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What are the best ska bands?
What are some good ska bands? I'm really into punk, and people are always telling me I've got to check out ska. So... in your opinion, what are the best ska bands, and what are some good songs by them?
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I know this is an old question, but it bears answering. Ska goes back to 1950s Jamaica, as a mix of calypso and American R&B. For a sense of the original sounds, check out Prince Buster, Toots and the Maytals, and The Skatalites.
There was a resurgence in 1970s England, as the kids of Caribbean immigrants started hanging out with working-class whites. Bands like The Specials, Madness, The English Beat and The Bodysnatchers sped up the beats and added big loud punk riffs to the horn sections.
Enough influence got across to the US to spark the ska-punk movement in the 1980s and 1990s. Bands like Fishbone, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and the Toasters got lots of critical acclaim and rabid fans, but not necessarily big label money. Later on, Reel Big Fish, No Doubt and Sublime got big as part of third-wave ska. Some artists like Hepcat and GOGO13 have gone back to the smoother, horn-oriented sound of the 50s and 60s, others keep the punk alive. There's even a Satanic ska band called Mephiskapheles. Long story short, there's a lot to choose from if you're interested. Ska is hardly the U2 of punk; there's a lot of overlap, both stylistically and politically. A lot of ska bands were (and still are) anti-racist, pro-working class and pro-equality.
Songs:
Prince Buster, "Al Capone"
Toots and the Maytals, "Pressure Drop"
Skatalites, "Guns of Navarone"
The Specials, "Message to Rudy"
Madness, "One Step Beyond", "Our House", "Night Boat to Cairo"
Fishbone, "Party at Ground Zero", "A Selection", "U.G.L.Y"
Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Rascal King", "The Impression That I Get"
This should give you something to start with.
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My favorite Ska bands are Reel Big Fish, Streetlight Manifesto and Suburban Legends. Check out the following:
Reel Big Fish:
Sellout
Trendy
Beer
Where have you been
Streetlight Manifesto (My favorite, so everything)
Point/Counterpoint
Big Sleep
Somewhere in the Between
We will fall together
We are the few
Suburban Legends
High Fives
Any of their disney covers are cool
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Ska is the U2 of punk and in my opinion you should avoid it at all costs.
If you must know, one of my freshman year roommates used to play a band called Reel Big Fish but odds are high you'll just annoy everyone like he did.
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