In Defense of Ska

Well, folks, this is it. You’ve made it to the end of the In Defense of Ska podcast. Nobody can say it wasn't a great four-and-a-half-year run of interviews, discussions, laughs, and hard-hitting ska journalism. Hosts Aaron Carnes and Adam Davis certainly had a blast, so join them as they celebrate the end of the series with special guest Mike Park. Listen now.

Will there ever be more episodes of In Defense of Ska? It could happen, say Carnes and Davis. Though, for now, there’s not a soul on this planet that knows what the future holds. Don't cry 'cause it's over -- skank 'cause it happened.

In the meantime, Carnes is working on a new book, a novel called Little Black Book of Death, as well as a few other super cool projects. Make sure to follow him on Substack for updates and insights into his creative process. He'll also make sure to make frequent updates on all of his and Davis' upcoming projects on the In Defense of Ska Patreon.

Meanwhile, Davis is going to be working his ass off on more Omnigone goodness. Fans can rest easy knowing new records and tour dates are on the way. Follow the band on social media for updates.

At last, In Defense of Ska leaves you by saying, “Ska Now More Than Ever.”

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Are Fishbone the greatest band of all time? Perhaps. But no matter how great any single person thinks the group is, it’s a fact that Fishbone is a super important, very original band. And they still matter in the year 2025. To discuss this point, we bring on a Fishbone superfan, comedian W. Kamau Bell!

W. Kamau Bell has been a hardcore Fishbone fan since the early ’90s. And he remains a fan to this day. He was also a fan when the band was less popular. He has a lot to say about their entire catalog. 

This is the Fishbone conversation you’ve always wanted to hear

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Comedian Felipe Esparza may have won Last Comic Standing in 2010 and is currently touring theaters. But probably the most important thing to know about him is that he loves ska. We’re talking Madness, The Skatalites, Los Skarnales, Toots and the Maytals and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. 

We talk about all these bands with Felipe. But the group we spend the longest time on is Voodoo Glow Skulls. Felipe is friends with the group; he uses a recording of their song “Fat Randy” for his podcast theme, and he has some lore with the band. We’re talking an unaired episode of his podcast with the group, a TV show with Voodoo as the house band that never got picked up. And, Felipe’s opener, Rodrigo Torres, grew up with the Voodoo guys—he even worked at their record shop, Cheap Guy Records, for five years! 

So yes, this is a funny episode with a hilarious comedian. But you may actually learn a few things about Voodoo Glow Skulls after you listen to this one. 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

There were a lot of ska-punk bands in the ’90s. Perhaps, none were more out there than Northern CA’s Janitors Against Apartheid: A wild group that played hyper-fast ska and had a singer who sang about Punky Brewster and Little Caesar’s in a demented Kermit the Frog voice. And the stage show was completely unhinged. Usually, stuffed animals were getting destroyed. 

This week, we talk to the sax player (And later lead vocalist) Lodge Worster. We get insight into the band’s history, their transformation to The Adjustments, and we also discuss the punk TV script that Lodge is working on with our own Aaron Carnes. Hey! 

Plus, we find out that Lodge works as a music editor on TV and film projects. So, we learn which ska songs he had a hand in editing into your favorite shows. 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

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They said it couldn’t be done, but In Defense of Ska laughs in the face of such faithlessness. It's with great pride and honor that the crew unveils this week's episode -- a lengthy discussion and breakdown of the infamous mozzarella stick ska meme that has come to define the genre's culture across the internet. Listen now.

Join the In Defense of Ska investigation team as they dive into the meme's history, its impact on ska, and its incredibly polarizing nature. Ultimately, they try to answer the grand, existential question of if the gag has been a net positive or net negative for the genre.

Along the way, this journalistic masterpiece features interviews with folks like comedians Dave Thomason, Matt Lieb, and Jaime Loftus, as well as 'Ska Defender Numero Uno' Brent Friedman. Plus, the gang gets a little insight into the meme courtesy of its original creator.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Eras of ska are, in part, defined by the ska labels. This week on In Defense of Ska, the crew chats with the head of one of those labels helping make the modern age of the genre -- Chris Reeves, owner/operator of Ska Punk International. Listen now.

With Reeves' business and artistic insight, In Defense of Ska explores the bands that helped the label carve out its ethos, as well as its continuing legacy. Then, hear all about the behind-the-scenes craziness that it takes to keep a ska label skanking away.

Reeves also serves as the editor of In Defense of Ska. Though, while it makes for a casual and comfortable vibe, the gang doesn't linger on his excellent editing skills this go around. This is a 100% Ska Punk International conversation -- so strap in.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

New Orleans had a surprisingly big ska scene in the late 2000s. This caught the attention of In Defense of Ska host Aaron Carnes after he wrote the first edition of his book on the genre (also called In Defense of Ska). Today on the podcast, Carnes recaps and re-airs a recent panel he hosted in New Orleans about the era, touching on the bands o the time, the impact of Katrina, and more. Listen now.

Carnes had previously caught up with the New Orleans band Bad Operation, speaking with them extensively about the city's music. Those conversations resulted in a large added section in the second edition of the In Defense of Ska book. Now, Carnes jumps back into the topic at the Hey! Café, leading a conversation that features guests like Greg and D-Ray, Brian Funck of Thou, Travis of Tha Supaflies, Kirah of the Big Top, Hunter from Fatter Than Albert, and more.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

In England, two-tone ska was absolutely huge -- but only for a brief time. By the early ’80s, the country had moved on to other sounds in pop music, and most of the two-tone bands broke up or moved on to play non-ska tunes. But in this vacuum, a band called Potato 5 formed. This week on In Defense of Ska, the band's four original members jump on the horn to chat about the unlikely story of Potato 5. Listen now.

Potato 5 wasn't exactly a two-tone band, per se. They were, however, directly and profoundly influenced by The Skatalites. During their original run (which ended in 1989), they had three different lead singers: Floyd Lloyd, Spider Johnson, and the legendary “godfather of ska” himself, Laurel Aitken. Plus, they worked with Mad Professor early in their career. The gang gets into all of this and more!

Additionally, the In Defense of Ska crew and Potato 5 use the band's story as a means to explore the burgeoning reinvention of traditional ska that would eventually blossom in the years following their initial disbandment.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

This week on In Defense of Ska, the gang travels to the ska-loving country of Japan to interview the amazing ska-punk group Hey Smith. Listen to the band's singer and primary songwriter Shu and trombonist Ume (also of Kill Lincoln) chat about the band's growth, music, and more now.

The In Defense of Ska crew, Shu, and Ume discuss everything from the band's origins to their most recent accomplishments, like signing to a major label and touring in the United States. Plus, Shu and Ume talk about how they wrote ska-punk jams for more than one popular anime series, while the podcast hosts try to (unsuccessfully) sneak in a question or two about Kill Lincoln.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

This week on In Defense of Ska, host Adam Davis takes the spotlight to detail his time touring with his ska band Omnigone. The act hit the road back in March, and along the way he interviewed a whole bunch of interesting and notable characters, all in the name of seeing what life is like when you're on the road playing ska music. Listen now.

Having returned from the Omnigone tour, Davis tells road stories and explores how touring in a ska band in 2025 differs from doing the same in the heyday of the '90s. He also shares interviews with folks from The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Big D and the Kids Table, Suicide Machines, Jeff Rosenstock, JER, and many more.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

There’s a piece of Gilman (the legendary underground venue) lore that involves a huge fight between punks and nazis in the late '80s. Thankfully and expectedly, the punks kicked the nazis' butts. So much so, in fact, that the latter never showed their faces at Gilman again. Such is the tale now used as inspiration for the new film Freaky Tales, which features the likes of Pedro Pascal and Tom Hanks. On this episode of In Defense of Ska, listen to directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, as well as others with relation to the real-world event, chat about punchin' nazis.

Then, the crew chats with Turn It Around director Corbett Redford for yet another perspective, as well as three Gilman punks that were there when it originally went down: Kamala Lyn Parks, George Hated, and MDC singer Dave Dictor.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

At the moment, Dubioza Kolektiv are one of the biggest ska bands in Europe. The Bosnia-based group melds ska, reggae, hip-hop, and alt-rock, fusing it all with traditional Balkan elements. This week on In Defense of Ska, the band joins the podcast to talk about their sound, their story, Eurovision, and more. Listen now.

Dubioza Kolektiv chat about the time they almost made it on Eurovision, what it was like to grow up during the Bosnian War (and how they would sneak off to shows), and meeting Bill Gould of Faith No More. Elsewhere, they discuss the distinctly Balkan approach they take when it comes to their art and career. The In Defense of Ska crew also learn that the band has only been to the United States once -- something that must be rectified for the sake of American ska fans!

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

Let In Defense of Skaintroduce you to The Chains, a new ska band out hailing from Denmark. Their sound leans heavily into traditional ska, rock steady, and boss reggae, and they put out a killer album last year, Crying on the Dancefloor. This week on the podcast, the band joins the crew to chat about the ska scene in Denmark, their new music, and more. Listen now.

Ahead of their set at this year's Supernova International Ska Festival, The Chains talk through their formation and the journey to recording Crying on the Dancefloor. Along the way, they share various ska-related opinions, touch on their local scene, and share some interesting recording techniques. Plus, hear about the band's connection to RX Bandit and Link 80 member Steve Borth.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

Donating for LA fires:

California Fire Foundation

Pasadena Humane

Mutual Aid LA

Support The Music Community - Fire Loss + Resource Tab

This week on In Defense of Ska, the crew asks a question that has been on everyone's mind: What the hell is crack rock steady? Along with author and fellow ska-enjoyer Jeff Burk, the crew discusses the subgenre in all of its glory. Listen now.

The gang tackles everything from crack rock steady's unique musical elements to its aesthetic to its lyrical approach. Along the way, they chat about the groups that helped forge the style, like Choking Victim and Leftover Crack. Don't worry, they also give some of the of the lesser-known but just as important acts their flowers too, like Public Serpents, No Cash, and Team Spider.

They also talk about the Stza problem, debate which of the bands Burk likes the most, and take a look at where the genre is now.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

Donating for LA fires:

California Fire Foundation

Pasadena Humane

Mutual Aid LA

Support The Music Community - Fire Loss + Resource Tab

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When people say they want ska music to come back, what they’re really saying is that they want ska music to once again be a part of the pop music world. If that were to happen, though, it likely wouldn’t sound anything like '90s ska-pop (Reel Big Fish, Save Ferris, Mighty Mighty Bosstones). Simply put, pop music has changed. So, what kind of ska would fit into the current landscape of pop? To answer that question, Catbite and producer Sarah Tudzin join In Defense of Ska to muse over ska's path back into the mainstream, as well as their new EP, Doom Garden. Listen now.

As it happens, Doom Garden works as a pretty fitting example of how ska might be able to fit into contemporary pop. It honors the traditions of the former, while summoning the joy of the latter. The In Defense of Ska crew loves it, and while they're not certain whether or not it'll reach a pop audience, they think it's definitely worth discussing.

Tudzin is also a former guest of the podcast, plays in the band Illuminati Hotties, and has handled production for big indie artists like Weyes Blood, Boygenius, and Speedy Ortiz. So, with her experience in mind, there's even more angles from which to view Doom Garden. Plus, the gang talks about Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy's feature on “Tired Of Talk,” how they nearly got rapper Tierra Whack on the record, and the influence of Ashlee Simpson and “Jingle Bell Rock."

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

Donating for LA fires:

California Fire Foundation

Pasadena Humane

Mutual Aid LA

Support The Music Community - Fire Loss + Resource Tab

Back in the mid '90s, ska was on the rise in the United States. Ready to ride the wave, a new band formed in San Jose, California, that specialized in ska-punk and pop-punk tunes, and they called themselves Smash Mouth. Of all the ska tunes on their debut album, Fush Yu Mang, though, it was the non-ska single "Walking on the Sun" that became the hit. The band hasn't played ska since... until now.

On this episode of In Defense of Ska, the crew chats with Smash Mouth bassist (and the sole remaining original member) Paul De Lisle about the band's new ska cover of The Beatle's "Love Me Do," the legacy of Smash Mouth, and more. Listen now.

Elsewhere in the episode, De Lisle goes deep on the band's origins, the recording of Fush Yu Mang, and the band's big break. Along the way, there's tons of great San Jose references, like Taco Bravo, Dot 3, Frontier Wives, Cactus Club, Laundry Works, and Monkey.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

Donating for LA fires:

California Fire Foundation

Pasadena Humane

Mutual Aid LA

Support The Music Community - Fire Loss + Resource Tab

For most of his life, the legendary Bob Marley was actually something of a cult artist. After his death in 1981, though, his popularity only grew and grew. Now, he stands as a bonafide icon. On this episode of In Defense of Ska, Bob Marley expert Roger Steffens joins the podcast to chat about where Marley's legacy stands in 2025. Listen now.

From his hugely popular posthumous album Legend to last year's biopic One Love, every year it seems like the reggae icon gains even more fans. Steffens -- who has penned several books on Marley, including the 2017 definitive oral history So Much Things to Say -- has some thoughts as to why.

The crew discusses One Love and analyzes several other key moments from the past 40 years that have elevated Marley’s place in culture. Steffens also leads the gang down several fascinating side journeys, like Marley’s relationship to U.S. soul artist Johnny Nash.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

CORRECTIONS: Roger listened to the episode and wanted to make a few corrections: "110,000 people came to Milan in '80, not one hundred ten million - but gee, imagine what a night that would have been - the earth would have tilted. Bob met Johnny Nash in 1968 not 1978, of course. At 82 I just have too damn many dates jangling my brain, trying to keep them straight." -Roger

Donating for LA fires:

California Fire Foundation

Pasadena Humane

Mutual Aid LA

Support The Music Community - Fire Loss + Resource Tab

Kayleigh “Kmoy” Malloy released The Precure Album in 2021. It’s a brilliant, ska concept album that could be described as “Laptop Ska.” That’s changed. Now Kmoy is a full band with guitars and drums. And it sounds incredible. But something else is happening in the world of Kmoy. The Precure Album is finally getting a vinyl release. You can pre-order it here!

This week we talk to Kayleigh (and Anj Capizzi, who did the art for the vinyl re-issue) about The Precure Album, Kmoy the Band and what it’s been like for Kayleigh since she’s transitioned. We also talk about the art book, the mix on the record, a few key songs on Precure, and we get to hear Kayleigh’s riveting Jeff Rosenstock story. 

Plus, we get the full story of Kmoy The Band’s cover of “Shed Some Skin” by Slow Gherkin. 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

Donating for LA fires:

California Fire Foundation

Pasadena Humane

Mutual Aid LA

Support The Music Community - Fire Loss + Resource Tab

At this point in their career, perhaps it’s unfair to call Los Fabulosos Cadillacs strictly a ska act. The band blends the genre with reggae, wider rock, and various Latin rhythms. However, when they started in the mid-’80s, they were certainly a ska band. Good enough for us! On this episode of In Defense of Ska, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs founder and saxophonist Sergio Rotman joins the podcast to chat about the band, politics, and art. Listen now.

Along with Rotman, the crew discusses how the oppressive politics of Argentina at the time of Los Fabulosos Cadillacs’ formation informed their music — and how they ultimately chose to fight back. They chat about the group’s early, very ska-heavy lyrics and explore the lingering effects of Argentina’s economic issues from that period.

Then, they touch on a funny little thing that happened in the ’90s — Los Fabulosos Cadillacs blowing up thanks to their killer song “Matador.” Along the way, they also chat about collaborating with salsa queen Celia Cruz, covering a Clash song, and the major influence of Madness.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

Donating for LA fires:

California Fire Foundation

Pasadena Humane

Mutual Aid LA

Support The Music Community - Fire Loss + Resource Tab

It's no secret that the In Defense of Ska crew loves them some Mike Park -- the musician, ska aficionado, and Asian Man Records founder. So, this week, the gang invites Park's best friend onto the show -- Chris Candy. Listen to Candy discuss Park, his own band Chotto Ghetto, Vans Warped Tour, and more.

Candy, the son of comedy legend John Candy, has a whole host of stories to share. Be it his hijinks playing in ska bands in his early days, his trips to Hawaii, his run-ins with figures like the legendary Stockton booker Middagh Goodwin, or directing music videos for Coldplay, the dude has certainly lived a life.

Elsewhere, the polymath also touches on photographer Hiro Tanaka, his acting experience, and (as promised) his close friendship with Mike Park.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

Donating for LA fires:

California Fire Foundation

Pasadena Humane

Mutual Aid LA

Support The Music Community - Fire Loss + Resource Tab

Read less

In 2008, when the “Jesus Is a Friend of Mine” video blew up on YouTube, it seemed almost too good to be true. An early '80s Christian ska video from public access television? Was this even real? The video is hilariously of its time, the lyrics are religious but also kind of silly, and the ska music at its core — incredibly — is actually good! On this episode of In Defense of Ska, the gang gets into the true story of the ska-tastic piece of internet history.

First off, the video is very much real. It was penned by Sonseed, a catholic band from New York that formed in the ’70s and broke up in the early ’80s. Shortly before breaking up, they appeared on a small television show in New York called The First Estate. Then, twenty-five years after the song was recorded, it unexpectedly went viral.

To tell the story of the video, the In Defense hosts talk to four people: Sal Polichetti (bassist of Sonseed and writer of the song), Paul Williams (leader of the British ska band The Skapones), Jamie Loftus (internet culture expert and host of 16 Minutes), and Doug Prinzivalli (owner of Dougsploitation, the site that introduced the web to the video in 2008).

So, sit back and listen to the story of the greatest viral video to ever graze the internet above, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

Donating for LA fires:

California Fire Foundation

Pasadena Humane

Mutual Aid LA

Support The Music Community - Fire Loss + Resource Tab

The past few years have felt like something of a modern renaissance for hardcore music. There's Soul Glo, Scowl, Sunami, and other bands whose names presumably start with the letter "S." On this episode of In Defense of Ska, the crew swaps out that "S" for a "Z" to chat with Braxton Marcellous, guitarist of Zulu. Listen now.

Marcellous chats about everything from his work with Zulu to the Southern California scene to, of course, ska music. As it turns out, the guitarist was in a ska band in high school and has attended his fair share of ska shows. From skanking to two-stepping!

The crew also dives into Braxton’s love for glam metal, his Van Halen and Sublime tattoos, and his initial reaction to hearing the band Choking Victim. Then, they touch on Zulu’s excellent recent album, A New Tomorrow, which has plenty of non-hardcore interludes.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

Donating for LA fires:

California Fire Foundation

Pasadena Humane

Mutual Aid LA

Support The Music Community - Fire Loss + Resource Tab

We need more ska supergroups! Mutiny and Rude Girl Revue are both amazing. But today we reveal that Joan Jett the Blackhearts drummer Michael McDermott is in the ska group The Kilograms, which formed in 2023, along with Mighty Mighty Bosstones bassist Joe Gittleman,THEESammy Kay, Craig Gorsline and J Duckworth. After a handful of releases, on April 4, they release their debut LP,Beliefs and Thieves. 

We had a delightful conversation with Michael about the Kilograms, Joan Jett and his string of ska and punk bands he’s drummed in since the ’90s: The Bouncing Souls, Murphy’s Law, Skinnerbox, Stubborn All Stars, Mephiskapheles, and apparently, he played percussion for The Slackers one time. 

Plus, we learn which stage one of the biggest shows McDermott ever played was: WWE SmackDown!

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

Donating for LA fires:

California Fire Foundation

Pasadena Humane

Mutual Aid LA

Support The Music Community - Fire Loss + Resource Tab

Ska and reggae are global genres, but the specific region in which a band originates undeniably influences their sound. Case in point, the wonderful world of British ska. To explore the minutia of the subgenera, this episode of In Defense of Ska welcomes Josh Waters Rudge, guitarist and vocalist of The Skints. Listen now.

The ska scene our friends across the pond cultivated take from such specific, niche influences that, as Rudge tells it, it could have only happened in England. Their take on reggae-ska comes from a unique blend of subcultures: early 2000s ska-punk, grime, garage, lovers rock, British dancehall, and more.

There's also talk of British pirate radio, the influence of Capdown, and the unknown number of instruments Skints band member Marcia Richards can play.

Listen to all of this and more above, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

Additionally, you can support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy the new expanded, 2nd edition of his book, In Defense of Ska. Co-host Adam Davis also has a band called Omnigone, whose latest record, Feral, was released last year.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

Donating for LA fires:

California Fire Foundation

Pasadena Humane

Mutual Aid LA

Support The Music Community - Fire Loss + Resource Tab

No question about it, The Beatles forever changed the face of music -- but that's a discussion for another day. This week on the In Defense of Ska, the crew instead wants to look at the iconic band's relationship with ska and Jamaican music. Listen to the hosts chat with Jorge Pezzimenti (of The Loving Paupers and formerly of The Pietasters) and Jay Nugent (of The Slackers) about The Beatles and ska.

As seen in both the work of the group and the members' respective solo efforts, The Beatles weren't strangers to Jamaican-style rhythms. The In Defense of Ska hosts, along with Pezzimenti and Nugent, run through the examples in the band's discography and attempt to answer the greatest question of our time -- can the ska community claim The Beatles?

Along the way, the gang also touches on Cod reggae, Fela Kuti, and Prince Buster. Nugent also attempts to argue that, in reality, The Beatles invented ska-punk -- a spicy hot take.

Listen to all of this and more above, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

Additionally, you can support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy the new expanded, 2nd edition of his book, In Defense of Ska. Co-host Adam Davis also has a band called Omnigone, whose latest record, Feral, was released last year.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

Donating for LA fires:

California Fire Foundation

Pasadena Humane

Mutual Aid LA

Support The Music Community - Fire Loss + Resource Tab

Welcome to Season 5 of In Defense of Ska! After a quick break for the holidays, hosts Aaron Carnes and Adam Davis are back for even more ska-tastic interviews, conversations, and analysis. To kick off the new season, the crew invites music critic Rob Harvilla (of the 60 Songs That Explain the ’90s podcast) to chat about '90s music, ska erasure, and the songs that defined the 2000s. Listen now.

As the host of 60 Songs That Explain the ’90s, Harvilla explored quite a few tunes that defined one of pop-culture's most beloved decades. And yet, despite re-upping to make the total number of songs discussed 120, there wasn't one proper ska song (not even, to the hosts dismay, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones' hit “The Impression That I Get!"). Well, In Defense of Ska wants answers.

In addition to Harvilla's thoughts on the project and the influence of ska, he reveals his history of playing bass in the ska band Skantily Plaid. He also touches on his latest venture, which takes a look at the songs that explain the 2000s.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

Donating for LA fires:

California Fire Foundation

Pasadena Humane

Mutual Aid LA

Support The Music Community - Fire Loss + Resource Tab

In Defense of Skais taking a few weeks off for the holidays. But don’t worry, we're re-running our favorite episodes from Season 1 to hold everyone over. This week, we’re revisiting an early episode that many of our listeners missed with Alex Begay about the Tuba City venue The Crack Shack. 

Back in the early 2000s, the Crack Shack was one of the wildest, coolest DIY venues. It was located in the Native Nations community, Tuba City in north Arizona. The venue was pretty much an abandoned building in the middle of nowhere. A bunch of bands played there including The Slackers, Link 80, Falling Sickness, and This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb. 

We wanted to re-run this episode because, earlier this year, we spoke with Jordan Steele of Lo-Cash Ninjas. He spoke about The Crack Shack briefly. So, we wanted our listeners to get the venue’s full story.

We’ll be back with a new episode next week. See you then! 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

Listen to the conversation, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

2024 is just about finished, so In Defense of Ska hopped on the mic and looked back at a year's worth episodes. This year, we talked to two members of 311, 1 member of Operation Ivy, did a full breakdown of Skachella, and a whole lot more. 

In order to properly discuss this year’s episodes of In Defense of Ska, we brought on THEE Mike Park and our editor, Chris Reeves. Mike is very opinionated this year. Did we have some bad episodes? Mike thinks so. Listen to find out which ones Mike didn’t think were that great. 

Plus Mike drops some TOO HOT FOR THE MAIN FEED content. You need to hear these exclusive stories! Sign up to the Patreon to give the full episode a listen! 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

Listen to the conversation, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

In Defense of Ska is still on break for the holidays, but don’t worry, there will still be an episode every Wednesday! We’re re-running our favorite episodes from Season 1, and this week we’re revisiting our all-time favorite episode: Tim Cappello.

"Who is Tim Cappello?," some of you may be asking. If you grew up in the ’80s, you probably saw him in the horror film The Lost Boys. He had a small part early in the film, playing sax and singing “I Still Believe” on an outdoor stage. It is one of the most iconic scenes in ’80s cinema. 

But Tim is a legit musician who has played with Tina Turner, Carly Simon, Peter Gabriel, and Billy Crystal. He also has the best stories! So join us this week and sit back and listen to Tim tell us his tales. You won’t regret a single moment. 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

Listen to the conversation, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

As you know, In Defense of Ska is taking a few weeks off for the holidays, but don’t worry, there will still be an episode every Wednesday! We’re re-running our favorite episodes from Season 1. This week, we’re re-running our first interview with Fall Out Boy frontman Patrick Stump. 

We first chatted with Stump back in 2021 and learned that he is a huge ska fan (and very knowledgeable about the genre, as well!) Since that interview, I interviewed Patrick for the expanded 2nd edition of In Defense of Ska, and we spoke to him a 2nd time on this podcast. 

But this episode is where it all began. Listen to our shock every time he namechecks an obscure ska band. You can also hear his cover of Reel Big Fish’s “Sell Out.” He recorded all the instruments and vocals. It’s an amazing rendition.

This episode is the perfect way to entertain yourself while your hiding from your family this holiday season! 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

Listen to the conversation, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

In Defense of Skais taking a few weeks off for the holidays, but don’t worry, there still will be an episode every Wednesday! We’re re-running our favorite episodes from Season 1, and to start things off, we’re re-running our interview with Hepcat. 

Hepcat was one of the first US ska bands to take heavy influence from ’60s trad-ska. For this episode, which dropped back in 2021, we brought on drummer Greg Narvas and lead singer Greg Lee. They talked primarily about their experiences growing up in LA in the ’80s and the long journey to discovering the original style of ska. 

We tragically lost Greg Lee earlier this year. So, this episode is dedicated to his memory and everything he contributed to ska, this vibrant subculture, and all the smiles he brought to people’s faces. 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

Listen to the conversation, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Power-pop/new wave group BLAMMOS may not seem like a band that would be associated with ska on the surface, but the members actually site the genre as an important aspect of their identity. This week on In Defense of Ska, the podcast welcomes BLAMMOS' Arthur Leon Adams III and Jimmy Boom to talk about the band's newest album, Sometimes I Wish You Were Dead, their history with ska music, and more.

Sometimes I Wish You Were Dead dropped on December 6th, and BLAMMOS have quite a bit to say about it. Specifically, Adams and Boom talk about why the album took over a decade and a half to make. Furthermore, the two also discuss BLAMMOS' history and how the band came to be. Along the way, they tell stories of their antics featuring folks like Vic Ruggiero and GNARBOOTS.

In addition to BLAMMOS, Adams and Boom also have a history of playing with the new wave band The Phenomenauts. As they touch on the latter, the pair talks about how the band accidentally fell into the ska scene. That conversation includes talk of the multiple ska bands that Jimmy used to play with, such as Red Session and Kongo Shock. The two also go deep on their opinions of ska-style drumming.

Listen to the conversation, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Hey Ya'll,

Aaron is midway through his book tour for the expanded 2nd edition ofIn Defense of Ska.As he prepares for the next leg, he wanted to share a recording of his recent Portland event, which was at Rose City Book Pub, hosted by the one and only Jeff Burk. If you’d like to listen to the entire episode, sign up to the IDOSPatreon. 

If you want to catch Aaron on one of his upcoming dates on the 2nd half of my tour, they are listed here: 

Dec 5: Barnes & Noble in Philadelphia w/ Sadie Dupuis and Jim McGuinn (6p)

Dec 6: Broken Goblet Brewing in Bensalem, PA with Marc Wasserman and Hub City Stompers (7p)

Dec 7: Scottish Dave’s Pub in Clinton, CT w/ PWRUP & Kmoy The Band (7p)

Deb 8: St. Marks Comedy Club in New York City w/ Turner Sparks and Andrew Sacher of Brooklyn Vegan (3p)

Dec 14: Hey Cafe in New Orleans. New Orleans ska panel discussion

Dec 19: Art Boutiki in San Jose w/ Mat Weir. Part of Drink & Draw. Music by Reggaedelic

Make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

The Slits’ 1979 debut album Cut is considered to be one of the most important post-punk albums of all time thanks to its novel combination of reggae and punk. This week on In Defense of Ska, the podcast welcomes Siouxsie and the Banshees drummer Budgie, who also worked on Cut with The Slits, to talk about revolutionary record and more.

Budgie discusses the recording of Cut, detailing the design of his beats for the record. He also talks about his relationship to singer Ari Up and how she had a love for pop music, as well as the experience of working with producer Dennis Bovell.

Throughout the discussion, Budgie touches on his earliest drumming influences and his first few experiences working with ska-adjacent music, including how he learned to play reggae on the drums. He also talks about the two-tone Ska movement, which was popping up around the same time as Cut, and his feelings towards it. The gang then launches into a discussion about the best drummer of all time John Bonham, with Budgie sharing his thoughts about the legendary Led Zeppelin stickman.

Listen to the conversation, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Since the dawn of time, many have pondered an important question: What is the most ska film? There are many contenders, but one that is certainly in contention is Bandslam, a 2009 cult-comedy about a group of high school students who compete in a battle of the bands competition. This week on In Defense of Ska, Bandslam director Todd Graff and Charlie Saxton, who played Bug, talk about the movie's ska references, their appreciation for ska, and more.

Graff and Saxton talk about the trials and tribulations they experienced while working on Bandslam. From the casting process to charting out the plot to the music selection, the two bring us behind the scenes. The explanation also includes details about rebuilding the famous punk club CBGB, as well as the David Bowie cameo, which marked the his last film appearance before his passing in 2016.

The two then talk about their respective ska roots, touching on why the genre is so important to them. Plus, Saxton previews his newest movie, Art of a Hit, which includes an embarrassing story featuring Rick Johnson.

Listen to the conversation, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new

By the mid-2000s, the ska scene was unfortunately slowing down, making it a difficult time to start a new ska band. And yet, that certainly didn't stop Stuck Lucky from trying -- and succeeding! This week on In Defense of Ska, the podcast welcomes Stuck Lucky members Will Carter, Lee Doss, and Jonzee to talk about the mid-2000s ska scene, their new album Counting Curses, and more.

They also discuss touring with some of the similar bands in the area, which includes stories of performing at big events like Block Party in New Orleans and Ska Weekend in Knoxville, Texas. Speaking of concerts, the band also remembers some of the injuries they have sustained in the name of entertainment.

They also explain why they do not like their second album, The Light of Day, even though it is one of their most popular releases. Plus, the band discusses the fact that they have not done interviews before, and why they decide to make an exception for In Defense of Ska and their new album Counting Curses.

There’s lot of bonus content this week, including a story about a leg! If you’d like to listen to the entire interview, and get early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content every week, sign up to our Patreon! 

Listen to the conversation, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sure, the musicians themselves are important to a band, but when it comes to ska, a good hype man can make or break you. This week on In Defense of Ska, the podcast welcomes Kill Lincoln's hype man Drew Skibitsky to talk about what it takes to excel in such a role, his work with his other band Urban Crater, and more. Listen now.

Skibistky shares his thoughts on what it means to be a hype man, even if some people disagree with his views on the position. He also discusses how he got involved with Kill Lincoln, what's like to go on tour with the band, and how he has mastered the art of stage diving.

Along with being a hype man, Skibitsky also knows how to rock out in other ways. As proof, he goes into detail about playing in the band Urban Crater, as well as the many hats he wears behind the scenes.

Listen to the conversation, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

There’s also lot of bonus content with Drew this week. If you’d like to listen to the entire interview, and get early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content every week, sign up to our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

While Dance Hall Crashers' founding members Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman (both of Operation Ivy and Rancid) quickly left after the band's formation, the California ska act was still able to make a strong name for themselves thanks to their ear-grabbing debut album and their devoted cult following. This week on In Defense of Ska, the podcast welcomes Dance Hall Crashers' co-lead vocalist Karina Deniké to talk about the band's unexpected success, her recent work with NOFX, and more. Listen now.

Deniké wastes no time getting into detail about the band's rocky history, discussing their frequent line-up changes, multiple breakups, and accusations of selling out.

Along with talking about Dance Hall Crashers, Deniké discusses her personal music history. She touches on growing up in England before moving to California, exploring how different those two cultures were for her. In addition to discussing first meeting NOFX's Fat Mike, Deniké pays to tribute to the late Greg Lee and talks about what it was like to play his memorial show.

Listen to Karina Deniké's conversation about Dance Hall Crashers and NOFX above, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

Additionally, you can support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition is available now. Co-host Adam Davis also has a band called Omnigone, whose latest record, Feral, was released earlier this year. Enter to win a signed copy of In Defense of Ska the book and a Feral vinyl, plus other ska-tastic merch, here or using the widget below*. You can also preview the book with our exclusive excerpt about the Christian ska scene.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

This week on In Defense of Ska, the podcast gives the floor to host Aaron Carnes to chat about the newly released second edition of his book, In Defense of Ska: Ska Now More Than Ever Edition. Alongside co-host Adam Davis (Omnigone) and special guest host Tara Hahn of Half Past Two, Carnes dives into his history of the genre and more. Listen now.

IDOS the book began in 2013, and Carnes goes through the whole history of planning and writing the tome. He also gives insight into the Ska Now More Than Ever Edition, from the writing process to the content. (Speaking of the content, Consequence debuted a preview of the new chapters earlier this week, with an excerpt focusing on the rise and return of Christian ska band Five Iron Frenzy.) Elsewhere, Carnes talks about his work in fiction writing, as well, including his actual first book, a collection of short stories called True Stories from a Wasteland Called Earth.

So, listen to Aaron Carnes' conversation about ska and his new book, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

You can also enter to win a signed copy of IDOS:SNMTEE, Omnigone's new album Feral on vinyl, an In Defense of SkaT-shirt, and a collection of stickers here. Also make sure to check out Carnes' list of 20 Artists You Didn't Know Were in Ska Bands Before They Got Famous.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Supernova was a lot of fun this year. It included a “Ska-ducation” author tent where many talented ska authors got to host interesting discussions at the festival. For mine, I brought on members of Five Iron Frenzy (Reese Roper, Andrew Verdecchio) and Catbite (Tim Hildebrand, Ben Parry). We talked about all-things ska. I read a snippet from my book, we discussed Five Iron Frenzy’s rocky relationship to the Christian music industry and Catbite told us what it was like to come up after ska left the mainstream. And much more!

If you want to hear this entire conversation, sign up to the In Defense of Ska Patreon now!

Make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Most fans might not consider Fall Out Boy particularly ska-ish, but there's actually a strong connection between the band and the genre. This week on In Defense of Ska, the podcast welcomes back a fan-favorite guest, Fall Out Boy lead singer Patrick Stump, to chat more about his appreciation for ska, his favorite bands in the scene, and more. Listen now.

The FOB frontman also goes into detail about how different ska bands have inspired him and his work. He gushes over Fishbone, one of his favorite bands, and explains how he feels they are more complex than people realize. In addition, Stump discusses his love for Blue Meanies and how he was starstruck meeting their guitarist Sean Dolan.

Elsewhere, he explains the rest of the band's history with ska (such as originally being signed by a ska label) and goes into which Fall Out Boy songs he thinks are the most ska-leaning.

Listen to Patrick Stump conversation, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

While the late 2000s wasn't exactly a booming time for the genre of ska, the 2009 ska-injected song "The Gigantic Robot Kills" was able to leave its mark. This week on In Defense of Ska, the podcast welcomes nerdcore rapper MC Lars to talk about the story behind the song, his history with the genre, and more.

"The Gigantic Robot Kills" was the product of numerous musical collaborations. MC Lars talks about all of the folks that were involved in the construction of this song, from the featured artists Suburban Legends and MC Bat Commander to the demo that was originally created with Wheatus. He also touches on the involvement of Wesley Willis, as well as the unbelievable time he got to work on a song with "Weird" Al.

Music, particularly ska music, has been a large part of MC Lars' life for a long time. The rapper talks about the many artists that he has seen in concert that have inspired him, including Fall Out Boy and Less Than Jake. He even got to see co-host Adam Davis' old band Link 80 in concert when he was in high school.

Then, MC Lars lets some of his hot takes rip, including his thoughts on mainstream emo and whether Hot Topic could be considered punk rock.

Listen to MC Lars' conversation, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Earlier this year, while FIDLAR were on stage opening for Oliver Tree in Philadelphia, lead singer/guitarist Zac Carper told the crowd, “I think we are becoming a Ska band.” It’s an ongoing joke, but one rooted in a dash of truth. This week, we bring Zac on the show to understand just how much ska shaped his musicality. 

Zac comes from Hawaii, a state that loves ska and reggae. Zac tells us what it’s like to grow up around so much “Jawaiian” music. He says he even writes a lot of FIDLAR songs on the ukulele and generally starts out giving them a ska or reggae groove. We talk about his early punk years and learn which ska bands he got to see in Hawaii. 

We break down a few FIDLAR songs. One was inspired by Fishbone. Another by The Impossibles. Which songs, you ask? You’ll have to listen to find out. But in addition to all that, we talk at length about his Sublime tattoo. Both he and The Frights’ singer Mikey Carnevale have matching Sublime tattoos. 

We also talk about Jonah Ray, Dune Rats, and a weird hyperska song Zac collaborated on with Kamiyada+.

Listen to Zac Carper's conversation, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

With their debut album having just dropped on September 20th, The Calamatix are hoping to make a name for themselves in the contemporary ska scene. This week on In Defense of Ska, the podcast welcomes The Calamatix's lead singer, Raylin Joy, to talk about the band's new self-titled album, her many songwriting sessions with Tim Armstrong, and more. Listen now.

Joy talks about her music history, and how she originally began her work in pop music in 2016. She mentions how she began writing the songs for this album in 2016 and how they were originally meant to just be a fun side hobby. However, the songs grew to be more meaningful, leading her to her polishing them and help found The Calamatix in 2022.

Mental health is also a topic of discussion, as Joy talks about how it has impacted her career and writing. She talks about how she sees The Calamatix as a product of her experience with depression. Joy also mentions how she believes that music styles like ska and reggae have a sort of healing power, which is a large part of her love for this music.

Listen to Hyman's conversation, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

In the current era of ska music, Kill Lincoln have established themselves as one of the leading figures. This week on In Defense of Ska, the podcast welcomes Kill Linoln's trombonist Ume to talk about joining the group, the band's upcoming album No Normal, and more. Listen now.

Ume tells the story about how he discovered ska when he was in Japan and how he has felt connected to this genre ever since. He also talks about some of the previous ska bands he has been in, from his own band Cutie Pi to the cover band Party Like It's.... Then, Ume discusses his journey to America, along with some of his favorite American ska bands.

When on stage (and sometimes on the crowd), Ume is certainly someone that grabs a lot of attention. On the podcast, he talks about some of his wildest on-stage stunts. Ume also chats about his trombone-playing techniques during these exciting shows and what it was like to play a trombone on a bar.

Listen to the full episode with Kill Lincoln's Ume.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Thanks in part to hit songs like "Nee Nee Na Na Na Na Nu Nu" and "My Girl Lollipop," Bad Manners were one of the most notable groups to come from the '80s ska revival in Britain. This week on In Defense of Ska, the podcast welcomes Bad Manners founding member and trumpet player Paul Hyman to talk about the history of the group, British ska music, and more. Listen now.

An original member of Bad Members, Hyman tells stories of the band's origins and rise. He touches on finally breaking into the UK Singles Charts, meeting bandmates in school, and Bad Members' reputation as "backstreet weirdos." He then discusses the artists he took particular inspiration from, like Genesis, J. Geils Band, Van Morrison, and Monty Python.

Hyman also talks about his feelings on Bad Manners being labeled a “novelty band,” as well as how they got banned from Italian television and their connection to The Beatles. All of which leads to the story of the end of his tenure with the group.

Listen to Hyman's conversation, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

On this special bonus episode of In Defense of Ska,hosts Adam Davis and Aaron Carnes run a panel about the new documentary film This Is New Tone.

Davis had hosted a showing of the movie, which chronicles the 2023 Catbite / We Are the Union / Kill Lincoln tour, and the convention that followed saw contributions from Eichlers (Hyperska superstar) and Jorge Lucero (All-star Bad Time Records record packer).

Hear a preview of the recording now. You can also listen to the entire conversation by signing up to the In Defense of Ska Patreon.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

This week on In Defense of Ska, Dunia Best returns alongside her brother Ahmed Best, who played Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars prequel films (!!). Listen to their conversation and learn about the Ska Wars.

Dunia had previously joined the podcast in 2022 to chat about her '90s ska band Agent 99, her time in The Slackers, and her current projects like Rude Girl Revue and Aram. This time, she's brought back up in the form of her brother Ahmed, who in addition to playing Jar Jar Binks, is something of a ska musician himself.

Ahmed frequently filled in on drums for Agent 99, played in the group The Jazzhole, and even backed artists like Jeff Buckley and The Fugees. Such gigs led him to Stomp, which eventually landed him an audition to join the Star Wars universe. The rest, as they say, is history (from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away).

Together, Dunia and Ahmed Best chat about their upbringing, share stories from the '90s, and more. Listen to the two's conversation, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

One of the first ska bands to really pop off on the radio in the '90s was a humble little act called Goldfinger. Bolstered by hits like "Here in Your Bedroom" and "Superman," the band became one of the best-known projects in the scene. This week on In Defense of Ska, Goldfinger frontman John Feldmann joins the podcast to chat about the band's history, legacy, and more. Listen now.

Feldmann runs through the history of Goldfinger, from the early days to singing with Mojo Records to penning radio hits. He touches on the band's workhorse mentality, playing 385 shows within one year, and the many bands he's produced for (like The Used, 311, Avril Lavigne, Blink-182, Good Charlotte, and 5 Seconds of Summer).

Listen to Goldfinger's John Feldmann all of this and more, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Also be sure to enter for your chance to win tickets to Supernova Ska Fest 2024 by filling out this entry form, following and leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, and/or subscribing to the In Defense of SkaPatreon. The contest ends September 9th, so don't miss out!

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Enter to win tickets to Supernova Ska Fest 2024 by filling out our entry form (https://bit.ly/supernovaska), following and leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, and/or subscribing to the In Defense of Ska Patreon. There will be winners selected from each entry method and the contest ends September 9th, so hurry and enter now for your chance to win!

Ska might seem like a somewhat insular scene, but in reality, many non-ska musicians have a deep appreciation for the genre. On this episode of In Defense of Ska, the crew examines the ska roots of Peal Jam’s Eddie Vedder, as well as the metal band Ice Nine Kills. Even better, Ice Nine Kills frontman Spencer Charnas joins in on the fun! Listen now.

Both Vedder and Ice Nine Kills have recently released songs that expose their love for ska music; Vedder covered The English Beat's "Save It for Later" (which appeared in Season 3 of The Bear) and Ice Nine Kill dropped a ska-infused cover of "Walking on Sunshine," for which they enlisted the help of Reel Big Fish.

Also joining the conversation this week is author Marc Wasserman, who gives insight into how Vedder's history intersects with ska music. Listen to all of both his and Charnas' insight!

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Enter to win tickets to Supernova Ska Fest 2024 by filling out our entry form (https://bit.ly/supernovaska), following and leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, and/or subscribing to the In Defense of Ska Patreon. There will be winners selected from each entry method and the contest ends September 9th, so hurry and enter now for your chance to win!

On this episode of In Defense of Ska, Skavoovie & The Epitones' Jon Natchez joins the crew to talk about jazz-infused ska, reuniting for their first show in almost a quarter century, and playing with the likes of The War on Drugs and Father John Misty, among others. Listen now.

Natchez launches into the history of Skavoovie & The Epitones, who were one of the more unique ska acts of the '90s. It was an unusual, beautiful mix, and one that they'll be bringing to the stage for the first time in 24 years at Supernova Ska Festival 2024.

Elsewhere, Natchez talks about his successful career as a hired musician, backing up indie rock bands like The War on Drugs, Beirut, Phosphorescent, Father John Misty, and Passion Pit. He also touches on Isaac Green, signing to Moon Records, working with producer Victor Rice, and getting to meet Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler.

Listen to Jon Natchez for more above, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

In Defense of Ska's latest bonus episode is a LIVE podcast! Listen now.

Enter to win tickets to Supernova Ska Fest 2024 by filling out our entry form (https://bit.ly/supernovaska), following and leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, and/or subscribing to the In Defense of Ska Patreon. There will be winners selected from each entry method and the contest ends September 9th, so hurry and enter now for your chance to win!

Join host Aaron Carnes as he chats with The Slackers' Vic Ruggiero and Suicide Machines' Jay Navarro onsite at Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival. The crew expand upon the topics touched on each of their respective past episodes, trade stories, and more. Hear the amazing conversation.

Sign up to the IDOS Patreon to listen to the entire episode. 

Then, follow the series wherever you get your podcast and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

You can also support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition will be released in Oct 2024.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new

Enter to win tickets to Supernova Ska Fest 2024 by filling out our entry form (https://bit.ly/supernovaska), following and leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, and/or subscribing to the In Defense of Ska Patreon. There will be winners selected from each entry method and the contest ends September 9th, so hurry and enter now for your chance to win!

On this week's episode, while much of the '90s ska scene in Mexico was made up of ska-punk coming out of Mexico City, one of the most important bands instead took influence from two-tone and called Monterrey home -- Inspector. On this episode of In Defense of Ska, Inspector's band leader and saxophonist Jesus Arriaga joins the crew to discuss the ska community, his creative arc, and more. Listen now.

Arriaga charts out Inspector's journey from their early days of releasing tapes with Pepe Lobo to signing to a label and scoring radio hits to playing to a crowd of 20,000 people in 2023. He discusses such cuts as "Amnesia" and "Amargo Adios" before detailing the Monterrey music festival he helped found -- called Ska Wars -- and the strange role El Chapo had in spreading ska across the country.

The crew is also joined by Mari Wendler this episode, who helps with translation. In our Patreon-exclusive extended episode, they chat further with Mari about her relationship to ska and her band Los Ocupados. Sign up to the IDOS Patreon to listen. 

Listen to Jesus Arriaga for more above, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Enter to win tickets to Supernova Ska Fest 2024 by filling out our entry form (https://bit.ly/supernovaska), following and leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, and/or subscribing to the In Defense of Ska Patreon. There will be winners selected from each entry method and the contest ends September 9th, so hurry and enter now for your chance to win!

On this week on In Defense of Ska, The Planet Smashers' Matt Collyer chats with the crew about the history and impact of the Canadian ska scene. Listen now.

As listeners will learn, ska has had a presence in Canada since the 1980s thanks to bands like Me Mom and Morgentaler and King Apparatus. By the '90s, the two-tone-inspired work of such acts would give way to a new crop of artists, many of which called Stomp Records, perhaps Canada's biggest ska label, their home.

Collyer, Stomp Records' founder, chats about the development of the scene, as well as the success of his own act The Planet Smashers. He touches on the band's 1999 breakthrough Life of the Party, their intense touring regimen, and the bands that were doing it alongside them (like Bedouin Soundclash and The Flatliners). Ultimately, Collyer explains why he never took a major label offer and how that might have helped The Planet Smashers weather the ska music's waning popularity.

Listen to Matt Collyer talk about The Planet Smashers, Stomp Records, and more above, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

There is little dispute that Operation Ivy are one of the greatest ska bands to ever do it. This week on In Defense of Ska, the crew sits down with the legendary outfit's drummer Dave Mello to chat about their history and legacy. Listen to the conversation.

Mello discusses the early days of the band, touching on what made the act so special and why they decided to bring it to an end. He recalls their first shows, their one and only American tour, and the long recording process of Operation Ivy's Energy, their only album. He also talks about playing with bands like Fugazi and The Dead Milkmen, as well as the band's ultimate impact on ska culture. That includes getting name-dropped in Green Day's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acceptance speech.

If you want to hear Dave Mello’s take on an Op Ivy reunion, sign up to the IDOS Patreon and listen to our extended interview. We also talk about his other bands Jewdriver and Schlong (specifically their Punk Side Story album).

Make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

This week on In Defense of Ska, the crew takes a look at the Native Nations punk and ska scenes in the southwest. To help them out, Lo Cash Ninjas' Jordan Steele joins the conversation to talk about the homegrown music communities in the area. Listen now.

Touring punk and ska bands have been playing DIY venues in Native Nations cities as long as DIY touring has been a thing. As a result, the local scene has continued to be a hotbed for alternative culture and punk music. With help from Steele, In Defense of Ska takes a look at its history.

Make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

There are a lot of great punk festivals these days: Punk Rock Bowling, Fest, No Values, just to name a few. Most of them book at least a few ska bands, but one of the best — Mosswood Meltdown — has held out. This week on In Defense ofSka, the hosts take a field trip to the Oakland event to ask attendees if ska would be a welcome addition to next year’s lineup. Listen to their findings.

This year's Mosswood Meltdown music festival boasted a kick-ass lineup, with the likes of The B-52’s, Big Freedia, The Mummies, Pansy Division, Pure Hell, and more taking the stage. Not to mention, the great John Waters hosted the event. But one thing was missing... ska!

Is it time for Mosswood Meltdown to pick it up? In Defense of Ska certainly thinks so, but are they alone? They ask attendees and punk fans to find out!

Make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Of the '90s bands that incorporated ska and reggae influences into their music, you don't get much bigger than 311. On this episode of In Defense of Ska, 311 frontman Nick Hexum chats about the band's legacy, playing with Fugazi, and the infamous Eric Andre Show bit. Listen now.

Hexum launches into a conversation about his personal relationship with ska music, as well as how such a relationship ultimately translated to the music of 311. He also touches on the various moments the band interacted with ska and reggae cultures, as well as why it was perhaps not the best idea to crush a couple beers backstage at a Fugazi show.

Elsewhere, Hexum touches on 311's running gag on The Eric Andre Show, his love for The Untouchables, and if Jeff Rosenstock will ever get to play the 311 cruise.

Listen to all of this and more on this episode of In Defense of Ska, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. You can also listen to 311 bassist P-Nut on In Defense of Ska here.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Did you know that some of our friends are also podcasters? For this month’s bonus episode, we wanted to bring on the fine folks from theBothering The Bandpodcast. Their format is this: They bring on musicians and comedians and then proceed to BOTHER them with weird and silly questions. It’s a lot of fun. They’ve even had host,Aaron Carneson one episode. So, we brought on Ryan and Abby and then BOTHERED them with our own weird and silly questions. 

Sign up to the IDOSPatreonto listen to the entire episode. 

Then, follow the series wherever you get your podcast and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

You can also support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition will be released in Oct 2024.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

This week, In Defense of Ska becomes Song Exploder... or, rather, SKA Exploder. The Kilograms' Sammy Kay and Joe Gittleman (also of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones) join the hosts to dissect songs from their respective catalogues. Listen now.

Firstly, the gang breaks down Gittleman’s song "Chores," which is taken from his brand new solo album Hold Up. Then, the group launches into a discussion about Kay's "How Fast to Run," which comes from his upcoming album July 1960. Finally, the two give a peek into The Kilograms' "Can't Be Beat."

Elsewhere, Kay and Gittleman talk about the benefit compilation for Michelle Ska, the influence of the people of Maui, and their relation to Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. There's also discussion of what makes a perfect song, with Magnetic Fields’ “Papa Was a Rodeo” and Cher’s “Believe" being tossed up as examples.

Listen to Joe Gittleman (Mighty Mighty Bosstones) & Sammy Kay (The Kilograms) talk about all this In Defense of Ska podcast. Then, follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

You can also support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition will be released in Oct 2024.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

This week on In Defense of Ska, Frank Turner joins in to discuss growing up with UK skacore, finding a balance between his punkier and folkier tendencies, and his new album Undefeated. Listen now.

The English artist joins the In Defense of Ska crew to chat about both his presence in punk circles and singer-songwriter circles. He also, of course, gives his take on ska -- and as it turns out, he has quite a lot of thoughts on the genre!

He then details what it was like going to skacore shows in the 2000s, his experience touring with Interrupters, and NOFX covering his song "Thatcher Fucks the Kids." Elsewhere, the artist and performer dives into his new album Undefeated, loving Converge, and the worst shows he's ever played.

Listen to Frank Turner talk about on the In Defense of Ska podcast. Then, follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

You can also support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition will be released in Oct 2024.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Believe it or not, back in the late '90s, Christian ska was all the rage. On this episode of In Defense of Ska, the hosts tap into their inner musicologists and explore the bands, sounds, and culture of such a movement. Listen now.

The gang takes a look at the 'big three' of Christian ska, examining the likes of Five Iron Frenzy, The Supertones, and The Insyderz. They also dial in on the Supertones' sophomore record, The Supertones Strike Back, which went on quite a commercial run at the time of its release.

Elsewhere, the hosts chat with two people who were there to witness the rise and fall of Christian ska: Jordan Morris (of Jordan, Jesse, Go) and Kevin T. Porter (of Good Christian Fun). The duo discuss the music, television shows, and legacy of the niche micro-genre, as well as anti-masturbation songs and Katy Perry’s Christian (and ska) roots.

Listen to Jordan Morris and Kevin T. Porter talk about Christian Ska on the In Defense of Ska podcast. Then, follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

You can also support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition will be released in Oct 2024.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

This week on In Defense of Ska, Russian trad ska band Lollypop Lorry discuss covering Keith & Ken, collaborating with Inspector, and the Russian ska scene. Listen to the full chat.

Formed in 2008, Lollypop Lorry are a Russian ska act that just played their biggest show ever... in Mexico. Suffice to say, it's been an interesting ride from their humble beginnings to finding international success. Luckily, guitarist Ivan Gogolin and drummer Simon Shiriaev are here to break the whole tale down.

The two band members also touch on their love for Jamaican ska, their viral cover of Keith & Ken's "I Won't Let You Go," and collaborating with the likes of Inspector and Out of Control Army. They also launch into the inner workings of the Russian ska scene, shouting out other bands that deserve their flowers.

Listen to Lollypop Lorry on the In Defense of Ska podcast. Then, follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

You can also support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition will be released in Oct 2024.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

On this episode of In Defense of Ska, '90s skacore legends Voodoo Glow Skulls chat about recording in Spanish, influencing Vampire Weekend, sampling Cheech & Chong, and more. Listen now.

Founding members Eddie and Jorge Casillas join In Defense of Ska to chat about their irreverent sample choices, the story behind albums like Who Is, This Is? and Firme, and taking influence from the likes of Fishbone and Skeletones. They two also discuss influencing Vampire Weekend, who they're opening for at the Hollywood Bowl on June 12th (get tickets here).

Listen to Voodoo Glows Skulls on the In Defense of Ska podcast. Then, follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

You can also support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition will be released in Oct 2024.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

For this month's bonus episode, we aim the spotlight at Tampa ska band Foolish Relics. Lead singer Dino Rustin tells us about his father's battle with pancreatic cancer and how he's written about the experience on their new song, "Forget About Tomorrow (Is This Hell?)" We also talk about Foolish Relics partnership with Project Purple, a pancreatic cancer foundation. 

After our conversation, there are a few other fun PATREON-EXCLUSIVE odds and ends to listen to.

This is the conversation you've waited for. Sign up to the In Defense of SkaPatreonto listen to it now. 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out ourPatreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from theirLives EP. Also, check outDan P and the BrickstwoLPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska.The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Skawill release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band calledOmnigone. Their latest record,Against The Restreleased on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label calledSka Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

It's no secret that Los Angeles has a thriving, vibrant Latino ska scene. Frankly, it's one of the best pockets of ska music in the country. This week on In Defense of Ska, the hosts chat with one of the bands that helped set the standard for what the community would become -- Matamoska. Listen now.

Matamoska's Jose Padilla and Richard Sanchez sit down to discuss the origins of the band, their return after a long hiatus, and the recent release of their self-titled fourth album, which is out on Bad Times Records. The band then goes on to give their take on the current landscape of the scene before explaining the intricate dance style that is backwards the circle skank.

The crew also tells stories of their early days, explaining how a surprising amount of metal bands to a liking to the Matamoska sound, and Padilla divulges a particularly embarrassing story (no spoilers here!).

Listen to Matamoska on the In Defense of Ska podcast. Then, follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

You can also support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition will be released in Oct 2024.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Dr. Ring Ding joins In Defense of Ska to chat about the origins of the European ska scene, his own journey of falling in love with the genre, and the German ska bands he looks up to. Listen now.

Initially popularized by two-tone bands like Madness, The Specials, and The Selecter, ska eventually made its way into different pockets of Europe. One of these pockets was Germany, where a young Dr. Ring Ding fell in love with the genre's unique stylings.

Dr. Ring Ding tells the story of how he discovered ska -- shouting out bands like The Busters, The Butlers, Skaos, Blechreiz, No Sports, and The Braces along the way -- as well as how he got into the scene himself. He touches on his first group, Dr Ring Ding and the Senior Allstars, and runs through his now massive discography.

Listen to Dr. Ring Ding on the In Defense of Ska podcast. Then, follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

You can also support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition will be released in Oct 2024.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

So, there's this pretty cool ska band called The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. Perhaps you've heard of them? On this episode of In Defense of Ska, original Mighty Mighty Bosstones guitarist Nate Albert chats about the band's early years, the artists who inspired him, and how other scenes treated ska in the 1990s. Listen now.

Albert runs through some of his early memories with the legendary ska act, like scoring No. 1 hit single with "The Impression That I Get."

Reflecting on the success of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Albert makes sure to take time to appreciate the bands that inspired him and his style. He shouts out bands like The Clash, Pixies, Dinosaur Jr., and more before recounting the band's less-than-warm welcome at the 1995 Lollapalooza festival.

Listen to Nate Albert on the In Defense of Ska podcast. Then, follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

You can also support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition will be released in Oct 2024.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

On this episode of In Defense of Ska, Ceci Bastida chats about Tijuana No, the world of international ska in the '90s, and her new solo record Everything Taken Away.

Bastida takes listeners through the history of Tijuana No, one of the most important bands to come out of the Mexican ska movement. The vocalist and keyboardist runs through the act's early days, their attempts to break into the American market, and how one of her band members eventually became a pop superstar.

The artist also touches on her solo work, from her new album Everything Taken Away to her incredible cover of Suicidal Tendencies’ classic cut “Institutionalized,” which features original Suicidal Tendencies members. She then reflects on the political topics that make their way into her music, as well as musical influences like The Clash.

Listen to Ceci Bastida on the In Defense of Skapodcast. Then, follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

You can also support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition will be released in Oct 2024.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Here's a question for all the rude boys out there: What's a non-ska band that had an incredible influence over an entire generation of ska artists? The answer is simple -- Mr. Bungle. On this episode of In Defense of Ska, the hosts chat with Mr. Bungle bassist Trevor Dunn about the band's origins, their relation to ska music, and more. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Dunn dives into the intersection between Mr. Bungle and ska, gushing about his love for bands like Fishbone, Bad Manners, and Oingo Boingo, as well as recalling the time they played with The Untouchables. Such influences might be subtle when it comes to Mr. Bungle's most popular work, but if you know where to look, they begin to become clear. The group explores the track "Carousel," for example, which wasn't necessarily the band's first ska song, but rather the first ska song they wrote from a sincere place.

Listen to Mr. Bungle's Trevor Dunn tell these stories and more on this episode of In Defense of Ska, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Mr. Bungle is also about to embark on their spring tour. Get tickets here.

For more Mr. Bungle madness, check out Dunn's list of his 10 favorite bass albums. Then, see where he landed on our ranking of the best bassists of all time.

Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here. Additionally, you can support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition will be released in Oct 2024.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

One of our favorite guests, Victor Rice, is back! He listened to our discussion with Daraka Larimore-Hall about whether third-wave ska deserves the backlash it got, and it got Victor thinking. He wanted to share his thoughts with us. So we went behind the curtain, so he could get comfortable and speak his mind. 

Is Ska a four-letter word? 

This is the conversation you've waited for. Sign up to the In Defense of Ska Patreon to listen to it now. 

Follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

You can also support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition will be released in Oct 2024.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

In 1976, a couple friends got together and started a band. They called themselves the North London Invaders, but after quickly rethinking the branding, changed their name to Madness, a reference to a Prince Buster song. Sixteen top-ten hits later, and the band is one of the most successful acts to come out of the two-tone era. This week on In Defense of Ska, Madness' Suggs explores the band's journey, revisits stories from their past, and dives into their 2023 album Theatre of the Absurd Presents C'est la Vie. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

As a member of Madness, Suggs has had a litany of wild experiences, causing trouble and bumping into other rock stars (sometimes pissing them off to no end). From meeting Price Buster to their appearance on Saturday Night Live, their massive hit "Our House" to hanging out with Clara Peller (of "Where’s the Beef” fame), Suggs has no shortage of stories. Sometimes such stories have a happy ending, and other times, they end with The Clash not speaking to Madness for half a decade.

Listen to Madness' Suggs tell these stories and more this episode of In Defense of Ska, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Madness is also gearing up for their first US tour in 12 years. Get tickets here.

Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here. Additionally, you can support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition will be released in Oct 2024.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

This year’s Coachella belongs to ska. Or at least it’s the ska performances that are making all the headlines. And it makes sense. Sublime is back together. Jakob Nowell is fronting the band in place of his dad, Bradley Nowell. No Doubt played their first show in 9 years—and it leaned heavily into ska. Aquabats played a nearly 70% ska set. Even Vampire Weekend’s drummer was spotted sporting a Skankin’ Pickle shirt. Plus they played a couple of ska-influenced tunes.

So for this bonus episode, we ask ourselves if this is the most ska Coachella has ever had. If it hasn’t, then why in 2024 is ska a dominant part of Coachella’s story like never before?

Listen to this episode of In Defense of Ska, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

You can also support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition will be released in Oct 2024.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

What drives a musician to play music overtly rooted in traditional ska and rocksteady? And how do they honor the roots while simultaneously giving it a contemporary flavor? This is the subject this week for our conversation with Jeremy Peña of the band The Bandulus. Their new record Tell It Like It Is dropped on March 8, 2024. It is both lush and raw; rickety and tight. Jeremy walks us through the recording of the album, the thought process behind the songwriting and the influences that went into the record. 

Listen to Jeremy Pena go deep into The Bandulus' story on this episode of In Defense of Ska, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

You can also support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition will be released in Oct 2024.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

In the ’90s, ska began to break into the mainstream. And yet, even during the great ska boom, only a handful of bands had an actual radio hit. One of the few acts to accomplish such a feat was Save Ferris, scoring big with their cover of Dexys Midnight Runner's 1982 song “Come on Eileen." This week on In Defense of Ska, Save Ferris vocalist Monique Powell discusses the group, the Orange County scene, having a popular video on MTV, and their monumental cover. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Powell runs through the somewhat tumultuous history of the band, from their formation to their break-up in 2003 to the 2013 reformation that led to a flurry of legal issues. Through all of the highs and lows, however, Powell and Save Ferris delivered some unforgettable, surprisingly popular ska -- all steeped in Orange County vibes, of course.

Listen to Monique Powell go deep into Save Ferris' history on this episode of In Defense of Ska, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

You can also support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition will be released in Oct 2024.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

One of the best ska bands of the past decade is The Steady 45's, a trad ska group based out of Los Angeles. They are one of the few bands that have been able to call both LA’s lively trad ska and vibrant Latino ska scenes home. So we brought on four members and friend of the band Jackie Mendez to talk about the band’s history and how they’re helping to break down barriers in the ska scene. 

We talk about the members’ history in punk rock and how they played an Operation Ivy cover set for Esteban Flores’ birthday. On the other end of the spectrum, we talk about how they’ve backed several Jamaican legends like Stranger Cole, Pat Kelly, the Clarendonians, the Pioneers, and more. 

We also talk about them playing the Los Angeles Skawars festival, and opening for Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, and we break down several important figures in LA’s trad ska scene like Chris Murray, Aggrolites, See Spot, The Expanders, Mobtown, and Luis Correa of Steady Beat. The Steady 45's also talk about their new record, Swing & Sway/Don’t Be Late. 

Listen to The Steady 45's on the latest episode of In Defense of Ska, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will be released in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

One thing we love doing on this podcast is talking to former members of Asian Man Records and getting all the dirt onMike Park. This is our third episode in the series. We’ve already spoken toSkylar SuorezandLazlo Happenstance. Now we talk to Bob Vielma. 

You probably know Bob from his fire rap verse on “SkrAm” fromJeff Rosenstock’s Ska Dream. His rap alter ego is Boboso, and he’s got a fewrecordsyou can download on Jeff’s label, Quote Unquote. Bob also played bass in Shinobu and several other bands, including Gnarboots with Adam Davis and Aaron Carnes, hosts of the In Defense of Ska podcast. So you can imagine that Gnarboots stories were told!

Make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from theirLives EP. Also, check outDan P and the BrickstwoLPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska.The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Skawill release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band calledOmnigone. Their latest record,Against The Restreleased on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label calledSka Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Half Past Two have been around for almost two decades, and yet they still feel like a breath of fresh air in the ska scene. On this episode of In Defense of Ska, lead vocalist Tara Hahn and guitarist Max Beckman discuss the band's history and their brand new album, Talk iI Killing Me (out April 19th). Listen now.

Formed in August 2006, Half Past Two effectively came up during the "dark ages" of ska. And yet, they persevered, helping build a sustainable scene in Orange County in the mid-2000s. Now just under twenty years on, the band takes a look back at their journey, ultimately explaining how they've found a new home on Bad Time Records.

Listen to Half Past Two talk about Talk Is Killing Me on the latest episode of In Defense of Ska, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

After forming in 1995, The Adjusters quickly made a name for themselves in the bustling Chicago scene for their blend of ska and soul, as well as their intensely political edge. Over time, the group has only gotten more and more active. Lead vocalist Daraka Larimore-Hall joins In Defense of Ska this week to dive into the band's history, their overtly socialist politics, and the direction ska took in the '90s. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

The Adjusters may not have ever been chart-toppingly huge, and that may have been because they didn't fit in with the typical third-wave pop-punk/ska stylings that dominated the late '90s. In between exploring the band's origins and political views, Larimore-Hall explains why he's hesitant to even call these groups "ska," pointing out how their connection to the genre's Jamaican roots are distant at best. (Before you get your pitchforks out, though, he also has plenty of praise to sing for the genre! The dude was in a ska band!)

Listen to Daraka Larimore-Hall talk about The Adjusters and '90s ska on the latest episode of In Defense of Ska, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series.

Check out Daraka’s podcast here! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

On this week's episode of In Defense of Ska, members of ska supergroup Mutiny -- Efrem Schulz, Chris Ruckus, and Mike Cambra -- discuss the project and its connection to their other bands. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Let's get one thing straight -- ska needs more supergroups. Aside from Rude Girl Revue and Kilograms, they're surprisingly hard to come by. Luckily, Mutiny is here to remidy that! The group features members of Death By Stereo, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Dissidente, Manic Hispanic, and Adolescents, along with guest spots from members of many more bands.

The group released their debut, self-titled EP on SPI Records in February, despite having yet to all be in the same room together. Fortunately, three members have sat down to talk about the project and its connection with the other related bands.

Listen to Mutiny talk together about the project on the latest episode of In Defense of Ska, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

It's no secret that ska music is alive and well, and not just in the United States. On this episode of in defense of ska, English ska-punks Call Me Malcolm join to chat about the current scene, the band's history, and their new album Echoes and Ghosts. Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts.

Starting from the beginning, guitarist/vocalist Lucias Malcolm and saxophonist/vocalist Mark Farthing chat about the origins of the group, why they write songs with titles like “John Feldmann’s Going To Kill Me,” and taking inspiration from Goldfinger and Chris Gethard.

The band supplements such fun-loving energy with vulnerable, personal storytelling for Echoes and Ghosts. Diving into the mental health journey that inspired much of the lyrics on the album, the band opens up about depression, anxiety, OCD, and experiences with medication.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

On this week's episode of In Defense of Ska, Illuminati Hotties creative force Sarah Tudzin discusses how her ska roots continue to inform her current artistic output. Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts.

The artist grew up going to punk and ska shows in Southern California, and the influence of such experiences continues to have a major influence on her work. Look no further than her recent collaboration with JER, as she provided guest vocals for Skatune Network's cover of Pain's "Jabberjaw Running Underwater" and had the ska-fluencer jump on her song "Joni: LA's No. 1 Health Goth."

Listen to Tudzin go deep on her history with ska on the latest episode of In Defense of Ska above, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Michelle Ska has been to a lot of ska shows. Like A LOT! So many that she's kind of famous in ska circles for being a hardcore, supportive fan. She also went through one of the most harrowing natural disasters of recent time: The 2023 Lahaina Wildfire. 

We brought her on to talk about ska and give us the full story of what it was like to survive the Lahaina Wildfire. 

Please consider purchasing the Black Sand Relief album to support Michelle and the People of Maui.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

This week, In Defense of Ska heads outside of the United States to dive into the massive ska scene in Mexico. Joined by Jose “Deals” Olan, an experienced musician and promoter in Mexico, the crew explores the fans of the region, the massive festivals, and more. Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts.

Olan first cut his teeth by playing saxophone in several bands, and now fronts his own group, Out of Control Army. Right around that same time he launched that project, he also booked his first big ska festival, Non Stop Ska, which drew tens of thousands of people.

In addition to Olan's work, he guides In Defense of Ska through the history of the genre in Mexico.

Keep up with all things In Defense of Ska and show your support by following and reviewing the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network has to offer.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

This week on In Defense of Ska, Jawbreaker drummer Adam Pfahler discuss his long-time love of ska, the band existing as a touchstone for future emo bands, and battling notions of selling out when touring with Nirvana. Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts.

As far as bands go, Jawbreaker have quite the story. They've influenced a multiple generations of emo musicians, were called sellouts for signing to a major label, and played a reunion show at Riot Fest that had infinitely more people than they’d ever played to when they were an active band. One thing they’re not famous for, however, is liking ska -- but Pfahler joins In Defense of Ska to set the record straight.

The drummer explains that he was not only catching various ska bands in the early '80s, but that he continues to seek out music from the genre. Then, in between conversation about burritos and how to best organize records, he details Jawbreaker's tour with Nirvana, for which they were labeled sellouts.

Listen to Jawbreaker's Adam Pfahler talk about his love of ska and more in this episode of In Defense of Ska above, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

This week on In Defense of Ska, author Daniel Rachel discuss his book, Too Much Too Young -- The 2 Tone Records Story: Rude Boys, Racism and the Soundtrack of a Generation. Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts.

Rachel tells the story of how 2 tone spread all over the world. While many of the scene's bands were largely cult artists outside of England, they planted seeds for new, important ska scenes around the world. In celebration of how socially 2 tone's sonic and political importance, author Daniel Rachel presents an in-depth look at the genre's place in music history. You can pre-order it here.

Listen to Rachel go deep on 2 Tone's fascinating history on the latest episode of In Defense of Ska, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Fans can also get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon, and don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Few American bands have had such an influence on ska music like Fishbone. This week, In Defense of Ska does their second episode on the group, this time featuring bassist Norwood Fisher. Listen to Fisher and the hosts talk about their upcoming tour with GZA, the band's career, and more in the episode below. You can also follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

Fisher gets into the nitty-gritty of Fishbone's surreal career with moments like opening for Gallagher, hanging out with Karate Kid star William Zabka, and meeting Dave Grohl in the '80s when he was in Scream. Also discussed is the band's connection to hip-hop (including namedrop of Run DMC, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, and more) and how it relates to their upcoming tour.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

On this special teaser of In Defense of Ska, season 1 guest Nick Lavallee returns to tell the story of getting Manchester — his hometown — recognized as the Chicken Tender Capital of the World. Listen to the teaser, and don't forget to like, review, and subscribe to In Defense of Ska wherever you get your podcasts.

Learn about who invented the chicken tenders, how different they are from the way fast food/diners make them, and get the low-down on where to get some of these OG tendies.

If you’d like to hear this entire Chicken Tender conversation, sign up to the In Defense of Ska Patreon NOW, where you'll also get other ad-free episodes with bonus content.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.

Musician and composer Jeff Rosentsock and show-creator Ben Levin join In Defense of Ska to chat about the music behind Craig of the Creek. Both products of ska-punk love, the series' music skanks pretty hard, and that's no accident. The two also get into it about Rancid, ska-tastic collaborations, and dealing with stress.

Listen to Ben Levin and Jeff Rosenstock chat about ska, Craig of the Creek, Rancid, and more above. You can also follow the series wherever you get your podcast, or get early and ad-free episodes by joining the IDOS Patreon. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

This is the first episode of our 4th season, and it’s our first as part of the Consequence Podcast Network. So that means, we had to go big this week. We brought the one and only P-Nut on the show. That’s right, the bass player for 311. Today we talk about how 311’s journey overlapped with the rise of ska in the 90s, and how the group existed in a space adjacent to the music. 

But it makes sense. The group is influenced by ska and reggae, amongst other genres of music. So, P-Nut follows us down this rabbit hole and talks about playing Bob Marley at early 311 rehearsals, playing shows with Fishbone, Voodoo Glow Skulls, The Urge, Reel Big Fish, Goldfinger and No Doubt. And even headlining the ska festival Back To The Beach in 2018. We even dive headfirst into a discussion about 311’s most ska track, “I’ll Be Hear Awhile.” 

Plus, we talk about The Wailers’ bassist Aston “Family Man” Barett, opening for Jay-Z, vibing to Mighty Mighty Bosstones tapes, covering Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ “Taste The Pain” at his high school talent show, and how 311 played its first official show as the opening act for Fugazi! And, P-Nut tells us all about how much he loves 100 gecs. f

We also talk about his old dreadlocks, his appearance in Jordan Morris’ graphic novel Bubble, being abused by Eric Andre during the “Investigate 311” sketch, and we ask the biggest, most important question of all time: Can Jeff Rosenstock play the 311 Cruise? 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to In Defense of SKa wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.

Nathan Gray has played music with their band Boysetsfire for decades. But only once during the band’s run did they dabble in ska (“Deja Coup”). But that has completely changed now with Nathan’s new group, The Iron Roses, a joyful punk band with heavy doses of ska and reggae. The joy in the band is purposeful, a middle finger aimed at the rise in racism, homophobia, transphobia and fascism, making ska the perfect vehicle for the band’s message. 

This week we speak to Nathan and Iron Roses’ co-lead vocalist Beck Fontaine. The group released their debut, self-titled record in October 2023. They’ve already done some touring and are really excited about the band. And they have big plans for 2024. It’s a great record, and they play ska well. But the question on our minds was, where did this band—totally unconnected from the ska scene, with little history playing the genre—come from? And what motivated them to go all in on ska-punk in 2023? 

We talk about Nathan’s love for The English Beat, The Specials, Black Uhuru, Burning Spear and Trojan Records skinhead reggae. Also, we talk about Becky’s history with musical theater and how that informs The Iron Roses’ unique approach to lead vocals. Plus, we learn that co-host Adam Davis was an extra in the film adaptation of Rent! 

Nathan talks about the new ska bands that inspire them (We Are The Union, Catbite, Kill Lincoln), the important message in Iron Roses’ song “Old Guard,” and we learn about Nathan’s long and difficult journey in coming out as non-binary. Plus, we learn all about how Nathan spoke out against Pantera playing a music festival Boysetsfire was booked to play (due to lead singer Phil Anselmo’s history of racism). And they tell us about their long friendship and admiration for Frank Turner. 

Plus, we all took a moment to discuss how much we love the film Swing Kids. 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to In Defense of Ska wherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.

If you thought 2023 was an awesome year, get ready for 2024! In Defense of Ska is excited to announce that we have joined the Consequence Podcast Network.

"Inspired by Carnes best-selling, soon-to-be-expanded book of the same name, In Defense of Skajoins the CPN in time for its fourth season. With new episodes arriving every Wednesday, the show delivers insightful conversations with ska legends, emerging artists, comedians, authors, and cultural figures who share their deep appreciation for and insight into this multifaceted genre. 

Proving that ska is as vital as any other genre, the over 150 episodes in the In Defense of Ska archives have featured guests like Fred Armisen, Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump, The Police’s Stewart Copeland, Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ Joe Gittleman, Margaret Cho, Speedy Ortiz’s Sadie Dupuis, Against Me!’s Laura Jane Grace, Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon, and more."

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will be released in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

Please take the time to like, review, and subscribe to In Defense of SKawherever you get your podcasts, and keep up to date with all our series by following the Consequence Podcast Network.

Does being a ska fan inherently make someone an antifascist? While this topic gets frequently debated among ska fans, it’s important to remember that antiracism and antifascism have long been an important part of the ska scene. The 2 Tone ska bands were explicit in their stance. They came up at a time when fascism was on the rise in England, and they dealt with nazi skinheads at their shows. And the bands (mostly) didn’t shy away from confronting these nazis and putting them in their place. This battle has continued to be part of ska and punk as time has progressed. 

But what does it mean to be an antifascist. And how has the battle between white supremacists and anti-fascists changed over the years? This is the central question we address in this week’s episode with Josh Fernandez, author of the new book, The Hands that Crafted the Bomb: The Making of a Lifelong Antifascist, which will be released on PM Press on February 13, 2023. 

Josh started going to punk shows in Davis, CA in the late ’80s. Many Nazis invaded these shows, so he and his friends organized and fought back. He continues to oppose nazis, proud boys, Patriot Front and other far right groups in the street to this day. But the battleground is no longer punk shows. His book tells his story. The main thread is about how he was under investigation at the college he teaches at because he started an Campus Antifascist Network chapter there. He nearly lost his job. Teen Vogue even interviewed him about the experience. 

We also talk about Josh’s history as a music journalist, his horrible experiences interviewing David Choe and Immortal Technique, his love for Sublime, seeing Operation Ivy back in the day, why he doesn’t think colleges are actually leftist, and he talks about how running marathons helped him quit drugs. 

Plus, we learn which of his tattoos he likes the best! 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Patreon Exclusive Bonus Episode! And it’s the episode of episodes. You won’t want to miss it! 

2023 has been an awesome year. We've had Stewart Copeland, Fred Armisen, Bill Stevenson, Rhoda Dakar, Vic Ruggiero and a bunch of other amazing people.

So, to talk about our year, we brought on the great Mike Park. Additionally, we asked our editor Chris Reeves to join the conversation as well. You will gain lots of insight into our guests and hear some secret (very Behind The Curtain) information about the episodes we recorded in 2023. It’s also one of our funniest episodes! 

Give it a listen and we'll see you in 2024! We have a ton of great episodes planned. And our Season 4 premiere on Jan 17 is going to be extra special for a few reasons #BigThingsHappening 

To listen to this entire episode, sign up to the In Defense of Ska Patreon.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

Los Fabulosos Cadillacs is one of the biggest ska bands in the world. They formed in Argentina in 1985 and continue to be a major global force in ska and in pop music in general. But Los Fabulosos didn’t evolve out of thin air. This week, we get a crash course on ska’s history in Argentina. To walk us through this fascinating history, we chat with musician and ska historian Daniel Flores. He plays in the Argentinian trad ska band Satélite Kingston, he is the chief editor at Rolling Stone Argentina and he wrote a book in 2013 about the history of ska in Argentina called Manera Correcta De Gritar. 

In addition to Los Fabulosos, we talk about important Argentinian groups like Sumo, Los Auténticos Decadentes, Los Intocables, Los Pericos and others. We also talk about key moments like an early Police concert in Buenos Aires in the early ’80s as well as Mano Negra’s first performance in Argentina in the early ’90s. Plus, Daniel explains how important Madness were to the popularization of ska in Argentina.

We learn how different ska development was in Mexico and Argentina. And we even learn about an early figure in Argentina, Ronnie Montalban, who released the ska record Señor Canibal in ’60s. Plus, we discuss Argentina’s role in Rock en tu idioma movement in the ’80s.  

We also talk to Daniel about his history with ska, which includes a three year stint in Washington DC during his high school years, where he saw bands like The Skunks, The Toasters, Bim Skala Bim, Pietasters and a Mötley Crüe ska cover band called Skatley Crüe. 

We learn all about Daniel’s friendship with the Loving Pauper’s Jorge Pezzimenti. It all started in Sao Paulo, Brazil with copious drinks and karaoke. 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Comedian Anna Valenzuela has gone to Fest for the past 3 years. She feels right at home there because she grew up going to punk and ska shows, and when she started comedy in 2014, she often performed on the same bills as punk bands. She got involved in LA’s roast battle scene in 2015 and even participated in the Comedy Central show Jeff Ross Presents Roast Battle the following year. This week, we discuss the pockets of comedy in Anna’s world and see where they overlap with ska. 

Fest comes up a lot this week, as does the band Folly. She even tells us an entire story about Folly’s merch person. She also talks about Devon Kay covering Kelly Clarkson, the joys of seeing Eve 6, and her friendship with Jon Graber (Who’s worked with We Are The Union, NOFX, and MxPx). 

She tells us all about LA’s roast battle scene (including The Wave), about being a blackbelt in karate, teaching Esteban Flores how to stretch, and she tells us about recording her new special Murderpuss, which she will release in 2024 on Brandie Posey’s label, Burn This Records. 

Plus, she heaps copious praise on Adam Davis and his band Omnigone. Will she use an Omnigone song on her new special? We shall see! 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

People are still fascinated by the idea of Satanic ska. So much that metal magazine Loudwire wrote an article in 2021 called “Satanic Ska is a Real Thing that Actually Exists.” The article was about Mephiskapheles, a New York ska band that formed in 1990. For their debut album, God Bless Satan, they created a unique sound that blended traditional ska rhythms with jazzy and experimental songwriting. As the band progressed, they got weirder and experimental. 

But what was the tone of group? We tackle this question by speaking to founders Mikal Reich (drums), and Brendan Tween (guitar). They give us a glimpse into the dry, maniacal, advertising-fueled satire of Mephiskapheles’ early years. It’s our 2nd Mephiskapheles episode. Mikal and Brendan have a somewhat different perspective on the group than was presented in our prior interview. So make sure to listen to that one too when you get a chance. 

We also talk about Brendan’s ’80s hardcore band The Shaved Pigs, their time working at Greenwich Village Mexican restaurant Panchito’s—they worked with Jon Stewart! Mikal even got him fired. We talk about chaotic shows at Wetlands (One time they baptized Chris Gethard in Satan’s blood on stage) and getting banned from venues due to skinhead violence. Plus, Mikal tells us his connection to comedian (and former IDOS guest) Jon Daly. 

We get a full history on their song “The Bumble Bee Tuna Song,” we learn how they got their song “Doomsday” on MTV prior to the station’s interest in ska, getting a shoutout from Rancid, how future pick-up artist Neil Strauss interviewed Mikal for a NY Times article about ska, and we get a breakdown of the production work Victor Rice and Bill Laswell did on God Bless Satan. We also talk about Mikal and Brendan’s new band Barbicide and even discuss the cocktail it inspired. 

Plus, we learn that The Skatalites’ Tommy McCook called the band Meph-i-ridiculous, since he wasn’t too keen on a ska band worshiping the devil. 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Nerdcore hip-hop entered mainstream consciousness in 2016 when a contestant on Jeopardy mentioned being a fan of the genre. Then, host Alex Trebek made a joke about fans of the genre being losers. Mega Ran, one of the main figures nerdcore (Hip-hop that focuses on video games, comic books, anime and other “nerd” topics) posted a diss back at Trebek. It quickly turned into a full on diss track with every major nerdcore rapper. At shows, Mega Ran had the audience shout, “Suck it Trebek!” 

Today we show how nerdcore is connected to ska. This year, Mega Ran released a kids album called Buddy’s Magic Toy Box, which has a ska song (“Recess”) on it. He modeled the song, after “Super Rad!” by The Aquabats. And he brought on Jer from Skatune Network as well as Stacked Like Pancakes to play on the track. It’s a killer song. Mega Ran’s relationship to ska goes even deeper. MC Lars introduced him to several artists in the genre years back. They’d listen to ska while on tour. Mega Ran loves the genre so much, he proudly wears a shirt that says, “Ska and Pro Wrestling are the Only Legitimate Forms of Art.” 

We discuss all of this as well as other tracks on Mega Ran’s record, Buddy’s Magic Toy Box. There’s songs about fruit, bullying, self-esteem and one on the history of rap music. It’s got a reggae groove as a tip of the hat to DJ Kool Herc and the genre’s Jamaican roots. We also talk about how Mega Ran got a song in Kevin Smith’s film Clerks 3. We talk about chip/ska artist Lo(u)ser ie Chris Graue. We discuss video game math rock band The Minibosses who famously cover the DuckTales theme song at their shows, and we talk about Mega Ran’s new music festival in Yuma, AZ called Dream Master Mixtape Music Festival. Former IDOS guests AJJ and Open Mike Eagle played the festival this year. 

Plus, with the help of IDOS friend Dane Jackson, we ask Mega Ran several pro-wrestling questions.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Doughboys is an extremely popular podcast. On it, hosts Nick Wiger and Mike Mitchell discuss chain restaurants, while also chopping it up with different weekly guests, many of who are comedians. Doughboys is kind of a food podcast and kind of a comedy podcast. And it’s a lot of fun to listen to. It’s perfect because who doesn’t have strong opinions about chain restaurants like Taco Bell, Cheesecake Factory, Olive Garden, Arby’s, and Outback Steakhouse? 

Avid Doughboys listeners have noticed ska pop up on the show occasionally. That’s because Nick has a ska past. So, we brought him on the show to discuss it. When he was a teenager, he played sax in an Orange County ska band called My Other Brother Darryl (A Newhart reference). Nick also went to high school with Reel Big Fish members Tavis Werts (Trumpet) and Danny Regan (Trombone), so he got to witness Reel Big Fish’s rise to the mainstream from a unique, inside angle. 

We talk about this, and the various ska bands he likes (No Doubt, Let’s Go Bowling, Save Ferris, Aquabats) and find out what the chances are of him ever attending a ska show again. We also talk about how Mighty Mighty Bosstones frontman Dicky Barrett nearly appeared on Doughboys, Nick’s history on the clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone, and we determine what is the official ska fast food. 

Plus, we talk about Taco Bravo (our favorite shitty restaurant, located in San Jose, CA), Nick’s love/hate relationship with Jack In The Box, and Comedy Bang Bang host Scott Aukerman’s ska connections. We break down a few Funny or Die skits Nick made back when he worked there (The Monster Fuck, Jar Jar Binks Gungan style). We also talk about Pears’ love for Doughboys (And their connection to ska band, Bad Operation), and go into detail about PUP’s brilliant performance on a Doughboy’s livestream: a food parody version of their song “Reservoir.” 

Plus, we make a plea to former IDOS guest Jordan Morris to take Nick to a ska show. Help us Jordan. You’re our only hope! 

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.