When drummer Ara Babajian joined The Slackers in 2003, Vic Ruggiero and David Hillyard had to teach him how to correctly play a traditional ska beat, which they did by handing him key records to listen to, and by singing ska beats at him. Ara wasn't new to ska. He'd played in several bands like Agent 99 and Leftover Crack. But The Slackers approached ska with a greater emphasis on hitting that Jamaican groove just right, so he had to up his game. He may have come to the band with little experience playing trad ska, but he's since proven himself to be a top-tier ska drummer.

On today's episode we talk with Ara about his history in The Slackers, Agent 99, and Leftover Crack--the first time he left the group, he did so three songs into a show in Toronto in 2001, upset that Scott Sturgeon was on-stage making 9-11 jokes. We learn all sorts of interesting facts about Ara's life, like who played drums in Agent 99 before he joined the group (Hint: He played Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars).

He also tells us stories about Leftover Crack's late bassist Alec Baillie, the time Bomb the Music Industry opened for The Slackers in Chicago and were booed by the audience (Jeff Rosenstock, apparently, was delighted by the reaction), what it's been like for The Slackers in recent years to get coverage in Rolling Stone Magazine and Washington Post (An article by IDOS guest Jessica Lipsky). And we learn about his 1980s group Das Booty, whose demo recordings were mistaken for Red Hot Chili Peppers demos for the Uplift Mofo Party Plan record. 

In the mid-90s, comedian Margaret Cho had a sitcom deal with ABC. She wanted to call it "The Margaret Cho Show" and to have Skankin' Pickle to write its theme song. But, the network wanted it to be called "All-American Girl," and they weren't keen on having a ska-punk band write its theme song. Skankin' Pickle singer/saxophonist Mike Park had already written the delightfully catchy song, "It's Margaret Cho." Since it wouldn't be playing on TV, he included it on Skankin' Pickle's third studio album, Sing Along With Skankin' Pickle.

Margaret was friends with Mike and other members of the band. She showed up at Pickle shows and danced on the side of the stage whenever she could. But her love for ska and punk goes back to the 80s. These shows were a big part of her development as a person. She saw several amazing bands like Operation Ivy and Fishbone, who she says are her all time favorite band. She even wore a Fishbone shirt for the interview!

On this episode, Margaret tells us about her friendship with the Skankin' Pickle. She also discusses the iconic bay area venues that meant a lot to her growing up, like Gilman, The Farm, and Mabuhay Gardens. She even tells us about the wildest show she ever attended.  But it turns out, it was a comedy show where a comedian casually drink his own piss and told corny jokes. 

It would seem impossible for PUP to top their brilliant, cathartic 2019 record Morbid Stuff. But then, on April 1, they put out The Unraveling of PUPTHEBAND, such a fantastic record, even Rivers Cuomo tweeted about it. In celebration of this awesome band releasing an awesome record, we brought on PUP singer Stefan Babcock on the show. But of course, we had to talk about ska. And there was a lot of ground to cover.

For one thing, Stefan used to play in the ska band Stop Drop N Skank, who was quite popular in Toronto in the 2010s. We dig into Toronto's vibrant 2010s ska scene and Stefan's journey from a Streetlight Manifesto loving ska kid to a Thursday obsessive screamo fan.

We also talk about PUP's "Free At Last" contest, which involves friend of the show, Jeremy Hunter (Skatune Network). And we discuss Stefan and the other members of PUP contributing vocals to Jeff Rosenstock's amazing SKA DREAM album. 

We cover a bit of non-ska-related PUP content, like the band's sublime gang vocals. Stefan breaks down for us how they get those vocals to sound so cool. 

Twenty-five years ago, I would have never guessed that the bedroom recording aesthetic would eventually overlap with the ska scene. But, in 2022, you have Kmoy and Tape Girl, who are referring to their music as "Laptop Ska," which it turns out, is a great descriptor. Their recordings carry the lo-fi, compressed quality of 4-track indie-rock artists, but it somehow blends with these grandiose concepts and overdubs galore.

Kmoy and Tape Girl are two separate projects. But they are best friends and play on each other's songs. And they are creating some of the most interesting, adventurous recordings in ska right now. Tape Girl's handful of EPs are unique and fantastic, while Kmoy's Precure LP is a Ska Opera of epic proportions. The thing that makes all of their recordings so interesting is that, unlike most ska artists, these are songs crafted on their computer with no consideration for how they will sound live, kind of like the early Bomb the Music Industry records.

In this episode, we get into the nitty-gritty of their production techniques. They are firm believers in adding tape hiss to the recordings. We also talk about friend-to-every-ska-band, Megawave, and all the various eclectic artists that influence Kmoy and Tape Girl: Car Seat Headrest, Fantasia, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Who, Dynastic, and of course Skatune Network.

Are The Police Ska?

A heated debate between Middagh Goodwin (This is Ska) and Sean Dolan (The Blue Meanies)

To listen to the FULL episode, head over the the In Defense of Ska Patreon

One of the best things about ska is that it's such a flexible genre. You can mix it with soul music, black metal, or anything in-between. There have even been different artists that have mixed electronic music with ska over the years, but now Eichlers is taking the weirdo, Avante-Garde-meets-pop sensibilities of Hyperpop and using that as a foundation for what he's calling "Hyperska."

What does hyperska (or even Hyperpop for that matter) sound like? You're going to have to listen to our interview with the subgenre's innovator to find out. We talk to Russ Wood (aka Eichlers) about his influences, which includes 100 gecs, Joan of Arc, El Ten Eleven, Johnny Foreigner, The Matches, Slapstick, Spraynard, Vantana Row, and much more.

We also learn about his time in the San Jose punk scene (The same scene that Adam and Aaron used to be part of with their band Gnarboots). Russ also apologizes to Mike Park for being a picky eater while he was interning at Asian Man Records, and Adam spits a killer Boboso verse about toast.

Be sure to check out Eichlers new record on Bad Time Records. It features guest appearances by Skatune Network, Tape Girl, Boboso, and even our own beloved co-host, Adam Davis.

In 2005, Derek Zanetti had an epiphany. He was a weirdo. He already knew that, but he had a hard time accepting it was ok to be a weirdo. That is until a friend told him that he was "never going to be normal because you're a punk." A few years later, Derek would start The Homeless Gospel Choir, a solo folk-punk project that would later go full-on punk rock. And in 2017, he would release the song "Normal," which touched on this moment in his life.

Our guest today is Homeless Gospel Choir frontman, Derek Zanetti. He tells us all about his oppressive religious upbringing that would make him feel shame, and hide his tapes. Speaking of tapes, we sift through his favorite current ska tape collection, which includes Fishbone, The Aquabats, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Suicide Machines. And tells us about being pals with several ska musicians, like Mike Park, Dissidente, and members of Suicide Machines and Reel Big Fish.

We also talk about the Christian bands he still looks back at with fondness, like Five Iron Frenzy, The Dingees, MxPx, Pedro The Lion, and Danielson Famile. He tells us about what it was like to tour with Leftover Crack (Hint: It involves Scott Sturgeon getting beat up by cops on his 40th birthday). He also tells us about identifying with Peewee Herman as a kid and not being allowed to watch his show. And we discuss the greatest ska tape in his collection: Korn. 

Oh, and he's hitting the road with My Chemical Romance later this year! Great job Derek!

In the 90s, there were hundreds of lesser-known ska bands that were amazing. Many of them were better than the bands getting radio and MTV play. On today's episode, we present one of them: The Impossibles from Austin, Texas. A band that seamlessly melded Op Ivy verses with Weezer choruses.

Our guest today is Impossibles vocalist/guitarist Rory Phillips. We dig deep into the group's short time in Austin, where Gals Panic were local legends, and DIY spaces like Eco Action Warehouse hosted punk shows. We talk about the group signing to Fueled By Ramen, touring with MU330, and having a cameo in a shelved Goldfinger video.

We also talk about Rory's recent collaborations with Barry Johnson of Joyce Manor and his post-Impossibles power-pop band The Stereo that he did with Jamie Woolford of Animal Chin. The Stereo was a group that influenced Dashboard Confessional, Fall Out Boy, Jeff Rosenstock, and New Found Glory, and whose album Three Hundred was named one of the most influential records of 1999 by Alt-Press. Yet, few people remember the band. Fortunately, Rory made a 5-part podcast telling the group's story. It's called "Kings of No Hope," and it's available to download right now. 

Ska forever changed the course of music. Not only in Jamaica, but all over the world. Many talented people were involved with its development in the late 50s/60s. But a lot of credit is owed to The Skatalites for perfecting and elevating the genre.

Within the Skatalites camp, trombonist Don Drummond was incredibly important and influential. He wrote and/or arranged a majority of their songs. He also brought a somber vibe to the otherwise upbeat genre of music, often writing songs in minor keys. And he also forever linked the trombone with ska, something that remains true to this day, even as the genre has mutated in surprising ways.

Today we look at the life and times of Don Drummond. On one hand, he was one of the greatest musical geniuses to ever walk the earth. His impact is immeasurable. On the other hand, he was a troubled and tragic figure, riddled with mental illness. He murdered his girlfriend Anita "Margarita" Mahfood in 1965 and then died a few years later while imprisoned at Bellevue Asylum.

We bring on a panel of guests to tell the story of Don's life and to understand the impact that he had. Our panel includes Heather Augustyn, author of Don Drummond: The Genius and Tragedy of the World's Greatest Trombonist, Adam Reeves, who is currently working on a comic book adaptation of Heather's book. It will be called Trombone Man: Ska's Fallen Genius. And lastly, Ken Stewart, who's been the keyboardist/manager for The Skatalites since the late 80s. 

Comedian Kyle Kinane is known for his hilarious storytelling-style comedy specials, his epic Drunk History appearances, and his love of punk rock. But he's also a fan of ska. In high school, he even played sax in a ska band called The Skabeatles. He tells us all about it

We also talk about his history growing up in the Chicago punk and ska scene where Slapstick reigned supreme. He saw Slapstick play more times than he can remember. He also saw Less Than Jake, Mustard Plug, and Skankin' Pickle. And of course, we discuss the legendary venues where he spent much of his youth, like The Metro and Fireside Bowl

We also talk about some more recent events, like the time in 2016 when he toured with Chicago super-group The Falcon (Brendan Kelly, Neil Hennessy, Dan Andriano, Dave Hause), There is also a ska-heavy scene he was in for the show "Those Who Can't" (Along with members of The Aquabats and Jon Daly. And of course, we talk about the time he appeared on Drunk History and got so drunk he completely blacked out the entire time. 

On this Patreon exclusive episode, we sit down again with Ted Leo. This time we discuss the brilliant 2 Tone band Madness, a band that all three of us loves dearly. Ted even pulls out his Madness records and goes track by track to tell us what he thinks about each and every song. 

To listen to the entire episode, sign up for the "In Defense of Ska" Patreon at www.patreon.com/indefenseofska 

In 2020, Chicago indie-pop group Beach Bunny released their debut LP Honeymoon to much acclaim. One of the people that fell in love with the album, was Jeremy Hunter, ie Skatune Network. It was one of their favorite records of the year. Just a month earlier, they?d recorded a cover of an earlier Beach Bunny tune, ?Prom Queen.? After Honeymoon was released, they considered covering another Beach Bunny song. Instead, they recorded the entire album. 

 Jer did this project in secrecy, not even telling Beach Bunny?s singer/songwriter Lili Trifilio until it was nearly finished, earlier this year. And then on Valentine?s Day, they surprise-released it to the world?Beach Bunny?s record in its entirety, but all ska, and titled Honeyrude and complete with some delightful ska easter eggs that reference The English Beat, Bob Marley, and The Specials. 

 On this episode, we bring on Jeremy Hunter and Lili Trifilio to talk about Honeyrude. We talk to Lili about what inspired the original record, learn about Jer?s process of transposing the album to ska, and get her reaction to the record. We analyze this album from all angles to understand what makes ska unique, and why a ska cover of a non-ska song is so infectious when it?s done right. 

Link 80's debut record, 17 Reasons, gets a lot of attention, rightfully so. But the group has other records worth your time, particularly their excellent 2000 album The Struggle Continues. On the album, you can hear the group's maturity as musicians, and their broader influences, which include deeper hardcore, and even some nu-metal elements. Our co-host Adam Davis was very involved in the band during this record, as was our guest today, Steve Borth. 

Steve joined Link 80 on sax shortly after Adam started playing guitar in the group. Steve brought a lot of skill to the group. After his time in Link 80, he joined RX Bandits and contributed to a handful of their best records from the early/mid-2000s when they were balancing prog-metal, math rock and a sprinkling of ska. Later Steve moved to Denmark and has continued to play music, generally keeping his foot in reggae/dub projects. (Satori, Chllngr) 

Today we discuss his groups in great detail and even dive into his father's career as a traveling Christian musician in the '60s and '70s. We also discuss Steve's current project of bringing together Danish and Jamaican musicians together to play reggae music. We also devote some time to the Sacramento scene that Steve grew up in and talk about the first ska band he ever played in: Lesdystics

This week we are excited to bring on YouTube music critic Justthony Skanktano...or sorry Anthony Fantano. Justthony Skanktano is the name he used on his review of Jeff Rosenstock's SKA DREAM, which he gave a Strong 8, a better score than he gave NO DREAM, the original non-ska version of the album. He even placed SKA DREAM in his top ten records of 2021. So obviously, we had to bring Skanktano...sorry Skanktano on the show and talk about ska. And he had a lot to say. 

Since reviewing SKA DREAM, he's also reviewed Catbite's "Nice One," and randomly shared Flying Raccoon Suit's "Afterglow" record on Twitter. We also found during this interview that in his younger years, he's listened to plenty of ska and has attended (and skanked at) several ska shows. He recounts, with vivid imagery a life-changing Flaming Tsunamis show from back in the day. 

We also ask Anthony for his opinion on the new crop of ska bands, what his roommate Cal Chuchesta thinks of ska music, and at the very end, we even get his review of this very interview. You're going to want to hear his insights on our ska conversation! 

Everyone at 2021's Supernova International Ska Festival was talking about Rude Girl Revue, an all-star, all-women, 16-piece ska band, comprised of members of many bands (The Scotch Bonnets, Catbite, Half Past Two, Stop The Presses, The Pandemics, The Skluttz, and more). Today we talk to one of the group's founder's Jenny Whiskey, who's also been a longtime member of Hub City Stompers, and has been more recently, playing with Rude Boy George. 

Jenny started playing ska in the 90s. She almost got to play in Catch 22, but her mom wouldn't let her. However, in the early 2000s, she joined Hub City Stompers and helped keep ska music alive during a time when the music was in decline. 

We talk about this unique period of time, as well as how she perceives the sudden interest in ska in the last few years from Brooklyn Vegan and other non-ska outlets. She also gives us the story of the viral song "Jesus is a Friend of Mine" and we all make a plea to Mephiskapheles to record a split with Sal Polichetti, who re-recorded the song with Rude Boy George. 

It seems like nearly every major ska record these days has been released by Bad Time Records. What?s going on? Today on the 1st episode of the 2nd season of In Defense of Ska, we bring on the owner of Bad Time Records himself, Mike Sosinski. He explains it all!

There?s a lot to the story of Bad Time Records. It starts with Mike?s band, Kill Lincoln, which started in Washington DC a little over a decade ago. Mike tells us how his scrappy ska-punk band started at a time when no one cared about the genre, to him starting his own record label?that quite a few people cared about! 

And we walk through the Bad Time Records catalog and see how Mike created steady growth and a revived interest in ska-punk. It didn?t hurt that Brooklyn Vegan took an interest in the genre in 2020 and gave Bad Time a lot of much-deserved attention. 

So, listen as we discuss, at length, a whole bunch of great BTR bands: Catbite, We Are The Union, Bad Operation, Best of the World, Kill Lincoln, and others. Hopefully, you?ll leave with a better understanding of how the ska-punk scene grew in the last couple of years. 

The Midwest played a key role role in the development of American ska. Bands like Mustard Plug, MU330, Suicide Machines, Slapstick and Blue Meanies pushed and pulled on the genre's boundaries, with little concern for what a ska band was supposed to look or sound like. The band that influenced every single one of these groups was Detroit's first ska band: Gangster Fun. 

Formed in 1986, the group got huge locally within months. And not long after that, they developed a sizable following throughout the Midwest. Their impact elsewhere was minimal. And as they were slowing down, other Midwest ska bands gained traction. 

On this episode, we speak to lead singer John Bunkley. We talk about the group's history, legacy and penchant for crazy ska covers that includes songs by Duran Duran, Nirvana, KISS and Billy Ray Cyrus. We talk about how Detroit shows were a bit more chaotic than anywhere else in the country, and he spills the beans on which now famous musicians used to skank at Gangster Fun shows. Hint: It's Insane Clown Posse, Kid Rock and Jack White. 

In 2003, indie-punker Ted Leo released the dissonant, Thin Lizzy-esque rocker "Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone?" The song pays tribute to The Specials, but also comments on the state of rock 'n' roll in the US during the post-911 era. On this episode, we bring on Ted and he gives us a full explanation of what inspired him to write this critically lauded song. He tells us he's previously been coy about fully explaining the song's meaning. So sit down and listen to its fascinating backstory.  

We also dig into Ted's history as a ska lover. He's a huge 2 Tone fan, and also loved the 80s New York ska scene, with bands like The Boilers and N.Y. Citizens. He tells us about having his mind blown after seeing Fishbone in the 80s in New York. 

The episode is also takes journey through Ted's career as a hardcore singer to mod/post-punk/indie musician in the 90s, and how he further evolved in the 2000s and beyond. As he grew confident as a songwriter, he wielded influences from the 70s, without coming off as retro. He also navigated the DIY touring landscape while also gaining critical praise and feeling completely out of touch with many of his rock 'n' roll contemporaries. 

He comes armed with lots of good stories, including a solo gig he tells us was one of his worst. 

If you?ve found yourself on Twitter during the pandemic, you might have noticed Pabst Blue Ribbon tweeting about everything from pro-wrestling to milk to ska. And these ska tweets haven?t been generic mainstream 90s ska memes. No, Pabst has expressed their undying affection for Asian Man Records, MU330, and has even released several ?Rat Jamz? mixes that include new ska bands like Catbite, Kill Lincoln, We Are The Union, Grey Matter, Bad Operation, and Omnigone. 

But who is Pabst? We did some deep digging and found out that the Pabst social media manager is Corey Smale. And get this?Corey played in a Missouri ska band in the late 90s/early 2000s. Obviously, we needed to bring him on the podcast and tell us his entire ska story. 

But first, the three of us determined which beverage is the most ska. Was it Pabst, Arizona, Surge, or Ska Brewing? Listen and find out! Plus Corey tells us that the Rat Jamz were curated by Get Tuff, who you might have seen do guest vocals on Skatune Network?s cover of Britney Spears ?Toxic.? We also discuss Eve 6, Corey?s band opening for MU330, and we make a deal for Pabst to sponsor a Catbite cartoon! We even suggest the plot for episode 1 be a dramatic retelling of their heroic journey to rescue Mannequin Pussy?s stolen van. Hopefully Pabst makes this happen! 

The UK had an exciting ska-punk revival in the late 90s/early 2000s that included bands like Capdown, Lightyear, King Prawn, and Spunge. One of the bands from this era, Grimace, broke up and reformed as Sonic Boom Six. They were so eclectic that their pool of influences included grime, hip-hop, dubstep and even just a dash of bhangra. But at their core, they played ska-punk. The group came into their own in the mid-2000s with their debut full-length, The Ruff Guide to Genre-Terrorism. And they had a brush with mainstream culture in 2012 with their song ?Virus.? 

This week, we bring on singer Laila K. and bassist/vocalist Barney Boom to talk about the group?s long and interesting career. But we also discuss how The Specials influenced non-ska bands like Blur, The Streets and The Prodigy, and talk about what it means for Sonic Boom Six to be punk rock and to create passionate political statements in their songs, and not give people love songs. 

We also talk about Moon Ska Europe, which outlasted Moon Ska US (And even released records by some non-ska bands). The band tells us what it was like to work with Coolie Ranx, we get their take on the mozzarella stick/Andy Samberg ska meme culture that reduces the genre to an embarrassing joke. And we dig into what made this UK ska-punk scene unique and exciting. 

Buck-O-Nine?s breezy, feel-good ska-pop song ?My Town? took off on radio in 1997, but its video didn?t make it into MTV?s heavy rotation. This was due to some delays in the production of the video, making it so that by the time Buck-O-Nine had the video ready, the moment had mostly passed. ?My Town? is remembered from this period of mainstream ska in the sort of in-between zone, not quite The Bosstones? ?Impression That I Get? territory but definitely above indie ska band level. 

Before, during, and after this brush with mainstream attention, the group was on the road a lot. True road dogs. In fact, several guests on this podcast (Suicide Machines, Link 80, Mustard Plug) mentioned touring with them at some point or another. So, understandably, a large percentage of this week?s episodes revolves around the glorious misery that is touring. We are joined by Buck-O-Nine?s Jon Pebsworth, Jonas Kleiner, and Tony Curry, who tells us about their mindblowing and hilarious experiences on the road. 

There were some surprises in there too, like their time on the road opening for Primus, and then later touring with Smash Mouth. Neither of those tours went great. But they certainly led to some funny stories. 

This month, Grand Rapids? Mustard Plug celebrates 30 years of playing ska-punk. Though they often get associated with the late ?90s ?third-wave? ska-punk boom, there is so much more to the group. We aimed to explore this in our interview with lead singer Dave Kirchgessner and guitarist Colin Clive. 

For starters, before ska was on the tongue of MTV VJs, Mustard Plug was blowing minds in their hometown with their blend of punk rock and ska. And to top that off, they brought a bunch of out-of-town ska bands like Skankin Pickle and Let?s Go Bowling to Grand Rapids before anyone in their midwest town had heard of them. 

During the late 90s, Mustard Plug nearly scored a hit with their cover of The Verve Pipe?s ?The Freshman,? but ended up staying in the indie category on Hopeless Records. During the 2000s, when ska was declared dead, Dave started the ?Ska is Dead? tour, proving that ska was in fact not dead. The band even released one of their best albums during this era, the political In Black and White. 

Even today, as a new crop of ska bands revive the genre, Mustard Plug has seamlessly blended into the scene. At this year?s Fest, they shared the stage with a whole bunch of Bad Time Records bands. New bands and Mustard Plug. 

We discuss this important history and also touch on some other fun stuff like opening for Weird Al, getting in food fights with Green Day, and just how much mustard they poured on Craig DeYoung?s face for the Big Daddy Multitude album cover shoot. 

It?s movie night here at ?In Defense of Ska.? Grab some popcorn and go watch the 2020 horror-comedy film ?Uncle Peckerhead.? Watch it before you listen to our latest episode because spoilers are discussed. ?Uncle Peckerhead? is a great movie about fake DIY punk band DUH. Like ?Green Room,? this punk-on-the-road film turns horror. But it?s quite different and involves a people-eating roadie. Fun!

You?ve probably heard us talk about this movie in prior episodes. When we chatted with Slapstick, we asked them if they were aware that this movie had an entire scene built around their song ?There's a Metalhead in the Parking Lot.? (They were not). And after we interviewed Augusta Koch (Cayetana, Gladie), she told us that she did all the vocals for the female character in the band, which we mentioned in that episode?s intro. So it was inevitable that we would eventually do an entire episode on the film. 

For this episode, we talk to Matthew John Lawrence (writer/director) and Jeff Riddle (Actor, songwriter, Five Hundred Bucks) and we dig in deep. We learn how their history as touring punk musicians informed the film. (Spoiler: Matthew played in a ska band at one point.) We discuss how the writing of the film and the music happened alongside one another. And we also discuss how difficult it was to clean up some of the gore scenes. It even soured a few familial relationships. Check it out and be on the lookout for a DUH album in the near future. 

Asian Man Records has released some breakout records, like Pezcore (Less Than Jake), Goddamnit (Alkaline Trio), and People Who Eat People Are The Luckiest People in the World (AJJ). But the label has also released several great, lesser-known albums. For this episode, we will focus on Language by Short Round, which was released in 2002. 

More specifically, we brought in Jason Thinh, leader of Shortround to discuss this great record. But we also discuss his time in The Chinkees?he was only 17 years old when he joined?and his later project Marathon States, which he recorded with Max Feshbach and Morgan Herrell of Hard Girls (And released on Phat ?n? Phunky Records)

We touch on a lot of other topics too, like Jason?s recent move to Japan, the face slapping game he used to play with Adam Davis, and the time he met Jay Navarro from The Suicide Machines and pretended to not speak English. He also tells us about this interesting time in his life when he used to ask strangers if they?d take photos with him, pretending to hold him like a baby. Surprisingly they usually said yes. 

In Jordan Morris graphic novel Bubble, a character finds a flyer for the hip new DJ in town, a person that was in Mighty Mighty Bosstones for a short stint and won?t shut up about it. And yet, in the strange post-apocalyptic world of Bubble, this ex-Bosstones DJ dude is cooool. It?s a tiny detail that makes Morris? book such a fun read. However, the primary story is quite unsettling. A monster-filled planet where humans live in culturally appropriate bubbles, and make ends meet by working relentless gig economy jobs. Terrifying! 

Jordan, our guest today, is also a long-time ska fan. He grew up during the OC ska heyday and was deep in the scene. He saw all the big names, and he also went to Christian ska shows at churches. He was a part of all these different sides of this ska, and he lives to tell the tale. 

We discuss his time in the scene, his graphic novel, and also his time co-hosting the podcast Jordan, Jesse, Go with Jesse Thorn, who, in the early days, frequently teased him about loving ska. Jordan also tells us about how recently, amidst the pandemic, his love for ska has been reawakened. There?s just something about the world being horrible and no longer caring anymore what anyone thinks, that brings you right back to ska.

If there?s anything we?ve learned this year, it?s that deep down, everyone loves ska. This week we provide yet another example of an unexpected band releasing a ska song: Screaming Females. 

They will be releasing a cover of The Selecter?s ?On My Radio? next month. The song is being released as part of the deluxe edition of the comic series What?s The Furthest Place From Here? which is written by punk lover Matthew Rosenberg, who has written many popular comic books (Spiderman, Wolverine, etc)

We got a sneak of Screaming Females? ?On My Radio? cover, and let me tell you, it is awesome. Good enough that it inspired us to bring them on the show to tell us about the tune and their relationship to ska. We also discuss the New Brunswick scene (Where Catch 22 are kings!), how guitarist Marissa Paternoster nearly played in The Slits, how drummer Jarret Dougherty?s bout of tendonitis led to an obsession with Our Band Could Be Your Life, The Minutemen, and DIY culture. And last and perhaps most importantly, we talk about Taylor Swift. 

In the first few months of this podcast, we used to joke that this was the ?Animal Chin? podcast because, even though we?d never had anyone from Animal Chin on the show, we talked about them a lot. Well, guess what, now we have Animal Chin?s singer-songwriter Jamie Woolford on the show. So we finally get to ask him all of our burning Animal Chin questions. (Ie: this is kind of a long episode!)

Animal Chin was an interesting group. Arguably in the top five 90s ska-punk groups. They influenced Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy), Jeff Rosenstock, and Barry Johnson (Joyce Manor). And yet, they were one of the lesser-known bands from the 90s ska era. We brought Jamie on the show to discuss, among other things, the classic Animal Chin record All The Kids Agree, which he told us he has a hard time listening to without cringing, even though it?s an AMAZING record, in our opinion, anyway.

We hope that our conversation helped him see the album?s inherent brilliance. We also discussed his non-ska band The Stereo (With The Impossibles? Rory Phillips). We listen to his stories about Animal Chin taking needless risks changing drivers in the van and not stopping. And we hear about Jamie?s time in a few other bands at the time, most notably The Pacers. 

LA ska band Hepcat once appeared on Late Night with Conan O?Brien. They were an early signing to Epitaph subsidiary Hellcat Records and were flown all over to open for a wide variety of bands. But they were?and the band admits this?never going to blow up. The group consisted of several LA ska scene kids from the 80s who loved original Jamaican ska. Not a commercially viable genre. And back then, you would have to search far and wide to find these old records. 

This love they shared for the music united them and led to the formation of Hepcat. Their original plan was to replicate old ska music, but they realized that not only was that not possible, but mixing it with newer influences made it more interesting. And that they did, but rather than blend it with punk, they pulled from R&B, soul, Latin, and pop. And they produced some fantastic songs in the process! 

On this episode, we spend some time with Hepcat?s singer Greg Lee and drummer Greg Narvas to learn about LA 80s? ska scene, so that we can understand the culture that created Hepcat. We dive into both Gregs? origin stories, learn how they discovered ska, and why they gravitated to the older stuff. We also talk about Hepcat too: from fights at shows to being scared out of their mind right before playing ?Can?t Wait? on Conan O?Brien. And how through all the highs and lows of the ?third wave? ska boom, the members of Hepcat just wanted to make the music they wanted to make.

By now, most of us know that ska wasn?t dead in the 2000s. But it was uncool. Really uncool. Bands were fleeing from the scene, and describing their sound as ?Rock with horns??anything other than ?ska.? But the scene continued, fueled by the passion of dedicated fans. During this weird time, one group that did quite well was Boston?s Big D and The Kids Table, who even managed to chart on the Billboard Top Heatseekers with their excellent 2007 album Strictly Rude.

Big D formed in ?96 but didn?t release their first album, Good Luck, until 1999, which was right when ska was freefalling from mainstream culture. The group persevered during the ska-wasteland era and remains popular to this day. They are releasing their latest record, Do Your Art, on October 22nd on Side One Dummy Records. It?s their first collection of original tunes in years. We brought lead singer David McWane on to the show to talk about the album and their legacy as a not-quite-90s ska band going on two decades now. 

We covered a lot of ground, including two of their best-known cover tunes: The Specials? ?Little B***h? and Propagandhi?s ?Ska Sucks.? We discuss how the group drove across the country to play a show for Mike Park, in hopes that he?d sign them to Asian Man Records. (Which he did!) And we spend a fair amount of time dissecting their Strictly Rude record. We even find out about the group?s unlikely relationship with Japanese noise rock band Melt Banana. Dave also tells us a very compelling story about surviving cancer. Fortunately for him, he caught it early and is doing great. 

Up until last year, alt-rock group Eve 6 was best known for their hit 1998 single, ?Inside Out,? or as some people refer to it, ?the heart in a blender song.? But times have changed. Now Eve 6, specifically lead singer Max Collins, is best known for taking over Twitter. It started last December when he tweeted that he was a virgin when he wrote ?Inside Out.? Since then, he hasn?t stopped tweeting a chaotic mix of weird jokes, hot takes, embarrassing rock n roll stories, and leftist political rants. It?s everything a band?s Twitter account shouldn?t be. But it?s also the very thing that makes Twitter a little bit more tolerable in 2021. 

And in Max?s Eve 6 tweetstorms, oftentimes ska pops up. But it has been unclear to what extent he was a fan of the genre. That is until October 7th, when he and ska band We Are The Union surprise-released a collaborative cover of Operation Ivy?s ?Sound System.? It?s a brilliant version of the ska-punk classic that doesn?t veer from the joyous spirit of the original. In fact, it highlights just how good the song is. And clearly, everyone is having a lot of fun playing the song. 

We were fortunate enough to get an exclusive interview with Max a few months before the song was released. We asked him to predict how the song will be received. We also learned about his very real ska roots, what he thinks about #SkaTwitter, which Gorilla Biscuits song he plans to cover at Fest this year, and he dug pretty deep into his perspective on life, including a recent proclamation that he is a Christian Anarchist. And at the end of the interview, Max told us that we have been his favorite podcast he?s ever done. Take that other podcasts! 

Augusta Koch?s first band was called The Blue Bananas, a ska band. They had a few originals and performed a Choking Victim song. They didn?t last long. She?s since gone on to play in some incredible non-ska bands like Cayetana and Gladie. And she even sang vocals for the fictitious group DUH in the horror-comedy film Uncle Peckerhead. But ska has remained important to her. During the pandemic, she found comfort in revisiting some of her favorite bands from when she was younger. RX Bandits have been a particular favorite for her. 

Augusta talks with us, not just about her ska roots, but also what it?s been like for her the past couple of years, creatively and personally. We discuss a blog post she wrote about starting smoking again during the pandemic and she also tells us about Jeff Rosenstock asking her to contribute to SKA DREAM by screaming on a few tracks. We discuss the Sparks cover she made with Mike Park, and we also get into a discussion about what her favorite Mountain Goats record is. And most importantly, we try to understand why the ska scene just feels so much better to be a part of than other ?cooler? scenes. We come up with a few theories. 

Avant-garde band The Residents have spent the last five decades anonymously creating music that is at times unsettling, goofy, bizarre, and always pushes the boundaries of music. Even the very idea that The Residents are a band is up for debate. They are more of an art collective that pretends to be a band. And though they prolifically create music, they are perhaps best known for the imagery they?ve put out into the world, specifically the photo of the four band members with eyeball-heads, who are wearing fancy top hats. 

But it makes sense for The Residents, who are pioneers in the realm of multimedia entertainment. The visuals are a critical element of their music. They are even music video innovators. And have always explored art in a way that challenges and often confuses their audience. 

Since the identities of The Residents are unknown, we couldn?t bring them on the show. Instead, we spoke with Homer Flynn, the president of the Cryptic Corporation, and public relations for The Residents. We asked him all of our many Residents questions, like how they recorded their bizarre Eskimo album and who exactly were the offbeat individuals in their music videos? He did his best to answer them. We even threw the big question at him: Do The Residents like ska? In all the years that Homer has been speaking on behalf of The Residents, I?m pretty sure this is the first time anyone has ever asked Homer this question. 

Asian Man Records will be remembered as one of the best outlets for ska-punk in the 90s, with bands like Slapstick, MU330, Slow Gherkin, Less Than Jake, and other bands that still hold up decades later. The label is the brainchild of former Skankin Pickle singer/saxophonist Mike Park. Initially, Skankin Pickle started Dill Records, as a means to release their own music, and eventually, put out the music of other great bands. It was Mike?s idea for Dill to be a serious venture, and he did much of the legwork. So when he went out on his own, of course, Asian Man Records (1996), was a big indie success. 

Mike has a long, influential career as a musician and label owner, and remains active and highly respected. On today?s episode with Mike, we discuss his days with Skankin Pickle, the early releases of Dill and Asian Man, and we hear all kinds of great stories from various times in his career. Mike tells us about discovering Less Than Jake, meeting Jeff Rosenstock, and all about the time he suggested Skankin Pickle reject an offer from Restless Records in 1991! Thanks to watching a documentary of MC Hammer and getting really into Fugazi, he figured that he could do it himself much better. And he was probably right. 

The 90s was a weird time for mainstream music. After Nirvana and the ?Grunge? scene blew up, major labels were on the prowl for the next big thing. A lot of unlikely bands and music genres had their 15 minutes of fame. Ska, of course, was one of those trends, as was the ?swing revival.? We could debate whether it was good or bad that a handful of ska bands got launched into the mainstream for a few years, but regardless, the very fact that ska and swing were flavors of the month is a bizarre phenomenon worth exploring. 

Kenneth Partridge, this week?s guest, has spent considerable time analyzing bands from this moment in time, like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Reel Big Fish, No Doubt, Royal Crown Revue, Squirrel Nut Zippers, and Sublime. His new book, Hell of a Hat: The Rise of 90s Ska and Swing takes an analytical approach to study why these groups blew up in the US at the time they did. Kenneth also tries to understand what the defining characteristics were of mainstream 90s ska in the US and to explain what value they hold that is unique to their time and place in culture. 

It is a great read and we talk about his book at length. But before that, we ask Kenneth to defend swing, and then he offers to defend ?Skaturday? (The 2-hour ska special on MTV in 1997, hosted by Carson Daly) and we also discuss some of the lesser-known bands that Kenneth grew up listening to like Thumper, Spring Heel Jack and Johnny Too Bad and the Strikeouts. And you might notice a subtle noise in the background during the interview. At the very end, we explain exactly what that sound was. So stay tuned for the entire interview!

A couple of years before ska broke on the radio, Fishbone?who was on Columbia Records at the time?released arguably the greatest ska song of the 90s: ?Unyielding Conditioning,? a beautiful tune with a deep message that challenges us to re-examine the very fabric of our shared reality, and to grapple with the forces that control us and make us miserable. In 1993, the public was not ready for this amazing tune, and would not accept ska in the mainstream until Sublime?s ?Date Rape? got into heavy rotation in 1995. But can you imagine what ska?s legacy would have been if ?Unyielding Conditioning? had been a hit instead? 

This song came after a decade of Fishbone completely taking over the underground landscape within nearly every scene. They also released several landmark albums and had become the band everyone assumed would blow up. They were good enough, but the fact that they were so competent in all these genres worked against them as potential pop stars, even though, their secret weapon, Angelo Moore, was one of?if not?the greatest frontmen of all time. It was too much for the mainstream which preferred simple and easy to categorize. 

On this episode of In Defense of Ska, we talk with the great Angelo Moore and devote some serious time breaking down the lyrics for ?Unyielding Conditioning.? We also discuss several key moments in Fishbone?s history, like their wild Soul Train performance, and their bizarre cameo in the cult film Tapeheads, which starred a young John Cusack & Tim Robbins. Angelo tells us what it feels like to stage dive from a literal balcony (He did it near the beginning of the 2010 documentary Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone). And he even tells us about his odd role in the alternate reality game, Jejun Institute, which would later inspire Jason Segal?s AMC drama Dispatches From Elsewhere. 

Soul music has never gone away, but different versions of it come and go. In 2007, when Sharon Jones, 51 at the time, released her third album 100 Days, 100 Nights, she reached a significant audience. That made a lot of people declare "retro" soul back. But Sharon wasn?t retro, and the story around her success was much more complex. It is tied to the record label Daptone Records and her backing band, the Dap-Kings. 

The story of the label and the bands associated with them (Sharon, Charles Bradley, The Frightnrs, and Amy Winehouse who worked with the Dap-Kings on your brilliant Back to Black album) is documented in the new book It Ain't Retro: Daptone Records & The 21st-Century Soul Revolution. It is filled with amazing stories about the unlikely rise of this cool music scene.

On this episode of In Defense of Ska, we speak with the author, Jessica Lipsky. We discuss several of the great artists on Daptone, like the brilliant and haunting rock steady group The Frightnrs. We discuss Jessica?s ska roots and some of the ska articles she?s published. Two years before every major outlet declared ska back, Jessica wrote about it for Billboard. And of course, we talk about Amy Winehouse, her love for ska, and how she had plans to record some ska songs on what would have been her third record. 

Why is it that most stand-up comedians pretend that they hate ska? We all know that they?re big nerds, so why don?t they relish in their dorkiness and not put on some big show that they?re cynical, sophisticated tastemakers too intelligent for ska! Oh well, at least not every comedian is this insecure. New York-based comedian Ian Fidance?the ska king of comedy?is an unabashed lover of ska music and he wants you to know all about it.

Fortunately for us in the ska community, Ian is out there, gigging every night all over the country. He also appears in and writes for several TV shows like Crank Yankers and The Last O.G. And whenever he gets a chance, he is trying to convince his fellow comedians and TV actors to give ska a chance. And occasionally, he is successful. 

On this episode of In Defense of Ska, we try to understand why the comedy world is so negative about ska. We also learn all about Ian?s old ska band and discuss why the music is so important to him. And he gives us the dirt on what Dave Attell and Nikki Glaser think about ska. 

Leftover Crack is a band of dumpster-diving, drug-abusing, cop-hating crust punks?so begins the opening section in the book Architects of Self Destruction, an oral history of the band. The story of Leftover Crack is strange?unbelievable at times?and filled with bizarre decisions, weird characters, and as the title implies, copious self-sabotage. They were also a very unique band, formed in the ashes of Choking Victim in the late 90s that mixed ska, dissonant punk rock, and angry black metal in a unique way. 

As unbelievable as many of Leftover Cracks stories are, the fact that these stories are now documented in a book is almost more unbelievable. The author, or rather authors are Brad Logan, longtime guitarist in the group, and Punknews contributor John Gentile. The two collaborated on this project by interviewing a whole bunch of people and stringing together their stories and contradictory perspectives to give the reader an unfiltered view of what exactly happened?as told by those that were there. 

On today?s episode, we discuss some of the stories in the book, like how Choking Victim broke up 2 days into recording their one album, how Leftover Crack wanted to name their first album Shoot the Kids At School but Hellcat Records told them no, and we also discuss the polarizing leader of the band, Scott Sturgeon. 

At one of the first out-of-town shows that St. Louis ska band MU330 played, booking agent Steve Ozark, approached them, interested in working with the band. MU330?s members were excited and told him yes! But only if he agreed to book them as much as humanly possible. From Ozark?s perspective, it was a strange request, but one he was happy to meet. For much of the 90s, MU330 hit the road as much as they could. Even with these many stages they played, they still hovered at cult status, though they released some of the best ska-punk records of their time. 

As MU330 was winding down, lead singer and guitarist Dan Potthast stayed very active, both as a touring act and in terms of his creative output. He released solo records, formed new bands, and in recent years, joined Jeff Rosenstock?s group. On this episode, Dan joins us to discuss different moments in his musical career. 

Much of the conversation revolves around Dan?s time in MU330, but we also talk about his role on the SKA DREAM album, discuss what it?s like to tour people?s homes as a solo artist. And we get to hear the epic tale of how MU330 crossed paths with the band Crazy Town. 

In 2019, My wife and I took a week-long trip to Jamaica. It wasn't just a tourist trip to Montego Bay or Kingston, we went a few hours into the mountains to the small village of Accompong and experienced the Maroon Festival. Every year, on Jan 6, this village of roughly 600 balloons up to 10,000 people to celebrate hundreds of years of Maroon independence. It began in 1759, when the Maroons signed a peace treaty with the British, establishing their independence, something that would not happen for the rest of Jamaica for many years. 

The festival is an amazing gathering with loud music, fantastic food, and ice-cold Red Stripes, but it is also contains important ceremonies for Maroons all over the world to remember back to when their ancestors fought the British and won, refusing at all cost to be enslaved.

The person that took me to the Maroon Festival is reggae musician Mystic Bowie, who sang in Tom Tom Club for many years, and who currently fronts Mystic Bowie's Talking Dreads, a band that combines Mystic's passion for reggae music with his love of Talking Heads songs. It's an incredible experience that steers clear of being a gimmick, even if the juxtaposition seems odd at first. 

Mystic, our guest this week, explains the sincere place in his soul where Talking Dreads emerged from, and he also tells stories from his childhood, when he hung out around Chris Blackwell's famous recording studio, Compass Point Studios and met a bunch of famous musicians, like Keith Emerson, Ringo Starr, and his future Tom Tom Club band-mates Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth. And of course, Mystic and I discuss the 2019 Jamaican trip. I do my best to recall what was one of the best experiences of my life, while Mystic gives the detailed history of the Maroon people. 

Many of the 90s ska bands signed to major labels were based out of sunny California. Then there was Detroit ska band The Suicide Machines, the only band in their area to ink a big deal. And there is nothing sunny about The Suicide Machines. Taking influence from the city?s gutter punk and lawless hardcore scene, while also pulling elements from local chaotic ska legends Gangster Fun, Suicide Machines were the most punk rock band of the ska major label feeding frenzy. And their debut Hollywood Records album Destruction By Definition is a timeless masterpiece. 

Our guest today is Suicide Machines lead singer Jason Navarro, who joined the band shortly after its inception and remains its only consistent member. Jason gives us the history of the band signing to Hollywood Records and the recording of Destruction By Definition. We talk about the band?s 2020 release Revolution Spring. We also get into the time he met Kelsey Grammer, and discuss how Nick Offerman worked on a 90s Suicide Machines video. Jason doesn?t even know who Nick Offerman is because he doesn?t watch TV. 

It?s been a rough year and a half. This past April?in response to our collective trauma?Laura Jane Grace tweeted that the ?current ska revival is a sign of just how emotionally vulnerable we all are after the past year.? A perfect sentiment for the moment we?re in. While a lot of people have been using ska as a cheap punchline, her tweet honed in on just how meaningful and earnest the music is, and why it is matters to people in dark times. Clearly a true ska fan. 

That wasn?t her only recent ska tweet. There were a few about Operation Ivy in there too. So, we needed to bring her on the show and talk about the genre. Her history with ska goes back to her early days in the South Florida punk scene where rude boys and rude girls co-mingled with punks, skinheads, and every other alternative subculture. 

On this episode of In Defense of Ska, we go deep into her ska history, learn about which ska bands made the trek down to Florida, which didn?t, and we hear about which band gave her mixed feelings about the genre. We also talk about We Are The Union and geek out on Operation Ivy for a while. And of course, we discuss why an Op Ivy reunion would be so healing for everyone after 2020. 

The US had a healthy, diverse underground music scene in the ?80s. Among the goths, art-punks, and lo-fi freaks were plenty of rude boys and rude girls. And yet for some reason, the story of ska in the US is nearly wiped clean from the oral history of American music during the ?80s. You even had bands like Fishbone?who mostly played ska at the time?and The Untouchables signed to major labels! Not only are these ska stories an important piece of the musical landscape, but they also help explain how ska seemingly popped up out of nowhere in the mid-90s?it was bubbling just under the mainstream for a decade and a half.

Our guest today, Marc Wasserman wrote the book Ska-Boom!: An American Ska & Reggae Oral History, which chronicles this lost decade of ska music. His book, which you can order here, is exhaustive in its research and plentiful in its interviews and tells the origin stories of several key US ska bands during the 80s?some familiar like The Toasters and Bim Skala Bim, some obscure like The Boilers and The Boxboys. His incredible book will show you not just that ska was popular during this time period, but that it was an amazing scene. 

In the episode, we talk to Marc about his book, which includes a mindboggling and short segment on Cindi Lauper?s debut album (It started ska!) And lots of other interesting, unlikely cameos by folks like Joni Mitchell and Tom Waits. We also talk about Marc?s musical projects, including his collaboration with Sal Polichetti, the guy that wrote and sang the viral hit, ?Jesus is My Friend.? There was even talk of doing a split release with the evil ones themselves, Mephiskapheles. But that never happened. What a shame!

Philadelphia 4-piece ska band Catbite have only been together a couple of years, but for a lot of people?and I?m one of them?they are one the top new bands currently in the genre. This is largely due to how incredible their debut 2019 album turned out. The band seemingly came out the gate, fully formed, with a unique approach to ska that incorporated power-pop, soul, and garage-rock elements, with amazing songwriting, killer musicianship, and fantastic vocals.

But now a couple of years later, Catbite has finally released their sophomore full-length, Nice One. It is absolutely a better album, both in terms of songwriting and production value, and that?s saying a lot. The record will release on Bad Time Records on August 6th. You can pre-order it right now. 

On this episode, we chat with Catbite about their new album. But we also get the full story on how they found Mannequin Pussy?s stolen van, we learn about Tim Hildebrand?s old band, The Snails, and how the Future Islands guys basically forced them to stop using the name (Not cool dudes!). And of course, we dig into the two alternative versions of Catbite?s debut album: The hardcore version (Catfite), and the Yee-Haw version (Catlite). But unfortunately, they wouldn?t tell us which style they?re going to do next! 

Many of us collected action figures as kids. And guess what, it?s OK to keep on collecting them, especially if you?re buying the offbeat variety that you can't find at Toys r us: Chris Farley and Patrick Swayze?s Chippendales dancers. Weezer?s Rivers Cuomo, Will Forte?s SNL character Macgruber, or Bill Burr?s Star Wars character, but with a heavy emphasis on his Boston accent (Wicked Awesome!) These unique and creative custom action figures are the work of Nick LaVallee (Wicked Joyful). They are awesome! Some even go to absurd lengths, like Eminem?s ?Mom?s Spaghetti.?

On this episode of In Defense of Ska, Nick walks us through his life as a ska musician turned comedian turned custom one-of-a-kind toy designer. Wicked Joyful has gotten a lot of attention in the past year, with several celebrities purchasing or even specifically requesting Nick?s figures. If you follow him on Instagram, you can easily see why. We also talk about his weird contribution to the Big D and the Kids Table universe, how he got Adam to start wearing shirts that were too tight, and what pro-ska joke he used to tell on stage back when he did comedy. 

In Los Angeles, in the early ?80s, you would see rows of scooters on the street outside of ska shows. Inside the clubs, kids would be dressed in their best suits. And there was a full-on mod revival happening. At the heart of this local scene was The Untouchables, one of the best bands in the US ska scene at the time. And one of LA?s biggest bands in the ?80s. Unfortunately, they never made it to that next level. But in the DIY world at that time, they were huge. 

The Untouchables played a unique blend of 2 Tone inspired ska, poppy reggae, and upbeat Northern soul. Their love for scooter and mod fashion was front and center, so much that they wrote an early song called ?Ska mods.? Their history is particularly interesting. They appeared in several low-budget films, most notably Repo Man. At one point they were managed by Ramon Estevez (Emilio and Charlie Sheen?s younger brother) and even played some birthday shows at Martin Sheen?s house in Malibu. And while they could not get any interest from any US label despite incredible success in the indie world, UK label Stiff Records showed up at one of their shows and signed them. 

On the episode, we chat with The Untouchables lead singer Chuck Askerneese. We dig into The Untouchables? unique history as part of the American DIY musical landscape in the ?80s. He tells us all the crazy twists and turns of their career. And we also discuss Chuck?s post-Untouchables career as a Hollywood property master. He?s worked on several Adam Sandler films and currently works on the TV show This Is Us. He even plays in a band with Adam Sandler. But the real question is?does Adam Sandler like ska?

Touche Amore drummer Elliot Babin wasn?t always a post-hardcore kid. In Fact, he spent many of his formative years on the Aquabats forum in the early 2000s. He?s even an official aquacadet. And for Elliot, t?s not just the Aquabats. He?s a big-time ska fan and he?s not afraid to shout it from the mountain tops, no matter what the rest of his music peers think of the genre. 

Elliot joins us on this episode of In Defense of Ska to lay out?in full detail?his ska roots. We learned that the Aquabats forum played a major role in his life, and even led to him landing the gig as Touche Amore?s drummer. We also talk about his friendship with Joyce Manor?s Barry Johnson, his solo project Warm Thoughts (Formerly Dad Punchers) and we learn what ska band he plans to show his Touche Amore bandmates the next time they hit the road. It?s not going to be Aquabats this time around. 

SoCal ska band Half Past Two have a lot of great songs. But there?s something particularly special about their track ?Heather.? It?s a simple track about lead singer Tara Hahn?s aunt, Heather McNeil. Heather played a fundamental role in Tara?s life. She introduced her to ska. In the late 90s, she started lending Tara her ska CDs and eventually started taking her to ska shows. Without Heather, Tara may not have become a ska superfan, and likely wouldn?t now be singing in Half Past Two. 

It?s a relatable story for many of us. Most ska fans have that person in their lives that introduced them to ska and made them fans for life. On this episode of In Defense of Ska, we peel back the layers of Half Past Two?s tune, ?Heather,? and hear both Tara and Heather?s side of the story. And in the process, we get an intimate glimpse of the OC ska scene in the late 90s. 

On April 23, ska-punk band We Are The Union, released one of its greatest singles of the band?s career: A catchy ska-punk tune called ?Morbid Obsessions.? The song was also released alongside a huge announcement: We Are The Union?s lead singer Reade Wolcott was coming out as a trans woman. And the song ?Morbid Obsessions? spoke to this journey openly, directly, and with plenty of emotion. And so far the ska community has embraced Reade?s announcement with open arms. 

The tune was the lead single off of We Are The Union?s new album, Ordinary Life, set to release on June 4, 2021. It is a phenomenal record that will not only elevate the ska-punk genre but expand its borders. On this episode of In Defense of Ska, we talk with Reade about the new record, her journey to be her true self, and some other fun We Are The Union stories over the past decade. Fun pancake-themed kickstarter campaign videos anyone? 

Has there been an 80s movie more iconic than The Lost Boys? Has there ever been a scene as legendary as the Boardwalk scene, where an oiled-up, muscular sax man wails through The Call?s ?I Still Believe?? 

No, there has not. 

The sax man in question, Tim Cappello has become a cult icon. Synthwave bands invite him to play on their tracks, and TV shows, like The Break with Michelle Wolf, invite him on to harken back to that classic scene. And he?s huge on the convention circuit. Everyone wants a signed Lost Boys photo. But Tim Cappello is so much more than all this?he?s a phenomenal musician with an amazing resume that includes Tina Turner, Carly Simon, and Peter Gabriel.

On this episode of In Defense of Ska, we spend some time getting to know the musician side of Tim Cappello. We of course begin the conversation by talking about ska and asking him technical saxophone questions. But then we hear all about Carly Simon?s intense stage fright, how Tina Turner bought him his first codpiece, how he landed an unlikely gig backing comedian Billy Crystal, and we learn about one of his bands that were so outrageous, they were banned from CBGB?s. We also get into his iconic Lost Boys scene. We learn how he got the role and all the details behind the recording of the scene. It?s an amazing conversation.