The Specials’ guitarist explains why Lily Allen played a big part in the band re-forming, in The Guardian UK.
ska
Before Sublime (and all the bands after that seem to squeeze juicy ska reggae dub vibes from the California surf and sun!) The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies were cookin’ up some sunshine of their own in the rainy northwest town of Eugene, Oregon. Their name was a sort of deliberate confrontation with the hyper-PC reality of their surroundings, and it worked, garnering them plenty of controversy, critique, and, well, packed houses full of sweaty happy dancers! Here’s a taste of their musically sophisticated work – a charming song with epic reggae horns and panoramic vocal harmonies. [click to continue…]
Yes, it’s true! The U.S. Post Office has authorized a postage stamp memorializing the Ska Shrine. And yes, you can buy these new issued stamps and help spread the word about Ska.
Musashi “Moose” Lethridge, Uptones guitarist and builder of the world’s first Ska Shrine, recently demonstrated Proper Shrine Use and Etiquette, to help publicize the Ska Shrine Ska4Ever Postage Stamp. On hand to witness the first Solo Ska Shrine Skankfest, were Official Ska Shrine Videographer Jake Small, and assistant Shrine builder and Ska Music DJ Eric Din.
After a solemn entrance, Moose called out tracks from the Uptones’ Skankin’ Foolz Unite CD and suddenly went into an all out skanking frenzy. His gravity-defying moves tested the physical limits of the Shrine, but it held together in all its two-tone glory even at skanking speeds of Mach 2 and beyond. Several spectators who got too close had to be carried out on stretchers, giggling uncontrollably. [click to continue…]
The “Ska Shrine” trend continues to grow
Skanking enthusiast, Miles Gehm has built a Mobile Ska Shrine in San Jose, California. [click to continue…]