 2010 Warped Tour. Here’s The Uptones’ set list for the shows. It includes some Ska classics as well as some Uptones’ originals. Check out this 8 song set:
Guns Of Navarone
The Skatalites adaptation of the theme to the film The Guns of Navarone was a Ska song that entered the UK Top 10 in 1967. This is old school, when instrumentals were the big thing. The Skatalites are the real deal. Ska started here:
Radiation Boy
This song is wonderful scary. It makes the same sense now then when Eric Din wrote it in 1983. Here’s a live version from Santa Cruz, just after the band reformed in 2002. Like The Specials, the music is topical and has remained in The Uptones set to this day.
Ghost Town
The Specials were the next generation after The Skatalites in the Ska calendar. Their song, Ghost Town was a #1 hit in the U.K. in 1981. These guys were styling and political, and they set the tone for the 2Tone movement. They also created the trombone standard that’s been a part of Ska ever since. The Uptones were being dreamed up around 1981-’82, and The Specials were a very big influence. When The Uptones recently reformed, trombonist Jeanne Geiger was their first recruit. You’ll see why at the show.
Skanking Fool
When The Uptones reformed in 2002, everyone told them “Ska was Dead.” The Uptones were needed to help resuscitate this wonderful musical style. Moose wrote this killer song, and Emily Jayne will sing it at the show. Here’s the version that Moose sings.
Bad Reputation
The Uptones welcome their newest member, Emily Jayne. There’s always been some punk in Ska’s recent History. This song has been waiting for Emily and The Uptones Horns. Check out Joan Jett‘s original version.
Not From Here
Everybody has experienced that feeling of not belonging. Paul Jackson’s song “Not From Here” is all about that. Here’s the version Paul, Eric, and Ben recorded when they were a 4 piece band waiting to reform The Uptones.
Get Out Of My Way
Punk, Ska, and Political, this song reflects The Uptones take on the crazy early 1980s. The first Ska band in West Coast at the time, they influenced a lot of the music to follow from Berkeley, California. “Get Out Of My Way” has also been recorded by Rancid. Listen closely and you can hear Tim Armstrong introducing the band at Gilman St.
Here’s another one of the 2 Tone bands the world should know about, The Selecter. They were popular when The Uptones were forming. Their song “Too Much Pressure” rages with Ska angst. This live version is from “Dance Craze” ~ the definitive documentary on the British Two-Tone ska wave, another key influence on The Uptones.
Dutch reggae ska lovers The Upsessions have been slingin’ their own take on early Jamaican pop music since 2005. In that time they’ve amassed an impressive little discography and put on a lot of well received shows in Europa. Here’s one of their studio cuts, a personal fave of mine called “You Done Me Wrong.” Love that bubblin’ organ and be warned – the chorus might stay with you for daze!
Fittingly, I start my set of paw-selected SKA music with an ode to SKA! UK’s marvelous Dub City Rockers lay it down, as Chris Murray – longtime champion of ska music and pioneer of acoustic solo ska – sings the praises of ska. What is not for a ska doggie to love?
Toronto, Canada’s own ska heroes The Planet Smashers, rockin’ it with Neville Staple (yes the Neville Staple) on a killer anthem whose mission is no less than to save the world. It’s a worthy cause this ska doggie can support. Two paws up!
