January 31st, 2009 9:08 pm
One of the most popular fusions in music came from Ska and Punk, making Ska Punk bands successful, particularly in the UK and USA. The usual line up of guitars and drums is typically supplemented by a brass section and the Jamaican influenced music is played on the off beat.
The late 1970s in Britain was the starting point for a lot of Ska Punk bands and most of them were on the 2 Tone record label. Leading groups of the day included The Specials, The Beat, Bad Manners, Madness, and The Selecter. Fashion was another important element in the genre; the typical outfit of artists and fans alike was a black suit with narrow black tie, white shirt, and trilby hat. Small black and white checks were also seen on clothes, copied from the 2 Tone label.
It was a movement that stood against racism and many of the British Ska Punk bands had multi racial line ups. The Specials, with their frontman Terry Hall had seven Top 10 UK hits. Too Much Too Young and Ghost Town reached the number one spot. Other hits were Rat Race and A Message To You Rudy. They also covered songs by their reggae heroes, Prince Buster and Toots and the Maytals. It was keyboard player Jerry Dammers who co-founded 2 Tone and he also wrote the anti-apartheid song, Free Nelson Mandela. The Specials reformed in 2008, to the delight of their fans.
Madness is known for their catchy tunes and clever lyrics. Vocalist Suggs and his six fellow members had a series of hits in the 1980s, namely Baggy Trousers, Our House, Driving in my Car, and House of Fun. After a break, Madness reformed in 1992 and still has a wide fan base.
Many American bands came together from the 1980s onwards and these Ska Punk groups are popular on both sides of the Atlantic. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones from Boston are one of the most successful and their 1997 album Let’s Face It had platinum sales. Less Than Jake is from Florida and they have been performing since 1992. Reel Big Fish also began in 1992 and they hail from Orange County.
The American band to come from this genre and have the most mainstream success however is No Doubt. From Anaheim, California, they began recording in 1986 and their biggest hit was with Don’t Speak, which reached number one on Billboard. Their singer Gwen Stefani became an international star.
Horace Panter, the bass player with The Specials, has written an insightful account of his time with the band. He co-founded the band with Jerry Dammers and is a member of the reformed line up. Titled Ska’d for Life: A Personal Journey with The Specials, it explores the early days of the British Ska Punk scene and the 2 Tone record label.
Tags: ska punk bands