My Friend Keith Likes Ska: A conversation with Keith Lowell Jensen

I met comedian Keith Lowell Jensen shortly after I moved to Sacramento in 2013. We first got to know each other when I interviewed him for the local newspaper, Sacramento News and Review, but soon became friends. Before the pandemic, we were getting wieners on a regular basis. (It technically started as hot dogs for lunch, but soon wieners became synonymous with hanging out)

Of the many things we bonded over, a mutual love for ska was high on the list, especially when Keith learned I was writing a book about ska. He insisted that I include him in the book with a chapter called “My Friend Keith Likes Ska.” That didn’t happen, but here we are a few months before In Defense of Ska releases and “My Friend Keith Likes Ska” is now a reality—as a podcast episode.

Keith always hires a clown for his birthday parties

In this episode, Keith talks about local Sacramento band Filibuster (Who Keith attempted to manage for a minute), his love for Fishbone (He was at that crazy Warfield show at the beginning of Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone), and a slew of other topics. One highlight this week comes by way of co-host Adam Davis, who revealed that his childhood church had a “No Skaw dancing” policy at their dances. Scandalous!

Check out Keith’s latest special Not For Rehire on Amazon Prime and leave a review.

Also be sure to pick up his book Punching Nazis and Other Good Ideas.

Keith also has a podcast. Make sure you listen to the episode when he brings on In Defense of Ska author Aaron Carnes.

Follow Keith on Twitter. His next book, What I Was Arrested For will be available for pre-order soon. It’s getting released by Clash Books—my book publisher!

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Check out bonus "Behind The Curtain" episodes, exclusively available on our Patreon at www.patreon.com/indefenseofska

This week, you can hear our extended conversation about Adam's former bandmate, Steve Borth. Adam shares several road stories during his time on the road with Steve when they both played in Link 80 together.