Checkered Past: The Ska'd Cast

It's the third part of a three part series detailing Checkered Past's trip to SPI Fest 2024! On the third episode, it's a return of the fan favorite back alley interviews from SPI Fest 2023. This year the featured interviews include The Marijuana Brass, Bad Mary, The Ska Mailman, PWRUP and The Best of the Worst plus some very special drop in guests. PLUS, Rob is solo in studio to do bumpers and is subjected to rapid fire questions from the discord in a reversal of fate. Hosts: Rob Engineer: Joey, Arianne and Rob Editor: Joey and Cutman Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast Merch: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch

It's the second part of a three part series detailing Checkered Past's trip to SPI Fest 2024! On the second episode we play our Day 2 Live performance featuring The Ska Mailman and Mega Infinity along with a Getting Witchy with Michi, games and some audience questions! Then we move to the studio where  Rob and Engineer Joey discuss the second day of the fest, the epic afterparty and the sightseeing day around CT. Hosts: Celine, Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Joey and Cutman Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast Merch: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch

It's the first part of a three part series detailing Checkered Past's trip to SPI Fest 2024! On the first episode we play our Day 1 Live performance featuring The Skabadook and Common Sense Kid along with banter, games and some audience questions! Then we move to the studio where  Rob and Engineer Joey discuss the lead up to the festival, the trip from Canada to the US and everything that went down on the first day!

Things are about to get irie as CP/SC tackles the low energy vibes of Reggae Rock! Rob and Joey do a quick pick it up on bicycles before going through the mainstream rock meets reggae scene from its creation in the early 80s to the wide spanning influence of Sublime to its surprisingly vast fanbase in the modern era. All the way they play a game to guess how many streams the songs have on Spotify. Hosts: Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Joey Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International Merch: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast

It's the leather year of Checkered Past: The Ska'd Cast! For this very special episode, Celine, Rob and Joey welcomes long time guest Kayleigh of KMoy and first timer Javi of The Marijuana Brass for a long form interview. They cover a range of topics such as the state of New Tone, their individual journeys in a DIY scene and the culmination of hard work that led to SPI Fest 2024. It's a very different CP/SC experience! Hosts: Celine, Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Cutman Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International Merch: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast

Things are about to get hyper as CP/SC tackles the high energy mania of Japanese Ska Punk! Rob and Engineer Joey do a pick it up about pinball before diving into the world of J-Ska from the mid-90's to the modern day. They go through its Third Wave influenced beginnings to its proliferation on MySpace to its penetration into the Japanese mainstream all while carving out its own unique sound and niche. Hosts: Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Joey Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International Merch: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast

CP/SC concludes its thrilling Ska-ified Dungeons and Dragons real play with this the final episode! Large-oh Hotstepper, Xena Stefani and Whydthey Clocksard face their final challenges to save their idol from the clutches of a devious fiend. A Battle of the Bands! A Final Boss! Bathrooms! It's truly a finale to remember! Go back and listen to episode 0 and 1 to get all the background you need! CP/SC will be performing LIVE at SPI Fest 2 in Connecticut May 17-18! Tix at www.spifest.org Hosts: Celine, Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Cutman Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International Dungeon Master: Keelan NEW MERCH: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast

Do the Pod Kung Fu Checkerheads! Checkered Past is diving into dark ages Canadian Ska darlings, The Salads! Rob and Engineer Joey kick off with a quick talk on video games and U-hauls before digging deep on this fascinating success story of a musical group from their funk-metal-ska beginnings to their crunchy party records to their final, laid-back era. Put this pod in your ears if you're feeling alright! CP/SC will be performing LIVE at SPI Fest 2 in Connecticut May 17-18! Tix at www.spifest.org Hosts: Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Joey Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International NEW MERCH: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast

The Ska'd-venture begins on another CPSC Dungeons and Dragons Realplay! Rob, Celine and Joey take their erstwhile band and characters to see their favourite musician perform when something unexpected thrusts them into adventure. There's flying imps, devils and maybe even a bong. How will Whydthey, Large-oh and Xena ever survive? Go back and listen to episode 0 to get all the background you need! CP/SC will be performing LIVE at SPI Fest 2 in Connecticut May 17-18! Tix at www.spifest.org Hosts: Celine, Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Cutman Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International Dungeon Master: Keelan NEW MERCH: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast

Anata mo watashi mo POCKY! Checkered Past is digging in on the international Dark Ages Ska hit, OreSkaBand! To help, they welcome their Skassociate Producer and label magnate, Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International! Chris talks a bit about sports before going through whats new with the label and what people can expect from SPI Fest 2. Then, Rob, Celine, Joey and Chris dig in on OreSkaBand from their bubblegum teen beginnings to their arena rock superstardom to their highly experimental, yet still accessible, modern period. It's all capped off with a game of Word The Salads! CP/SC will be performing LIVE at SPI Fest 2 in Connecticut May 17-18! Tix at www.spifest.org Hosts: Celine, Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Cutman Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International NEW MERCH: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast

CP/SC is selling out! Rob, Celine and Joey do a Dungeons and Dragons real play with friend and theme song creator, Keelan as Dungeon Master. In this, the session 0, the CP/SC crew craft their characters, delve into the world and do a first draft encounter in preparation for their first full adventure! It's  DnD with a Ska twist! Tune in April 30 and May 7 to hear Parts 1 and 2! CP/SC will be performing LIVE at SPI Fest 2 in Connecticut May 17-18! Tix at www.spifest.org Hosts: Celine, Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Cutman Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International NEW MERCH: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast

Hope you didn't skip leg day cause its about to get heavy! CP/SC heads to the clam pizza capital of the world to dig in on cult darlings, The Flaming Tsunamis. To help discuss, they welcome back third timer Chris Ruckus and to talk about his new anime/ska/metal group Mutiny. First they catch up with a discussion on The Jinx, the Station Fire and what Chris has been doing since his last appearance. Then, Rob, Celine, Joey and their guest breakdown the entire TFT discography from their hard to find Ska Punk years to their horror-themed heaviness to their always surprising musical experimentations. It's all capped off with a spitfire game of Turning Otaku. CP/SC will be performing LIVE at SPI Fest 2 in Connecticut May 17-18! Tix at www.spifest.org Hosts: Celine, Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Cutman Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International NEW MERCH: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast

Gay Rude Boys Unite as CP/SC digs in on the impassioned micro-genre of Crack Rock Steady. Rob, Engineer Joey and Editor Arianne open up the episode with a quick check in before diving in to the scene thats all about ACAB, recreational drug use, mental health and communal living. They go through the genres history from its origins with Choking Victim/Leftover Crack to the various side projects born of them to the many bands influenced by them. They also get in to the complexities of the scene, its controversies and the question of Art vs. The Artist. CP/SC will be performing LIVE at SPI Fest 2 in Connecticut May 17-18! Tix at www.spifest.org Hosts: Arianne, Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Joey Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International NEW MERCH: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast

The Two Tone-ament concludes with the semi-finals and finals! The greatest Two Tone records single is crowned with Rob, Engineer Joey and first time guest Eevie Echoes! First, Eevie recounts her Checkered Past, the impetus of her new band The Locations and her history with Two Tone Ska. Then, the trio eliminate songs until they crown the ultimate victor! BONUS: The Checkered Rob Invitational plus a wild card entry and another round of Skarmen Skandiego! CP/SC will be performing LIVE at SPI Fest 2 in Connecticut May 17-18! Tix at www.spifest.org Hosts: Celine, Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Arianne Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International Bracket: www.challonge.com/madnessmarch2024 NEW MERCH: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast

The Two Tone-ament nears its inevitable conclusion with the penultimate episode! This week we invite Andy B of Andy B and the World (plus so many other UK Ska-Punk projects). Andy talks about his Checkered Past, skate punk and morning routines before digging into the next 4 matchups. The CP/SC crew advances the quarterfinals before capping off with a game of Skarmen Skandiego based on the book The Two Tone Story. CP/SC will be performing LIVE at SPI Fest 2 in Connecticut May 17-18! Tix at www.spifest.org Hosts: Celine, Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Cutman Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International Bracket: www.challonge.com/madnessmarch2024 NEW MERCH: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast

The Two Tone-ament continues as the CPSC progresses the second round of the bracket to determine the greatest 2 Tone Single of all time! To help, they bring along fan favourite guest Esteban Flores of Matamoska, Catbite and Out of Control Army! Esteban catches the crew up on what he's been working on, new fatherhood and upcoming festivals before diving into the next 8 matchups, eliminating half the songs along the way. CP/SC will be performing LIVE at SPI Fest 2 in Connecticut May 17-18! Tix at www.spifest.org Hosts: Celine, Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Cutman Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International Bracket: www.challonge.com/madnessmarch2024 NEW MERCH: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast

The Two Tone-ament continues with the second half of Part 1! In this episode the CP/SC crew eliminate another 8 songs from the bracket in an effort to crown the greatest Two Tone Single of all time! First they do more BookTalk before delving into the match-ups all while discussing whether or not the winning song need to be Ska at all! Tune in on all March long to see the tournament continue! Hosts: Celine, Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Cutman Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International Bracket: www.challonge.com/madnessmarch2024 NEW MERCH: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast

Madness March is BACK and this time CP/SC is going to determine the greatest Two Tone Records single of all time! In Round 1 Part 1, Robby Radiation, Celynval Golding and Joey Dammers pit the first 16 singles in head to head battle to lead into Round 2. They also ask the immortal question... does it have to be Ska to win? Tune in all March long to see how the tournament progresses! The bracket is at www.challonge.com/madnessmarch2024 Hosts: Celine, Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Cutman Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International NEW MERCH: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast

Why DON'T you play some Ska? Checkered Past presents their third ska primer, this time heading across the pond to explore Ska in the UK from 1998 to 2020. Rob and Engineer Joey chat a bit about movies and AI before delving into the UK's storied history with Ska after Two Tone from the street level Ska Punk of Citizen Fish and Capdown to the dub/reggae /hip hop vibes of King Prawn to the cheeky ladiness of [spunge] and all the bands they influenced along the way. Check out the Canadian Ska and Patchanka episodes for more Playlist-style Primers! Hosts: Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Joey Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International Special Thanks: Common Sense Kid for vetting the playlist Patreon: www.patreon.com/checkeredpast NEW MERCH: www.checkeredpast.ca/merch

Melodica Gang rise up! Checkered Past's favorite guest, Common Sense Kid is back and this time he isn't on a bracket! So in order to celebrate this momentous occasion he sets his sights on one of the most influential Ska Punk bands of the UK, Capdown! There is lots of talk about beans, CSK's performance on the 2023 Best Ofs, and where he's at in his music journey. Then, the foursome dig in on the brief career of Capdown from their humble beginnings to their indie ska-punk hits to their final, more polished era. It's a big juicy, craig-y episode! Hosts: Celine, Rob and Joey Engineer: Joey Editor: Arianne Skassociate Producer: Chris Reeves of Ska Punk International The Two Tone-ament bracket is open for predictions at www.challonge.com/madnessmarch2024 NEW Yum Yum More Ska merch available at www.checkeredpast.ca/merch www.patreon.com/checkeredpast