In Defense of Ska
301 episodes - English - Latest episode: 7 days ago - ★★★★★ - 76 ratingsSka no longer needs to be the butt of every joke. IDOS is flipping the narrative on this style of music that they love dearly.Hosts Aaron Carnes (author of "In Defense of Ska") and Adam Davis (Link 80, Omingone) chat with people in and outside of the ska scene to tell its stories, show its pervasiveness in culture, and defend it to their last dying breath.
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Episodes
In Defense of Ska Ep 41: Hepcat
October 27, 2021 10:09 - 1 hour - 67.5 MBLA ska band Hepcat once appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. They were an early signing to Epitaph subsidiary Hellcat Records and were flown all over to open for a wide variety of bands. But they were—and the band admits this—never going to blow up. The group consisted of several LA ska scene kids from the 80s who loved original Jamaican ska. Not a commercially viable genre. And back then, you would have to search far and wide to find these old records. This love they shared for the ...
In Defense of Ska Ep 41: Hepcat (Greg Lee, Greg Narvas)
October 27, 2021 10:09 - 1 hour - 87.6 MBLA ska band Hepcat once appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. They were an early signing to Epitaph subsidiary Hellcat Records and were flown all over to open for a wide variety of bands. But they were—and the band admits this—never going to blow up. The group consisted of several LA ska scene kids from the 80s who loved original Jamaican ska. Not a commercially viable genre. And back then, you would have to search far and wide to find these old records. This love they shared for the ...
In Defense of Ska Ep 40: David McWane (Big D and the Kids Table)
October 20, 2021 10:19 - 1 hour - 81 MBBy now, most of us know that ska wasn’t dead in the 2000s. But it was uncool. Really uncool. Bands were fleeing from the scene, and describing their sound as “Rock with horns”—anything other than “ska.” But the scene continued, fueled by the passion of dedicated fans. During this weird time, one group that did quite well was Boston’s Big D and The Kids Table, who even managed to chart on the Billboard Top Heatseekers with their excellent 2007 album Strictly Rude. Big D formed in ’96 but did...
In Defense of Ska Ep 40: David McWane
October 20, 2021 10:19 - 1 hour - 61.6 MBBy now, most of us know that ska wasn’t dead in the 2000s. But it was uncool. Really uncool. Bands were fleeing from the scene, and describing their sound as “Rock with horns”—anything other than “ska.” But the scene continued, fueled by the passion of dedicated fans. During this weird time, one group that did quite well was Boston’s Big D and The Kids Table, who even managed to chart on the Billboard Top Heatseekers with their excellent 2007 album Strictly Rude. Big D formed in ’96 but did...
In Defense of Ska Ep 39: Max Collins (Eve 6, Chevy Mustang)
October 13, 2021 10:41 - 1 hour - 76.8 MBUp until last year, alt-rock group Eve 6 was best known for their hit 1998 single, “Inside Out,” or as some people refer to it, “the heart in a blender song.” But times have changed. Now Eve 6, specifically lead singer Max Collins, is best known for taking over Twitter. It started last December when he tweeted that he was a virgin when he wrote “Inside Out.” Since then, he hasn’t stopped tweeting a chaotic mix of weird jokes, hot takes, embarrassing rock n roll stories, and leftist political...
In Defense of Ska Ep 39: Max Collins of Eve 6
October 13, 2021 10:41 - 1 hour - 58.5 MBUp until last year, alt-rock group Eve 6 was best known for their hit 1998 single, “Inside Out,” or as some people refer to it, “the heart in a blender song.” But times have changed. Now Eve 6, specifically lead singer Max Collins, is best known for taking over Twitter. It started last December when he tweeted that he was a virgin when he wrote “Inside Out.” Since then, he hasn’t stopped tweeting a chaotic mix of weird jokes, hot takes, embarrassing rock n roll stories, and leftist political ...
In Defense of Ska Ep 39: Max Collins (Eve 6)
October 13, 2021 10:41 - 1 hour - 59.3 MBUp until last year, alt-rock group Eve 6 was best known for their hit 1998 single, “Inside Out,” or as some people refer to it, “the heart in a blender song.” But times have changed. Now Eve 6, specifically lead singer Max Collins, is best known for taking over Twitter. It started last December when he tweeted that he was a virgin when he wrote “Inside Out.” Since then, he hasn’t stopped tweeting a chaotic mix of weird jokes, hot takes, embarrassing rock n roll stories, and leftist political...
In Defense of Ska Ep 38: Augusta Koch
October 06, 2021 10:03 - 1 hour - 45.7 MBAugusta Koch’s first band was called The Blue Bananas, a ska band. They had a few originals and performed a Choking Victim song. They didn’t last long. She’s since gone on to play in some incredible non-ska bands like Cayetana and Gladie. And she even sang vocals for the fictitious group DUH in the horror-comedy film Uncle Peckerhead. But ska has remained important to her. During the pandemic, she found comfort in revisiting some of her favorite bands from when she was younger. RX Bandits hav...
In Defense of Ska Ep 38: Augusta Koch (Cayetana, Gladie)
October 06, 2021 10:03 - 1 hour - 59.8 MBAugusta Koch’s first band was called The Blue Bananas, a ska band. They had a few originals and performed a Choking Victim song. They didn’t last long. She’s since gone on to play in some incredible non-ska bands like Cayetana and Gladie. And she even sang vocals for the fictitious group DUH in the horror-comedy film Uncle Peckerhead. But ska has remained important to her. During the pandemic, she found comfort in revisiting some of her favorite bands from when she was younger. RX Bandits ha...
In Defense of Ska Ep 37: Homer Flynn (The Residents, Cryptic Corporation)
September 29, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 74.9 MBAvant-garde band The Residents have spent the last five decades anonymously creating music that is at times unsettling, goofy, bizarre, and always pushes the boundaries of music. Even the very idea that The Residents are a band is up for debate. They are more of an art collective that pretends to be a band. And though they prolifically create music, they are perhaps best known for the imagery they’ve put out into the world, specifically the photo of the four band members with eyeball-heads, ...
In Defense of Ska Ep 37: Homer Flynn
September 29, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBAvant-garde band The Residents have spent the last five decades anonymously creating music that is at times unsettling, goofy, bizarre, and always pushes the boundaries of music. Even the very idea that The Residents are a band is up for debate. They are more of an art collective that pretends to be a band. And though they prolifically create music, they are perhaps best known for the imagery they’ve put out into the world, specifically the photo of the four band members with eyeball-heads, w...
In Defense of Ska Ep 37: Homer Flynn (The Residents)
September 29, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 57.9 MBAvant-garde band The Residents have spent the last five decades anonymously creating music that is at times unsettling, goofy, bizarre, and always pushes the boundaries of music. Even the very idea that The Residents are a band is up for debate. They are more of an art collective that pretends to be a band. And though they prolifically create music, they are perhaps best known for the imagery they’ve put out into the world, specifically the photo of the four band members with eyeball-heads, ...
In Defense of Ska Ep 36: Mike Park
September 22, 2021 10:35 - 1 hour - 58.5 MBAsian Man Records will be remembered as one of the best outlets for ska-punk in the 90s, with bands like Slapstick, MU330, Slow Gherkin, Less Than Jake, and other bands that still hold up decades later. The label is the brainchild of former Skankin Pickle singer/saxophonist Mike Park. Initially, Skankin Pickle started Dill Records, as a means to release their own music, and eventually, put out the music of other great bands. It was Mike’s idea for Dill to be a serious venture, and he did much...
In Defense of Ska Ep 36: Mike Park (Asian Man Records, Skankin' Pickle, Chinkees, Bruce Lee Band)
September 22, 2021 10:35 - 1 hour - 59.4 MBAsian Man Records will be remembered as one of the best outlets for ska-punk in the 90s, with bands like Slapstick, MU330, Slow Gherkin, Less Than Jake, and other bands that still hold up decades later. The label is the brainchild of former Skankin Pickle singer/saxophonist Mike Park. Initially, Skankin Pickle started Dill Records, as a means to release their own music, and eventually, put out the music of other great bands. It was Mike’s idea for Dill to be a serious venture, and he did muc...
In Defense of Ska Ep 36: Mike Park (Asian Man Records, Skankin' Pickle, Chinkees, The Bruce Lee Band)
September 22, 2021 10:35 - 1 hour - 76.8 MBAsian Man Records will be remembered as one of the best outlets for ska-punk in the 90s, with bands like Slapstick, MU330, Slow Gherkin, Less Than Jake, and other bands that still hold up decades later. The label is the brainchild of former Skankin Pickle singer/saxophonist Mike Park. Initially, Skankin Pickle started Dill Records, as a means to release their own music, and eventually, put out the music of other great bands. It was Mike’s idea for Dill to be a serious venture, and he did muc...
In Defense of Ska Ep 35: Kenneth Partridge
September 15, 2021 10:43 - 1 hour - 47.7 MBThe 90s was a weird time for mainstream music. After Nirvana and the “Grunge” scene blew up, major labels were on the prowl for the next big thing. A lot of unlikely bands and music genres had their 15 minutes of fame. Ska, of course, was one of those trends, as was the “swing revival.” We could debate whether it was good or bad that a handful of ska bands got launched into the mainstream for a few years, but regardless, the very fact that ska and swing were flavors of the month is a bizarre ...
In Defense of Ska Ep 35: Kenneth Partridge (Hell of a Hat: The Rise of ’90s Ska and Swing)
September 15, 2021 10:43 - 1 hour - 62.3 MBThe 90s was a weird time for mainstream music. After Nirvana and the “Grunge” scene blew up, major labels were on the prowl for the next big thing. A lot of unlikely bands and music genres had their 15 minutes of fame. Ska, of course, was one of those trends, as was the “swing revival.” We could debate whether it was good or bad that a handful of ska bands got launched into the mainstream for a few years, but regardless, the very fact that ska and swing were flavors of the month is a bizarre...
In Defense of Ska Ep 34: Angelo Moore (Fishbone, Dr. Madd Vibe)
September 08, 2021 10:16 - 1 hour - 76.5 MBA couple of years before ska broke on the radio, Fishbone—who was on Columbia Records at the time—released arguably the greatest ska song of the 90s: “Unyielding Conditioning,” a beautiful tune with a deep message that challenges us to re-examine the very fabric of our shared reality, and to grapple with the forces that control us and make us miserable. In 1993, the public was not ready for this amazing tune, and would not accept ska in the mainstream until Sublime’s “Date Rape” got into hea...
In Defense of Ska Ep 34: Angelo Moore
September 08, 2021 10:16 - 1 hour - 58.3 MBA couple of years before ska broke on the radio, Fishbone—who was on Columbia Records at the time—released arguably the greatest ska song of the 90s: “Unyielding Conditioning,” a beautiful tune with a deep message that challenges us to re-examine the very fabric of our shared reality, and to grapple with the forces that control us and make us miserable. In 1993, the public was not ready for this amazing tune, and would not accept ska in the mainstream until Sublime’s “Date Rape” got into heav...
In Defense of Ska Ep 34: Angelo Moore (Fishbone)
September 08, 2021 10:16 - 1 hour - 59.1 MBA couple of years before ska broke on the radio, Fishbone—who was on Columbia Records at the time—released arguably the greatest ska song of the 90s: “Unyielding Conditioning,” a beautiful tune with a deep message that challenges us to re-examine the very fabric of our shared reality, and to grapple with the forces that control us and make us miserable. In 1993, the public was not ready for this amazing tune, and would not accept ska in the mainstream until Sublime’s “Date Rape” got into hea...
In Defense of Ska Ep 33: Jessica Lipsky (It Ain't Retro: Daptone Records & The 21st-Century Soul Revolution)
September 01, 2021 10:05 - 1 hour - 64.3 MBSoul music has never gone away, but different versions of it come and go. In 2007, when Sharon Jones, 51 at the time, released her third album 100 Days, 100 Nights, she reached a significant audience. That made a lot of people declare "retro" soul back. But Sharon wasn’t retro, and the story around her success was much more complex. It is tied to the record label Daptone Records and her backing band, the Dap-Kings. The story of the label and the bands associated with them (Sharon, Charles ...
In Defense of Ska Ep 33: Jessica Lipsky
September 01, 2021 10:05 - 1 hour - 49.1 MBSoul music has never gone away, but different versions of it come and go. In 2007, when Sharon Jones, 51 at the time, released her third album 100 Days, 100 Nights, she reached a significant audience. That made a lot of people declare "retro" soul back. But Sharon wasn’t retro, and the story around her success was much more complex. It is tied to the record label Daptone Records and her backing band, the Dap-Kings. The story of the label and the bands associated with them (Sharon, Charles B...
In Defense of Ska Ep 32: Ian Fidance (The Ska King of Comedy)
August 25, 2021 10:11 - 1 hour - 54.5 MBWhy is it that most stand-up comedians pretend that they hate ska? We all know that they’re big nerds, so why don’t they relish in their dorkiness and not put on some big show that they’re cynical, sophisticated tastemakers too intelligent for ska! Oh well, at least not every comedian is this insecure. New York-based comedian Ian Fidance—the ska king of comedy—is an unabashed lover of ska music and he wants you to know all about it. Fortunately for us in the ska community, Ian is out there,...
In Defense of Ska Ep 32: Ian Fidance (The Ska King of Comedy, Crank Yankers, The Last O.G.)
August 25, 2021 10:11 - 1 hour - 70.4 MBWhy is it that most stand-up comedians pretend that they hate ska? We all know that they’re big nerds, so why don’t they relish in their dorkiness and not put on some big show that they’re cynical, sophisticated tastemakers too intelligent for ska! Oh well, at least not every comedian is this insecure. New York-based comedian Ian Fidance—the ska king of comedy—is an unabashed lover of ska music and he wants you to know all about it. Fortunately for us in the ska community, Ian is out there,...
In Defense of Ska Ep 32: Ian Fidance
August 25, 2021 10:11 - 1 hour - 53.7 MBWhy is it that most stand-up comedians pretend that they hate ska? We all know that they’re big nerds, so why don’t they relish in their dorkiness and not put on some big show that they’re cynical, sophisticated tastemakers too intelligent for ska! Oh well, at least not every comedian is this insecure. New York-based comedian Ian Fidance—the ska king of comedy—is an unabashed lover of ska music and he wants you to know all about it. Fortunately for us in the ska community, Ian is out there, ...
In Defense of Ska Ep 31: Brad Logan & John Gentile
August 18, 2021 10:13 - 1 hour - 65.3 MBLeftover Crack is a band of dumpster-diving, drug-abusing, cop-hating crust punks…so begins the opening section in the book Architects of Self Destruction, an oral history of the band. The story of Leftover Crack is strange—unbelievable at times—and filled with bizarre decisions, weird characters, and as the title implies, copious self-sabotage. They were also a very unique band, formed in the ashes of Choking Victim in the late 90s that mixed ska, dissonant punk rock, and angry black metal i...
In Defense of Ska Ep 31: Brad Logan & John Gentile (Architects of Self-Destruction: An Oral History of Leftover Crack, F-Minus, Punknews)
August 18, 2021 10:13 - 1 hour - 85.9 MBLeftover Crack is a band of dumpster-diving, drug-abusing, cop-hating crust punks…so begins the opening section in the book Architects of Self Destruction, an oral history of the band. The story of Leftover Crack is strange—unbelievable at times—and filled with bizarre decisions, weird characters, and as the title implies, copious self-sabotage. They were also a very unique band, formed in the ashes of Choking Victim in the late 90s that mixed ska, dissonant punk rock, and angry black metal ...
In Defense of Ska Ep 31: Brad Logan & John Gentile (Architects of Self-Destruction: An Oral History of Leftover Crack)
August 18, 2021 10:13 - 1 hour - 66.1 MBLeftover Crack is a band of dumpster-diving, drug-abusing, cop-hating crust punks…so begins the opening section in the book Architects of Self Destruction, an oral history of the band. The story of Leftover Crack is strange—unbelievable at times—and filled with bizarre decisions, weird characters, and as the title implies, copious self-sabotage. They were also a very unique band, formed in the ashes of Choking Victim in the late 90s that mixed ska, dissonant punk rock, and angry black metal ...
In Defense of Ska Ep 30: Dan Potthast
August 11, 2021 10:31 - 1 hour - 71.5 MBAt one of the first out-of-town shows that St. Louis ska band MU330 played, booking agent Steve Ozark, approached them, interested in working with the band. MU330’s members were excited and told him yes! But only if he agreed to book them as much as humanly possible. From Ozark’s perspective, it was a strange request, but one he was happy to meet. For much of the 90s, MU330 hit the road as much as they could. Even with these many stages they played, they still hovered at cult status, though t...
In Defense of Ska Ep 30: Dan Potthast (MU330)
August 11, 2021 10:31 - 1 hour - 72.3 MBAt one of the first out-of-town shows that St. Louis ska band MU330 played, booking agent Steve Ozark, approached them, interested in working with the band. MU330’s members were excited and told him yes! But only if he agreed to book them as much as humanly possible. From Ozark’s perspective, it was a strange request, but one he was happy to meet. For much of the 90s, MU330 hit the road as much as they could. Even with these many stages they played, they still hovered at cult status, though ...
In Defense of Ska Ep 30: Dan Potthast (MU330, Death Rosenstock, The Bruce Lee Band, Sharkanoid)
August 11, 2021 10:31 - 1 hour - 94.2 MBAt one of the first out-of-town shows that St. Louis ska band MU330 played, booking agent Steve Ozark, approached them, interested in working with the band. MU330’s members were excited and told him yes! But only if he agreed to book them as much as humanly possible. From Ozark’s perspective, it was a strange request, but one he was happy to meet. For much of the 90s, MU330 hit the road as much as they could. Even with these many stages they played, they still hovered at cult status, though ...
In Defense of Ska Ep. 29: Mystic Bowie (Talking Dreads)
August 04, 2021 12:01 - 1 hour - 72.6 MBIn 2019, My wife and I took a week-long trip to Jamaica. It wasn't just a tourist trip to Montego Bay or Kingston, we went a few hours into the mountains to the small village of Accompong and experienced the Maroon Festival. Every year, on Jan 6, this village of roughly 600 balloons up to 10,000 people to celebrate hundreds of years of Maroon independence. It began in 1759, when the Maroons signed a peace treaty with the British, establishing their independence, something that would not happ...
In Defense of Ska Ep. 29: Mystic Bowie
August 04, 2021 12:01 - 1 hour - 55.4 MBIn 2019, My wife and I took a week-long trip to Jamaica. It wasn't just a tourist trip to Montego Bay or Kingston, we went a few hours into the mountains to the small village of Accompong and experienced the Maroon Festival. Every year, on Jan 6, this village of roughly 600 balloons up to 10,000 people to celebrate hundreds of years of Maroon independence. It began in 1759, when the Maroons signed a peace treaty with the British, establishing their independence, something that would not happe...
In Defense of Ska Ep. 28: Jason Navarro (Suicide Machines)
July 28, 2021 12:31 - 1 hour - 74 MBMany of the 90s ska bands signed to major labels were based out of sunny California. Then there was Detroit ska band The Suicide Machines, the only band in their area to ink a big deal. And there is nothing sunny about The Suicide Machines. Taking influence from the city’s gutter punk and lawless hardcore scene, while also pulling elements from local chaotic ska legends Gangster Fun, Suicide Machines were the most punk rock band of the ska major label feeding frenzy. And their debut Hollywoo...
In Defense of Ska Ep. 28: Jason Navarro of Suicide Machines
July 28, 2021 12:31 - 1 hour - 73.2 MBMany of the 90s ska bands signed to major labels were based out of sunny California. Then there was Detroit ska band The Suicide Machines, the only band in their area to ink a big deal. And there is nothing sunny about The Suicide Machines. Taking influence from the city’s gutter punk and lawless hardcore scene, while also pulling elements from local chaotic ska legends Gangster Fun, Suicide Machines were the most punk rock band of the ska major label feeding frenzy. And their debut Hollywood...
In Defense of Ska Ep. 28: Jason Navarro (Suicide Machines, J. Navarro & The Traitors)
July 28, 2021 12:31 - 1 hour - 96.4 MBMany of the 90s ska bands signed to major labels were based out of sunny California. Then there was Detroit ska band The Suicide Machines, the only band in their area to ink a big deal. And there is nothing sunny about The Suicide Machines. Taking influence from the city’s gutter punk and lawless hardcore scene, while also pulling elements from local chaotic ska legends Gangster Fun, Suicide Machines were the most punk rock band of the ska major label feeding frenzy. And their debut Hollywoo...
In Defense of Ska Ep. 27: Laura Jane Grace
July 21, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 47.1 MBIt’s been a rough year and a half. This past April—in response to our collective trauma—Laura Jane Grace tweeted that the “current ska revival is a sign of just how emotionally vulnerable we all are after the past year.” A perfect sentiment for the moment we’re in. While a lot of people have been using ska as a cheap punchline, her tweet honed in on just how meaningful and earnest the music is, and why it is matters to people in dark times. Clearly a true ska fan. That wasn’t her only recen...
In Defense of Ska Ep. 27: Laura Jane Grace (Against Me)
July 21, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 61.6 MBIt’s been a rough year and a half. This past April—in response to our collective trauma—Laura Jane Grace tweeted that the “current ska revival is a sign of just how emotionally vulnerable we all are after the past year.” A perfect sentiment for the moment we’re in. While a lot of people have been using ska as a cheap punchline, her tweet honed in on just how meaningful and earnest the music is, and why it is matters to people in dark times. Clearly a true ska fan. That wasn’t her only rece...
In Defense of Ska Ep. 26: Marc Wasserman (Ska Boom, Bigger Thomas, Rude Boy George)
July 14, 2021 12:13 - 1 hour - 65.8 MBThe US had a healthy, diverse underground music scene in the ’80s. Among the goths, art-punks, and lo-fi freaks were plenty of rude boys and rude girls. And yet for some reason, the story of ska in the US is nearly wiped clean from the oral history of American music during the ’80s. You even had bands like Fishbone—who mostly played ska at the time—and The Untouchables signed to major labels! Not only are these ska stories an important piece of the musical landscape, but they also help expla...
In Defense of Ska Ep. 26: Marc Wasserman
July 14, 2021 12:13 - 1 hour - 50.2 MBThe US had a healthy, diverse underground music scene in the ’80s. Among the goths, art-punks, and lo-fi freaks were plenty of rude boys and rude girls. And yet for some reason, the story of ska in the US is nearly wiped clean from the oral history of American music during the ’80s. You even had bands like Fishbone—who mostly played ska at the time—and The Untouchables signed to major labels! Not only are these ska stories an important piece of the musical landscape, but they also help explai...
In Defense of Ska Ep. 25: Catbite
July 07, 2021 12:51 - 1 hour - 69.3 MBPhiladelphia 4-piece ska band Catbite have only been together a couple of years, but for a lot of people—and I’m one of them—they are one the top new bands currently in the genre. This is largely due to how incredible their debut 2019 album turned out. The band seemingly came out the gate, fully formed, with a unique approach to ska that incorporated power-pop, soul, and garage-rock elements, with amazing songwriting, killer musicianship, and fantastic vocals. But now a couple of years lat...
In Defense of Ska Ep. 25: Catbite (Tim Hildebrand, Brit Luna, Chris Pires)
July 07, 2021 12:51 - 1 hour - 90 MBPhiladelphia 4-piece ska band Catbite have only been together a couple of years, but for a lot of people—and I’m one of them—they are one the top new bands currently in the genre. This is largely due to how incredible their debut 2019 album turned out. The band seemingly came out the gate, fully formed, with a unique approach to ska that incorporated power-pop, soul, and garage-rock elements, with amazing songwriting, killer musicianship, and fantastic vocals. But now a couple of years late...
In Defense of Ska Ep. 25: Catbite (Tim Hildebrand, Brit Luna, Chris Pires)
July 07, 2021 12:51 - 1 hour - 69.6 MBPhiladelphia 4-piece ska band Catbite have only been together a couple of years, but for a lot of people—and I’m one of them—they are one the top new bands currently in the genre. This is largely due to how incredible their debut 2019 album turned out. The band seemingly came out the gate, fully formed, with a unique approach to ska that incorporated power-pop, soul, and garage-rock elements, with amazing songwriting, killer musicianship, and fantastic vocals. But now a couple of years lat...
In Defense of Ska Ep. 24: Nick LaVallee (Wicked Joyful)
June 30, 2021 12:13 - 1 hour - 66.4 MBMany of us collected action figures as kids. And guess what, it’s OK to keep on collecting them, especially if you’re buying the offbeat variety that you can't find at Toys r us: Chris Farley and Patrick Swayze’s Chippendales dancers. Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo, Will Forte’s SNL character Macgruber, or Bill Burr’s Star Wars character, but with a heavy emphasis on his Boston accent (Wicked Awesome!) These unique and creative custom action figures are the work of Nick LaVallee (Wicked Joyful). They...
In Defense of Ska Ep. 24: Nick LaVallee of Wicked Joyful
June 30, 2021 12:13 - 1 hour - 50.7 MBMany of us collected action figures as kids. And guess what, it’s OK to keep on collecting them, especially if you’re buying the offbeat variety that you can't find at Toys r us: Chris Farley and Patrick Swayze’s Chippendales dancers. Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo, Will Forte’s SNL character Macgruber, or Bill Burr’s Star Wars character, but with a heavy emphasis on his Boston accent (Wicked Awesome!) These unique and creative custom action figures are the work of Nick LaVallee (Wicked Joyful). They ...
In Defense of Ska Ep 23: Chuck Askerneese (The Untouchables)
June 23, 2021 12:33 - 1 hour - 79 MBIn Los Angeles, in the early ’80s, you would see rows of scooters on the street outside of ska shows. Inside the clubs, kids would be dressed in their best suits. And there was a full-on mod revival happening. At the heart of this local scene was The Untouchables, one of the best bands in the US ska scene at the time. And one of LA’s biggest bands in the ’80s. Unfortunately, they never made it to that next level. But in the DIY world at that time, they were huge. The Untouchables played a ...
In Defense of Ska Ep 23: Chuck Askerneese of The Untouchables
June 23, 2021 12:33 - 1 hour - 60.2 MBIn Los Angeles, in the early ’80s, you would see rows of scooters on the street outside of ska shows. Inside the clubs, kids would be dressed in their best suits. And there was a full-on mod revival happening. At the heart of this local scene was The Untouchables, one of the best bands in the US ska scene at the time. And one of LA’s biggest bands in the ’80s. Unfortunately, they never made it to that next level. But in the DIY world at that time, they were huge. The Untouchables played a u...
In Defense of Ska Ep 22: Elliot Babin of Touche Amore
June 16, 2021 12:00 - 58 minutes - 40.5 MBTouche Amore drummer Elliot Babin wasn’t always a post-hardcore kid. In Fact, he spent many of his formative years on the Aquabats forum in the early 2000s. He’s even an official aquacadet. And for Elliot, t’s not just the Aquabats. He’s a big-time ska fan and he’s not afraid to shout it from the mountain tops, no matter what the rest of his music peers think of the genre. Elliot joins us on this episode of In Defense of Ska to lay out—in full detail—his ska roots. We learned that the Aquab...
In Defense of Ska Ep 22: Elliot Babin (Touche Amore, Dad Punchers, Warm Thoughts)
June 16, 2021 12:00 - 57 minutes - 52.9 MBTouche Amore drummer Elliot Babin wasn’t always a post-hardcore kid. In Fact, he spent many of his formative years on the Aquabats forum in the early 2000s. He’s even an official aquacadet. And for Elliot, t’s not just the Aquabats. He’s a big-time ska fan and he’s not afraid to shout it from the mountain tops, no matter what the rest of his music peers think of the genre. Elliot joins us on this episode of In Defense of Ska to lay out—in full detail—his ska roots. We learned that the Aqua...
In Defense of Ska Ep 22: Elliot Babin (Touche Amore)
June 16, 2021 12:00 - 59 minutes - 41.4 MBTouche Amore drummer Elliot Babin wasn’t always a post-hardcore kid. In Fact, he spent many of his formative years on the Aquabats forum in the early 2000s. He’s even an official aquacadet. And for Elliot, t’s not just the Aquabats. He’s a big-time ska fan and he’s not afraid to shout it from the mountain tops, no matter what the rest of his music peers think of the genre. Elliot joins us on this episode of In Defense of Ska to lay out—in full detail—his ska roots. We learned that the Aqua...