Scraptown

Scraptown was a very successful Reggae/Pop/Rock combo in the early 80's in Greece. They'd play every Pub and had released three albums, of which "Give me a break" was the most successful one.

Songs like "Viva Sahara" became number one in Greece and gained huge radio play in Italy and France, as well as in other southern European countries.

Scraptown (1982)
1 Execution
2 News

3 Third World
4 Never Miss Twice
5 Underground Attack
6 GTS
7 Dismissed
8 Linda
9 Sometimes

10 Bookoo Funk

DOWNLOAD "SCRAPTOWN"

Rules of the Game (1983)
1 Loverboy in Hollywood

2 Don't Wanna Join the Army
3 Boys and Girls
4 Taxman Ratman
5 Some of My Thoughts
6 Rules of the Game
7 Jumbo Sale

8 We're Still Alive
9 Nights of Fear

DOWNLOAD "RULES OF THE GAME"

Give Me a Break (1985)
1 Give Me a Break

2 Cinderella

3 Dynamite
4 Leaving You
5 Viva Sahara
6 Face to Face
7 Alladin
8 Sanava
9 We've Got this Night
10 Hurry Up
11 Sunday



DOWNLOAD "GIVE ME A BREAK"

Viva Sahara single (1987)
A - Viva Sahara (12" version)
B1 - Viva Sahara (dub version)
B2 - Viva Sahara (7" version)

DOWNLOAD "VIVA SAHARA" SINGLE

Les Frelons - Tous les Matins 7" (1989)

Les Frelons' first release. Thanks to Tomas for this submission!!

A - Tous les Matins
B - Rock Rudy Steady

http://www.mediafire.com/?b4m117xt9kxc5f4

Mek Pek Party Band - Ska Beat 7" (1982)

...from discogs:
"Danish ska-band fronted by the dynamic vocalist and trumpet player Mek Pek and the first to introduce the ska style in Denmark. The original Mek Pek Partyband was only active 1982 and 1983, while Mek Pek has used the name for his bands later on in the 90's."
They had a couple more singles and a self titled full length also released in 1982

here they are performing Ska Beat in 2011: (starts at 2:20)


A - Ska Beat
B - Hvorfor Så?

http://www.mediafire.com/?a9o74pn48y6j6b8

Thanks to Rikard for this submission!!

I GOT HACKED!!

If you get an eMail from me DO NOT OPEN IT. I haven't emailed anything to anybody. I don't know what it is. I got 63 emails today from you guys. I'm sorry if it was a virus. I really don't know how it happened. Sorry

Clive Pig and the Hopeful Chinamen - Happy Birthday Sweet 16 7" (1979)

Punk-reggae from this British band.

Clive Pig was an acoustic guitar storyteller/poet that meshed in nicely with the late 70s punk scene. He released lots of good material with different bands. This particular record is not hard to find.

Even if you're not a big fan of punk-reggae this one's a good one. It will grow on you.



A - Happy Birthday Sweet 16
B - Our Movement

http://www.mediafire.com/?p1vjz4ahk14wi8h

Public Service?! - Somebody Scream! (1990)

The ultra rare impossible-to-find cassette only first release from Philadelphia's Public Service?! from 1990. This is the one that is notorious for being a Moon Ska Records release but there's no mention anywhere on the tape or inlay card of Moon Records. They did put a sticker on the shrink-wrap (seen HERE)It could be said this is not an actual Moon release because they did not produce it, they only distributed it but it did have a Moon catalogue number MR-026cs.

Anyway...this is rare stuff, and they say their main inspiration is Fishbone and it's noticeable.



A1 Rude Awakening
A2 Salt + Pepper
A3 Matter of Time
A4 Dine and Dash
B1 The Question
B2 Too Much Violence
B3 Bad Nite in Philly
B4 Tube Fried

"Rude Awakening"

"Bad Nite in Philly"


http://www.mediafire.com/?qkq1hjl0jhkkk87

Spy Eye - 1989 demo cassette

These are the guys who released the album "Hot Pursuits" on Unicorn Records. You probably know them for the song Brand New Beat from the first "Skankin' 'Round the World" compilation. That song came from this demo.
It wasn't the best song on there:

"Me and My Shadow"

"These Boots are Made for Walkin'"


A1 - Brand New Beat
A2 - Rude Boys
A3 - Me and My Shadow
B1 - These Boots Were Made for Walkin'
B2 - Reminds Me of Cairo
B3 - I Hate You

http://www.mediafire.com/?rpl5p89qtxtcn0l


(there is a cover to this tape. I have the cover - I just can't find it right now. That's what kept me from posting it for so long. Do you care though? The music's great isn't it? I'll post the cover when I find it)

3rd wave California ska flyers

Here's a nice collection of lost and forgotten ska flyers from Southern California from the days when 3rd wave dominated the scene.



Less Than Jake, The Hippos, Reel Big Fish, My Superhero, Low Pressure...they're all here...



These were contributed by Justin - a man who did what we all can only wish we did. He kept his flyers. Thank you Justin.
I know I had some great ska and punk flyers that I kick myself in the ass for not keeping. Do you have yours?


You don't have to love the third wave to appreciate these historical documents:
http://www.mediafire.com/?jfb1rgz1iehqddg

The Ska-Dows - Skas on 45 7'' (1981)

You know this one. You like this one. Where's your copy of this one?
Until you find yours, listen to this one.

(Thanks to Bruce!! These are not only his rips - which sound better than my own - but he included the scans from all of the different releases in the download.)

A - Skas on 45
B - Rhapsody in Buh

http://www.mediafire.com/?1u755psb91138nd

Tara - Ska Man 7" (1980)

A - Ska Man

B - Here I Am



http://www.mediafire.com/?1c34ci6yjqu8o31

Sunshine - Double Dealin' 7" (1981)

Ultra rare ska!
I have looked for this damn record for years and finally - here it is. Not a bad tune either.
These guys were from Ireland and they had some other non-ska releases. This one here may have been their final record.
Trombone on this one was provided by John Trotter of the Plattermen.

They had a minor hit in 1964 with a soul cover of Perry Como's "Catch a Falling Star" (The b-side to that is a song called "Only Friends")
They tried their hand at disco in 1979 with "Boogie on Up / Don't Stop Me" 7"
and they had a couple more singles I know nothing about: "Love Me Love Me Do" and "Dance with Me"
Keep in mind I've never heard any of their other music and they barely exist anywhere on the internet so my descriptions of their other releases may be dead wrong.

A - Double Dealin'
B - Double Dealin' (instrumental)


http://www.mediafire.com/?kp5hl1h3liy706j

Fehlfarben - Große Liebe 7" (1980)

Like so many other bands the German post-punk band Fehlfarben started out playing ska. This is their first release. It was recorded in 1979 and released in 1980.
I'm not positive, but I don't think they ever attempted ska again.



http://www.mediafire.com/?c42upn4uyoozbpu

Their first album Monarchie und Alltag cand be found HERE

Marcia Griffiths - Carousel (1990)

1 Electric Boogie
2 Do Unto Others
3 Groovin'
4 All Over the World
5 Carousel
6 Sugar Shack
7 The One Who Really Loves You
8 Money in the Bank
9 Electric Boogie (dub mix)

"Carousel"



http://www.mediafire.com/?58f828owe780ux3

New Released - The Worker 7" (198?)

These guys were Dutch and this was released on Don Quixote Records. It seems the real push for the record was for the song No Promises. The Worker should have been a B-side but it was better than No Promises so they released it as a double A-side. Anything else I can't tell you. I used to have it written down somewhere what year this was released but I can't find my notes. If I have to hazard a guess I'll say either '81 or '82. Don't quote me in that.

A - No Promises
A - The Worker


http://www.mediafire.com/?8dn1474nnevvh04

Crazy 8s - Law and Order (1983)

Okay, read THIS.
They have released other albums which aren't hard to find (SEE)

The cover here is for the original release from 1983 but the download is for the re-release so it's in better quality and has more tracks.

1 Law and Order
2 Johnny Q
3 Count Your Money
4 Rude Boys Don't Win
5 Fine Tunin'
6 Don't You Really Want to Know
7 Johnny Q
8 Law and Order
9 Count Your Money
10 Rude Boys Don't Win
11 Fine Tunin'
12 Don't You Really Want to Know
13 Ridin' Down the Campaign Trail
14 (untitled)

"Don't You Really Want to Know?"

"Law and Order"

...and a great performance of "Fine Tunin'" from 1985


http://www.mediafire.com/?achbtv6w1htw114

Spy Kids 1991 demo tape

One of San Diego's finest ska bands.
...and don't let their appearance fool you. This is not ska-punk. This is female-fronted 2Tone sounds done right.

1 Carousel
2 Cheeto
3 Covert Action
4 Today's News

"Covert Action"

"Carousel"


http://www.mediafire.com/?dcl1z2pqwb9xf18

The Train Spotters - Unfaithful 7'' (1979)

Everything I could say about these guys was already said HERE

A - Unfaithful

B - Hiring the Hall

http://www.mediafire.com/?9yo5zhgy5yxk0bn

Earth and Fire - Weekend 7'' (1979)

I have so many of these songs by non-ska bands that are worth knowing about and maybe worth hearing once or twice, but really they aren't good music. Just a bunch of bands that either used to be famous and they saw their audiences disappearing or bands who were never famous in the first place and they thought they could grab some attention by playing ska-type-stuff and then impress their new listeners with their real sound later. I don't think it worked for anybody in the end. Either the crowd was disappointed when they went to the show and heard what the band really sounded like, or the one ska/reggae song the band did was a throwaway song from their original set and they just threw an upstroke into it.
There are a lot of terrible songs that came from this era and this line of thinking and I was going to do one big blog-post called Bad Pop does Bad Ska...or something equally as clever.
This is one of the songs I was going to include in that post but in the last week this song has really grown on me.
I'm still going to do that post and you'll see that this really is a superior product compared to some of the other shit that's out there.

Earth and Fire were a 70s rock band from the Netherlands who had a number of releases between 1970 and 1990. This is their only attempt at a ska/reggae song and it was their biggest hit ever. So big that it even got them attention outside of the Netherlands. It was number 1 in Switzerland, Germany, Denmark and Portugal as well. It never did make a splash in the UK, the US, or even in the Republic of Suriname - until now!

The song is really not a bad little ditty and the singer Jerney is just adorable. There are a few videos of this song on Youtube that are about the same exact performance with her in different outfits. (I ain't complaining). And they all showcase her ability to dance with all the finesse of an 8-year old in front of her bedroom mirror. ('Turning around' is a dance move attempted by many, mastered by few).


(...and her smile is so warm...so genuine...)




A - Weekend
B - Answer Me*


http://www.mediafire.com/?33e1ibvrc76188o

*(see, now they hooked you with a 'ska' song you can hear their real sound. Aren't you impressed?)

Skinners - Jump Up You Can Do It 12'' (1984)

This is a re-post that was submitted a couple years ago by Ronan. These guys were from Germany and I think this is their only release.

1 Jump Up You Can Do It
2 There is a Garden in Her Face
3 Car Old Seller
4 Watchin' TV

"Jump Up You Can Do It"

"Car Old Seller"


http://www.mediafire.com/?0cky8s6lwvruzq2

Stretch Armstrong - Old School (1993)

Thanks to Mikeska for sharing this with us!!

Stretch Armstrong's cassette-only release from 1993. (The album Lollygag can be found HERE and The Armstrong Band - Stretch can be found HERE)

1 Pain
2 T.B.T.F.
3 Rock Bottom
4 Feet Up
5 Better Than What
6 (hidden track)
7 Big Hair
8 No Room For Hate
9 Skeletons
10 Mr. Walker
11 Borisoglebska

"Pain"

"Rock Bottom"


http://www.mediafire.com/?2vd1l6eqxr17gs5

Blur - Nite Klub (live w/ Terry Hall)

DOWNLOAD

Le Garçons Bouchers - Sale Gueule 7" (1990)

French punk/oi/other band that dabbled in the punk/ska sound (THIS for instance). They have several other releases and the songwriting ability is impressive with the ska-oriented stuff not necessarily being their best work (The song Dans la Salle Du Bar is great).

You're probably not going to like this the first time you hear it. I didn't. But it really does grow on you. Listen to it 3 times and you'll love it for life.




A - Sale Gueule
B - Guerre

http://www.mediafire.com/?9y51ojo92ofi1n9

Ska City Rockers

This 7" was submitted to us by Bruce who also provided this info:

7"
A Forty Miles Of Bad Road
B Nice And Slow (Edit)

12"
A Forty Miles Of Bad Road (Extended Version)
B Nice And Slow


Before shortening their name (& their line-up) to "the Dealers"
the Birmingham based band were the Mean Street Dealers & also released the Time is tight EP
in 1980 on Inferno records as the Ska City Rockers (7" & 12")

7"
A Time Is Tight
B1 You Don't Know Like I Know
B2 Road Runner

12"
A1 Time Is Tight
A2 You Don't Know Like I Know
A3 Road Runner
B1 In The Midnight Gour
B2 Barefootin'
B3 I Can't Turn You Loose

The band were
Mark Bristow (voc guitar)
John Wilson (guitar voc)
Nigel Darvill (keyboards)
Jimmy Simpson (drums)



The 3 tracks from the "Time is Tight" 7" were on the 100% British Ska comp. I included them with this download.

This is the one that says "featuring Roland on Saxophone" on the cover. They thought they'd sell more copies if people thought it was Roland Alphonso instead of the real sax player who was a nobody at the time from a little-known Hull band called the Akrylykz. They might have sold a few more copies in the late eighties if they put the sax player's real name - Roland Gift:


A - Forty Miles of Bad Road

B - Nice and Slow



http://www.mediafire.com/?ry3s4c7eglzdllv

Stormed - Beau Terry 7'' (1987)

This is Stormed - from Cambridge.

I have previously posted Stormed's rare 12" single "Trouble at Home". It was only released as a promo and I mistakenly reported that they had one other single which was also released only as a 12" promo.
Thankfully I now know that the other promo saw an actual 7" release. I have no idea how many copies of this were pressed but now, thanks to Rikard, we get to hear it:

A Beau Terry
B1 - The Burn
B2 - The John Song

The song "The John Song" was the B-side to "Trouble at Home" but this is a much different version.
(This video has nothing to do with the band, but the Morris Dancing goes well with the song)


I have included the 12" with this single so you get everything they released in one handy download.

http://www.mediafire.com/?tb77jqk73ah11kb


(...if you don't know "Trouble at Home" it sounds like this:)

The Uptones 7" (1982)

This is not the California band of the same name. These guys were from Tucson, Arizona and I don't know if they have any other releases. Band leader Mark Wilsey is a firefighter in Arizona and he's still active in music. He is currently fronting Reno Del Mar

A1 - Africa is at War
A2 - One Free New World
B1 - The Time is Right
B2 - The Message

"Africa is at War"

"The Time is Right"




http://www.mediafire.com/?uo7bl9uxk4w2rv3

Let's Go Bowling - Rude 69 7'' (1988)

A - Rude 69

B - Dance Some More


Much thanks to Miguel for submitting this!!

DOWNLOAD

Untouchables - Dance Party EP (1986)

A1 - Freak in the Street (Freak Out Mix) Remixed by Don and David Was (these guys)
A2 - (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone
A3 - Hey UT's live at Spring Break Daytona Beach Florida 1985
B1 - Free Yourself (Special London Mix)
B2 - I Spy (For the FBI) (National Security Mix Up) produced by Jerry Dammers
B3 - What's Gone Wrong (Lovers Rock Mix)

http://www.mediafire.com/?e9kt8dlb8d4ltmk

Manovalanza - Anziani a Vent'anni + Le Cose Che Vorresti single (2011)

Italian ska-punk band Manovalanza would like you to have their most recent efforts: Their full length "Anziani a Vent'anni" released earlier this year and the single "Le Cose Che Vorresti" that they just released last week. It is not available in physical form.

They have an OFFICIAL SITE and something called a MYSPACE.


Anziani a Vent'anni


1 Siamo Anziani a Vent'anni
2 Fuoco Alle Micce
3 Una Sola Esigenza
4 Sotto Controllo
5 Skapestrato
6 Enigma
7 Adesso Basta
8 Non Mi Riesce
9 La Citta di Vettro
10 La Danza Delle Spade
11 Vengo da Viamaggio
12 Via da Questa Realata
13 Quando Arriva la Sera



Le Cose Che Vorresti single


1 Le Cose Che Vorresti
2 Puzzle Bubble Theme

Download icludes full length and single
http://www.mediafire.com/?ulckdobuq7xwxxe

On Safari with Beat Happy Music (1995)

These were not sold as a set. Each 7" was limited to 1000 copies and were hand-numbered. I'm not sure what else Beat Happy Records ever put out but I think they were affiliated with Raj Records.

Vol.1


A1 - Mustard Plug - Dressed Up
A2 - Punch the Clown - CIA Chick
B1 - The Independents - Buried Alive
B2 - Spies on Sabbatical - Inside Out

Vol.2


A1 - The Skolars - Get Away
A2 - Critical Mass - It Doesn't Really Matter
B1 - Space Heaters - 0635
B2 - Easy Big Fella - Lucky Donkey (live)

http://www.mediafire.com/?kbt1isfnq2bcqg0

Klang - The Pop Theory (1981)

This is Klang's first album. The second - and final - album is called Dots and Dashes (I don't have it yet)and there were a few singles, one of which can be found HERE. The b-side on that one is not on either album.


1 Go!
2 Mucho Macho Song
3 Nagasaki Sun
4 Angry Young Men
5 Beat It
6 Too Pooped to Pop
7 Virgins and I
8 I Wish You'd Call Me a Red
9 Wailing in the Moonlight
10 Family Life
11 Win a Little, Lose a Little
12 Music for the East

"Beat It"

"Wailing in the Moonlight"

"I Wish You'd Call Me a Red"


http://www.mediafire.com/?j6ue1c6r51b1qgc

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra - 1990 demo

1 Pedorazu
2 Skaravan
3 Sukambo
4 Just a Little Bit of Your Soul
5 Holiday
6 Christmaska



http://www.mediafire.com/?g0jb7qoxqz68xjk

Planet 10 - Love's a Dream 12'' (1985)

This band was from Hollywood, California. They played reggae and power-pop and new wave type stuff.
This record is not hard to find at all. It's all over the internet.
Aside from this I think they recorded a full length in 1990. Not sure about that though.

A - Love's a Dream
B - Shelter


http://www.mediafire.com/?74i3m5q9guwnpm2

ska and reggae singles

I've mentioned before that I don't post traditional ska because there are a lot of blogs that are doing a great job of it, but I do like the oldies and I have quite a bit of 'em.
Here are some you probably know and love already but maybe there's a song or two you haven't heard yet.

Black Slate
A - Boom Boom
B - Sticks Man
(1980)

Byron Lee and the Dragonaires
A - Elizabethan Reggae
B - Sticks Man
(1969)

Cimarons
A - Time Passage
B - Reggae Time
(1974)

Dave and Ansell Collins
A - Double Barrel
B - Double Barrel version 2
(1971)

Donna Hightower
A - Brush Those Tears From Your Eyes
B - Get T'Stepping
(1973)

Jerry Jackson
A - Tell Her Johnny Said Goodbye
B - Always
(1964)

Ken Boothe
A - Crying Over You
B - Now You Can See Me Again
(1974)

Tradition
A - Reggae Music
B - Breezin'
(1978)

Winston Francis
A - Blue Moon
B - Now That I'm a Man
(1972)

http://www.mediafire.com/?137ew8i02znb87k

Toy - demo cassette (198?)

I think these guys were from Chicago. I don't remember. I don't even know what year this was recorded.

Just one ska song and a couple more that sounds like they were Police fans.

1 Tonight, Tonight
2 Barbed Wire
3 Invalid
4 Leave Me Alone

"Barbed Wire"

"Invalid"


http://www.mediafire.com/?lohimcyt7cp9wqx

One Eye Open

.
.
.
.Nerds (1995)
.
Nerds had 3 different covers. This download includes all three.
This is the first cd cover. It came shrink-wrapped with a box of Nerds candy:

The cassette cover looked like a box of Nerds candy:

The second cd cover. There's a reason for this cover. The story is included in the download:


1 Janitors Against Apartheid - Down
2 Janitors Against Apartheid - No 2nd Chance
3 Janitors Against Apartheid - Here to Stay
4 Janitors Against Apartheid - I Am
5 Janitors Against Apartheid - Oh...OK!
6 Janitors Against Apartheid - Moon Patrol
7 Janitors Against Apartheid - Choose Your Identity
8 One Eye Open - I Like Mexican Girls
9 One Eye Open - Sumfin 4 Da Quincey
10 One Eye Open - Chess Becomes Chinese Checkers
11 One Eye Open - Doity Ol' Sock
12 One Eye Open - Sour Dough Head
13 One Eye Open - Where Food's a Circus
14 One Eye Open - Blue Gene Blues
15 "hidden track" space adventure

http://www.mediafire.com/?zx0f9w3i1bdgu65

(...and I should have used this on my Janitors Against Apartheid post)


One Eye Open released a full length called Hellaut, a split LP with the band Schlong, and a 7" called Boobs: The Incomplete Set which are all available for free download on Very Small Records' own blog HERE

The Boobs 7" is a collection of t.v. show theme songs and commercials that was originally on cassette. There wasn't enough room for all of them on the 7" - hence "incomplete set".

Here is their "Roblits" demo with some other odds and ends:
Roblits
1 Chess Becomes Chinese Checkers
2 Sour Dough Hed
3 Efram is a Very Good Boy
4 I Like Mexican Girls
5 Paul Sharar

Other
Drunski '96 (Not Beyond)
Dirty Fucking Scumbag
Poo Poo Kiss
Public Enemy #1 (Motley Crue cover)
Time Out for Fun (Devo cover)
Ska Parade Metal Theme

http://www.mediafire.com/?zds46ffi5kcp6y7

Punk End Theory demo
1 Interplanetary Sun
2 Al B. Fungless
3 Anu Neighbor
4 Bean Pie (Snake Eyes Mix)
5 Life in a Tree
6 Interplanetary Music (part 1)
7 This is Drunkski
8 Butt Vader
9 The Laughing Song (Residents cover)

http://www.mediafire.com/?rxudkew5dncefge


Live on the Ska Parade
1 I Like Mexican Girls
2 New Zoo Revue
3 Special Learn
4 Baseball Baseball
5 The Ska Parade
6 Chess Becomes Chinese Checkers
7 WKRP
8 Saved by the Bell
9 The Young Ones
10 Paul Sharar

http://www.mediafire.com/?2bau254nq9k2k1m

Steppin Lazer - Plain Wrap (1983)

Thanks to Mike for informing me of this band!!

This is a California band that was part of the mod/ska ON Klub scene in the 80s.
(apparently they have a 7"??)

A1 - Follow the Leader
A2 - All I do is Ska
B1 - Tired of Your Love
B2 - Seein' What I ain't Got
B3 - The Game



DOWNLOAD

Are you fucking kidding me??

Either somebody's ashamed of their past and doesn't want it exposed, or they honestly think there's a potential for them to make money on later releasing their music that is very far outside the money demographic.

.......................................................................

I have been working 2 jobs and going to classes.
The few minutes that I am home and awake (I sleep anywhere between 2 and 4 hours a night - seriously, then I drive about 40 miles in either direction)I have no interest in touching a computer when I get home. I have lots of interesting rarities to share still but damn...that takes some time.
I will be quitting one of the jobs next week and I'll be done with school in the next couple months. By the end of summer I'll be back to full speed with the blog. (as long as I'm not shut down by people with youthful minds [I said "people with youthful minds" instead of childish bastards so as to be less offensive]*)

I haven't even looked at my email but maybe twice in the last - days? weeks? months?
I've always been bad at answering emails but now I'm in a different world. Bear with me.



And, for no reason, here's a picture of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne in the 80s