In the long strange trip of Berkeley, California ska pioneers The Uptones, three founding members spent some time playing clubs on the west coast as Stiff Richards, while the Uptones were on hiatus. During that time, they wrote some of the gr8 songs they now play with the re-formed Uptones. One of the standouts was “Not From Here” which I was thrilled to find is on the set list for their Warped Tour appearances this month. Here is the Stiff Richards original version, off the “E-Mail EP” recently re-released by Fun Fun Fun Recordings. A scorching ska punk number about post modern alienation, sung by The Rev. Paul Jackson himself. Rock it.

Stiff Richards
“Not From Here” (mp3)
from “E-Mail – EP”
(Fun Fun Fun Recordings)

Need more!

Best known for their Berkeley ska power pop material, The Uptones also have an affection for big-beat rock-reggae sounds. With apocalyptic horns recalling early UB40, and a bass line that sounds like bubbling hot lava, “Outback” is a round the world epic stuffed into a 4 minute track. Sung by Uptones alum and founding member Charles Stella, penned by bassist Ben Eastwood, the song is on the Uptones Live @ Gilman CD, but this studio version is only available as a free mp3 from the band’s own media page. There’s a free Outback ringtone, too. Rock it.

As any ska fan is already aware, The Specials are back from a wee 30 year vacation to skank the world to bits again. This unique band played its first adrenaline-fueled beats in the late 70′s, as the last echoes of the Pistols faded from the scene. While punk had introduced dub and reggae – thru the Slits, the Clash and others – to a generation of English youth, it was this sharp dressed bunch from Coventry who dug deeper into Jamaican music roots, to serve up a fresh batch of ebullient and joyously rebellious ska music. Without them, ska may have never become the internationally loved genre it is today. Here’s “Rat Race” – from their 2nd album “More Specials” – a must have, and I don’t usually go on about about “must haves.” Enjoy.

Buy at iTunes

Buy at Amazon

I do love me some trombones. And I do adore a good rocksteady beat. And we know how a sweet ska tune can put the cherry on top of a nice spring morning. So here you have it, the UK’s  Voodoo Trombone Quartet with “(Hey You) The Rocksteady Crew” – a joyous outburst of dubtastic skanking glee. And that’s a good thing.

The Voodoo Trombone Quartet
“(Hey You) The Rocksteady Crew” (mp3)
from “The Voodoo Trombone Quartet …Again”
(Freshly Squeezed Music)

Need more!

Found this shweet power poppin’ ska rocker by the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, while taking in the tunez @ ska4u this morning. This is a gr8 little 3rd wave masher with a wicked tight horn section, lovely lyrics and vocals, and the Daddies’ famous northwest rude boy riddim section. Like any band, they’ve gone thru their “Hi and Lo” periods, and this ditty chronicles that ol’ roller coaster with charm and grace. This is how they skank it up in Eugene, Oregon, my kittins and pups! Click it and go nutz.

Cherry Poppin’ Daddies
“Hi and Lo” (mp3)
from “Skaboy JFk”
(Space Age Bachelor Pad)

Need more!