h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

There seem to be a few large gaps in your history of ska, noticably the complete absence of any reference to the second generation of British acts such as The Hotknives, Ska Boom, Maroon Town (also later a part of the brief Acid ska variation), Natural Rhythm, Big 5, The Riffs, The Reg Holdsworth Experience and The Loafers to name but a few, the European scene (The Busters, Mark Foggos Skasters), Japanese Ska (Ska Flames), Australian (Off The Shelf were a brief lived but successful Oz group), Acid Ska (The afore mentioned Maroon Town, House of Ska, Double Trouble and the Rebel MC, even Buster Blodvessel had a go) and the success of current UK bands (The G-Men and [spunge]).
Most surprisingly, given the attention directed at US bands in the original article, there is no mention of one of the major stomping grounds for US ska bands, Boston, home to The Mighty, Mighty Bosstones (previously just 'The Bosstones') and the wonderful Bim Skala Bim.

Other Recommended Sounds:

King Hammond - King Hammond Shuffle
Hot Knives - Dave and Mary
The Riffs - Funny Little Fella
Bim Skala Bim - Good Dog Ska
Double Trouble & The Rebel MC - Street Tuff
Mark Foggos Skasters - Ska Pig
Ska Flames - Our Man Flint
The Bodysnatchers - 007
The Specials - Dirty Old Town
and last but not least
Madness - The Communicator

You're right Municipal Murk. I departed for these distant shores before the "second generation " of British Ska bands so they and the current generation are a mystery to me. Thanks to h2g2, I do have a copy of Zen Baseball Bats "Concrete Mixer" though.

If you could knock up a few words, I'll be happy to include them in the article and add you to the list of keyboard crushers.

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From Distant Shores

Tell me what you want including, and when I can I shall oblige.
Murk

.......and who the hell are the Zen Baseball Bats?

Murk

Just returned from a hectic two week music-less visit to Blighty.

Thanks for you offer to help improve the article.

As you pointed out the current entry's coverage from the eighties on is thin and heavily weighted towards the west coast of the US. If you could even this up with a handful of paragraphs it would be a big improvement especially covering the spreading of ska around the worldska following the Specials/Selecter and initial Madness era.

If you have a special verse from a song that reflects the spirit of the music at the time it would fit in well with the style of the entry.

I'll fit your words into the entry and post it as a working copy for you to comment on before it is "published".

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From Distant Shores

zen baseball bat are a Wigan based band which released an album called "i am the champion concrete mixer" on Moon Ska Europe last year.

They play music based on a traditional ska beat, not the speeded up version which appears popular on the west coast of America. The album was recorded in Manchester and has a few frills from what I assume is Mankie Dance Music. The horns sometimes have the odd touch of a brass band. The lyrics are '"folkie" in the sense of relating to the life and times of the songwriters.

They're certainly no Skatalites but I enjoy the occasional listen.

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