I really can’t take the likes of Madness and The Specials as authentic Ska.
Nor The Beat a band I did like.
I was a big fan of all these bands as a kid - most of the cover versions they did didn't really match up to the original version. Their own material had a British slant which worked far better - definitely the roots of these bands was in ska.
Ghost Town was one of the best singles of the 80s.
The trouble with a lot of ska bands is they just do covers. Most of the best stuff dates from the 60s - ska was really replaced by reggae.
London ska festival is on over Easter.
From the web: 'To a true ska afficianado, however, the band that defined the style was The Skatalites. The Skatalites used a horn-heavy styling that persists in distinguishing ska from other forms of bluebeat music, and, as Studio One’s house musicians, they influenced the sound of nearly every ska performer in the early days. By 1962, when independence was finally achieved, ska was so pervasive in Jamaican society that even the Jamaican Independence Song is a ska number.
While today we associate ska with a frenetic tempo, that’s not present in the earliest recordings. It’s always been a dance rhythm, but classics such as Guns of Navarone and Eastern Western Time are laid back, relatively mellow musical pieces.
Music doesn’t stand still anywhere, and bluebeat transformed into rocksteady and reggae. By 1969, nearly every ska performer had moved with the times, with ska not quite falling by the wayside, but certainly fading in popularity compared to its cousins. It wasn’t until the Two Tone movement hit Britain in the late 1970s that ska became popular again, performed by such groups as The Specials, The Selecter, Bad Manners, and Madness. The Two Tone sound added a punk flavor to the ska (music theorists will note the frequent substitution of power chords on the skank over the original major chords) and an faster, more driving beat. '
If anyone wants to catch a great ska band who play covers, but not of the most obvious tunes, I'd recommend The Estimators. They sound great and look great.
Mate, buy a handful of ska compilation cds. Ska has an enormous back catalogue, A good place to start would be Symarip and Toots and the Maytals. Any compilation featuring them heavily will see you ok.
The Duallers are the more recent entertainers for this genre. My problem with Ska is I can't skank properly and get told every time I try and stomp at folkestone. Proper ska heads don't react well to people who can't dance to it!
I know this is going to sound pedantic, but most of the suggestions here are not Ska. You can exclude all the Two Tone stuff from the late 70s/early 80s, which, as good as it is, had a different sound. Also, the strange suggestions of American pop-punk that’s somehow sneaked in – not sure what they are doing here.
Even the vast majority of the excellent 1960s Jamaican music suggested so far here would not be considered Ska either - they’re mostly Rocksteady, which sits chronologically between Ska and the start of Reggae in the late 60s. In my opinion far superior to Ska and this is often what people are thinking of when they say they like Ska. Even the Trojan Records Ska compilations are full of Rocksteady.
Some of the Jamaican Ska records from the early 60s are almost unlistenable in terms of fidelity/production. When you actually play someone, who remembers listening to Baggy Trousers at their school disco and says they’re a ‘massive Ska fan’, some real Jamaican Ska they often don’t like it.
I would verify exactly what it is your friend is after before putting on some Skatalites from 1963 that sounds like it was recorded on a mono tape-recorder, through a wall, whilst the band rehearse at 100 miles an hour in the room next door.
I'm trying to co-operative a playlist for my mates birthday. I've been told he likes Ska music but I don't know too much about Ska music so looking for advice or any tunes you like?
If he likes original 60s Ska, he would probably turn his nose up at most of the choices on here. Even the Tighten Up volumes which are great but are reggae not ska. It's a minefield but avoid all the two tone stuff & anything to do with punk. Look on amazon but club Ska 67 is a must
Shaking Up Orange Street-Prince Buster Take It Easy-Prince Buster One Eyed Giant-Baba Brooks and His Band Bonanza Ska-Carlos Malcolm & His Afro-Jamacan Rhythms I'm In The Mood For Ska-Lord Tanamo
I know this is going to sound pedantic, but most of the suggestions here are not Ska. You can exclude all the Two Tone stuff from the late 70s/early 80s, which, as good as it is, had a different sound. Also, the strange suggestions of American pop-punk that’s somehow sneaked in – not sure what they are doing here.
Even the vast majority of the excellent 1960s Jamaican music suggested so far here would not be considered Ska either - they’re mostly Rocksteady, which sits chronologically between Ska and the start of Reggae in the late 60s. In my opinion far superior to Ska and this is often what people are thinking of when they say they like Ska. Even the Trojan Records Ska compilations are full of Rocksteady.
Some of the Jamaican Ska records from the early 60s are almost unlistenable in terms of fidelity/production. When you actually play someone, who remembers listening to Baggy Trousers at their school disco and says they’re a ‘massive Ska fan’, some real Jamaican Ska they often don’t like it.
I would verify exactly what it is your friend is after before putting on some Skatalites from 1963 that sounds like it was recorded on a mono tape-recorder, through a wall, whilst the band rehearse at 100 miles an hour in the room next door.
Woooah, while I agree with some of this, you can't write off a whole genre of music based on audio fidelity. Some of the Skatalites comps have been well cleaned up and remastered and bear a close listen. There have been some ropey comps which may have put you off, but for me the mono, lo-fi nature of the recordings isn't a problem. Unfortunately many of the comps have been mastered from vinyl, as back in the day the 1/4" tapes often used to get recorded over.
One of the features of ska is the double bass, as opposed to electric, normally played by Lloyd Brevett. Decent example here featuring the trombone of Don Drummond, another key player in the ska scene. The second sax is Tommy McCook. The sound is raw, but this is authentic ska.
I know this is going to sound pedantic, but most of the suggestions here are not Ska. You can exclude all the Two Tone stuff from the late 70s/early 80s, which, as good as it is, had a different sound. Also, the strange suggestions of American pop-punk that’s somehow sneaked in – not sure what they are doing here.
Even the vast majority of the excellent 1960s Jamaican music suggested so far here would not be considered Ska either - they’re mostly Rocksteady, which sits chronologically between Ska and the start of Reggae in the late 60s. In my opinion far superior to Ska and this is often what people are thinking of when they say they like Ska. Even the Trojan Records Ska compilations are full of Rocksteady.
Some of the Jamaican Ska records from the early 60s are almost unlistenable in terms of fidelity/production. When you actually play someone, who remembers listening to Baggy Trousers at their school disco and says they’re a ‘massive Ska fan’, some real Jamaican Ska they often don’t like it.
I would verify exactly what it is your friend is after before putting on some Skatalites from 1963 that sounds like it was recorded on a mono tape-recorder, through a wall, whilst the band rehearse at 100 miles an hour in the room next door.
I know this is going to sound pedantic, but most of the suggestions here are not Ska. You can exclude all the Two Tone stuff from the late 70s/early 80s, which, as good as it is, had a different sound. Also, the strange suggestions of American pop-punk that’s somehow sneaked in – not sure what they are doing here.
Even the vast majority of the excellent 1960s Jamaican music suggested so far here would not be considered Ska either - they’re mostly Rocksteady, which sits chronologically between Ska and the start of Reggae in the late 60s. In my opinion far superior to Ska and this is often what people are thinking of when they say they like Ska. Even the Trojan Records Ska compilations are full of Rocksteady.
Some of the Jamaican Ska records from the early 60s are almost unlistenable in terms of fidelity/production. When you actually play someone, who remembers listening to Baggy Trousers at their school disco and says they’re a ‘massive Ska fan’, some real Jamaican Ska they often don’t like it.
I would verify exactly what it is your friend is after before putting on some Skatalites from 1963 that sounds like it was recorded on a mono tape-recorder, through a wall, whilst the band rehearse at 100 miles an hour in the room next door.
Think you are being a bit pedantic when it comes to a microscopic definition of ska - there was always a crossover with rocksteady and reggae. The Wailers came from a ska background and the two tone movement used ska as its influence.
Regarding the early 60s the recording was very basic but it adds to the atmosphere. I'm not sure how cleaned up the recordings are on the two Intensified compilations are but they work for me. Train to Skaville by the Ethiopians has sounded great to me since I first heard it as a kid many years ago.
I know this is going to sound pedantic, but most of the suggestions here are not Ska. You can exclude all the Two Tone stuff from the late 70s/early 80s, which, as good as it is, had a different sound. Also, the strange suggestions of American pop-punk that’s somehow sneaked in – not sure what they are doing here.
Even the vast majority of the excellent 1960s Jamaican music suggested so far here would not be considered Ska either - they’re mostly Rocksteady, which sits chronologically between Ska and the start of Reggae in the late 60s. In my opinion far superior to Ska and this is often what people are thinking of when they say they like Ska. Even the Trojan Records Ska compilations are full of Rocksteady.
Some of the Jamaican Ska records from the early 60s are almost unlistenable in terms of fidelity/production. When you actually play someone, who remembers listening to Baggy Trousers at their school disco and says they’re a ‘massive Ska fan’, some real Jamaican Ska they often don’t like it.
I would verify exactly what it is your friend is after before putting on some Skatalites from 1963 that sounds like it was recorded on a mono tape-recorder, through a wall, whilst the band rehearse at 100 miles an hour in the room next door.
Think you are being a bit pedantic when it comes to a microscopic definition of ska - there was always a crossover with rocksteady and reggae. The Wailers came from a ska background and the two tone movement used ska as its influence.
Regarding the early 60s the recording was very basic but it adds to the atmosphere. I'm not sure how cleaned up the recordings are on the two Intensified compilations are but they work for me. Train to Skaville by the Ethiopians has sounded great to me since I first heard it as a kid many years ago.
@JamesSeed posted some great music above which is Ska. Lots of the music mentioned on here just is not Ska.
For authentic ska you just can't go wrong with anything by prince Buster.
All by Prince Buster -
One Step Beyond, Madness, Hard Man Fe Dead, Earthquake, Texas old-up, Freezing up Orange Street, Free Love, Julie, Take it Easy, Judge Dread, Too Hot, Ghost Dance, Ten Commandants, Al Capone, Barrister Pardon,
All of these are brilliant.In the 60's Prince Buster was the acknowledged "King of Blue Beat" (more simply known as Ska).
And the Tighten Up albums weren't Ska. Rock Steady more like it. And reggae came later. Ska had an attempted resurrection with The specials and Madness but it just wasn't the same. My opinion of course.
And the Tighten Up albums weren't Ska. Rock Steady more like it. And reggae came later.
Bollox yes they are, I’ll take on anyone who says it’s not Ska<(;-[>
You think you can handle me and @rob ? ;-) Weirdest day in my music career phase was taking a call from Prince Buster, not knowing it was him, and having to play a guessing game to find out who it was. One of my all time heroes.
OP, I’d agree with whoever said Toots and the Maytals aren’t ska but Pressure Drop is one of the all-time great tunes and won’t offend anyone if you put it in your compilation.
OP, I’d agree with whoever said Toots and the Maytals aren’t ska but Pressure Drop is one of the all-time great tunes and won’t offend anyone if you put it in your compilation.
I don't understand the obsession with pigeonholing stuff on here - all seems a bit trainspotterish. Important to just enjoy the music.
Toots and the Maytals had a background in ska, rocksteady and reggae and need to be listened to! Great vocals.
'54-46 was my number' and 'Pressure Drop' are two classics of Jamaican music.
Sorry didn’t mean to upset anyone by trying to chop things up into sub genres. My concern was if the original poster’s friend is expecting a bit of a knees up dancing to Bad Manner’s version of the Can-Can and gets something more ‘authentic’.
I also think the recording techniques of the time can add charm to the records - one of the reasons early Jamaican music had the characteristic organ stab on the off beat was due to the keyboard at Studio One going out of tune if it was held for more than a fraction of a second which is why it was used in a more percussive way (or so the legend goes).
Incidentally, Desmond Decker used to drive a mini cab in Eltham, any time I booked a taxi there I would hope that he’d pick me up and we could have a chat on the way home. Never happened for me unfortunately.
I took it as he posted it, his mate is having a birthday party and likes Ska.
If someone asked me that when I was still operating a mobile disco you go with the hits and the sort of stuff people go to folkestone ska fest to dance to and that the rest of the revellers have heard of. Something that sounds like it's been recorded in a laundry basket as authentically ska as that might be wouldn't be on my agenda.
I'll readily admit I'm no ska head but I enjoy what could probably be described as pop ska or pop 2 tone and reggae. However I'm also very aware how precious and possessive those really into the scene are and I respect that.
Comments
'To a true ska afficianado, however, the band that defined the style was The Skatalites. The Skatalites used a horn-heavy styling that persists in distinguishing ska from other forms of bluebeat music, and, as Studio One’s house musicians, they influenced the sound of nearly every ska performer in the early days. By 1962, when independence was finally achieved, ska was so pervasive in Jamaican society that even the Jamaican Independence Song is a ska number.
While today we associate ska with a frenetic tempo, that’s not present in the earliest recordings. It’s always been a dance rhythm, but classics such as Guns of Navarone and Eastern Western Time are laid back, relatively mellow musical pieces.
Music doesn’t stand still anywhere, and bluebeat transformed into rocksteady and reggae. By 1969, nearly every ska performer had moved with the times, with ska not quite falling by the wayside, but certainly fading in popularity compared to its cousins. It wasn’t until the Two Tone movement hit Britain in the late 1970s that ska became popular again, performed by such groups as The Specials, The Selecter, Bad Manners, and Madness. The Two Tone sound added a punk flavor to the ska (music theorists will note the frequent substitution of power chords on the skank over the original major chords) and an faster, more driving beat. '
If anyone wants to catch a great ska band who play covers, but not of the most obvious tunes, I'd recommend The Estimators. They sound great and look great.
The Duallers are the more recent entertainers for this genre. My problem with Ska is I can't skank properly and get told every time I try and stomp at folkestone. Proper ska heads don't react well to people who can't dance to it!
I know this is going to sound pedantic, but most of the suggestions here are not Ska. You can exclude all the Two Tone stuff from the late 70s/early 80s, which, as good as it is, had a different sound. Also, the strange suggestions of American pop-punk that’s somehow sneaked in – not sure what they are doing here.
Even the vast majority of the excellent 1960s Jamaican music suggested so far here would not be considered Ska either - they’re mostly Rocksteady, which sits chronologically between Ska and the start of Reggae in the late 60s. In my opinion far superior to Ska and this is often what people are thinking of when they say they like Ska. Even the Trojan Records Ska compilations are full of Rocksteady.
Some of the Jamaican Ska records from the early 60s are almost unlistenable in terms of fidelity/production. When you actually play someone, who remembers listening to Baggy Trousers at their school disco and says they’re a ‘massive Ska fan’, some real Jamaican Ska they often don’t like it.
I would verify exactly what it is your friend is after before putting on some Skatalites from 1963 that sounds like it was recorded on a mono tape-recorder, through a wall, whilst the band rehearse at 100 miles an hour in the room next door.
Look on amazon but club Ska 67 is a must
Take It Easy-Prince Buster
One Eyed Giant-Baba Brooks and His Band
Bonanza Ska-Carlos Malcolm & His Afro-Jamacan Rhythms
I'm In The Mood For Ska-Lord Tanamo
Some of the Skatalites comps have been well cleaned up and remastered and bear a close listen.
There have been some ropey comps which may have put you off, but for me the mono, lo-fi nature of the recordings isn't a problem. Unfortunately many of the comps have been mastered from vinyl, as back in the day the 1/4" tapes often used to get recorded over.
One of the features of ska is the double bass, as opposed to electric, normally played by Lloyd Brevett. Decent example here featuring the trombone of Don Drummond, another key player in the ska scene. The second sax is Tommy McCook. The sound is raw, but this is authentic ska.
Guns of Navarone was popular with the skins and mods of '65, and is slightly atypical:
This has some great brass. I was trying to get my son Tommy to play along with his namesake:
But it's possible your friend might prefer Bluebeat and the Prince Buster sound:
You'll know this....
Also, most people who like ska like Bluebeat, so you could mix it all up a bit.
Don't make em like that any more!
Regarding the early 60s the recording was very basic but it adds to the atmosphere. I'm not sure how cleaned up the recordings are on the two Intensified compilations are but they work for me. Train to Skaville by the Ethiopians has sounded great to me since I first heard it as a kid many years ago.
It’s ska if I say it is, ok guv;)
For authentic ska you just can't go wrong with anything by prince Buster.
All by Prince Buster -
One Step Beyond,
Madness,
Hard Man Fe Dead,
Earthquake,
Texas old-up,
Freezing up Orange Street,
Free Love,
Julie,
Take it Easy,
Judge Dread,
Too Hot,
Ghost Dance,
Ten Commandants,
Al Capone,
Barrister Pardon,
All of these are brilliant.In the 60's Prince Buster was the acknowledged "King of Blue Beat" (more simply known as Ska).
My favourite kind of music.
Weirdest day in my music
careerphase was taking a call from Prince Buster, not knowing it was him, and having to play a guessing game to find out who it was. One of my all time heroes.Toots and the Maytals had a background in ska, rocksteady and reggae and need to be listened to! Great vocals.
'54-46 was my number' and 'Pressure Drop' are two classics of Jamaican music.
No new bands?
Or do people just want to hear ,” One Step Beyond “ over and over?
Sorry didn’t mean to upset anyone by trying to chop things up into sub genres. My concern was if the original poster’s friend is expecting a bit of a knees up dancing to Bad Manner’s version of the Can-Can and gets something more ‘authentic’.
I also think the recording techniques of the time can add charm to the records - one of the reasons early Jamaican music had the characteristic organ stab on the off beat was due to the keyboard at Studio One going out of tune if it was held for more than a fraction of a second which is why it was used in a more percussive way (or so the legend goes).
Incidentally, Desmond Decker used to drive a mini cab in Eltham, any time I booked a taxi there I would hope that he’d pick me up and we could have a chat on the way home. Never happened for me unfortunately.
If someone asked me that when I was still operating a mobile disco you go with the hits and the sort of stuff people go to folkestone ska fest to dance to and that the rest of the revellers have heard of. Something that sounds like it's been recorded in a laundry basket as authentically ska as that might be wouldn't be on my agenda.
I'll readily admit I'm no ska head but I enjoy what could probably be described as pop ska or pop 2 tone and reggae. However I'm also very aware how precious and possessive those really into the scene are and I respect that.
This is Trojan Ska 2CD available as part of their 2 for £9 range