Ska - The History of Ska Music
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
It was War World II that changed everything. The British Empire was crumbling before the war and was falling apart faster during the post war period. Britain began granting independence to its dominions as dictated by pressure from the colonial people. By 1962, Jamaica was self-governing while still remaining a member of the Commonwealth. The Jamaican culture, and it's music, began to reflect the new found optimism and aspirations of the liberated masses.
Since the early 1940's, Jamaica had adopted and adapted many forms of American musical styles. By the time World War II ended, there were countless bands in Jamaica playing the dances.
In the 1950's some Jamaican musicians develope the music style SKA from different kinds of music styles like the american Rythm & Blues, the Cuban Salsa and finnaly the Jamaican Calypso. Some Vocal groups with 3 - 5 vocalists perform their songs together with a backing soundgroup, which played the typical Off-Beat.
It was the time for :
The First Wave of Ska
The first wave means the traditionell jamaican Ska music. One of the first ska records was the song " Boogie in my Bones "from Laurel Aitken also known as the Godfather of Ska or the Originator.
This song went in few weeks to the top in the Jamaican charts and stayed there for a long time. it followed many singles from different interprets like Derrick Morgan ( the Godfather of Skinhead Reggae ), the wailing Wailors with Bob Marley ( It`s true , he made Ska before he discovered Ganja and Reggae for himself), Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, the Maytals etc.. Ska was at first the music of the underclass youth, who called himself " Rude Boys ". Being Rude was a means of being somebody when society was telling you were nobody.(Check out the movie The Harder They Come with Jimmy Cliff... this movie was believed to be Jimmy Cliff's story but really parallels the life of a famous Rude Boy by the name of Ryging; The way the Rude Boys danced the ska was different as well: slower with a menacing posture. The rude boys connected with the underworld... those who lived outside the laws, and this was reflected in the lyric of the music. Ska music once again changed to reflect the mood of the rude with more tension in the bass as opposed to the previous free-walking bass style.
By the time the sound systems, DJ`s who play Ska tunes and sing and shouted to this, began recording their own tracks to gain an advantage over the others, not labeling the vinyl so others could not see what was playing and steal it for their own sound systems. Despite the primitive mono recording facilities, it was the determination of the ska enthusiasts which enabled ska to become the first truly commercial Jamaican Music. In fact, the ska was later named the national dance and music of Jamaica.
The topic of the Rude Boys continued throughout the ska period and peaked in popularity when, during an extremely hot summer in 1964, the ska beat was slowed and Rocksteady was born. The first wave of ska was over by 1968ish. (Rocksteady is a whole other story: Rocksteady later moved on to Reggae. Reggae's popularity in England was due mainly to the Skinheads; Rastafarians adopted reggae and the lyrics began to represent the Rastafarian religious views, reggae progressed into Dub and Dancehall... and so on and so on and...)
The Second Wave of Ska
On to the second wave... but let's go back a little bit into some more history: In 1962, when England put a lid on the unlimitedimmigration policy of the Commonwealth, race riots were breaking out. Ska and reggae was, at this time, being brought to England by many artists and producers on acetate including The Trojan Laurel Aitken,Desmond Decker and the Specials.
Anyway, in 1979, Jerry Dammers formed 2-Tone Records. Dammers's desire, like Prince Busters in the early 1960s, was to create something new. Black and white became a symbol and 2 Tone ska was born. The 2 Tone logo of a man in a black suit white shirt, black tie, sunglasses, pork pie hat, white socks and black loafers became the official logo and was named Walt Jabsco.
Bands such as Madness, The Beat, The Selecter, The Bodysnatchers, and The Specials revitalized the classic ska sounds of Prince Buster and other first wave artists. Another band not on the two tone label but associated closely with the two-tone movement is Bad Manners. There was also a crossover of first wave artists in the 2-Tone bands.
In the 1970's the Rude Boy ideals were revitalized and expressed in the fusion of reggae and punk by bands such as The Clash (Rudie Can't Fail).
Eventually, Chrysalis Records bought 2-Tone from Dammers, leaving him the right to sign new bands. The 2 Tone artists at one time or another included: The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, Rico Rodriguez, The Swinging Cats, The Friday Club, The Bodysnatchers, The Hisons, J.B. Allstars, Special AKA, The Apollinairs, The Beat (know as The English Beat in the US because a band called the Beat already existed here), and a single from Elvis Costello.In spite of running a reputable label, by 1985 the 2-tone label was falling apart; Dammers was broke and in debt to Chrysalis and the Dawning of a New Era ended in a Ghost Town.
Two Tone bands may have been the most popular from 1978-85 however they were not the only ones playing ska. Others included The Tigers, Ska City Rockers, The Employees, The Pirahnas, and many more...
Carrying on the tradition of combining the ska beat with pop, rock and worldbeat were The Toasters (Once releasing under the band name Not Bob Marley), Bim Skala Bim, The Untouchables, and Fishbone.
The Third Wave of Ska
The third wave of ska exists in many forms combining almost every type of conceivable style with that ska beat. One of the first bands of the first hour of third wave was Operation Ivy. This Band mixed Punkrock with Ska and called this Ska Core. After their broke, the two main members Tim Armstrong and Lars Fredericksen formed the Band Rancid. Many Bands followed Operation Ivy like Suicide Machines, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Against all authority, Flaming Moe`s, Mustard Plug, Skanking Pickle, Link 80 etc.
Besides them there was many Bands which discovered the traditional Ska music for them like Hepcat, Dr. Ring ding & the Senior Allstars, the Busters, the Slackers, No Sports, Filibusters, Sublime ( today called Long Beach Dub allstars), NY Ska Jazz Ensemble etc.
The Rude Boy/Rude Girl image reappeared with the third wave as well. This time not as an outlaw but as a supporter and fan (fanatic) of ska. Many people think that every Skinhead is a racist. I think this is a gossip that every Skafans and musicians ( also Skinheads are anti-racists and organised in the SkinHeads Against Racial Prejudice (SHARPs).
Several aspects have not changed: Ska has a major influence on the young. Most ska shows are all ages and inexpensive to accommodate this. Also, Ska remains a harmonious unification of numerous types of musical styles and people who love it.
So go out and dance and have fun by enjoying the tunes of Ska
literary reference : "Ska, a history of dance Music" by Stanley Head
Since the early 1940's, Jamaica had adopted and adapted many forms of American musical styles. By the time World War II ended, there were countless bands in Jamaica playing the dances.
In the 1950's some Jamaican musicians develope the music style SKA from different kinds of music styles like the american Rythm & Blues, the Cuban Salsa and finnaly the Jamaican Calypso. Some Vocal groups with 3 - 5 vocalists perform their songs together with a backing soundgroup, which played the typical Off-Beat.
It was the time for :
The First Wave of Ska
The first wave means the traditionell jamaican Ska music. One of the first ska records was the song " Boogie in my Bones "from Laurel Aitken also known as the Godfather of Ska or the Originator.
This song went in few weeks to the top in the Jamaican charts and stayed there for a long time. it followed many singles from different interprets like Derrick Morgan ( the Godfather of Skinhead Reggae ), the wailing Wailors with Bob Marley ( It`s true , he made Ska before he discovered Ganja and Reggae for himself), Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, the Maytals etc.. Ska was at first the music of the underclass youth, who called himself " Rude Boys ". Being Rude was a means of being somebody when society was telling you were nobody.(Check out the movie The Harder They Come with Jimmy Cliff... this movie was believed to be Jimmy Cliff's story but really parallels the life of a famous Rude Boy by the name of Ryging; The way the Rude Boys danced the ska was different as well: slower with a menacing posture. The rude boys connected with the underworld... those who lived outside the laws, and this was reflected in the lyric of the music. Ska music once again changed to reflect the mood of the rude with more tension in the bass as opposed to the previous free-walking bass style.
By the time the sound systems, DJ`s who play Ska tunes and sing and shouted to this, began recording their own tracks to gain an advantage over the others, not labeling the vinyl so others could not see what was playing and steal it for their own sound systems. Despite the primitive mono recording facilities, it was the determination of the ska enthusiasts which enabled ska to become the first truly commercial Jamaican Music. In fact, the ska was later named the national dance and music of Jamaica.
The topic of the Rude Boys continued throughout the ska period and peaked in popularity when, during an extremely hot summer in 1964, the ska beat was slowed and Rocksteady was born. The first wave of ska was over by 1968ish. (Rocksteady is a whole other story: Rocksteady later moved on to Reggae. Reggae's popularity in England was due mainly to the Skinheads; Rastafarians adopted reggae and the lyrics began to represent the Rastafarian religious views, reggae progressed into Dub and Dancehall... and so on and so on and...)
The Second Wave of Ska
On to the second wave... but let's go back a little bit into some more history: In 1962, when England put a lid on the unlimitedimmigration policy of the Commonwealth, race riots were breaking out. Ska and reggae was, at this time, being brought to England by many artists and producers on acetate including The Trojan Laurel Aitken,Desmond Decker and the Specials.
Anyway, in 1979, Jerry Dammers formed 2-Tone Records. Dammers's desire, like Prince Busters in the early 1960s, was to create something new. Black and white became a symbol and 2 Tone ska was born. The 2 Tone logo of a man in a black suit white shirt, black tie, sunglasses, pork pie hat, white socks and black loafers became the official logo and was named Walt Jabsco.
Bands such as Madness, The Beat, The Selecter, The Bodysnatchers, and The Specials revitalized the classic ska sounds of Prince Buster and other first wave artists. Another band not on the two tone label but associated closely with the two-tone movement is Bad Manners. There was also a crossover of first wave artists in the 2-Tone bands.
In the 1970's the Rude Boy ideals were revitalized and expressed in the fusion of reggae and punk by bands such as The Clash (Rudie Can't Fail).
Eventually, Chrysalis Records bought 2-Tone from Dammers, leaving him the right to sign new bands. The 2 Tone artists at one time or another included: The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, Rico Rodriguez, The Swinging Cats, The Friday Club, The Bodysnatchers, The Hisons, J.B. Allstars, Special AKA, The Apollinairs, The Beat (know as The English Beat in the US because a band called the Beat already existed here), and a single from Elvis Costello.In spite of running a reputable label, by 1985 the 2-tone label was falling apart; Dammers was broke and in debt to Chrysalis and the Dawning of a New Era ended in a Ghost Town.
Two Tone bands may have been the most popular from 1978-85 however they were not the only ones playing ska. Others included The Tigers, Ska City Rockers, The Employees, The Pirahnas, and many more...
Carrying on the tradition of combining the ska beat with pop, rock and worldbeat were The Toasters (Once releasing under the band name Not Bob Marley), Bim Skala Bim, The Untouchables, and Fishbone.
The Third Wave of Ska
The third wave of ska exists in many forms combining almost every type of conceivable style with that ska beat. One of the first bands of the first hour of third wave was Operation Ivy. This Band mixed Punkrock with Ska and called this Ska Core. After their broke, the two main members Tim Armstrong and Lars Fredericksen formed the Band Rancid. Many Bands followed Operation Ivy like Suicide Machines, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Against all authority, Flaming Moe`s, Mustard Plug, Skanking Pickle, Link 80 etc.
Besides them there was many Bands which discovered the traditional Ska music for them like Hepcat, Dr. Ring ding & the Senior Allstars, the Busters, the Slackers, No Sports, Filibusters, Sublime ( today called Long Beach Dub allstars), NY Ska Jazz Ensemble etc.
The Rude Boy/Rude Girl image reappeared with the third wave as well. This time not as an outlaw but as a supporter and fan (fanatic) of ska. Many people think that every Skinhead is a racist. I think this is a gossip that every Skafans and musicians ( also Skinheads are anti-racists and organised in the SkinHeads Against Racial Prejudice (SHARPs).
Several aspects have not changed: Ska has a major influence on the young. Most ska shows are all ages and inexpensive to accommodate this. Also, Ska remains a harmonious unification of numerous types of musical styles and people who love it.
So go out and dance and have fun by enjoying the tunes of Ska
literary reference : "Ska, a history of dance Music" by Stanley Head
