23min of Ska : Vacation : This Is Ska

Takin’ it easy the next few weeks, folks. In fact it’s time for a vacation! This week while I’m kickin’ back, I have Middagh Goodwin picking out the tracks for today’s episode. Middagh is the genius behind the “This is Ska” podcast, as well as SO MUCH MORE! He’s a dude worth following and getting to know, that’s for dang sure!

00:00 – the Skatalites – Outback Ska (On the Right Track ’07)
03:19 – Spy Kids – Carousel (Covert Action ’20)
05:10 – G-Men – King Suggs (King Suggs ’22)
08:03 – Monkey – Intermittent Waves (Intermittent Waves ’18)
09:08 – the Fuss – We’re Going Out (We’re Going Out / Dangerous Love ’17)
12:28 – Soul Radics – Mash Dem All (Big Shot ’15)
16:53 – Sonic Boom Six – No Man, No Right (the F-Bomb ’16)
19:38 – Smoke and Mirrors Soundsystem – Learn and Burn (Strength in Numbers ’21)

Download this episode so you can listen to it any time you’d like!

23min of Ska is produced weekly by RJ Phoenix, this week w/ help from Middagh Goodwin
Check out Middagh’s show This Is Ska
Want to submit your band? Email: submissions@23ska.com
(no Spotify or Youtube links please)
Have something else to say? Email: podcast@23ska.com

23min of Ska Cross Over : Checkered Cast

At it again with Checkered Cast! This time I’m teaming up with Tara for the hardest and most rewarding episode so far! We both have such similar tastes that I’ve played a lot of what she had ideas for, but we got through it! And this episode is all the better for the hard work she put into it (that and having to deal with me!)

00:00 – the Scotch Bonnets – Ruder Than You (Check One – 2 comp ’19)
03:03 – Some Ska Band – So You Think (It’s Going Down ’18)
05:02 – Bite Me Bambi – I don’t Want to Be (I don’t Want to Be ’20)
08:10 – the Radiation Kings – Dem Try (Early Years ’99)
11:02 – Sonic Boom Six – Monkey See, Monkey Do (Rude Awakening ’10)
14:24 – Yes Brainer – Times are Getting Harder (Demo 2018 ’18)
16:07 – TalkBats! – TalkBats (World Domination Vol.2 comp ’20)
20:06 – Amy Winehouse – Monkey Man (Back to Black: B-Sides ’07)

Show support for the bands by clicking on those links and checking out their websites and music! Show support for the podcast by liking & following the podcast on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and at 23ska.com. Also, feel free to subscribe and listen to the podcast on iTunes and Stitcher.

Want to relive this episode over and over at your leisure? Download it!

23min of Ska is produced weekly by RJ Phoenix
Want to submit your band? Email: submissions@23ska.com
Have something else to say? Email: podcast@23ska.com

Another way to support this podcast is to listen to and support our sister podcast On the Upbeat!

23min of Ska Convoy : Looking for Direction

photo by Jason Lawless

Deeply honored to have my pal RJ ask me to do this, and it was an interesting exercise. I appreciate his support and the work he is doing with the podcast and bringing the ska to the people. I took some of my favorite bands as a jumping-off point and the theme materialized out of that. Hope you enjoy it, and if you want to learn to play The Selecter’s Carry Go Bring Come on the Ukulele look for it in an upcoming episode of The Two Tone Singalong.

00:00 – Oreskaband – Carry On (Carry On ’14)
03:37 – the Selecter – Carry Go Bring Come (Too Much Pressure ’79)
06:25 – Cut Capers – Get Moving’ (Get Moving ’17)
09:42 – Sonic Boom Six – Let’s Push Things Forward (Keep On Believing ’13)
13:16 – the Dualers – Don’t Go (Don’t Go ’06)
16:41 – Stubborn All-Stars – Catch That Train (Open Season ’95)
19:06 – Counting Coins – Don’t Look Down (Counting Coins ’15) 

RJ sez: Denver Dave is the man! He’s been showing his enthusiasm for ska via his projects like “This is Ska” and the “Two Town Uke Sing Along” for oh so many years. I was lucky enough to meet him a few years back, and I’m even luckier to call him my friend. I couldn’t think of anyone better than to start off this 7 episode series, where I’m sitting shotgun, and someone else is taking the wheel, than with Denver Dave. Also, this is my 400th episode! Man, that’s a good one to have Denver help out with!

Show support for the bands by clicking on those links and checking out their websites and music! Show support for the podcast by donating on Patreon or by finding & liking 23min of Ska on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Also, feel free to subscribe and listen to the podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher.

Also, feel free to download this episode if you wanna keep it forever.

Want to submit your band? Email: submissions@23ska.com
Have something else to say? Email: podcast@23ska.com

Another way to support this podcast is to listen to and support our sister podcast the Ska After Party or to buy some records from our partners in crime over at Grandpa’s Casino Recordings, they carry some great vinyl ska records!

23min of Ska : Root Beer Barrels

This episode starts off with a new song from a fairly new band, they’re called Catbite and I’ve played them once before. If you dig this song, go and pre-order their new album, because this song is on there, and if you’re anything like me, you’re going to want to spin this one over and over again. Also, this episode features a new song by the band Love Shuttle off their brand new 7″! Actually, follow all the links, get all the ska, ska/punk and rocksteady you can handle! Don’t just take my word for it.

00:00 – Catbite – Amphetamine Delight (Catbite ’19)
02:39 – Irie Idea – Good on Paper (Blues Like Sandpaper | Rocksteady Like Dirt ’14)
05:29 – Love Shuttle – Coming to You (Coming to You ’19)
10:04 – the Slackers – Dave’s Friend (Wasted Days ’01)
14:48 – We Are The Union – Surfing on the Waves of Depression (Self Care ’18)
18:22 – Sonic Boom Six – 3 Minute Hero (Play On: Rare, Rejected and Arcade Perfected ’08)
20:38 – OreSkaBand – ピノキオ (Pinocchio) (俺 (Ore) ’06)

Show support for the bands by clicking on those links and checking out their websites and music! Show support for the podcast by finding & liking 23min of Ska on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Also, feel free to subscribe and listen to the podcast on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher.

Also, feel free to download this episode if you wanna keep it forever.

What to submit your band? Email: submissions@23ska.com
Have something else to say? Email: podcast@23ska.com

Another way to support the podcast is to buy some records from our partners in crime over at Grandpa’s Casino Recordings, they carry some great vinyl ska records!

23min of Ska : Rocky Road

Never be too afraid to pause your life, for just a bit. Things happen, out of your control, and you need to take a pit-stop. You can’t do this too often, or even make a habit out of it, for if you do, you’ll lose you motivation to press on. We should always be making forward progress, but a short break from it is never a bad thing. Keep dancing, keep exploring and keep being awesome.

00:00 – the Interrupters – Babylon (Say It Out Loud ’16)
03:12 – the Stiff Joints – Techno Zombie (First Proper Album ’17)
06:09 – Bomb the Music Industry! – My Response to an Article in Alternative Press (Goodbye Cool World ’06)
08:22 – Skaciety – Lost the Plot (Skaciety / Popes of Chillitown split ’16)
11:08 – Kill Lincoln – Figure it Out, Summer Sanders (That’s Cool… in a Totally Negative and Destructive Way ’13)
15:03 – Sonic Boom Six – My Philosophy (Cardiac Arrest ’17)
17:18 – the A-OKs – Panic Pills and Mayhem Medicine (FunEmployment Benefits ’14)
20:20 – Be Like Max – Lovely Day (Against All Odds ’15)

Show support for the bands by clicking on those links and checking out their websites and music! Show support for the podcast by finding & liking 23min of Ska on facebook as well as follow on twitter. Also, feel free to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

Also, feel free to download this episode if you wanna keep it forever.

Another way to support the podcast is to buy some records from our partners in crime over at Grandpa’s Casino Recordings, they carry some great vinyl ska records!

23min of Ska : the Bronze Door

I don’t get personal here too much, but man did I have a suck day at work. I’m overtired, overstressed, and over everything. Then I sit down and start picking out songs for this episode. It starts to melt away. Not all of it, but enough to keep me pushing towards the weekend. Hope this episode can help you in the same regards

00:00 – the Skints – Come to You (FM ’15)
02:27 – the Snails – I’ll be Back Someday (Songs from the Hydrogen Jukebox Volumes 1 & 2 ’14)
05:47 – Skavoovie & the Epitones – Lucy (the Growler ’99)
08:24 – the Shifters – Skinhead Reggae (No Worries ’14)
11:07 – Dan Potthast – I Went In (Eyeballs ’99)
12:59 – Sonic Boom Six – All the Same to Me (the F-Bomb ’16)
16:00 – the Doped Up Dollies feat. Coolie Ranx – Be Free (the New Way Out ’15)
19:58 – the Copacetics – No Fool (Ska Royal ’16)

Show support for the bands by clicking on those links and checking out their websites and music! Show support for the podcast by finding & liking 23min of Ska on facebook as well as follow on twitter. Also, feel free to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

Also, feel free to download this episode if you wanna keep it forever.

Another way to support the podcast is to buy some records from our partners in crime over at Grandpa’s Casino Recordings, they carry some great vinyl ska records!

23min of Ska : 16 Candles

This week seemed like the perfect week to dedicate an episode to one of the greatest movies from the ’80s, that’s right “Sixteen Candles!” What other movie would apropos to reference this week? There’s not a single one that I can come up with. I hope you enjoy it, it’s another one that was going one way and then at the last minute there was a sudden shift that made more sense song wise, but took me back the drawing board!

00:05 – Sonic Boom Six – No Man, No Right (No Man, No Right ’15)
02:48 – Catch-It Kebabs – Party Politics (Return of the Kebabulance ’07)
05:45 – Skankin’ Pickle – Turning Japanese (Sing Along with Skankin’ Pickle ’97)
08:52 – the Porkers – Little Bitch (Spare Shells ’01)
10:53 – the Bohunks – On Your Time (In the Waiting Room ’11)
13:36 – the Oldians – Etxarri’s Gift (Wandering Souls ’11)
17:47 – Madness – Our House (the Rise and Fall ’82)
20:59 – the Branlarians – Kung-Fu Masta (the 1st and Maybe the Only! ’13)

Show support for the bands by clicking on those links and checking out their websites and music! Show support for the podcast by finding & liking 23min of Ska on facebook as well as follow on twitter.

Also, feel free to download this episode if you wanna keep it forever.

Another way to support the podcast is to buy some records from our partners in crime over at Grandpa’s Casino Recordings, they carry some great vinyl ska records!

23min of Ska : May Mix Tape : the ’00s : Side A (part two)

And here we are again, still stuck in ’00s, hearing the bright sparks of ska bands that refused to throw in the towel, just because mainstream taste-makers did. I won’t lie to you, during much of the early ’00s, I didn’t abandon ska music, but I got much more insular and into the bands in the Midwest at the time before moving out to LA half way through that decade and trying to catch up w/ the ska that was going on in the world at the time. I feel as if I am still playing catch up, but I loved my local ska bands so much I wanted to give them all the support I could, sorry world ska scene, I’m learning and making up for it now! And this concludes side A of the 90min ’00s mix tape.

Infamous Jake & the Pinstripe Mafia – Standing Proud (This is the Beginning of the End ’03)
the Hijacks – Victim! Ain’t No Alternative (Free Your Mind ’07)
7 Seconds of Love – Looking for My Leopard (Danger is Dangerous ’08)
the Pinstripes – Find It! (the Decay ’07)
Synthetic Elements – Take Me Home (Synthetic Elements ’05)
Westbound Train – Fatty Boom Boom! (Transitions ’06)
Sonic Boom Six – For 12 Weeks, the City is Theirs (Arcade Perfect ’07)

Find & like 23min of Ska on facebook. Also, feel free to download this episode. Ska is better on vinyl. Hit up Grandpa’s Casino Recordings, we don’t have any cassettes, but we have some great vinyl records!

Midweek Ska World Update

Don’t Read That, Read This
LA Weekly has a great write up about the Delirians and the resurgence of ska in Los Angeles.

New / Cheap Music
Sonic Boom Six’s new single “Keep On Believing” is now available if you’re in the UK.
Jump Up Records has a sale going on where you can get 7 LPs for only $35 while supplies last.
Tomorrow is Download Day at Community Records feat. Stuck Lucky and other bands.
The Amphetameanies put out a new video for their song Nothings OK.
Last year No Such Noise released their EP on vinyl, get it while you can!
Ska/punk band After the Fact is offering the deluxe version of their “Super Scary Senarioes” EP at a cost of what ever the heck you wanna pay them for it.
Hit up the Pragmatics, they just shared a few new songs on their ReverbNation page.

Concerts
Spend the rest of this month tracking down Kill Lincoln as they cross the snow to rock you.
Sonic Boom Six look to be all over the UK & Ireland for the rest of the month.
Dave Wakeling’s version of the (English) Beat are still running around America for the next three months.
March looks like a busy month in the Midwest for the Pinstripes.
Five Iron Frenzy just announced some tour dates starting in late March.
Big D just dropped a handful of North East & Canadian tour dates in March & April.
The Resignators are running all around their native Australia in April.

Relevant Kickstarter/BigTunes Campaigns
Sammy K & the East Los Three are even closer to their goal, this album is going to be a ripper, check it out.
Blame Sydney is so close to their goal, check it out, will you?
Urban Pirate Records wants to get out a 5 piece 7″ set w/ a whole mess of great ska bands, it’s at 50%, let’s push it over the line.

Sad News
Looks like We are Union are going on hiatus. Well, suck…

23min of Ska : Prepackaged Revolutionary Soundtrack

Coming at you with a new episode. I like these songs. I don’t have much to say other than how much I dig these songs! The first two bands (the Dropsteppers & the Pinstripes) are from the Midwest, where I once called home and they really bring the ska style back to its roots. Then we have the Backyard Superheroes w/ a song off of their yet to be released EP! The Snails have been putting out constantly great music for a while now and it is about time I have one of their songs on the podcast. Likewise, Small Town Get Up have been throwing it down for a time up in Canada and really need to be heard! Sonic Boom Six, if someone described their style and what they do with the ska beat I think I would say “pass!” and that would’ve been a mistake. So if you haven’t heard them I’m not going to try and prep you to them, just enjoy it. Finally we end w/ a classic track from the Insteps. So there you have it, a well rounded, new to older 3rd wave goodness w/ everything in between.

the Dropsteppers – Center City (Get Up In It! ’11)
the Pinstripes – Might be Her Fool (I ’12)
Backyard Superheroes – Show Me Your Moves (Falling with Style ’12)
the Snails – One Way Ticket (From Kingston to Memphis ’11)
Small Town Get Up – Vintage (Mayhem Circus ’11)
Sonic Boom Six – Sound of a Revolution (Arcade Perfect ’07)
the Insteps – the Sufferer (Eleven Steps to Power ’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 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. Also, feel free to download this episode.

Hey, be a pal, check out these ska records that I’m making over at the Big Ska Gamble!