Writing on the wall says that 2 Tone is having a bit of a revival happening with most of the major groups that made up the 2 Tone movement are now reformed in one way or another.  Madness has just put out a new record and a live DVD, with another new album already in the works; Bad Manners technically never broke up; The English Beat visits St. Louis on the reg.  There’s even multiple versions of 2 of 2 Tones biggest groups-  Neol Davies and Pauline Black each have their own version of A Selecter reunion touring the UK, and the newly reformed members of The Specials have their own competition from Jerry Dammers’ anti-reunion spectacle, The Spatial AKA Orchestra.  Plus, for the past few years now, everyone from new hip-hop groups to pop divas in the UK have been paying a nod to the 2 Tone sound via samples, mashups, covers and overall meta reference.

So this was the jumping off point for last night’s episode, The Legacy of 2 Tone.  If you missed the show, you can catch the archived stream of the whole sh-bang over at KDHX.org

King Hammond “The Loop” from The King And I on N.1. Records New

The Valkyrians “Rankin’ Fullstop” from High And Mighty on Pork Pie

The English Beat “Big Shot” from I Just Can’t Stop It on Go Feet

The Selecter “Return of The Selecter” from Promo on Self New – [Here's this brand new tune in a live vid fashion]

The Selecter “Missing words” from Unplugged For The Rude Boy Generation on Mapps Cafe Records/Ka – [Check out this great interview with Pauline]

Loafers “Too Late Rudy” from The Collection on Cleopatra

Skankin’ Pickle “Special Brew” from Green Album on Dill/Asian Man

Arthur Kay & the Originals “Americans” from Live in Berlin on Step-1 – [Arthur Kay's been making ska for a lot longer that I realized!  Check out his story in his own words.]

The Amnesiacs “Top Yourself” from Forget To Remember on Go Wise Recordings New

Desorden Publico “Pueblo Fantasma (Ghost Town)” from Spare Shells- Modern Interpretations of Songs Performed by the Specials on Sound

Kid British “Sunny Days” from It Was This Or Football on Mercury UK New

Floyd Lloyd & The Potato 5 “Sally Brown” from Floyd Lloyd & The Potato 5 Meet Laurel Aitken on Grover Records

Ruder Than You “The Bodysnatchers” from The 2 Tone Collection – A Checkered Past on Chrysalis – [Rude Girls Wanted]

The New Town Kings “Fire In The Hole” from Sound Of The New Town on Do The Dog

Walt Jabsco “The Liquidizer (single version)” from Walt At The Controls Featuring Andy Keys Clark on Walt Jabsco Recordings

Pama International “Question The Answer” from Pama Outernational on Rockers Revolt New

Judge Dread “Rudy (A Message To You)” from The Legendary Judge Dread Vol. 1 (King Of Rudeness) on Recall Records UK

Amy Winehouse “Hey, Little Rich Girl” from The Ska E.P. on 2 Soul Records

SWAGGA “Rude Boys” from SWAGGA Promo on self New

Mark Foggo “Bang Me Head” from Mad on V2 New

Cartoon Violence “Vauxhall Nova” from Whatever Happened To The Likely Lad? on Do The Dog

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists “I’m Looking Through You (The Beatles)” from The Ted Leo & The Pharmacists Covers Archive on Unreleased – [You can find this and tons else Ted Leo covers here.]

Smoke Like A Fish “Bankrobber” from Here’s One We Made Earlier on Do The Dog

Clash, The “The Guns Of Brixton (Live) [13 Jun 81, NYC]” from From Here To Eternity Live on Epic

The Dead 60′s “Black Sessions – 08 riot radio” from Black Sessions – Live on France Inter

Rancid “Old Friend” from …And Out Come The Wolves on Epitaph

Madness “3 Dust Devil” from The Liberty Of Norton Folgate on Lucky Seven Records New

King Hammond “Mr Easy Talk” from The King And I on N.1. Records New

The Swinging Cats “Manitovi” from The 2 Tone Collection – A Checkered Past on Chrysalis

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Well kids, it was a long night, last night.  Not only did I host my usual 2 hours of Ska’s The Limit, but I also sat in for an hour of KDHX’s crucial reggae show, Positive Vibrations.  What a difference an extra hour makes, I was dead tired by the end of my third hour.  That and today is busy busy busy, so I won’t be scraping the net for every link I can find.  Isn’t it enough to just give the show a listen, anyway?

Swing on by KDHX.org for the full stream, and leave it running to catch Positive Vibes, right after Ska’s the Limit.

Debonaires “Armageddon” from “Groovin’ After Sundown” on Rivercidal Syndicate
Courtney John “Love Is” from “Love Is Promo Single” on Unreleased
The Forthrights “Other People” from “2010.07.22 @ Beat Kitchen, Chicago” on Live Recording
Vic Ruggiero “A Sunday Malady” from “2010.07.22 @ Beat Kitchen, Chicago” on Live Recording

Vic Ruggiero “Jump / The Tide Is High” from “2010.07.22 @ Beat Kitchen, Chicago” on Live Recording
Chris Murray “The Real Ska” from “2010.07.22 @ Beat Kitchen, Chicago” on Live Recording
Pannonia Allstars Ska Orchestra “Do The Rocka Style” from “Feel The Riddim!” on Megalith Records
Dub Pistols “Problem Is.” from “Six Million Ways to Live” on Defend Music Inc.
Victor Rice “Dry Beat NYC” from “In America” on Megalith Records
Pama International “I Love You Too Much to Ever Stop Lying” from “Pama International” on Rockers Revolt
Crazy Baldhead “Funky Drummer Featuring Billy Ital” from “The Sound Of ’69″ on self
The Streets “Push Things Forward (clean)” from “Original Pirate Material” on Vice/Atlantic
Da Whole Thing “Foist Woild” from “Tooth” on Whatevski
Skankin’ Pickle “Fights” from “Live” on Asian Man
Ska Cubano “Lupita” from “Mambo Ska” on Casin
Hall and Mushtaq “A Tale Of Woe” from “Hour of Two Lights” on Astralwerks
David Hillyard & The Rocksteady Seven “Change Of Plans” from “Get Back Up!” on Ska In The World/Jump Up
The Good, The Bad & The Queen “Three Changes” from “The Good, The Bad & The Queen” on Virgin
Jacob Miller “Tenement Yard” from “Trojan Ras Reggae Box Set” on Trojan
Kid British “Drive Through” from “It Was This Or Football” on Mercury UK
Mark Foggo “Cybergirl” from “Mad” on V2
Catwalk “If You Stay” from “Demo” on Maninalto!
Pick’N'Mixed “Twisted Ska” from “Misc.” on SixtyDegreesNorth Records

Mephiskapheles “Plan B” from “Maximum Perversion” on Moon Ska
Royal Roost “Matt’s Tune” from “Royal Family Blues” on Megalith Records
The Pietasters “G To F” from “All Day” on INDICATION RECORDS
The Slackers “Information Error” from “Wasted Days” on Hellcat

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Thanks for stopping by for another Ska’s The Limit episode overview.  Last night’s episode was eclectic to your face!  So eclectic, it might have been to the detriment of the episode itself.  Sometimes a nice strong theme is what’s needed to carry the episode across a two hour span.  I don’t know, maybe you’ll still enjoy it, but I felt like I was all over the place.

Give it a listen over at the newly revamped, KDHX.org

Bob Andy “Games People Play” from Trojan Jamaican Hits on Trojan

Skull-a-Ball “Willie’s Work Song” from Demo on white – [Get you a copy of these rare demos from this Mephiskapheles offspring project]

Set break

No. 1 Station “Air Strip One” from Boss Beat on Rockers Revolt

Skinnerbox “Nex Finga” from Moonshot! on Moon Ska

Set break

The Ratazanas “Grandma DJ” from Ouh La La on Grover

Steve Kitchen “Station ID” from NA on NA – [Great Ska/Punk/Skate/Rock/Hip/Mod/Graffiti Graphic Design]

The Upsessions “Ready For The Beat” from Beat You Reggae on Grover

Set break

The Specials “Why?” from The Singles on Shanachie

Operation Ivy “Unity” from Energy on Lookout!

Dirty Revolution “I Love Reggae” from Before The Fire on Dirty World Records

Set break

Taj Mahal “Johnny Too Bad” from World Music on Sony

The Dead 60′s “Red Light” from The Dead 60′s on Sony

Set break

Skavoovie & The Epitones “Nut Monkey” from Fat Footin’ on Moon Ska

Less Than Jake “Johnny Quest (Thinks We’re Sellouts)” from Losing Streak on Hollywood

The Bullets “Realies” from Sweet Misery on Jump Up

Hepcat “Daydreamin’” from Push and Shove on Hellcat

Set break

Scrapy “Jenny Soho” from The Smart Sensation on Grover

Madness “Bed And Breakfast Man” from Madstock! on Live Recording

On Your Marx “Knock’er Loose” from EP on self

Set break

The Aggrolites “Love Isn’t Love” from The Aggrolites on Hellcat

Ngobo Ngobo “Spaceflight 505” from Rude Fruit on Grover

Vic Ruggiero “Station ID” from NA on NA

The Nods “You Don’t Know I…” from Before There Were Slackers There Were The Nods on Special Potato

Set break

The Offs “Johnny Too Bad” from The Offs 7″ on white

Subb “Reggae Radio” from To This Beat on Stomp – [Learn about Subb, maybe you like them]

Set break

My Superhero “Long Gone” from Solid State 14 on Risk

Mephiskapheles “Dans Me Not” from Demo on self

MU 330 “Got Caught” from Chumps On Parade on Asian Man

Murder City Players “Police Woman” from Live at KDHX on KDHX

Set break

Goldfinger “This Lonely Place” from Hang-Ups on Mojo

The Scam “What Goes Around” from The Scam on self – [The told me that track 3 was "ska as fuck."  I'm inclined to agree.]

The Toasters “Recrimination” from Ska-Boom! on Moon Ska

Maddie Ruthless “Station ID” from NA on NA

Maddie Ruthless and The Secret Affair “Heat Fever” from Promo Single on Community Records

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