U.S ska bands

[grantspain]

I'm well into ska bands at the moment,anyone know of any good bands in the U.S

[Spaz Monkey]

I can only think of two, and then they might not be considered ska, Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Cake

iTunes link for USA
Best of MMB:   http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=73648469&s=143441

Cake:  http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewArtist?id=472322

[JonnyBoy]

Cake really isn't ska, but a damn fine band that everybody needs to check out.

Ska is known for the use of horns and that really fast up-picking technique that makes the guitar sort of "quack". Cake is more of a straightforward rock band with horns and synths in places, but a great band nonetheless. I'm not into ska but I certainly love cake.

[HaRuMaN]

Yeah, Cake is a really good band.  I love 'em...  great music, to be sure.

[TOK]

Rancid kind of overlaps genres from punk to metal, but also has pretty heavy ska infuences on every album except the 2000 self titled Rancid album (happens to be my favorite CD from the last 10 years, but is almost complete hardcore). Go to Amazon.com and listen to samples of songs like Time Bomb, and Red Hot Moon.

[JCL]

MMB
The Toasters
Fishbone
Less Than Jake
Operation Ivy
Voodoo Glow Skulls

These are some I can recall off the top of my head. There's about a million more. Are you looking for bans still around and touring, or just for music to check out? Ska was more popular a few years ago in the US, but I'm sure there are a lot still around.

[Shape D.]

Your best bet is to usually go to a store and buy a punk/ska or ska compilation and see if theres anything you like on it. most of this stuff you wont hear on the radio, and peoples opinion on ska varies quite a bit. I tend to listen to a lot of the following:

Less than Jake
Reel big fish - their older stuff
operation Ivy
Rancid - they're more of a punk/ska\
the mad caddies

I found this though
http://www.billtanner.net/ska/skabands.html
Although most of these bands I've never heard of.

[pointdablame]

- Operation Ivy
- Less Than Jake
- Reel Big Fish
- Catch 22 (especially their Keasbey Nights album... absolutely amazing)
- Streetlight Manifesto (formed by former members of former ska bands... also AMAZING!!)
- Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution
- The Superspecs (old NJ ska band that has since changed their sound DRASTICALLY.  The album " Project H.A.N.D.S.O.F.F." is full of great ska though.)
- Suicide Machines
- NOFX
- MXPX
- Big D and the Kid's Table
- Mustard Plug
- Rx Bandits (not as ska as they used to be... but great great stuff)
- Mad Caddies are pretty good too
- VooDoo Glow Skulls
- The first No Doubt album is actually some good ska/punk music as well
- The Aquabats
- Mephiskapheles

That should keep you skanking for a while

[JonnyBoy]

Operation Ivy - Energy...one badass album. A must for the punk/ska enthusiast.

Also, Rancid - ...And out come the wolves

[SOAPboy]

- Operation Ivy
- Less Than Jake
- Reel Big Fish
- Catch 22 (especially their Keasbey Nights album... absolutely amazing)
- Streetlight Manifesto (formed by former members of former ska bands... also AMAZING!!)
- Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution
- The Superspecs (old NJ ska band that has since changed their sound DRASTICALLY.  The album " Project H.A.N.D.S.O.F.F." is full of great ska though.)
- Suicide Machines
- NOFX
- MXPX
- Big D and the Kid's Table
- Mustard Plug
- Rx Bandits (not as ska as they used to be... but great great stuff)
- Mad Caddies are pretty good too
- VooDoo Glow Skulls
- The first No Doubt album is actually some good ska/punk music as well
- The Aquabats
- Mephiskapheles

That should keep you skanking for a while

Nofx shouldnt be on that list..

thumbs up on aquabats tho.. WILLY DONT GOT AN EYYYYYYE HE LOST IT ON THE FORTH OF JULLLYYYYY!

[sc1103]

I'll second pointdablame on Catch 22

Keasby Nights

[pointdablame]

Nofx shouldnt be on that list..

thumbs up on aquabats tho.. WILLY DONT GOT AN EYYYYYYE HE LOST IT ON THE FORTH OF JULLLYYYYY!

I'll have to respectfully disagree.

a number of the bands on my list are no longer ska, or were a ska/punk/ska-punk/FunMusicCatchPhrase combination.  However, there are a lot of good NOFX ska and ska-like songs.  Plus the fact that they have a song called "We Don't Play Ska Anymore"  would tell you that they once DID play ska, thus... they could make the list.

Thanks for your opinion though.

[lustreking]

I was always a big fan of the Toasters.

-S

[SOAPboy]

Nofx shouldnt be on that list..

thumbs up on aquabats tho.. WILLY DONT GOT AN EYYYYYYE HE LOST IT ON THE FORTH OF JULLLYYYYY!

I'll have to respectfully disagree.

a number of the bands on my list are no longer ska, or were a ska/punk/ska-punk/FunMusicCatchPhrase combination.  However, there are a lot of good NOFX ska and ska-like songs.  Plus the fact that they have a song called "We Don't Play Ska Anymore"  would tell you that they once DID play ska, thus... they could make the list.

Thanks for your opinion though.

That song, isnt about THEM.......

I own, every album, and vinal they have ever put out.... This includes Bsides.. They, were never a SKA band.. They have a very very small handful of songs with horns..

They arnt a ska band, and never released anything ska.. Horns, do not make music ska..

[pointdablame]

That song, isnt about THEM.......

They arnt a ska band, and never released anything ska.. Horns, do not make music ska..

I agree on all 3 of those points.  However, will you disagree that a HUGE amount of ska fans are also NOFX fans due to the similar vein of music?  And while horns dont make ska, and while they do a few songs WITH horns, and a lot of their songs have a very ska-ish feel, among other genres that they've crossed into over the years.

I still feel its appropriate to list them.  And congrats on the B-Sides, I don't know anyone else who owns all their albums, you must be the only one.    I've never even heard of those rare "vinals" you have.  I do have some vinyl though.

[SOAPboy]

That song, isnt about THEM.......

They arnt a ska band, and never released anything ska.. Horns, do not make music ska..

I agree on all 3 of those points.  However, will you disagree that a HUGE amount of ska fans are also NOFX fans due to the similar vein of music?  And while horns dont make ska, and while they do a few songs WITH horns, and a lot of their songs have a very ska-ish feel, among other genres that they've crossed into over the years.

I still feel its appropriate to list them.  And congrats on the B-Sides, I don't know anyone else who owns all their albums, you must be the only one.    I've never even heard of those rare "vinals" you have.  I do have some vinyl though.

Just old vinals, like PMRC and stuff..

They arnt ska, thats all im saying.
No, im not the only one, that has all the albums, in fact i know a few others that have all comercially released albums..

Your incorrect, they arnt ska, please stop calling them so..

[lcddream]

ska makes fundamental use of the "upbeat" kinda like reggae. sorry nofx is not ska. i wouldn't consider operation ivy ska either.

also just because in general someone who likes one kind of music also likes another similar kind of music does not make those two types of music categorically the same. but after all everything has its roots in elvis and jazz right?

[SOAPboy]

ska makes fundamental use of the "upbeat" kinda like reggae. sorry nofx is not ska. i wouldn't consider operation ivy ska either.

also just because in general someone who likes one kind of music also likes another similar kind of music does not make those two types of music categorically the same. but after all everything has its roots in elvis and jazz right?

Same with Rancid as well.. i hear people call them ska constantly, and there one of the furthest things from ska i can think of off hand..

[pointdablame]

ska makes fundamental use of the "upbeat" kinda like reggae. sorry nofx is not ska. i wouldn't consider operation ivy ska either.

also just because in general someone who likes one kind of music also likes another similar kind of music does not make those two types of music categorically the same. but after all everything has its roots in elvis and jazz right?

ugh... again, I understand and AGREE that they aren't ska, but I still feel they are a good recommendation  for ska fans as a very large number of ska fans will likely enjoy NOFX as well.  Also, where did I say they were categorically the same?  I didn't.  I only recommended them to someone wanting to listen to US Ska.  If you'll notice, a number of bands I listed are not 100% ska, or is no longer ska, or was always a mash of ska/punk/pop-punk/whatever.

The fact is, categorizing music in general leads to these stupid discussions.  Let's get into a Emo discussion.. is it even a seperate music genre? It sucks, it rules, its emo-rock, no its emo-core.. no post-emo, nerdcore, blah blah blah.  Perhaps its third wave ska horns with some post-hardcore breakdowns and emo lyrics?  Give me a break.. it just gets silly after a while.

NOFX is good, and a large number of ska fans WILL ENJOY THEM.  End of story... who cares if they are categorized as it or not.  NOFX is one of those bands that constantly starts these debates.. what are they?  You can find a ton of sites that say they ARE ska, and tons that say they AREN'T.  who cares.

And Soapboy, I think you missed my joke there.  I have all their albums as well, and a bit of vinyl as well.  Not a complete collection of everythnig though.  If only I had put "(not exactly ska, but good)" next to them, I could have avoided this silly argument

[HaRuMaN]

emo sucks   

[gnateye]

just to chime in, a local chicago favorite is 'skapone'. and i know they arent from the US, but if you dont listen to the skatalites then you are no ska fan, they invented ska, rocksteady and reggae in the 50s-60s in jamaica. their bass player was the 1st openly rastafarian musician in jamaica, which if you think about how many dreadlocked reggae band there are, is a huge deal. i've had the priveledge of seeing them perform about 5 times and actually got to go backstage and hang out with them the last time i saw them, which was right before 2 of the main guys passed away. talking to the drummer and bass player who were there playing bongos when haille sellassie came to jamaica, waiting for the rain to end so he would come out of the plane, they had the best stories, one of the best moments of my life (next to my son being born, my marriage and my 1st mame cabinet) truly truly ground breaking musicians, and you cant help but shake your booty when they play, its music that makes you dance!

and i guess while we are at it, a lot of early wailers is full on ska, there are a couple of really good compilations of jamaican ska out there if you look around...


respect

[SOAPboy]

emo sucks   

 

[sodapopinski]

Mad Bombers Society.

[notaburger]

here are my favs

streetlight manifesto
catch 22
less than jake
the toasters
the specials
let's go bowling
i voted for kodos
mu330
the planet smashers
against all authority
arrogant sons of bitches
big d and the kids table
bomb the music industry
the carnivorous veagans
the aquabats
mustard plug
struck lucky
long shot hero
weapons of brass destruction
capdown
and there's tons more
i recommend downloading soulseek and joining the ska group and just browsing what people have
then go from there
ska is far and away my music of choice
if you want some more suggestions, just message me
later

[grantspain]

thanks for the replies gents,i checked pretty much every band-already know  about rancid and bosstones(even in the u.k),quite like aquabats-lots of them seem to be skater type music which is bit too young for me-gonna have more of a listen but most of the bands are pretty good

[Setabs]

here are my favs

streetlight manifesto
catch 22
less than jake
the toasters
the specials
let's go bowling
i voted for kodos
mu330
the planet smashers
against all authority
arrogant sons of bitches
big d and the kids table
bomb the music industry
the carnivorous veagans
the aquabats
mustard plug
struck lucky
long shot hero
weapons of brass destruction
capdown
and there's tons more
i recommend downloading soulseek and joining the ska group and just browsing what people have
then go from there
ska is far and away my music of choice
if you want some more suggestions, just message me
later

Totally second MU330, Mustard Plug, Specials.

Try an find some of The Impossibles stuff they released one album on Asian Man but its been years since it first came out.  They also have a DVD out.

Try old Blue Meanies,  I have heard there new stuff isn't ska anymore.
Link 80 is also pretty good.

Anyone know any good punk bands around that sound like anything from the casualties to nofx?

[notaburger]

setabs added a couple more greats
if you're going for more of the "adult" (reggae) side of it all
the best out now are probably
mad caddies (lots of skater stuff too, but they have more of a rock edge on many songs)
the slackers (VERY reggae)
go jimmy go (dub band from hawaii)
let's go bowling (more reggae)
you can't go wrong with any of the bands mentioned here in this thread

btw
if you happen to like op ivy, i'd recommend looking into kid dynamite
they aren't ska, but they have that same feel
don't get too excited if you like them though cause they split a couple years back into none more black and the loved ones