Not Quite Ska - part 2

 Some more records (and cassette) I bought thinking they were ska.

First is Prudence Dredge. A straightforward rock-n-roll band from Seattle who named themselves after a children's book about potty training. At one point Craig Ferguson played bass for them.

Unrelated to this post Craig Ferguson was also a drummer for a punk band called The Dreamboys in which Peter Capaldi was the front man. Craig Ferguson had Peter Capaldi on his show and Peter mentioned the band and said they were terrible.
They released one 3-song single including a cover of Bauhaus' "Bela Lugosi's Dead"but Craig Ferguson did not play on the recordings:



Prudence Dredge had a sax player and a trombone player and they released two albums and two singles. Not a ska beat anywhere in their recordings and, yet, they are often sold as ska just because they have horns.

Don't Stomp Away 7" (1985)

Big Ellen (1986)

Detroit Rock City 7" (1987)

Special Shovel (1989)

DOWNLOAD "DON'T STOMP AWAY" & "BIG ELLEN"


DOWNLOAD "DETROIT ROCK CITY" & "SPECIAL SHOVEL"


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Among The Donkeys - Love Bed 7" (1984)

 This was sold on eBay as a ska record. It's 80s pop-rock with prominent saxophone with no semblance of ska at all but it's pretty good and it only cost me 3 dollars. The band was Swedish and I don't know of any other recordings they ever did.

DOWNLOAD

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Buffer Zone - Buffer Zone (1990)

I'm assuming this is a demo tape. I can't find anything at all about the band (but I honestly didn't look hard at all). This was also sold on eBay as "ska". The band does have a horn section and they give thanks to Jah in the liner notes but that's about where it ends. This is one of those long-hair funk/metal bands that were popular around the early 90s. I'm not really a big fan of that sound so I was quite disappointed with this purchase. If nothing else, it is rare.

1 Oatmeal Days
2 Sick
3 Realities
4 I Explore the Soul
5 Slave to Cool
6 Hitchiking to Heaven
7 Pagan Prayer
8 You Gotta be Strong

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Diversion Factor

Diversion Factor - Information 7" (1987)
A - Information
B - Going Home

Diversion Factor - Scenario 6 (1987)
1 Quick Fix
2 Scenario 6
3 Animal Friction
4 Break Down
5 Better Life
6 Heartbeat
7 Come With Me

Diversion Factor - Sold Away 7" (1988)
A - Sold Away
B - Reflexive

Discogs had all three of these records labeled as 'ska' but the only ska song is "Better Life" from Scenario 6. They were actually described as sounding like The Animals more than anything else.

DOWNLOAD ALL THREE DIVERSION FACTOR RECORDS


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Les Leopards - Hula Hoop Oup 7" (1981)

A - Hula Hoop Oup
B - Agent Secret

This is a French band that I know nothing about. This single may be the only thing they released and I was after this record for many years because it was always called 'ska' but guess what?

DOWNLOAD LES LEOPARDS