In Defense of Ska Ep 91: Obi Fernandez (Westbound Train, The Inevitables, Day 19)

In 2006, Boston ska band Westbound Train played the Summer of Ska tour, followed by the Fall of Ska tour. Between the two tours, they played with Suburban Legends, Big D & The Kids Table, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Reel Big Fish and Streetlight Manifesto--all ska-punk bands. Westbound Train plays traditional ska, rocksteady and early reggae, with a hint of soul.

The group, which formed in 2001 in Boston, has always been a ska band out of time. Not only did they form after the 90s ska boom, but they were often alone on an island, the only band on a bill playing overtly 60s-influenced ska. And somehow became one of the most popular US ska bands to form after the 90s. Now, the group just surprise-dropped their first record in 13 years, called Dedication. Lead singer Obi Fernandez sat down with us to talk about the new album and the band's history.

We talk about their formation at Berklee College of Music and learn that one of their classmates, comedian Eric André roadied for the band (when he wasn't putting on strange shows at All Asia Bar.) Obi also tells us the influential role that country music plays on all Westbound Train songs. And he tells us how Bucket let him use The Toasters touring van to move to college.

We also discuss their time on Warped tour 2009, how the Mighty Mighty Bosstones gave the group their first big shot, and how they rushed the recording of their sophomore album Five to Two in order to have something to show Tim Armstrong in hopes of getting signed to Hellcat (Which they did). 

Obi also tells us why the band ended shortly after that Warped Tour run when they were seemingly at the height of their popularity. He also tells us what it took to get the band back together again. 

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If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.