Bonus : Friends of Mine

A fifth Thursday this month? You know what that calls for, right? A rules breakin’ episode! How does this episode break all the rules? Well listen up, I’ll tell you, but I’m also going to tell you some totally non-mind blowing stuff about ska and friends. So, once you’ve been a ska fan for long enough you make friends. I know I have, some friends for LIFE! But also some friends in bands. I was in a band (lots of horns, no ska beat, not very good) that played along side ska and power pop bands regularly, so you know “inside the scene” friends. Friends that when you’d see each other outside a local show at a Denny’s or the local record shop or book store you’d stop and talk and hang out. You’d end up at the same parties and you were always glad to see them. You’d pay to go see them play if you weren’t on the bill that night, but they’d get you in free anyway. Those kinds of friends. They might not help you move, but they’ll always recognize you when they see you and will spend a few hours over drinks before either one of you moves far away from your hometown. Heck, they may even attend your wedding. There are bigger bands that have had, at one time or another, someone I know in them. There are also other bands that I got to know, who are totally cool, but we’re more like acquaintances. Also, recently I’ve started making friends in bands again, but I’ve yet to meet some of these wonderful folks in person. So here it is, some true blue friends in legitimate ska bands! And even though I didn’t move from Peoria, IL until I got out to Los Angeles, I did spend a lot of time in Madison, WI and Indianapolis, IN to get to know those guys. So, how am I breaking the rules? Some of these bands share members (sometimes the very guy in the band I knew) and that’s something I try not to do in a series of episodes let alone one. I do it for variety of music’s sake. But eff it! I just had my birthday and I wanted to listen to my friends’ bands and share them with you!

the Small Mediums at Large – Ha Ha Ha (the Small Mediums at Large ’99)
I Voted for Kodos – I Just Want You to Know (Close Enough for Ska ’00)
No Reason Given – Babylon America (New Demo ’02)
Corey Dixon & the Zvooks – Jack Ruby (Come and Go ’01)
the Malcontents – Get Out (the Malcontents ’04)
Roscoe P. Soultrane – New Day (Ska Spelled Backwards ’97)
the MIBs – Just for Kicks (the MIBs ’96)

If you’re in a ska band and would like to be interviewed or have a song featured, please email me at radjose[at]gmail[dot]com.

This episode and all episodes can always be found at here. You can also subscribe to the podcast by going to your advanced tab on iTunes, then select “subscribe to podcast…” and entering this address: http://23minofska.podomatic.com/rss2.xml into the box that opens. Also if you’d like, find & like us on facebook. Don’t forget to download this episode to share with your friends.

Also, hit up www.BigSkaGamble.com for 7 awesome ska 7″ records!

23min of Ska : May Mix Tape : Side B (part two)

Here we are, at the end of our journey through out the 90s ska that made a huge impression on me as a young man. These songs are so classic! “Direction” is the first song off the first ska album I ever bought! You just can’t beat the Toasters! Potshot seemed to be all over the place back then, but I don’t remember many people talking about them. Mealticket and Inspecter 7 never really seemed to get the respect they deserved back then. I’m happy to see most people remember them quite fondly. The Slackers, one of the greats, not much more could be said about them. My Superhero are the nicest guys to eat at a Chicago Cracker Barrel with and talk about music. Let’s Go Bowling was always one of my favorites and one of the few I never got to see live. And who didn’t belt out “Teen Idol” out with their friends while driving around town from a local show the Denny’s/Perkin’s/Steak n’ Shake? I know who did though, me, Timmy Dee and Joshy Tea, you couldn’t stop us! There it is, this virtual 90min 90s ska tape is up!

the Toasters – Direction (Dub 56 ’94)
Potshot – Someone to Lean On (Pots and Shots ’97)
Mealticket – Lisa Marie (Lisa Marie ’97)
Inspecter 7 – Cookin’ (the Infamous ’97)
the Slackers – Have the Time (the Question ’98)
My Superhero – Going Somewhere (Solid State 14 ’97)
Let’s Go Bowling – Sick Fish (Music to Bowl By ’91)
Pharmaceutical Bandits – Teen Idol (Those Damn Bandits ’97)

This is the final part of a 90min ska mix tape from the nineties that ran each Thursday throughout May.

If you’re in a ska band and would like to be interviewed or have a song featured, please email me at radjose[at]gmail[dot]com.

This episode and all episodes can always be found at here. You can also subscribe to the podcast by going to your advanced tab on iTunes, then select “subscribe to podcast…” and entering this address: http://23minofska.podomatic.com/rss2.xml into the box that opens. Also if you’d like, find & like us on facebook. Don’t forget to download this episode and lose yourself in the past for an hour an a half, then get back to the future.

23min of Ska : May Mix Tape : Side B (part one)

Back with more straight outta the 90s! If you don’t know some of these bands, well, I feel sorry for you, because these are bands that would TEAR DOWN THE HOUSE LIVE! Ok, I haven’t seen all of these bands live, but the ones I have, I can vouch for. Secret Society rocked the back room of the Peoria Pizza Works, Stretch Armstrong stole the show from Mustard Plug and Hepcat, doctormanette snapped me out a mid show stupor in at a Rockford skate park and then made the entire crowd at the Metro in Chicago forget that they were there to see the Aquabats, and seeing Unsteady at the Knitting Factory is flat out one of my personal life high-lights. The Scofflaws are a true classic in the ska scene, so check them out right away. Also hit up Punch the Clown who was always a ska compilation ringer, and when you get an album of theirs and hear how great all the songs are it is even more clear how great they were. Speaking of ska compilations, Insatiable and this song was the shining star on the “Ska: the 3rd Wave Vol. II” that just about everyone I knew had a copy of growing up. It was a decent comp, but that song was just killer! It’s a excellent way to get us to the midway point of side B.

Secret Society – Did it Again (Can I Borrow Your Beard? ’97)
Stretch Armstrong – Drool (Lollygag ’94)
Punch the Clown – Leaving (the Secret Life of Punch the Clown ’98)
the Scofflaws – Nude Beach (Ska in Hi-Fi ’95)
doctormanette – Happiness (the Same Thing Over & Over ’99)
Unsteady – Bad Attitude (Tightrope ’96)
Insatiable – GPC’s (Can’t Get Enough ’94)

This is part three of a 90min ska mix tape from the nineties running each Thursday throughout May.

If you’re in a ska band and would like to be interviewed or have a song featured, please email me at radjose[at]gmail[dot]com.

This episode and all episodes can always be found at here. You can also subscribe to the podcast by going to your advanced tab on iTunes, then select “subscribe to podcast…” and entering this address: http://23minofska.podomatic.com/rss2.xml into the box that opens. Also if you’d like, find & like us on facebook. Don’t forget to download this episode and dub it onto a blank tape and pretend it is like the olden days.

23min of Ska : May Mix Tape : Side A (part two)

Even more mid to late 90s ska excitement. Still in mix cassette form. As near as I can get in this digital age at least. This is the second half of the first side and maybe some of the names aren’t as big as were on the last one, but they run just a deep in my musical life as any of the rest. Heck, four of these bands I’ve seen live a hand full of times and they always brought the fun. Back when there was a ska show, just about every other week (where I grew up at least) bands that brought the house down live were what you wanted to go see, no questions asked, that’s what it was all about. A band just needed to get that crowd dancing, with punky excitement or steady grooves, it mattered not. If there were more people on the dance floor than standing with their arms crossed around the edges, if there were more soak through suits, dresses and t-shirts than there was dry, if there was hardly any barrier between the band and the crowd, well, you went and bought their tape or CD, you kicked in a few extra for some after show beers and you made sure to see them the next time they were near.

Johnny Socko – Vinnie’s Hooch (Oh, I do Hope it is Roast Beef! ’95)
the Articles – Mr. Pink (Flip F’real ’97)
the Insteps – Don’t Ask (Eleven Steps to Power ’96)
the NY Citizens – Boxer Shorts (the Rude Awakening 2 comp ’90)
the Aquabats! – Marshmallow Man (the Return of the Aquabats! ’96)
the Robustos – Don’t Stay Away (Introducing… ’97)
Save Ferris – Sorry My Friend (Introducing… ’96)

This is part two of a 90min ska mix tape from the nineties running each Thursday throughout May.

If you’re in a ska band and would like to be interviewed or have a song featured, please email me at radjose[at]gmail[dot]com.

This episode and all episodes can always be found here. You can also subscribe to the podcast by going to your advanced tab on iTunes, then select “subscribe to podcast…” and entering this address: http://23minofska.podomatic.com/rss2.xml into the box that opens. Also if you’d like, find & like us on facebook. Don’t forget to download this episode and blast it out of your ’89 Chevy Eurosport while on your way to a show across the state line.

Success!

Well it looks as if the Big Ska Gamble was a big Ska Success! It looks like we’ll be making records! Soon there will be more sets to buy, so don’t fret if you missed out! Seven 7″ for all! I can’t wait to get on this and spread a bunch of music around the world.

23min of Ska : May Mix Tape : Side A (part one)

Getting older makes on nostalgic for their youth and instead of just wallowing in it, I’m taking you on that journey. Throughout May I’ll be providing you with a 90min mix tape divided into 4 parts each Thursday. That’s not all, this mix tape will be set in the 90′s, when mix tapes were still king. The average year will more than likely be 1996 or 1997 when we come to the end of it. This is filled with music that evokes those years more than any other and are all mix tape “classic” tracks tracks for me. I hope you enjoy this month’s ride down memory lane for me. This is the stuff that got me into ska as a kid, it is my roots, and I don’t care that they are showing.

Goldfinger – King for a Day (Goldfinger ’96)
Less Than Jake – How’s My Driving, Doug Hastings? (Losing Streak ’96)
MU330 – Hoosier Love (Press ’94)
Reel Big Fish – S.R. (Everything Sucks ’94)
Mad Caddies – Mike Booted Our First Song, So We Recorded This… (Short Music for Short People comp ’99)
the Siren Six! – No Compromise (the Voice with the Built in Promise ’97)
Big D & the Kids Table – 51 Gardner (Good Luck ’99)
Skankin’ Pickle – I Missed the Bus (Skankin’ Pickle Fever ’92)
the Mighty Mighty Bosstones – Someday I Suppose (Don’t Know How to Party ’93)

This is part one of a 90min ska mix tape from the nineties running each Thursday throughout May.

If you’re in a ska band and would like to be interviewed or have a song featured, please email me at radjose[at]gmail[dot]com.

This episode and all episodes can always be found here. You can also subscribe to the podcast by going to your advanced tab on iTunes, then select “subscribe to podcast…” and entering this address: http://23minofska.podomatic.com/rss2.xml into the box that opens. Also if you’d like, find & like us on facebook. Go ahead and download this episode and throw down with the Big Ska Gamble.

Big Ska Gamble BONUS!

Bonus! As part of the Big Ska Gamble project, anyone who donates at the $36 level or higher will get a bonus 7″ record! That’s right, six records wasn’t enough, we’re adding a seventh record to full subscribers. It will be split record from Whatevski Recording artists Sammy Kay & the Fast Four and Jorge & the Landladies! Can you believe that!? Seriously, we have until the end of Saturday to make our cash so we can make these records! Let’s go people! Let’s go!