Ah, the history of ska.

I keep talking about “third wave” ska, and because ska isn’t very mainstream, I decided to do a quick, one-minute bio on the life of ska (so far).

In order for there to be a third wave, there needs to be a first and second wave. First off though, what exactly is ska?

Well, according to the wikipedia page of the genre, ska is a music genre with “combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues” and also has “a walking bass line accented with rhythms on the upbeat.” Basically, imagine reggae with guitar and bass. Also, most ska possesses horns, although it’s not mandatory.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s start at the beginning: first wave.

According to “Urban Spaces and Working Class Expressions across the Black Atlantic: Tracing the Routes of Ska” by Joseph Heathcott, (whoever thought there would be academic articles over ska?) ska originated in Jamaica in the late ’60s. In Jamaica, ska was combined the old island traditional scene with different pop culture items from America, Britain, and Jamaica. Heathcott says “the horn-dominated instrumentation, syncopated rhythms, up-tempo timing, and downbeat emphasis marked ska as an emergent genre of music.” The genre’s following mainly consisted of the urban youngsters, and so they were dubbed “rude boy,” because of their rebellion against adults. In the beginning there was only a few ska bands such as the Skatalites (who took a hiatus but came back in the ’80s), and Prince Buster, both Jamaican. Here’s a taste of first-wave by the Skatalites. Soon after, famous soundbodies such as Bob Marley and Lee “Scratch” Perry started out as the upbeat ska that first-wave is, but they soon contributed to a slower tempo, emerging the two generes of reggae and rocksteady (a misnomer for the No Doubt album). Although both have slower tempos and a heavier bass, reggae tends to be faster than rocksteady. An example of rocksteady and reggae is Phyllis Dillon.

With second wave in the late ’70s, the Beat, Madness, and the Specials were just a few of the ska bands that were blasted on American stereoes and in British clubs. Originated in the London area after reggae was introduced by Jamaican immigrants, these two-tone bands demonstrated a faster and more aggressive sound as opposed to rocksteady’s slow tone. Second wave called to much of the youth, but it soon dissolved. Here’s “The Prince” by Madness, which actually pays tribute to first waver Prince Buster.

Probably the most listened-to and famous type of ska is the ultimate third wave. Erupting from the late ’80s and early ’90s, third wave actually has a few sub-genres inside of it; ska-core, ska punk, and ska inspired by first wave. With first wave, Heathtcott continues to say that third-wave combines it with punk influences. These sounds include Voodoo Glow Skulls and the legendary but short-lived Operation Ivy. Many bands of this generation were also influenced by two-tone, which is what influenced ska-core and ska punk. Ska punk possesses many brass instruments such as trumpets, trombones, and other horns and a faster punk tempo. Ska-core is a more extreme version of this, only with hard-core punk. Most of the bands that I mention in other posts are third-wave (if not, all), such as the Toasters, Reel Big Fish, and Less Than Jake. Check out the video in the last post for a shot of ska punk.

Hopefully that informed you guys a bit. If you want more information on it, click here for the Wikipedia page (which is also where I found some of my information).

Check in a few posts for my follow-up on the debate of when the next ska scene, fourth wave, will occur. Or is it already here? You’ll just have to wait… unless you want to do your own research.

As promised in the last post, the title of this post comes from (third-wave) Operation Ivy’s Energy. Despite it being their only album, their short-lived band saw success (and still does).  “Knowledge” is definitely not their best song, but it applies to the post =]

Information attained from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ska, and “Urban Spaces and Working-Class Expressions across the Black Atlantic: Tracing the Routes of Ska,” Radical History Review, Fall 2003, 183-206.

Ouça aqui!

Baixe e ouça a hora que quiser no seu celular, ipod, mp3 player…

Playlist – Los Putos Sonidos de Underground #9
Banda de Fundo: Raskaipika – Unete al kaos

Sin Parar
Los crudos – no va haber revolucion
Subterranean kids – a quien quereis enganar? – espanha
Sangre joven – Cambia tu actitude (guatemala)
Marcel duchamp – Acción – chile
La sangre de Veronika – Elijo no elegir
D Pelos – Agape

Quienes Son
Fertil Miseria
Accion
Miseria de Medallo
Represion
Los Generales
Somos Diferentes
Fertil Miseria

Hasta Pronto
Desarme – Es tu Error
Gandalla – Tu Eliges
Otra salida – Caminos
Espias Secretos – Disparen
Argies – La Frontera
Voodoo GLow Skulls – Celda Borracheras

Ouça aqui!

Baixe e ouça a hora que quiser no seu celular, ipod, mp3 player…

Playlist – Los Putos Sonidos del Underground #22
Álbum de fundo: Animales Muertos – Animales Muertos

Bloco 1
Clamor inexorable – Zona Marginada
Kk core – mi pais
Libertad para todos – no al poder en la sombra
Adcitos al ruido – eres diferente?
Psicodencia – Policia, no me dejas existir
Polo Pepo – no es delito ser punk
Histeria – La verdad
Especimen – canto al animal
Masacre 68 – elecciones (fiesta de represion)

Mini-bloco I.R.A.
Neurona
El camino de la humanidad
Lo que ustedes se merecen

Bloco 2
Estigia – La musica es difusión
Los Muertos de Cristo – El pasajero
Skalariak – Quién no has robado?
Voodoo Glow Skulls – Malas Palabras
Axion Protesta – Lavadero de cerebros
Putakaska – que has dicho? hablas demasiado
Kortatu – La línea de frente
La Polla Records – Es Política
Disidencia – El árbol

Presented by Paragon Booking

[FINAL UPDATE (hopefully): Paragon Booking has posted the NEW LOCATION FOR SKA IN THE PARK 2009
QBONKERS
9364 MAGNOLIA AVE
RIVERSIDE, CA 92883
Hopefully everything will go smoothly from this point onward.]

[2nd UPDATE: Paragon Booking, who is organizing Ska in the Park has posted on their MySpace Blog that the city of Riverside has "shut me down." But they are reaffirming that Ska in the Park has not been canceled, just "redirecting." They will be posing an update on their MySpace blog tomorrow and we will continue to keep you updated.]

[UPDATE: Suburban Legends has Twittered (Tweeted?) that "SKA IN THE PARK this Saturday has been moved from Riverside to The Fox Theater in Pomona, CA [editor: QBonkers in Riverside]. SL goes on at 2:45pm!”]

Paragon Booking has released the set times for Ska in the Park, going on June 27 at the American Legion Riverside Post 79 The Fox Theater in Pomona, CA Q-Bonkers Billiards in Riverside, CA,  with tickets going for $20 (less than $1 per band). Most of the bands are scheduled to play for 20-45 minutes. Suburban Legends are scheduled to go on at the not so prime time of 2:45pm – 3:30pm on the Main Stage and will be followed by Chase Long Beach from 3:40pm to 4:10pm.

Don’t forget to show up early to support the new guys, as doors open at 11am. Voodoo Glow Skulls are closing the show at 10:15pm, and even if they play for an hour, everything should be torn down and packed up by midnight. Full list of bands and their set times are listed below.

Main Stage

• Stupid Flanders 11:20-11:40
• The Pocketeers 11:50-12:10
• Illegal Beagle 12:20-12:40
• Defunked 12:50-1:15
• Maxwell Smart 1:25-1:55
• Half Past 2 2:05-2:35
• Suburban Legends 2:45-3:30
• Chase Long Beach 3:40-4:10
• The Skeletones 4:20-5:00
• RiceRokit 5:10-5:40
• The Dendrites 5:50-6:20
• The Guilty Parties 6:30-7:00
• Buddha Bomb 7:10-7:40
• Starpool 7:50-8:25
• Knock Out 8:35-9:10
• The Debonaires 9:20-10:05
• Voodoo Glow Skulls 10:15-

Side Stage

• The High Tops 11:10-11:30
• The Revivers 11:40-12:00
• Off Target 12:10-12:30
• The Boss Beats 12:40-1:00
• Taco Tuesday 1:10-1:35
• The Bashments 1:45-2:10
• Skamikaze 2:20-2:45
• Dr. Skavra 2:55-3:20
• Task Force Panda 3:30-3:55
• In Key Drop Outs 4:04-4:30
• The A Ok’s 4:40-5:05
• Nine 5 One 5:15-5:45
• Pilot Touhill 5:55-6:25
• Red Store Bums 6:35-7:05
• The B Sharps 7:15-7:45
• Assorted Jellybeans 7:55-

Ska in the Park MySpace Blog

Catch tour dates for the Voodoo Glow Skulls after the break.

August
5th – Bristol, Bier Keller
7th – Alton, Lounge Bar
8th - Nottingham, Maze
9th – Blackpool, Rebellion Festival
10th – Leeds, Carpe Diem
11th – Sunderland, Campus
12th – High Wycombe, Nags Head
13th – London, Electric Ballroom

MPTY ZINE #34

scuze pentru timpul in care nu am mai pus topul saptamanii…ceva treaba si altele au fost de ajuns sa uit de top…uite ca s-a intors fresh

cheers!

1. The Lordz and Tim Armstrong-Outlaw

2. Voodoo Glow Skulls-Fat Randy

3. Guttermouth-end of 9

4. The Descendents-Kids On Coffee

5. Black Flag- Slip it in

Update 6/26/09:  Per Ben with the BSharps, and confirmed by other sources, Ska in the Park has been moved to QBonkers in Riverside.

Does anyone have any information on the upcoming “Ska in the Park” show at Fairmount Park in June?  I want to post/see a flyer.  Sounds like fun.

Update: 4/30/09

Here’s the flyer, courtesy of one of the bands scheduled to appear, the b Sharps.  They had it on their Myspace page.

Ska In The Park - 6.27.09

Presented by Paragon Booking

Paragon Booking has relased a flier for “Ska in the Park ‘09″ which will be taking place on Saturday, June 27th, 2009 at 11am in Fairmont Park in Riverside, CA. Suburban Legends looks to be receiving second billing, just under Voodoo Glow Skulls. Presale tickets can be purchased at the Riverside Electric Chair for $15 or the day of the event for presumably the same price $20.

Suburban Legends has yet to announce this tour date on either their website or myspace page, so my hope is this will be part of a larger tour announcement. Either way this is an excellent opportunity to see SL and many other ska bands for the cutthroat rate of $15 and maybe even discover a new band or two.

But gawd, how many ska bands name themselves after a Simpson’s reference. The b Sharps and Stupid Flanders will both be playing. Maybe we can get I Voted for Kodos to reunite and make it a trifecta.

The city of Riverside is actively developing a cultural plan, which is hoped will improve the quality of life in the city and leverage the economic impact of arts and culture.

The cultural plan addresses seven arts and culture issue areas:

1. Branding and marketing Riverside’s arts and culture
2. University and college connections
3. Fox Performing Arts Theater
4. Arts and Cultural festivals and events
5. Arts education (K – 12)
6. Funding and resources
7. City Hall: Organizational Structure to Advance Arts and Culture

The things I’m personally most excited about is bringing back Downtown Wednesday Nights this summer and starting something called the Downtown Street Jam, to be held the second Saturday of every month, beginning in soon.   Voodoo Glow Skulls will be performing April 11th.

Go Riverside!

You just can’t have a ska/punk day without…

“Shoot The Moon” – Voodoo Glow Skulls

From: Rebellion
Date: 03 Oct 2008, 12:03

Alreet Lads & Lassies???
Dates and venue for 2009 are now confirmed!!
August 6/7/8/9 2009 at The Wintergardens in Blackpool, UK.
Early price tickets are now on sale at £65.
00 saving you at least
£15.00 on the later priced tickets – this offer ends October 31st.
For credit card bookings call 02476 601678 or email rebelliontickets@btinternet.com
you can also send cheques and postal orders payable to Rebellion Festivals to
205 Beake Avenue, Coventry, CV6 3BB please send a stamped addressed envelope with
your order (no SAE no order!) – there’ll be all the usual stuff – 4 maybe even
5 stages – bigger market area, more childrens stuff, even more bizarre
Bizarre Bazaar – best line up from around the world etc.
Cofirmed bands are..
Splodgenessabounds,
Middle Finger Salute,
Play Daisy,
Newtown Neurotics,
Section 5,
Neville Staple Band,
Instant Agony,
Ari Up and the True Warriors,
MDM,
The Exploited,
Voodoo Glow Skulls,
Short Bus Window Lickers,
SNFU,
Church of Confidence,
Fire Exit,
Argy Bargy,
Outl4w,
Reazione,
The Restarts,
Resistance 77,
The Guilty Pleasures,
Major Accident,
The Rabble,
Eastfield,
Drongos For Europe,
Choking Susan,
The Blame,
Monkish,
The Kirkz,
Pink Hearse,
Demob,
The Agitators,
Dipsomaniacs,
The Duel,
Static Thought,
999,
The Adolescents,
The Last Resort,
Goldblade,
RUST (Australia),
Criminal Class,
Los Fastidios,
The Lurkers,
One Way System,
Abrasive Wheels..

OTHER NEWS
The Forum, London, 13/12/2008 (tube Kentish Town)
REBELLION XMAS KNEES UP!! 12 noon till midnight

CD de 95. Ska Core!!!

“Formed in 1988, Voodoo Glow Skulls meshed hardcore punk, traditional ska, tough guitar riffs and the Mexican music of their roots to create the prototype for the West Coast ska-core sound, influencing a wide range of bands from Sublime to No Doubt. Unflinchingly honest, their songs often used humor to comment on harsh political realities – from racial inequity to unrest overseas. Singing in both Spanish and English, Voodoo Glow Skulls’ bilingual musical tradition has been a hallmark of the band since they began.”

(parte de um texto retirado do site oficial da banda)

formação atual da banda:

Frank Casillas – Vocals
Eddie Casillas – Guitar
Jorge Casillas – Bass
Jerry O’Neill – Drums
Brodie Johnson – Trumpet
Eric Fazzini – Sax

Voodoo Glow Skulls – Firme

1. Shoot The Moon
2. Closet Monster
3. Charlie Brown
4. Drunk Tank
5. Jocks From Hell
6. Trouble Walking
7. Give Me Someone I Can Trust
8. Empty Bottles
9. Fat Randy
10. Thrift Shop Junkie
11. El Coo Cooi
12. Method To This Madness
13. Construction
14. Malas Palabras
15. Nicotine Fit
16. Land Of Misfit Toys

(I’m not your) Steppin’ Stone es una gran cancion. Y uno de los mejores covers de ella es la que hace Minor Threat (y que podes bajar de este post).

¿sabias que?… Tal vez leas por mucho blog de musica que la version original es de The Monkees, lo que es incorrecto ya que los autores originales fueron Paul Revere & The Raiders en el año 1966 siendo los Monkees quienes hicieron el primer cover de esta ultraversionada cancion un año despues. (info).

Minor Threat – Steppin’ Stone

Ay, ay, ay, ay, Canta y no llores, Porque cantando se alegran, Cielito lindo, los corazones

¿Quien no conoce esa cancion popular? En la version original calculo que todo el mundo. Pero el espectacular cover que hacen los fantasticos Voodoo Glow Skulls de esa cancion popular ¿es tan conocido?.

Si no lo conocias, te estabas perdiendo algo imperdible! Es tu oportunidad de disfrutar de este gran cover de la gigante banda que mezcla hardcore punk con ska tradicional, riff de guitarra pesados y pegadizos a la vez, siendo practicamente los creadores del sonido ska-core de escena de la costa oeste norteamericana. Otra cosa muy divertida es esa mezcla de lenguajes en sus letras entre el ingles y el español.

Voodoo Glow Skulls – Cielito Lindo  | Voodoo Glow Skulls – Rancho Grande

Undisputed Attitude (1996) encontró en Slayer el reafirmar de su amor por el hardcore punk, cubriendo canciones de G.B.H., Minor Threat, T.S.O.L., D.R.I. y otros. El álbum estuvo a punto de llamarse como una canción original “Gemini”. Otro nombre que se barajaba era: “Selected and Exhumed”, finalmente descartada.

De ese album te dejamos la version a lo Slayer del ya acelerado tema de G.B.H. Sick Boy en donde los amigos Araya, King y cia. hacen un imperdible cover.

Slayer – Sick Boy (GBH Cover)