What can I say?  There was a Ska show, las night.  Nothing special, just a whole lotta tunes…

If you missed it live, you can catch the archived stream from KDHX.org for the next two weeks.  Thanks for listening!

Unsteady – Martha – Tightrope – Immune Records

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Monkey Shop – Can’t Stand It – Common Sense Common Ground – Grover

Dirty Revolution – Failure To Communicate – It’s Gonna Get Dirty – Do The Dog

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Violent Femmes – Please Do Not Go – Violent Femmes – Slash Records

The Federals – In This World – You Better Call On Me single – Camel

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Prince Buster and The Skatalites – King of Kings – Ska Island – Island

Gregory “Rocksteady” Kraj – Rudies All Around – Rudies All Around – A1 Records.net

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

The Selecter – Danger – BBC Sessions – Live at The Paris Theatre ’79 – BBC

Bim Skala Bim – Wise Up – Live At The Paradise – Bib

King Django – Avenue A – Avenue A 10″ – Stubborn

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Julian Lennon – Too Late For Goodbyes – Let Me Be/Too Late For Goodbyes – Atlantic Records

Victor Rice – Parabens – In America – Grover – [Here's a conversation I had with Mr. Rice a few years ago]

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

The Skalars – This Is It – Change Up – Moon Ska

The Skatalites – Little Irene – On The Right Track – Aim Records

Hepcat – Gimme A Little Sign – Push n Shove – Hellcat

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Babylon Party Machine – Body Upsettin’ – Riddim and Flow – Self – [Get yourself a copy of this scorching ska/reggae mashup record, for free!]

Rancid w/The Stubborn All-Stars – I Wanna Riot – B-Sides Collection – Self/Online/Sony Japan

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Jackie Mittoo – Ghetto Organ – Macka Fat – Studio 1

Kofi – Long Shot Kick The Bucket – Wishing Well – RAS

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

The Toasters – Weekend In LA – Ska-Boom! – Moon Ska

The Smiths – Frankly, Mr. Shankly – The Queen Is Dead – Warner Bros

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Goldfinger – I Need To Know – Hang Ups – MOJO

Aquabats – Pizza Day – Myths, Legends and Other Amazing Adventures, Vol. 2 – Fearless Records

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Viking’s Remedy – Over and Over – Rain Is Coming – Patate

Shenly Duffus – I’m a Lonely Boy – King Edwards – What a Skandal – King Edwards

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Regina Spektor – The Calculation – Far – Warner Bros

Ian Dury – Dance Little Rude Boy – Reasons To Be Cheerful – Music Deluxe

Key: Artist – Title – Album – +=Request *=New
[Notes]

Share

Looking back over last night’s playlist, I’m noticing that the show was surprisingly light on the Ska.   There was an extra emphasis on mento/calypso and 80′s ska, but it looks like reggae covers dominated the set.   I’ve never been silent about my love for Mento Music (Jamaica’s answer to Calypso and the forerunner to Ska and Reggae), but I was impressed by the amount of phone calls I got in support of such an old school sound.   St. Louis, I wish you would have told me about your love of Calypso sooner.

If you missed the show, you can stream the archive from KDHX.org for the next two weeks.

Willie Williams – Armageddon Time – 100% Dynamite – Soul Jazz

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

The Slackers – New Years Day – Holiday Show 2009 – Whatevski – [The Slackers have now covered U2, this must be the end of days]

Hepcat – Country Time – Scientific – BYO

Small Island Pride – Federation – Calypso Awakening – Smithsonian Folkways – [Small Island Pride is probably my favorite non-Jamaican Calypsonian, here's a passage from the book, The Caribbean Integration Process, that describes the subtle meaning of this very song.]

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Alton Ellis – Can’t Get Used To Losing You – I’m Still In Love – Heartbeat – [You're probably more familiar with The Beat's version of this song]

Ngobo Ngobo – Blank Expression – Daily Talk – Grover

Dr. Ring-Ding – My Sound – Ram Di Dance – Moon Ska – [Here's one of those YouTubes that's not much to look at]

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Boothill Foot Tappers – There’s Melody To Our Madness – Love and Affection Single – White – [Oops!  I picked out the non-ska song to play - nothing wrong with a little bluegrass on the ska show, right?  Right?]

Max Headroom & The Car “Parks” – Rhythm & Blue Beat – Don’t Panic 7″ – White – [This Max Headroom predates the more popular one by at least 5 years.]

Beat Brigade – Armageddon Beat – NY Beat! Hit and Run – Moon Ska – [Not only should you click here to learn more about The First US Ska Comp, you can also get your hands on it!]

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

The Selecter – Missing Words (acoustic) – Unplugged for The Rude Boy Generation – Mapps Cafe Records/Ka

David Hillyard and The Rocksteady Seven – Change of Plans – Get Back Up! – Whatevski – [Brand new DHR7 is available for digi download on Whatevski]

Prince Buster – Beggers Are No Choosers – I Feel The Spirit – Fab

Mary Wells & The Steadies – My Guy – Motown Flies Jamaica Vol 2 – Jamaican Airlines – [New Zealand's version of Ska's The Limit, Go Feet Radio did an episode dedicated to JA and Motown sounds]

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Toots and The Maytals – Louie Louie – This Is England OST – Commercial Marketing

The Meters – Mardi Gras Mambo – Fire On The Bayou – Sundazed Music Inc.

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Prince Buster – Day-O – Ska Lip Soul – Blue Beat – [Learn more about this song's long history]

Lord Lebby – Mama Don’t Want No Peas No Rice – Calypsos From Jamaica – Valmark – [My favorite source for info on Mento Music has an entire page dedicated to Lord Lebby]

Val Bennet – Cut Munno – Ska Lip Soul – Blue Beat – [MentoMusic.com also has a little info on this Prince Buster LP that collected Calypso and Ska on one album]

The Wigglers – Linsted Market/Day-O – Calypsos From Jamaica – Valmark

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Mealticket – Super Positive – 13 Apologies – In the Mix

The Skatalites – Ball Of Fire – Ska Authentic – Musicrama/Koch

Fun Boy Three – Our Lips Are Sealed – 3 Mixes Us 12″ – Chrysalis – [Terry Hall got silly looking in the 80's]

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Desmond Dekker – Music Like Dirt – Best Of Desmond Dekker – Trojan

The Clash – Hateful – London Calling – Sony

Da Whole Thing – Banker – Tooth – Internet Release

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

One Groovy Coconut – New Wave Crashing – More Like This Than That – Ska Satellite

Pressure Cooker – Originators – Commited – Pressure Cooker

New York Citizens – Rude Girls – The Truth About The NY Citizens – Moon Ska

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Smiley Culture – Cockney Translation – The Fashion Records Story – Ras

Twizzle  and The Hot Rod All-Stars – The Graduate – 7″ Single – Torpedo Records

Vic Ruggiero – Takin Care Of Business – Something In My Blindspot – Moanin’

Key:  Artist – Title – Album -   +=Request *=New
[Notes]

Share

Yes, it was a busy week- yes, I was lazy in my selection- yes, I was very sleepy with a sore belly-  but I make no apologies for last night’s show.  I played a bunch of “Commandments” style tunes, adding up to 39 commandments, all together. And just to fill in the gaps, I threw in a bunch of contemporary heavy-ska-hitters like Westbound Train, The Slackers, Pressure Cooker and The Aggrolites.

Speaking of The Aggrolites- how great was their show in STL?  I know that there weren’t a ton of people at the show, but those that were there were true Aggro fans- it was the best show I’ve been to in ages.

So here’s the playlist for last night’s Ska’s The Limit.  Be sure to click the links for lots of great videos and music.  As always, you can listen to archived episodes at KDHX.org

Thanks for listening!

Matt Wixson – Ska’s The Limit Theme

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Westbound Train feat Alex Desert – Soul Revival – Transitions – Hellcat – [ever wonder why Hepcat went away for so long?]

Delroy Wilson – Gonna Make It – Original Eighteen – Heartbeat – [last night I told you that this was a new retrospective of the man, but it turns out to be a re-release of the retrospective, learn more here]

Presure Cooker – Mr. Precious – Future’s History – Pressure Cooker – [Ska Music's best kept secret, Pressure Cooker]

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

The Black Seeds – One By One – Into The Dojo – Remote Control

Chris Murray – Rock Steady – Roots, Branch and Stem – Stubborn Records – [hi quality live vid of Chris Murray performing Rock Steady]

Bedouin Soundclash – When The Night Feels My Song – Sounding A Mosaic – Side One Dummy – [you don't love Bedouin Soundclash enough]

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Prince Buster – Ten Commandments of Man – Single – Blue Beat – [listen to this classic track straight from the vinyl]

National Lampoon – Which Of The Ten Commandments Am I Breaking? – The Best of National Lampoon – Rhino

Little Norma – Ten Commandments of Woman – Single – Dice – [don't listen to Buster without listening to Norma's response]

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Culver City Dub Collective – No More My Love – Dos – Everloving – [here's a great mellow, groovy video from CCDC]

Man Man – Banana Ghost – Six Demon Bag – Ace Fu Records

The Aggrolites – Ghost Town – Endles Bummer OST – Blackheart Records Group

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Magic Lord and The Mighty Drakkars – 5 Commandments – New Day Return From The Moon – Drakkar Records – [get to know The Mighty Drakkars]

The Expos – Fire – Blackwater – SELF – [get friendly with The Expos]

One Groovy Coconut – The Come Along Driving Song – More Like This Than That – Ska Satellite

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

The Kingpins – 10 Commanments of Ska – Watch Your Back – Stomp Records

The Slackers – No More Crying (Ska) – Minha Menina/No More Crying (Ska) – Music With Soul

The Ratazanas – WC Groove – Ouh La La – Grover – [you are crazy about The Ratazanas, and so am I]

The Pepper Pots feat Dr. Ring-Ding – Stay On Your Way – Shake It! – Megalith – [here's the Pepper Pots live from SXSW]

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Westbound Train – Come and Get It – Come and Get It – Hellcat – [Westbound performing at Warped Tour in KC]

The Aggrolites – Don’t Let Me Down – Live Recording – Live Recording

The Slackers feat Doreen Schaffer – The Party – The Slackers and Friends – Jdc Records

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Roland Alphonso – Bongo Tango – Ska Bonanza – Heartbeat

Green Room Rockers – Northbound Train – Hoosier Homegrown – Oi The Boat – [GRR doing Northbound on cable access]

King Django – As Tears Go By – Avenue A 10″ – Stubborn – [King Django is recording in the ska style once again, everybody wins]

——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

Culver City Dub Collective – Houdini (Cool G Murder Remix) – Dos – Everloving – [why does CCDC groove so well?]

Dub Is A Weapon – Fever – Jump Up’s Carribean Sundow – Jump Up! – [Lee Perry loves to play with Dub Is A Weapon, here they be live from SXSW '07]

Key:  Artist – Title – Album -   +=Request *=New

[Notes]

Share