Skiptooth - double feature

Skiptooth was from Moreno Valley (Riverside) California in the mid 90s and, if I'm not mistaken, was started by former members of The Specs. They had a unique mid-tempo rocksteady / traditional sound, but not quite 60s, more like mid 70s 'traditional' with a noticeable 3rd wave tinge.
This one download has both their 9 song cd "Cool Ska Cool", and their 4 song demo tape "Skiptown vol.1"

Cool Ska Cool
1 Pachuco
2 Cuban Cigar
3 My Turn
4 Otra Vez
5 Preacher Joseyah
6 Rum and Coke
7 El Detectivo

Skiptown vol.1
1 My Turn
2 Reggae Man
3 Taxi Driver
4 El Detectivo

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The Employees - Pick it Up / Toothpaste 7"

More rare ska from 1981.

side A - Pick it Up
side B - Toothpaste

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The Ska-Dows - Skas on 45

This very rare 7" features the Ska-Dows performing a medley of early 2Tone hits on one song including the Specials version of "Monkey Man", The Beat's "Rankin Fullstop", Madness' "One Step Beyond" and "Baggy Trousers", and more. This is one song that is not available on Ska-Dows anthology "Ska'd for Life".

side A - Skas on 45
side B - Rhapsody in Buh

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Code Blue - Burning Bridges 7"

Here's another example of non-ska bands that were inspired by the 2Tone sound. This one is by Code Blue - a new wave / power pop band from Britain. It was released in 1980 and although the B-side is not a ska song it is a different version than the one on their album thus making that a rare collectible itself. The A side reveals how this obscure band had a more promising future if they had been a ska band.

A - Burning Bridges
B - Where I Am

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The Braces - Blue Flame

Thanks to Mikeska for the updated link!!

The Braces were a German band from the mid-to-late 80s. They originally released only 2 albums - 1989's "Prime Cut" and this one from 1990. They stopped playing in 1991 after their manager took off with their contracts and all of their money.

In 2000 guitarist/vocalist Joachim Uerschels started writing songs again with saxophonist/vocalist Martin Storkmann and with them as the only 2 original members The Braces recorded a 3rd album "Ska Got Soul" in 1994.

The Braces - Blue Flame
1 Give Love a Chance
2 Suzy Says
3 Fifty Days
4 In the Dark
5 Don't be so Cruel to Me
6 Come and Go
7 Ska of Monstra
8 Jungle Party
9 Too True to be Good
10 Storming Out
11 Boys don't Cry
12 Happiness
13 Youthquake
14 Riding West
15 The Letter
16 No Reason
17 Julie Julie

(I know I need to re-up the link. Send me an e-mail if I haven't yet.)

Jack Kevorkian and the Suicide Machines - Green World demo

Very rare cassette-only release from the early incarnation of The Suicide Machines. This cassette was limited to only 300 copies in 1994 - even before the Skank for Brains split with Los Rudiments. The epitome of 3rd wave ska-punk.

1 Skachoo!
2 Everyday Life
3 Prefab People
4 Green World
5 With Sunshine
6 Inside / Outside
7 The Golfing Song
8 Vans' Song
9 Drunken Jocks
10 Ugly Place
11 Snot Rag
12 Post Office Death Squad
13 Friends are Hard to Find

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Sax Maniax - Never Gonna Lose Me 7"

Rare ska from 1981.

A - Never Gonna Lose Me
B - Let's Twist Again

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The Akrylykz 7" (link updated Dec. 23, 2008)

The Akrylykz were a band from the 2Tone era from Yorkshire. Their vocalist and tenor sax player Roland Gift who was chosen by Andy Cox and David Steele (of The English Beat) to be the lead singer of their new band Fine Young Cannibals.
This vinyl from 1980 is inscribed with the words "Eat your heart out 2Tone"

A - Smart Boy
B - Spyderman

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The Piranhas - Play Kwela!

This 7" was released in 1980 and had the hit song "Tom Hark" which has recently become popular with British football fans. The song was originally recorded in 1953 by a band called Elias and His Zig Zag Jive Flutes and was based on the traditional South African folk music called kwela. Read more HERE.

1 Tom Hark
2 Getting Beaten Up
3 Boyfriend

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The Riffs - Who Wants It? (link updated May 25, 2009)

This is the Riffs' first full length from 1989. Keyboard and horn driven 2Tone sound.
I have also included the rare "Funny Little Fella" 7" in this download.
Check out their official site, or their Myspace.

Who Wants It?

1 Monday Morning
2 Spanish Lady
3 Safe and Sound
4 Darling
5 One Egg (Neville's Breakfast)
6 These Things
7 Dirty Bum
8 Don't Talk to Me
9 Peter Gunn
10 Blind Date

Funny Little Fella

(Thanks to Parker Jacobs for this image!!)

A Funny Little Fella
B Maybe Next Time


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