Month: January 2021

How Bands Like Eli Whitney and the Sound Machine Are Keeping Ska Alive

Posted on by Gary Battle

Just when we thought ska music is dead, it keeps on coming back thanks to bands who are committed to bringing this music back to life. They have new hit singles like Reasons to Leave and Objective to show how much they love the genre. The beats of both songs are very catchy and it is no surprise that so many people have already viewed them on YouTube and downloaded it on Spotify. They serve as inspirations to ska fans all over the world craving for new content and you can bet a lot of fans are awaiting this band’s next few moves. Some people would wonder how bands like Eli Whitney and the Sound Machine are keeping ska alive. The truth is they have their own sound and mix it with how Ska music used to sound back in the day. it is no secret they have musical inspirations of their own. As a matter of fact, they admitted that some of their ska band inspirations were the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and the Clash in terms of songwriting. When they write their own songs, they would listen to other bands from different genres as it is all about coming up with something that a lot of fans would like. Thankfully, it is something they are good at and they see themselves doing it for many years to come and it does not look like they are going to slow down. They started out with many members but have since become a lot less which is actually good since as they say too many members can be a bad thing as there can be some jealousy within the band.

How often they practice is another thing they were able to influence bands since they work hard in keeping ska music alive and it looks like it will be with the new generation of ska bands popping up. As they look up to Eli Whitney and the Sound Machine with all the nice things they have done in the music industry. There is no shortage of fans who have posters of them all over their rooms. This band takes pride in giving the best they got in all the songs they put in their album. They are not like other hands who only have one or two songs that are good the rest are not that good. They would write songs that have messages in them too. You know they are passionate about music as they are also music fans themselves and they love watching other people perform as they give their hearts out to what they do every time they go out on stage. When you see this band’s past performances, you can tell right away everyone is having a great time which is why they would get new fans even during times when they don’t have a new release out. They plan each one of their shows so that they would cater to the audience who are excited for them.

A Bio Of Ska-Punk Band Kill Lincoln

Posted on by Gary Battle

It would not be that hard to find a bio of the ska-punk band Kill Lincoln because of how popular they are. They have six members all playing different instruments. They have a lot of musical inspiration and they make music by blending in their own style of music. This year, they are proud to bring back ska music like never before. This genre was popular before then the bands that played them started to dissolve. It looks like this band is here to stay because it is one of those things that you would want to happen during the time of quarantine. Yes, we want to hear as much good news as possible. Based in DC, when you attend a Kill Lincoln show, you can expect mayhem to ensue and that is what makes it so fun to watch. There will be moshing pits and various band members doing stage dives so audience members must be prepared for what is sure to be a fun night. That is not even mentioning the fact that they are going to be playing all of their hit songs to their most loyal fans. They are going to make you relive those glory days of attending shows where you are all wet because of all the things that are going on and it would be hard to keep track of every single one of them. The important thing is that you are having fun and that is what Kill Lincoln is here to provide. Yes, it is non-stop entertainment like no other.

They have released a new single titled ‘Can’t Complain’ which is what ska fans right now should be since they have a new single. The last one was five years ago and it seems like a very long time. They made the music video during the time of quarantine and they did not mind doing it. They did every safety guideline possible and the end result is something they are very proud of. Of course, they would love to perform the song in front of a live crowd but we don’t really know when live concerts can resume again because of the pandemic. They have been making nice ska music since 2009 and the band just keeps on getting stronger. When you hear their sound, it is like you were transformed back to the 1990s. Some would argue that it was the best decade for music with talented bands popping up out of nowhere. It is no secret they were huge music fans during that age and they are not afraid to show it. They say they always wanted to produce something new for their fans who have been clamoring for more music from them. They can compete with 1990s ski bands and at the same time get something fresh out there. It is like a mix of different styles which is why today’s ska music topics would always go back to Kill Lincoln and they have gotten new fans.

A Comparison Of The Ska Music Scene in the UK and Japan

Posted on by Gary Battle

The Japan ska music scene is a bit of a craze there as there were many bands looking to make a name for themselves. These pop icons became such a hit not only in Japan but in other parts of the world. It is no surprise how there are many ska bands in Japan and almost all of them have a ton of members that play different instruments. Some would all sing and they would not mind getting into the groove when the time is needed. Some of the bands include Yum Yum Orange, Kemuri, Determinations, and Ska Ska Club. Even if they rose to fame in the 1990s, the radio is still playing their nice music up to this day as they get new fans from all over the country. Some members of those bands would go to other countries and fans would instantly recognize them. It shows how big ska music was back in the day. Concerts were so big when these ska music legends would go on tour and most of their venues were sold out weeks in advance. They were such a huge commodity back in the day that most fans today would welcome some kind of a reunion even if a lot has already changed in terms of the pandemic.

The UK ska music scene became hot in the 1980s especially with bands like the Police and the Specials making worldwide hits that became quite a sensation. One particular song that would stand out is the Police’s Every Breath You take which was remade into I’ll be Missing you by Puff Daddy in the 1990s. It even became a mash-up when the two artists combined to make such a huge hit in the MTV music awards that year. It was meant to be a tribute to Puff Daddy’s friend Notorious BIG who died at such a young age. Amy Winehouse was another English singer but she also died at such a young age but not before she left a lot of good songs that are still being played on the radio up until this day. It is evident she could have reached new heights in her career if it was not for an accidental overdose. It is understandable how there are many music festivals for the ska bands that have hit the UK. When those music festivals happen, a lot of people would flock to them and figure to have the time of their lives. A comparison of the ska music scene in the UK and Japan focuses more on the fan base as the fans in the UK are a bit rowdier especially when you consider the fact that these people pay good money to see their favorite bands perform right in front of them. Lily Allen is one current ska singer who is pretty popular not only in the Uk but all over the world as well. As a matter of fact, a lot of her fans are just awaiting her next album to be released.

How Brooklyn Became The Perfect Home For Ska Music

Posted on by Gary Battle

For the past few decades before our present one, ska music was predominantly based in Manhattan, New York. The 1980s and early 1990s were eras when NYC was home to countless clubs that produced and performed ska music.

Rents eventually skyrocketed in Manhattan come the early 2000s and most of the ska clubs and musicians can’t afford the leases and the rent anymore as they doubled and tripled.

Clubs closed and decided to move somewhere else more affordable. The musicians and the club owners packed up and moved their ska gigs to Brooklyn.

The early 2000s laid out the foundation for making Brooklyn the permanent American home of ska. A new army of bands like The Hard Times, The Forthright’s, and The Frighteners called Brooklyn, the largest borough of New York City, their musical paradise.

There were also flourishing DJ scenes courtesy of Agent Jay of The Slackers and other personalities. Regular ska shows like that of Version City (hosted by King Django at The Knitting Factory) and Dirty Reggae (hosted by Agent Jay at The Lake in Bushwick) rounded up the ska scene to give this unique music genre a productive renaissance.

During this era too, a film student and ska fan, Samuel Gursky, also worked to document the origins and culture of the Brooklyn Rocksteady scene. He grew up in the ska scene and started as an enthusiast of ska-punk. He evolved into embracing the slower and more soulful sounds of traditional ska and which seems to be the preferred ska of choice of most Brooklyn rooted bands.

Over time, ska in Brooklyn drifted and took a vacation, but it never really went away from the place that embraced it. The nostalgic element of ska has reemerged in the present times and proves that well-loved musical genres like ska flow through approximately 2-decade cycles.

Yes, it’s been around 20 years since the peak popularity of ska has waned. Its anti-racism linkage has passed through 4 years of turbulent times under the Trump administration, and it has survived and has risen up even stronger.

Now, Ska in Brooklyn has not only become a rallying point against racism but also against homophobia, transphobia, sexism, and other types of bigotry. There now exists a strong network of new bands producing incredible material and performances, which goes to show that ska is alive and kicking.

This sustained ska scene in Brooklyn also inspires other thriving ska scenes in other parts of the USA and also in Japan, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and the UK. Ska is not just music that’s pleasant to the ears but is also placed at the forefront to combat negative politics whenever it can.

From the original ska of Jamaica (the 1950s and 1960s) to the 2 Tone Movement of UK (1970s to 1980s) to the ska-punk evolution of the US (1990s) to the reemergence of ska in the present times with Brooklyn as a major hub, this musical genre has shown that it is constantly in motion and evolving but moving forward.

How Norwood Fisher and Fishbone Paved The Way For Ska Music

Posted on by Gary Battle

A lot of people would love to know how Norwood Fisher and Fishbone paved the way for ska music back in the day. The truth is they are like any other band that has gone through a lot of changes in their band members. Some of them would just call it quits out of nowhere and they would suddenly be left scrambling for replacements even if they are in the middle of the tour. Recently, Norwood admits it was all part of being the only ska-punk band in the world and he knows that the band is pretty strong right now compared to when it was first formed. It is evident there are a lot of fans who came to Fisher’s concerts and he would want to entertain each and every one of them. His passion for Ska music would inspire a lot of other bands to come up with their own ska music. In a recent interview, he stated that he would love to pave the way for other people to get into the music scene using their music as some sort of a catapult. He knew how the touring scene of playing their brands of music all over the country had a ton of rowdy fans. He grew up expecting a lot of riots to happen. There is a documentary about the band and that helped them get back to the scene. It is always a nice feeling to have some kind of rebirth in your career. They would not even mind competing with some of today’s hottest bands as they know they have their own brand of ska music and the new ones have theirs too.

They played at different venues from the Playboy mansion up to the Disney theater and they would not mind as long as they would send their fans home pretty happy. With all the changes, Norwood says that his band stuck long enough at a time when other bands decide to call it quits. He knows that despite all the other changes, Fishbone has a special love for music that they can’t seem to get rid of and he would not have it any other way. Fisher admits that there are a lot of changes he needs to get used to and he knows there will be a lot more in the future. Norwood can even recall how his cousin gave him some musical inspiration to start his own band and he started rehearsing in his own apartment. It was not long before they got discovered but not before angering a few of his neighbors. After that, the rest as they say is history. Their music became a mixture of a lot of things but it mainly became what is known today as ska music. Back in the early days, they got their inspiration from a host of artists from different genres. Thus, they were able to mix in their inspirations to come up with the songs that all their fans love them for.

A Brief Bio Of American Punk Rock Band Down by Law

Posted on by Gary Battle

Down by Law, initially formed in America, has only one original member currently, Dave Smalley; he is also the one that started the punk rock band in 1989. From the time the band was formed, it recorded its music at Epitaph Records but then switched labels in 1998. The band’s commercial success has been considerable; nonetheless, the band has been immensely influential, having recorded seven studio albums. By 2003, the band was recording and touring before they went on a break. After a few years in 2008, they came back to the scene to create new content and do a tour. The tour, meant for 2009, would have been the first after six years of missing in action.

The current members of the band are Dave Smalley, Sam Williams, Hunter Oswald, John DiMambro. They came together in Los Angeles, California, and the main genre they do is punk rock. The original members that Dave Smalley founded the band with include Dave Naz and Chriss Bagarozzi. Their first-ever album was called “Down By Law,” released in 1991. Brett Gurewitz, the founder of Epitaph Record, was the one that recorded both of their albums. The second studio album, called “Blue,” was recorded in 1992. The band split in 1993 after they finished touring and promoted their second album.

Bagarozzi, who played the guitar, was replaced by Sam Williams, Urlik, who dealt with the bass by Angry John Di Mambro, and Naz, who played drums, was replaced by Hunter Oswald. One of their best selling releases, Punkrockacademyfightsong was recorded by the new lineup and was released in 1994. A few of the songs like “Hit or Miss” got videos, and they managed to receive decent airplay from radio stations and MTV. Down by Law decided to do a tour that lasted for a year in an effort to promote their album. During the tour, they also supported some bands during their shows, including Pennywise, Burning Heads, NOFX, and the Vandals.

By 1997 the band had already worked on two more studio albums “All Scratched Up” in 1996 and “The Last of The Sharpshooters” in 1997. After recording the two albums, they left the record label they had been working with, Epitaph. After working with the record label for many years, they called it quits in 1998. Afterward, they briefly worked with another record label called “Go-Kart Records.” During that time, they released a new album, “Fly The Flag” and soon after, two band members, John Di Mambro and Chris Lagerborg, left the group. Unfortunately, after he departed from the band, Chris Lagerborg passed away in 2002 at 33.

It didn’t take long before the two members were replaced by Milo Todesco and Keith Davies, who took over on the drums and bass, respectively. Down by Law released yet another album in 2003, four years after their last one with the new members. This time they worked with Union 2112 Records, but the Windwardtidesandwaywardsails album wasn’t very successful. After the album failed, they went on a break again that year. The next time their fans heard from them was in 2008 after the band announced on their website that they’d be working on a new album. A year later, they went on another tour since the last one they’d done in 2003, performing in South America and America as well. In 2010 they did two shows in Florida and performed in the Netherlands as well.

Later on, in 2011, they signed up with DC Jam Records. They announced and released an album in 2012 called “Champions at Heart.” Consecutively in 2013, Down by Law also released “Revolution Time,” an album that had seven mini-tracks. Dave Smalley did some solo shows in 2015 and 2016, and in 2017 Oswald and Di Mambro joined the band again.