World Ska Radio: Recent Episodes

World Ska Resource

World Ska Radio*: bringing some of the best Ska, Reggae, and Northern Soul to Podomatic.

In partnership with the Pressure Drop Soundcast

*This Podcast is rated PG-13. An occassional song may contain adult language or situations. Parental Guidance is recommended for children under the age of 13.

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Sometime around 2005, I was over at Jason Lawless' place and he handed me a cd that just had a plain orange sticker and the words "A Sweet Serenade" written on it.

"What's this?" I asked.

"I'm putting out and acoustic ska and reggae compilation, and these are the rough demo's." Jason replied. "Give it a listen and let me know what you think."

It was beautiful. So many local and national recording acts had lent Jason acoustic versions of some of their best work. It remains really really good.

Sometime around New Year's Day, Jason passed away from complications from diabetes. He was a friend , but most importantly, he was an ardent supporter of ska and reggae music. Rest well, Rudeboy. We will miss you.

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If you were to go to Yahoo! Answers and pose the question, "What are some good ska bands?", you would get the same, nauseating responses, over and over and over again.

"Less Than Jake! "Catch-22!" "Streetlight Manifesto!" "Save Ferris!" "Sublime!!!"

Clearly, the youth of America who claim to be into ska music have no sense of where ska came from or that the rest of the world has moved on from the "Third Wave" of the 1990's.

Hopefully, this "Best of WSR" episode will serve as a friendly reminder of where ska and reggae came from, and where it's going.

  1. Byron Lee & The Dragonaires - Frankenstein
  2. Toots & The Maytals - 54-46 Was My Number
  3. The Skatalites - Freedom Sounds
  4. Dandy Livingstone - Rudy, A Message To You
  5. Prince Buster & The Maytals - Jamaica Ska / Dog War
  6. Desmond Dekker - 0.0.7. (Shanty Town)
  7. Stranger Cole And Patsy Todd - When I Call Your Name
  8. The Ska Kings - Oil In My Lamp
  9. Derrick Morgan & Patsy Todd - Housewives' Choice
  10. The Allstonians - Mickey Dee
  11. Hepcat - Dance Wid Me
  12. Police & Thieves - Love For My Baby
  13. Ska Cubano - Babalu
  14. The Scorchers (NYC) - Walk On By
  15. Ventilators - Try Me One More Time
  16. Satelite Kingston - Dificultes Con Las Chicas
  17. Jim Murple Memorial - Hey Man !
  18. Deal's Gone Bad - Take Time
  19. See Spot - Trade It In
  20. The Vessels - The Love You Need
  21. The Pietasters - Triflin'
  22. Hepcat - Bobby & Joe
  23. Westbound Train - Seven Ways to Sunday
  24. The Debonaires – Interrupted

The following is a trailer for an upcoming ska documentary:

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In this final part, I pull out all the stops for the grand finale!

Your ears may not understand the words, but your feet will understand the beat!

This is "Ska y Reggae en Espanol"!

  1. Senor Flavio - Retirada Murguera Portena
  2. Mandorico - Prision Mental
  3. Ozomatli - Creo
  4. Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - Carmela
  5. Los Skanarles - Juarez
  6. Discípulos de Otilia - Ecuación
  7. Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - El Matador
  8. Sarazino - Desbaratado
  9. Celestina - Un Cancion Para Ti
  10. Johnny Socko - Tortugas

Some of the recored labels featured on this podcast are:

Radiola Records: http://www.radiolarecords.com.br

Nacional Records: http://www.nacionalrecords.com

Putumayo Records: http://www.putumayo.com

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In Part 2, I change gears a bit. This part has focuses more on Latin Reggae and Cuban Son.

  1. Ska Cubano - Tabu
  2. Don Segundo - Mentirosa
  3. Almalafa - Mexico Libre
  4. Ticklah Feat. Mayra Vega - Si Hecho Palante
  5. Si*Se - Mariposa en Havana
  6. Macaco - Mulata Descolora
  7. Cultura Profetica - Reggae Rustico
  8. Senor Flavio - Cristina
  9. Ska Cubano - Soy Campesino
  10. Satelite Kingston - Dificultes Con Las Chicas
  11. Mandorico - Distancia
  12. Los Pies Negros - Te Olvidaste De Mi

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Lat year, I posted a "Cinco de Mayo" episode featuring Latin Ska and Reggae artists. But this year, I just didn't have the time.

Then a couple days ago, I got an email from this website: http://www.thebeatfusions.mx.vg asking me if they could play episodes of World Ska Radio overnight when they were off the air.

Naturally, I was honored.

But then I started thinking...what if I did an all-Spanish podcast that they could play at night. The only problem is that most of my podcasts are only an hour long. So I would have to do something big.

This is big.

Clocking in at 2 hours and 10 minutes long, this podcast is so big that I had to break it up into 3 parts. While each part can be enjoyed individually, the intention is that they be listened to as an ensemble.

Y así, sin cualquier demoras de firther, aquí está la música!

  1. Rebelation - High Noon edit
  2. Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - Mal Bicho
  3. Senor Flavio - Ministra
  4. Celestina - Fiesta del Mundo
  5. Kongo - A Danca
  6. Mandorico - Cada Vez
  7. Charanga Cakewalk - Carmela
  8. Black Gandhi - Pateras
  9. Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - Strawberry Fields Forever
  10. Mandorico - Not Your Own
  11. Almalafa - Son para mi corazó
  12. Los Pericos - Pupilas Lejanas
  13. Raskahuele - Bola De Cristal

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After 1999, while ska flourished all over the globe, Ska music in the US looked pretty bleak. But things soon started to change. From the ashes of Moon Ska Records came a new label, Megalith Records.

In 2003, over 10,000 ska enthusiasts invaded Las Vegas for the Ska Summit concert. Soon after, Chris Murray and Brian Dixon would launch a weekly ska show in Los Angeles called, "The Bluebeat Lounge".

With festivals like the Victorian Ska Fest in Canada, Rudecat Festival in Spain, and the brand new Ska Splash in the UK, ska music is clearly enjoyed world-wide and stronger than ever.

This is Ska in the New Millennium.

  1. Streetlight Manifesto - Everything Goes Numb
  2. Bomb Town - Dirty Dancehall Sex Party
  3. Ska Cubano - Chango
  4. Deal's Gone Bad - City City
  5. Ska-D-Lite - Special Request
  6. The Pietasters - Late Nite Call
  7. Go Jimmy Go - The Govenor's Daughter
  8. Los Furios - 1977
  9. Oreskaband - 20 Tips
  10. Westbound Train - Don't Cry

Ska Joe looks back at the Ska Summit concert of 2003 at Music Is Our Occupation

And check out this video by Pannonian Allstar Ska Orchestra!

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One of my favorite books as a kid was "Flowers For Algernon" by Daniel Keyes, in particular the idea of The Algernonic Curve or The Algernon Effect. If you've never read the book, you should...for the book is a perfect allegory for the American ska scene in the 90's.

The 1990's would see ska hit the American mainstream like never before. From underground obscurity in 1990 to mainstream TV and radio by 1997 to utter implosion by 1999.

In other parts of the world, ska fared better, with bands springing up in Europe, Latin and South America, and Japan.

This is Ska in the 90's

  1. The Busters - Come On
  2. Hepcat - Bobby & Joe
  3. The Ventilators - Try Me One More Time
  4. The Slackers - Run Away
  5. Chris Murray - Ex-Darling
  6. The Pietasters - Night Before
  7. No Doubt - Stricken
  8. Reel Big Fish - She Has A Girlfriend Now
  9. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - The Impression That I Get
  10. Sublime - What I Got

Also, check out my interview with Dave Hillyard!

And this video from Los Fabulosos Cadillacs!

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Jamaican Ska lasted from roughly 1958 to roughly 1966. Then the more soulful, Rocksteady, was all the rage until 1968. In 1969, Toots Hibbert had a hit with "Do The Reggay", and Jamaica never looked back.

Ska was dead.

In 1978, some young punks from Coventry, UK, dusted off some classic ska and added a decidedly punkish flavor. The Specials were born and other acts soon followed.

  1. The Specials - Gangsters
  2. Madness - The Prince
  3. The Bodysnatchers - Let's Do Rocksteady
  4. Bad Manners - Ne-Ne, Na-Na, Na-Na, Nu Nu
  5. The Beat - Hands Off She's Mine
  6. The Selecter - Three Minute Hero

By 1983, most of the 2 Tone bands had broken up. But ska began to take root outside the UK. Ska was back, and the world never looked back.

  1. The Loafers - Living In A Suitcase
  2. The Villains - Ska Music
  3. Fishbone - Party At Ground Zero
  4. The Toasters - Recrimination(s)

In case you haven't heard, The Specials are going to attempt a re-union later this year!

BBC reports on a possible Specials re-union

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Huzzah!

Now that I've gotten my April Fool's Day silliness out of my system, it's time to celebrate SKA HISTORY MONTH!

Ska History Month was started by myself back in 2003 to honor and educate Ska's roots. Each week this month, I will be posting a podcast highlighting a distinct era of Ska. And hopefully, some of my partners-in-crime at Music Is Our Occupation will be posting podcasts this month as well.

And so, without further ado, this is...JAMAICAN SKA!

  1. Byron Lee & The Dragonaires - Frankenstein
  2. The Skatalites - Freedom Sounds
  3. Prince Buster - Rude Rude Rudee
  4. The Silvertones - True Confession
  5. Baba Brooks - Musical Communion
  6. Lord Tanamo - I'm In The Mood For Ska
  7. Don Drummond & The Skatalites - Don De Lion
  8. Laurel Aitken & The Unitone - Rudi Got Married
  9. Jimmy Cliff - Miss Jamaica
  10. Toots & The Maytals - Pressure Drop

Don't forget to check out World Ska Resource for articles and essays on Ska's History!

World Ska Resource on Yahoo. Over 750 Links!

Music Is Our Occupation

The Ska Spot Network

Special Thanks to Chris Wise for the logo!

http://dukeduel.com

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This podcast is a supplemental podcast to a review I did of "Ska Is Dead", a new compilation by Asian Man Records. So it might be best if you read my review first. And you can do that, here:

http://musicaloccupation.blogspot.com

Ska music is syncopated, meaning it's played on the offbeat.

Rock and punk are played on the beat.

1..2..3..4..1..2..3..4..

Ska is played on the offbeat.

..1..2..3..4..1..2..3..4

I don't care if ska is played slow or fast. In my opinion, if it doesn't have that syncopated beat, it's not ska.

The purpose of this podcast is to show that around the world, many acts are putting out quality ska. And, that the bands that are "ska punk" aren't just adding a horn section to a punk band.

(Note to long-time listeners: In order to list the best ska bands today, I have had to repeat songs that appeared on CA SKA Soundcast episodes.)

  1. Ska Cubano - Tabu
  2. Upground - Accept It
  3. Lily Allen - Friday Night
  4. The Special Guests - Waiting
  5. One Night Band - When I Fall In Love (My Space version)
  6. The Amphetameanies - Say Something Special
  7. Skarabazoo - Rudy scopre l'amore
  8. Monkey - Attraction
  9. The Pietasters - Sketch Dub
  10. Don Segundo - Mentirosa
  11. Pannonia Allstars Ska Orchestra - Ignorance
  12. The Pietasters - Triflin'
  13. The Liptones - Dressed In Pink
  14. The Toasters - Bits And Pieces
  15. Oreskaband - Yeah! Ska Dance
  16. Firebug - Finding My Way

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There's a fantastic movie by Shane Meadows coming out in America next month called "This Is England". The movie centers around a young lad who gets swept up in the world of skinheads in Thatcher's England. I recently bought the soundtrack at Amoeba Records and it's awesome.

So this podcast is kind of like "Skinhead Reggae for Beginners".

Hope you enjoy it.

The Spirit of '69

  1. The Cats - Swan Lake
  2. The Aggrolites - Black Lung
  3. Desmond Dekker - Israelites
  4. Eric "Monty" Morris - (Strongman) Sampson
  5. The Aggrolites - Fury Now
  6. Pama International - It Aint Funny
  7. Vessels - The Love You Need
  8. Stranger Cole And Patsy Todd - When I Call Your Name
  9. THE Kinkky Coocoo's - No Mess No Fuss
  10. A Brief Word From Our Sponsor - "Are You English?"
  11. The Pietasters - Crying Over You
  12. Lee Perry - The Night Doctor
  13. Take 5 - Incomplete
  14. The Hotknives - Cryin' (live)
  15. The Uptones - Bad Men from Bodie
  16. Pama International - One Step
  17. Bad Manners - Lip Up Fatty
  18. The Specials - You're Wondering Now
  19. Gavin Clark - Never Seen The Sea

For more info about the movie, visit:

http://www.thisisenglandmovie.co.uk/#

Also, check out:

http://groups.myspace.com/soulskinsandmods

http://groups.myspace.com/skinheadreggae

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Summer's here and that can only mean one thing: great summer tunes.

This inaugaral podcast of World Ska Radio should keep your head bobbibg and your feet tapping all summer long.

  1. Go Jimmy Go - Radio KWSR?
  2. The Movement - Hola
  3. Lily Allen - Smile
  4. Johnny Socko - She's Righteous
  5. The Pietasters - Crawl Back Home
  6. The Toasters - Life In A Bubble
  7. See Spot - Right Now. Kick It Up
  8. Go Jimmy Go - Feed This Hunger
  9. Deal's Gone Bad - Things Are Gonna Get Better
  10. Infinite - Pass To Paradise
  11. Dissociatives - Paris Circa 2007 Slash 08
  12. Boss 501 - Reggae 69
  13. The Movement - Cold Outside
  14. Johnny Socko - Full Trucker Effect
  15. Skandalous All-Stars - One Way Or Another
  16. Los Hooligans - Any Other Day
  17. Phenomenauts - Neptune City
  18. Fishbone - Everyday Sunshine
  19. Deal's Gone Bad - Messin' Around
  20. Firebug - Finding My Way

Photo courtesy of Jason Boyd.