The Most Infectious Beat On Earth

In the beginning

Ska music originated in Jamaica in the early 1960s by artists such as Prince Buster and Rosco Gordon. It is a fusion of the Jamaican folk music, Mento, and the American Rhythm and Blues of the late fifties and early sixties. It's unique, can't sit still rhythm comes from the drums emphasising the second and fourth beats of the bar and the guitar stressing the up of the second, third and fourth beats.¹ Led by blaring horns, driven by the relentless rhythm, ska was made for dancing.

As the 1960s progressed, more and more young people in Jamaica were unemployed; crime and violence increased. The music took a harder edge, driven by the bass. Ska became the music of the disaffected, the rude boys. These streetwise toughs of Kingston ruled the dance halls. The stereotypical rude boy dressed in a thin lapelled, sharply cut black suit, crisp white shirt, black tie, black shades and pork pie hat.² The lyrics started to reflect the times, as exemplified by Desmond Dekker's 007

Ska rapidly spread to the West Indian community in England, it was as though Kingston was linked to London by some pre-internet musical super highway. The Northern Soul era of the British mods was coming to an end and the music was quickly adopted by some as a new fashion. The dress code was very brand conscious, Crombie overcoats, Ben Sherman button-down collar shirts, Levi Sta-press trousers or Shrink-to-Fit jeans. The hair was cropped shorter and shorter, braces appeared and 18-eye Doc Martens became the standard footwear. The skinhead was born.

During the heat wave in the summer of 1966, the Ska beat was slowed to such an extent that a new Jamaican music, Rock Steady, was born. Within two years or so, Rock Steady had evolved into Reggae. By the early 1970s, the fortunes of Ska music had receded.

The British Revival

Around 1978, the ska beat re-emerged in Britain played by racially integrated bands promoting unity. Special AKA (The Specials) and The Selecter spearheaded the movement in the Midlands, whilst the more apparently lighthearted Madness and Bad Manners did so in Southern England. The difference in approach was clear from the subject of their songs. The Specials socially aware output such as 'Nelson Mandela" sharply contrasting with Bad Manners anthem to a popular beer of the time "Special Brew".

The new Ska bands attracted mixed audiences to their live gigs, skinheads and new style "rude boys". The new style rude boys dressed smartly adopting the crombie, dark suits (or tonic) of the original rude boy influenced mods with the shorter trousers, white socks and loafers of the teddie boys. White t-shirt, braces, Levi jeans and Doc Martens had become the skinhead uniform. Like their dress, they didn't mix well. There was often trouble, so the dance halls stopped booking the Ska bands. By 1981, the sound of Ska had once again receded as chronicled in The Specials' Ghost Town

The Beat Goes On

Through the normal channels of cultural exchange, the sound of ska has now been adopted by the creative talents of the United States. The development of that sound depends entirely on the area, and the method by which it arrived here. While ska scenes can be found scattered throughout the country, the dominant creative centers are New York and California.

New York ska is relatively true to its Jamaican roots, being a place where Jamaican immigrants have been known to settle. The vocals are soulful, and the songs are generally slower and mellower than the West Coast variant. As for fashion, New York bands have kept the style of wearing dark suits and ties, although the jackets usually find their way to the stage floor during the course of a live set.

California acquired the ska bug through more roundabout means, and its sound is much more evolved, and influenced by other genres. Bands like Madness brought the sound to the Golden State, already heavily influenced by pop music. As it gained popularity, it became an underground scene that ran parallel to the firmly entrenched punk tradition, and the two mingled to produce the sound of California ska. This ska is much more guitar driven than any other. Some bands eschew the horn section entirely, while others use it to excellent effect. The degree of influence of pop, punk, heavy metal, and even swing music that affects California ska bands depends on the band, and, as a result, California ska has rather wide variance in sound, and is difficult to typify. This variety is it's strength, and the reason it is beginning to have real commercial success, in spite of their efforts to the contrary.

California bands, having adapted every other facet of the genre, have also changed their fashion style. They are typically dressed in the most hideous circa 1970's button-up shirts they can get their hands on, slacks, and dress shoes. To accent the '70's nerd look, they add tattoos, piercings, and wild, punky hairdos (although they don't go as far as a mohawk).

Modern ska music may be the best music you've never heard, or heard and didn't realize what you were listening to. Ska bands have fully and firmly bought into the indie music creed of avoiding major labels and MTV, in order to keep full creative control over their product. However, when the underground movements gain enough attention, the megabucks of the corporate music machine get involved, and a certain amount of bands are beginning to get national attention. The movie industry has done a lot in this area, as Reel Big Fish ³ and Save Ferris ⁴ have both appeared in movies as themselves, playing their original tunes. It is a rare movie advertisement that lacks a Goldfinger track playing over the action, most often their tune "Superman." No Doubt has achieved celebrity status, but critics in the genre say that they sold out, and that their sound no longer resembles the pure ska they produced prior to signing with a major label. The general attitude is expressed in the Reel Big Fish song "Sell Out":

This attitude means that, unless you live near one of the ska Meccas, you have to truly work to find this music. You're not likely to hear it on your local radio station, and it won't be on MTV. The lively beat, the quality lyrics (which range from the socially conscious to the whimsical and silly), and the infectious sound keep fans incredibly loyal, so the search is well worth it. The web is a decent resource for finding new bands, but the best method is to go to a show for a band you do know... odds are they'll have an opening act that is well worth your attention.

Skanking Sounds

Best listened to with industrial strength speakers

Jamaican Jewels

• Liquidator - Harry J Allstars
• Long Shot Kick De Bucket - The Pioneers
• It Mek - Desmond Dekker
• Return of Django - The Pioneers
• Double Barrel - Dave and Ansil Collins
• Monkey Man - The Maytals
• Skinhead Moonstomp - Symarip
• 007 - Desmond Dekker
• The Whip - The Ethiopians
• Pressure Drop - The Maytals
• A Message To You Rudy - Dandy Livngstone

British Rude Tunes

• One Step Beyond - Madness
• Ghost Town - The Specials
• On My Radio - The Selecter
• Too Much Too Young - The Special AKA
• Walking In The Sunshine - Bad Manners

Californian Samples

• Homegrown
• Reel Big Fish
• Save Ferris
• Dance Hall Crashers

More Information

First things first. Listening to Ska is far better than reading about it. So if you haven't. Download the samples of the Californian bands. Beg, steal or borrow CDs of earlier tunes. Crank up the volume, clear the furniture and start skanking⁵.

If that's still not enough try these :

• 
  The History of Ska courtesy ARS
• Andy Clayden's Two Tone Story

If you have problem understanding some of the lyrics, try The Patois Dictionary