In Defense of Ska

The Black Heart Procession were one of the coolest indie rock bands in the 2000s. Creative songwriting, downer vibes and a general steering away from pop sensibilities while still maintaining catchy melodies. But before the band started to blow up in the indie scene, their singer Pall Jenkins fronted the band Three Mile Pilot, a struggling San Diego indie band that released Another Desert, Another Sea (1997), one of the greatest albums of all time (in the opinion of Aaron and Adam). Though not ska, Pall agreed to join us on this ska podcast to discuss the album. In our conversation, we also found several connections to ska and reggae. Pall is a huge fan of dub and old Jamaican music and says that the swinging groove has always been an influence on his music. We even gives us a tour of his vinyl ska/reggae/rocksteady collection, which includes records by Prince Buster, Roots Radics, The Upsetters, Horace Andy, Tapper Zukie, Augustus Pablo and many others. We talk about San Diego skinheads, Pall's interest in punk rock and skateboarding in the 80s, San Diego ska bands (Donkey Show, Gangbusters, Buck O' Nine, Unsteady) and we talk extensively about knives. We also talk about the origin of Three Mile Pilot (They were almost called Taco Pilot). How they got signed to Geffen Records, and how frustrating the process of working with Geffen on Another Desert, Another Sea ended up being. (Geffen ended up giving the album back to the band, who released it on Cargo Records)We talk about their cover of Brian Eno's "By This River," what it was like for Pall to meet Lee "Scratch" Perry, and we dissect several songs off of Another Desert, Another Sea. Speaking of, be sure to pick up the 25th anniversary double vinyl re-issue of Another Desert, Another Sea, which was released earlier this year!Plus we talk about Pall singing on the reggae song "Reboot The Simulation" by Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra. Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hans Gruber and the Die Hards came out of the pandemic swinging and ready to take over the ska scene. The band formed in 2014 in Austin, Texas, went through some lineup changes (A big lineup change a few years ago!) and then released their excellent record, With A Vengence, in May 2022 on SPI Records. They want to get the word out and have been touring as much as possible. The group mixes ska with furious hardcore, cumbia, silly singalongs, and whatever else they feel like throwing in the mix. And they bring a stage show filled to the brim with bizarre antics that involve sock puppets, conga lines, copious guest horns and exercise classes. Today we speak with three members of the group: Chris Thompson, Rosey Armstrong and Kurt Armstrong. We talk about Die Hard lore, and whether the film is in fact a remake of A Christmas Carol. We talk about their long tours and the methods they employ to save money (Forage for nuts in the forest, get free cheese from members of The Best of the Worst). We also talk about Kurt's blackeye and why the band members are the undisputed Gods of Dairy. We also talk about the squirrels in Adam's backyard and Christian rock groups like Lust Control, DC Talk, One Bad Pig and Rich Mullins. We talk about Hans' experience being on the Ska Parade tour a few years back. And they talk about The Slackers, Slackfest and missing veggie trays. Plus we talk about a very controversial topic: Kurt's underwearSupport the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jon Wurster played drums in Superchunk from the early 90s, but left the band earlier this year. He currently plays drums in The Mountain Goats and with Bob Mould. He also famously played the character Ronald Thomas Clontle on The Best Show with Tom Scharpling and declared that Madness invented ska! And Jon certainly jokes around about ska a lot, but when he was a teenager, he really loved the 2 Tone ska bands like The Specials and English Beat. He was also a big fan of The Hooters during their early 80s ska phase. And more recently, Jon skanked and played tambourine on stage during the infamous Ska No Children incident. (Sad Snack opened for The Mountain Goats in San Francisco and played their ska cover of "No Children.") We bring Jon on today to talk about ska. He tells us that he used to practice drums to the Dance Craze soundtrack. We talk about his connection to the band Dead Milkmen. (Amongst other things, he booked their first show!) We discuss his nickname Johnny Earthshoe and we talk about two key shows he attended with The Police. (The Specials and Rhoda Dakar were at one of them) He also tells us about missing his high school prom for The Meatmen, Ska band The Pressure Boys' connection to Superchunk, and we try to figure out the name of the ska artist that was featured on a DVD he owns (It turns out it was King Django) Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In 2011, long time Southern California ska trumpet player Eitan Avineri had an idea. He wanted to blend traditional Jamaican ska with big band jazz. He assembled a crew of all the best players in LA's traditional ska scene, as well as some of his jazz friends, and re-arranged his favorite Skatalites tunes in a big band style. He called the project Western Standard Time Orchestra. And their first album was called Big Band Tribute To The Skatalites (Vol 1)Though Eitan would later discover that he wasn't the first person to form a ska orchestra, Western Standard Time Orchestra would be a particularly vibrant band, steeped in ska and jazz in equal measures. Now over a decade into the band's existence, they have a brand new Christmas record that releases on November 3rd. To talk about it, we bring on Eitan and Aggrolites' vocalist Jesse Wagner, who sings lead vocals on the record. We discuss, at length, LA's trad ska scene and its various players that helped give birth to this cool project. And we talk about how WST tour, record and function as a massive 15-30 piece band. We also talk about the various LA trad ska bands that built the foundation the group grew from: Jump With Joey, Mobtown, Yeska, Hepcat, The Allentons, Kingston 10, See Spot, Ocean 11, Rhythm Function and others. We also talk about the role of Steady Beat Records and Chris Murray's Bluebeat Lounge. Also, skinhead fights, Christmas music, how Jesse can croon so well without making it sound cheesy, and we learn that Gogol Bordello has been using LA trad ska drummers in the group for the past decade! Plus we discover that Jesse Wagner used to be a child/teenage actor! Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Bill Stevenson is a punk rock legend. He's the drummer/only consistent member of The Descendants. He played in Black Flag, All and he owns/operates punk-friendly recording studio The Blasting Room. And while most bands that roll through The Blasting Room are punk, Bill has worked with several ska bands, including Mustard Plug, Kemuri, Suicide Machines, Less Than Jake and Big D and the Kids Table. Today we dig into Bill's connection to ska! But we talk about so much more, including recording techniques, pre-show stretching techniques, nightmare tour stories, major label stories, Conan O'Brien stories, Joey Ramone stories, and he tells us about his special drink. Also, I mention an obscure Fort Collins group called The Bob Hollister Band to see if Bill has ever heard of them. Plus he gives us an update on how Milo's been doing since the heart attack. And he answers drum question by Omnigone drummer Justin Amans. Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Loving Paupers have a brand new album out. Ladders! Who are the Loving Paupers you ask, they are an amazing band that plays "Melancholy Roller Skating Rink Reggae," according to Jump Up Records's Chuck Wren. And you know what, he's exactly right. So today, we have on their guitarist/songwriter Jorge Pezzimenti. But we have so much more to talk about than just Loving Paupers' new Victor Rice produced album. We dive deep into Jorge's ska past with 90s ska-punk band The Decepticonz (as previously discussed on the Patrick Stump and Jamie Woolford episodes), as well as his time in DC's one and only Pietasters. We even touch on his 80s cover band The Legwarmers and some of his side projects, like the infamous Jorge and the Landladies record Monobound. We also talk about the influential role that MU330 had on The Decepticonz, Too Hep Records (This Aren't Two Tone, Metalliska), and we learn which song The Legwarmers were playing when the police shut down their show at the Kansas House in 2001 (Hint: it was "Eye of the Tiger") We also talk about the time Jorge was arrested just before a Pietasters gig, how the Pietasters once backed soul icon James Brown, and he tells us some important Jamaican records like Desmond Dekker's Music Like Dirt and The Heptones Night Food. Catbite gives The Loving Paupers a shoutout in Bearded Gentlemen, we learn how Tango music informed Jorge's song "Let's Not Rewind These," and find out whether the Decepticonz had an oboe player in the band. Plus we devote a little time to 2000s-era hipster bands with weird stylized names. All caps, no caps, weird letter in the center capped for unknown reasons. It's all there! Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week, we connect GWAR to ska. And this is a fun connection because GWAR's founding guitarist Steve Douglas is the current guitarist for the Australian ska band The Resignators. Yes, that's right. Steve is a ska musician with a GWAR past. Steve gives us many hilarious and jaw-dropping GWAR stories, including the early days in Death Piggy (the band that preceded GWAR), incidents with cat shit-filled pinatas, real cow's blood on stage, and how local Richmond, Virginia artist Hunter Jackson and his film Scumdogs of the Universe helped to shape the band's aesthetic. He also talks about playing with the Butthole Surfers, Scream (Dave Grohl's old band), and Operation Ivy. But we also talk about ska. Steve not only talks about his band The Resignators, but some of the other important Australian ska bands of the past two decades, like Melbourne Ska Orchestra, The Bennies and The Porkers. As well as the annual festival Ska Nation. Plus we of course discuss former IDOS guest and Australian comedian Aaron Gocs, who hung out with Catbite on their recent trip to Australia. Steve also tells us about the punk and ska scene in Richmond, Virginia back in the 80s and 90s, including bands like Burma Jam, The Good Guys, Avail and Lamb of God. We also talk about The Caribs and the theory that they--an Australian ska band--helped create the ska groove back in the day.Plus we discuss Mustard Plug (who barely left Australia before Covid) and UK ska band Death of Guitar Pop who The Resignators recently toured with over in Australia. And we talk about Supernova International Ska festival...a lot! Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Does rapper/podcaster Open Mike Eagle like ska? Well, when I brought up Fishbone, he immediately said that he loved the song "Unyielding Conditioning." Great! Now that that's out of the way, this week, we talk about a whole lot of other topics with the great OME including AJJ, They Might Be Giants, MF Doom, Adventure Time, and he has a fantastic Angelo Moore story!  With AJJ specifically, we discuss what it's like to tour with the group, how he exercises on the road, and Adam even forces him to choose between Sean and Ben! We also go deep into OME's all-time favorite band They Might Be Giants, and discuss every moment he's referenced their music in his own songs. And he tells us about what it was like to be a judge on the "I Left My Body" video contest. Plus, we determine whether "Boss Of Me" is a ska song or NOT! We cover a range of other topics, including his long friendship with Hannibal Buress (And how Hannibal once beat him at a rap battle contest), The Pixies, famous people he's mentioned in his songs (Peter Dinklage, Marc Maron, Joe Rogan, Jon Lovitz) and whether they're aware that they were mentioned. And Tim Robinson's show I Think You Should Leave gets brought up--of course. Adam even makes OME choose a favorite sketch!Plus we finally decide once and for all if punching nazis is a good or bad thing (hint: It's good) Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The time has finally come! We have landed an Aquabat on the In Defense of Ska podcast. Not just any Aquabat, but EagleBones Falconhawk! Or as he's known when he's not busy with his superhero duties, Ian Fowles. We get into the Aquabats! history with Ian, including his personal story with the group, the mythology of his character and what it was like to work on Yo Gabba Gabba! and The Aquabats! Super Show! Many names were dropped in this conversation, including Weird Al Yankovic, Jack Black, Greg Hawkes (The Cars), Puddles Pity Party and Jesse Hughes (Eagles of Death Metal). We also dig into Ian's history as a musician. He was a founding member of Death By Stereo. He quit the group to go on his Mormon Mission. When he returned, they were signed to Epitaph. We talk about how Michael J. Fox or rather Marty McFly's guitar scenes in Back To The Future inspired him to take up the guitar, what it was like to tour with Rancid, and we discuss his mustache phase! Plus we ask Ian he likes ska. You may not want to know the answer! Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Artist Sam Grinberg started interning with The Simpsons in 2014. It turned into an actual job shortly after--a dream job! He joins us today to discuss the popular show, its possible ska connections and his own history with the genre. He's got a lot of history with ska. Sam grew up in New Jersey and used to go see tons of bands like Streetlight Manifesto and local legends Awful Waffle. He even drops some super obscure local ska band names on us like Stolen Oregano, Explosive Sheep, and The Nerd Who Ate St. Louis. Sam has also done a lot of artwork for ska bands. A short list includes Catbite, Kill Lincoln, Less Than Jake, Save Ferris, The Holophonics, the Too Hectic comps on Pay Attention Records (By Phil Lucas-Smith of Ska Punk Daily) and more. (He even did art for the Hella Mega Tour, which featured Fall Out Boy). Plus Sam talks about his other artwork like the Scumburbia series and his infamous "How To Skank" comic. We also learn how Sam got a job at The Simpsons, how he defines his art style, and how many tattoos people have gotten of his artwork. He talks about seeing Fatter Than Albert, Bomb The Music Industry and going to many shows at The Starland Ballroom and the Stone Pony. Plus he talks about going to the "It's a Ska World After All" at Disneyland. And we learn that one of his art teachers was Gary Panter, who created the characters for Pee Wee's Playhouse. And we discuss ska bands with Simpsons references and the ultimate Simpsons-themed metal-core band: Okilly Dokilly. A jam-packed episode!Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The UK has a long history of producing interesting, eclectic ska bands. And this tradition continues to this day. Today we bring on Popes of Chillitown, an excellent UK band that formed in the early 2010s and just released their 4th record, Take A Picture. The band mixes ska, punk, metal, grime, hip-hop, drum n bass and anything else they feel like into catchy, energetic tunes. On Take A Picture, they go a little heavier and get even more diverse than any prior record. We talk about a lot, including British sketch shows like The League of Gentlemen and The Young Ones. We talk about the influence that rave culture and hip hop has had on the UK's ska-punk scene, and we dig into the Household Name Records era bands like Capdown, King Prawn, and Sonic Boom Six. We also talk about iconic UK venues New Cross Inn and The Underworld. We talk about how The Popes like to kill time on tour in the van (Reading religious texts and playing the ukulele?), we discuss new UK bands and artists like Pook, Bar Stool Preachers, The JB Conspiracy and The Skints, and we get the full story on the band's biggest song, "Wisdom Teeth." Plus, we learn what Onion Tea is! Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Reel Big Fish was one of the biggest ska-punk bands in the late 90s. Their success was launched by the success of their single "Sell Out." In 1997, the song started to explode while Reel Big Fish was on tour as the opening act for Let's Go Bowling and The Cherry Poppin' Daddies. Midway through the tour, they were promoted to headliner. To this day, Scott still feels weird and kind of guilty about it. But there have been a lot more weird moments during Reel Big Fish's career, which Scott shares with us. Like the time they opened for KISS at an amphitheater, then immediately left the venue to open for Skankin' Pickle in a small Inland Empire club. We also talk about how strange it was for Reel Big Fish to travel all over the world. (He includes a particularly funny story from their trip to Russia). Not to mention the time their tour bus blew up--they were almost inside when it happened. Plus Scott talks to us about interviewing random people in Times Square about ska for the documentary Pick It Up - Ska In The 90s. We also talk about his acting roles in the We Are The Union music videos for "You're Dead / Vampire Ska" and "Make It Easy." (And what it was like to kill Brent Friedman on camera!) We also discuss what it was like to recently meet The Slackers' frontman Vic Ruggiero for the first time, the influence of Fishbone on the Reel Big Fish, making a cameo in the film BASEketball (by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone) and how Aaron Barrett and Scott's funny on-stage banter started as something antagonistic between them. Plus we dig deep into the fantastic record Cheer Up and learn a lot about "Drunk Again" and "Average Man," two songs Scott wrote. And Crumbl Cookies. We definitely talk about Crumbl Cookies.Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The first CD Sadie Dupuis saved up her own money to purchase was "Let's Face It" by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. The first concert she begged her mom to take her to was No Doubt. And on a recent NPR segment, Sadie talked about the huge influence The Selecter's Pauline Black had on her. Pauline, through example, taught her that music could be a political toolThese days Sadie plays in the indie-rock band Speedy Ortiz, and she also releases music under the moniker Sad13. But she hasn't forgotten about her love for ska. In fact, she makes a plea to JER for a Sadie Dupuis / Skatune Network collaboration. (Hopefully, you're listening JER!) We also get into a lot more, like how Sadie's parents worked at record labels in the 70s. Her mom worked at the UK ska/reggae label Rock Steady Records. We talk about how The Specials' "Ghost Town" is a perfect song, we discuss the ska leanings of 100 gecs. And she talks about sending an AIM message to I Voted For Kodos. We also talk about booking MySpace tours, Sinéad O'Connor, and her love for Weezer. (Her favorite non-album track is "Blast Off!!"). We also talk about a ska band Sadie played in when she was a kid called "Walker Exists." They had no bass player! (She also mentions the ska band that Kevin Bacon's kid used to play in.) We talk about her songwriting process, fostering dogs, and get into the 2 Tone ska influences on the Brit-pop genre. But most importantly, she tells us her AOL and AIM screen names from back in the day. They both are ska-related. Be sure and check out Speedy Ortiz's new album Rabbit Rabbit, which releases on Sept 1! Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week we explore Ska-Jazz. Specifically, we talk to Fred Reiter (aka Rocksteady Freddie), the band leader of the New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble. And we aim to understand the difference between the jazz-influenced traditional ska sound and ska-jazz. Fred gives us a simple explanation and a more complex technical explanation. But Fred also talks about his entire personal history in music: He studied jazz in high school--clarinet, flute and saxophone. He played the sax in a variety of bands including the N.Y. Citizens, The Scofflaws and The Toasters. New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble started as a recording project, but he soon realized there was a demand for it on the live circuit. The band continues to play. To this day they have played in 37 different countries. Fred also tells us what it was like to be a part of the legendary Skavoovie tour in 1993 (The Special Beat, The Selecter, The Skatalites, The Toasters), what it was like to share the stage with Coolie Ranx, how the German band The Busters helped get the New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble to Europe, and what it was like to back ska legend Laurel Aitken in the 90s. Plus we discuss various elements of jazz, and why the elitism of the genre he experienced in New York may have influenced him to play in ska bands. Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

While it's an undeniable fact that most musicians have ska roots, Tom May of The Menzingers has an entire, elaborate ska past. Before forming The Menzingers in 2006, Tom spent a solid 4 years playing in the Scranton, Pennsylvania ska band Bob and the Sagets. During the early 2000s, Bob and the Sagets (and another band, Lester) were the big local ska bands in Scranton. Tom speaks to us this week about Bob and the Sagets. We talk about the Scranton scene, including venues like Cafe Del Sol and Sessions Skatepark, as well as other prominent bands from the scene (Including Tigers Jaw!). But we also discuss The Menzingers and search for signs of ska, which includes a cover of The Specials' "Gangsters" they used to do, an old song called "Dark Side Of The Poon," and Tom joining Worriers on stage to play ska guitar for their cover of Rancid's "Old Friend." We also talk about playing with ska/reggae producer Curtis Irie (ie Irie Idea), how Against Me influenced The Menzingers' sound, touring with Jeff Rosenstock, meeting Brendan Kelly for the first time at Fest, his feelings on The Hard Times' Menzingers articles and getting to see Catbite for the first semi-recently. Plus he talks about some of the most amazing DIY shows he's seen back in the day, including Frank Turner, Gaslight Anthem and Paint It Black. And, as a special treat, Tom explains to us what the Receipt Scam is! Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Dead Milkmen were odd ducks in Philadelphia's 1980s  hardcore scene. They played really fast, but with a clean guitar channel, and wrote satirical--often strange and very imaginative--lyrics. It felt like they were almost a ska band. And in fact, they did have a few ska songs in their set like "If You Love Somebody, Set Them On Fire," "Little Man In My Head," "Gorilla Girl," and a cover of The Specials' "A Message To You, Rudy." Today, we bring on Dead Milkmen guitarist Joe Genaro. We talk about the band's relationship to ska, Joe's love for The Specials, The English Beat, Philly locals The Hooters, Operation Ivy and what it was like to play a LIVE 105 radio event with Skankin' Pickle (Along with Duran Duran and Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine.) We discuss their recent cover of Heaven 17's "(We Don't Need No) Fascist Groove Thang," which they turned into a ska song, the influential role of Dead Kennedys' In God We Trust, Inc, Joe's love for Dr. Demento and Weird Al (And how excited he was when he heard himself played on the Dr. Demento show), Why they mentioned drummer Jon Wurster in the song "Stewart," and we breakdown the recording of Big Lizard In My Backyard, and discuss some of the weirder promotional events Dead Milkmen did when "Punk Rock Girl" broke, including a bonkers performance on Club MTV with Downtown Julie Brown. Plus we discuss the band's excellent new album, Quaker City Quiet Pills, which was released on June 9th.Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Fred Armisen loves ska. He's brought it up on multiple Tonight Show appearances. Portlandia famously did the Bart Ska-mpson skit (with guest Matt Groening), and he performed a ska song in one Saturday Night Live sketch (with Bill Hader and Katy Perry). So, we brought Fred on the podcast and discussed all things ska. He had a lot to say on the topic. We talked about his love for 2 Tone ska bands (The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, English Beat, Bad Manners, The Bodysnatchers). But we also talked about the US ska bands he got to know in the 80s and 90s while he played drums in Chicago punk band Trenchmouth. We talked about Fishbone, Skankin' Pickle, Gangster Fun, Slapstick, Let's Go Bowling and more. We also talk about ska in Latin America, which he learned about during his multiple trips to Santiago, Chile, while filming Los Espookys. We talk about the larger movement of punk/New Wave bands that dabbled with ska XTC, The Clash, The Members, Joe Jackson) or stemmed from ska bands (Fun Boy Three, Fine Young Cannibals, General Public) and we talk lovingly about Chicago's famous indie venue, Fireside Bowl. I also tell Fred about a rumor I heard that Cap'n' Jazz were the first band to play Fireside and he votes on whether it was true or not! We also talk about how dumb band fights can get, the influencing role that Alan Myers (Devo), David Barbarossa (Bow Wow Wow), Topper Headon (The Clash) and Clem Burke (Blondie) had on his drumming style, and he takes a moment to mourn the loss of Specials lead singer Terry Hall, which hit him hard.Plus, we decide the perfect number of bands to have on a bill. Listen and find out!Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Philadelphia hardcore band Soul Glo put out one of the best records of 2022: Diaspora Problems. It made it on many "best of" lists, Jeff Rosenstock tweeted about how amazing it was and the band My Chemical Romance invited Soul Glo to open for them. But, what we've learned as the group have transitioned from a DIY punk band to being one of the names constantly referenced in the current hardcore reconnaissance is that they like ska. So we brought on bassist GG Guerra to discuss the genre. He talks about his love for Arrogant Sons of Bitches, specifically their landmark record, Three Cheers For Disappointment. We also discuss Folly--Soul Glo singer Pierce Jordan participated in a cover of Folly's song "Broken" with members of Catbite, We Are The Union, The Best of the Worst and Gouge Away for 2 Minutes to Late Night. We also talked about Soul Glo's love for JER. GG assures us that at some point in the near future, we can expect a JER/Soul Glo collaboration. We talk about so much more. Ska Against Racism, GG's Choking Victim tattoo, GG's old ska band, signing to Epitaph, how the film Whiplash inspired the idea for the video for "Jump!! (Or Get Jumped!!!) ((by the future))" and we dig deep into the recording of Soul Glo's Diaspora Problems. Plus Adam reveals the name of Atomic Garden Recording Studio's owner Jack Shirley's old ska band!Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Bad Operation played their first show ever in October 2021. It was packed, with an enthusiastic crowd. But a lot led up to this moment. The band formed in 2019 as a side project for the members, with the intention of them playing a single show. That show, scheduled for March 12 2020 never happened thanks to the pandemic. As much as that sucked, they did suddenly have a ton of time to record music. In Dec 2020, they released their excellent debut album and blew many minds!Today we bring on two members of Bad Operation: Greg Rodrigue and D-Ray. Though Bad Operation is a new group, the members have an interesting and expansive history with ska, like their time in the mid-2000s New Orleans ska scene with bands like Fatter Than Albert, Samurai Deli and Angry Banana. We also talk about Greg and D-Ray's label, Community Records, their ongoing festival Block Party, the iconic NOLA venue Big Top, and Greg's spot Hey Cafe.We also break down several samples on their debut record that includes The Impossibles, Mike Park, Blue Meanies, The Specials, Sublime and Jackie Mittoo. We talk about how Jeff Rosenstock's label Quote Unquote and Mike Park's label Asian Man inspired Community Records. Plus we discuss the new Bad Time Records Wavebreaker release with songs by Bad Operation and Mighty Mighty Bosstones bassist Joe Gittleman. Here's a link if you want to hear the playlist for "Sell Out," Greg's ska cover band mentioned during the show.Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones had the biggest ska-punk hit of the '90s. Their song "The Impression That I Get" was huge and made them legit stars for a while. But they were a band that earned it. They got their start in the 80s, signed to Taang Records in 1989, got a major label deal in 1993 and released several records before hitting it big with their 1997 record Let's Face It. Not to mention, they were a huge influence on the sound of US ska-punk in the 90s. Today, we talk to The Mighty Mighty Bosstones' bassist Joe Gittleman (aka the Bass Fiddleman). He tells us stories from the Bosstones year, working at SideOneDummy in the 2000s, producing Big D and the Table's "Strictly Rude" record, playing in Gang Green and he gives us his side perspective regarding The Bosstones' breakup last year. He also talks about playing Lollapalooza in 1995, quitting drinking, and Bouncing Souls covering his song "Lean On Sheena" from his other band Avoid One Thing, and how the song ended up being one of the Souls most popular songs. We talk about Brian Fallon and Gaslight Anthem's landmark record The 59 Sound, playing Warped Tour and the significance of seeing Fishbone play in the 80s. Plus we talk about Joe's upcoming Wavebreaker release on Bad Time Records with the great Bad Operation. You're going to want to grab a copy ASAP! Support the show Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy