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

DOWNLOAD


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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

Spy Eye [REPOST]

Unicorn Records classic. In 1994 it was released on cd as a split with Mr. Review's Walkin' Down Brentford Road but the last song "Everything Crash" was not included. This is the vinyl version with all 10 tracks.

1 VC 10
2 Neither Red/Black Nor Racist
3 Look Smart
4 Shake it Up
5 A Message to You Rudy
6 The Things I Feel
7 Phantoms
8 Morange
9 Reminds Me of Cairo
10 Everything Crash


This is the only album they released but they did record a demo in 1989 called "Have a Good Ska Stomping" that had 6 tracks:

1 Brand New Beat
2 Rude Boys
3 Me and My Shadow
4  These Boots are Made for Walkin'
5 Reminds Me of Cairo
6 I Hate You

DOWNLOAD THE ALBUM AND THE DEMO TAPE

Jamaican Survivers

Attack of the Maffia (1979)
1 Attack of the Maffia
2 Love Song for Dillinger
3 Jesse James on the Road
4 The Killer in Action
5 Demons in Chicago
6 The Night of Capone
7 Murders Party
8 Action in Chinatown
9 Death of the Traitor
10 Ballad for Elliott Ness
11 Dance of the Syndicate
12 Daysy's Theme

DOWNLOAD FROM MEGA

DOWNLOAD FROM ZIPPYSHARE

Jamaican Survivers LP (1980) - this was previously posted - same rip
1 Dark Side of Hong Kong
2 Baby Face Nelson
3 Attack of the FBI
4 Buggy's Theme
5 Murders of Chicago
6 Dillinger is Back in Town
7 The Vendetta
8 Chicago Stomp
9 Theme from The Gamblers
10 Stoned in Bangla Desh

DOWNLOAD FROM MEGA

DOWNLOAD FROM ZIPPYSHARE


Jamaican Survivers singles:

DOWNLOAD ALL 7 SINGLES FROM MEGA

DOWNLOAD ALL 7 SINGLES FROM ZIPPYSHARE

va Honey for Tea - A Collection of Cambridge Bands (1982)

This is not a ska record but I'm posting this for several reasons...

First, it's rare. Second, there are a few songs on here that have a ska influence. I included the Hondo song on the Hondo post.
Third, I don't really have anything else prepared but I feel a need to make a post.

1 The Great Divide - Elements and Innocence
2 The Lonely - The Hurt
3 Your Dinner - Worthwhile Work in a Pleasant Atmosphere
4 Sindy and the Action Men - You're So Lucky
5 Pure Thought - Caught in the Middle
6 The Agents - Walking on Water
7 The Amyl Dukes - Universe
8 The Rapiers - Blaze of Glory
9 Hondo - Party
10 Su Lyn Band - Feels Like Magic
11 Seven Fifty-Four - Civilized World
12 The Innocent Bystanders - In Love With Emotion

DOWNLOAD

Does anybody have this...?

Skavoovie and the Epitones - An Evening with Skavoovie (1994)

Cassette-only demo.

1 Mint Julep
2 One Eyed Giant
3 Batman
4 She Sure Can Cook
5 Sonic Boom
6 Solomon Gundey
7 Nut Monkey
8 Hi-Ball

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Tenement Dance - Wild West 7" (1984)

This is an ultra-rare one-off single by this Australian band.

A - Wild West
B - Had My Chance

The cover shows "Wild West" as the A-side but the record itself has it as the B-side. Maybe they changed their minds at the last moment as to which song was supposed to be the driving force of this release. Both are good ska songs with a proper Australian flavor but Wild West has more of a novelty factor. 

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Nutty Skanker - Who am I? (1994)

This is the first album from this energetic French band. It was a cassette-only release. Their second album was released on CD. It's called Definitely Rude and it's as hard to find as this cassette is. I don't have the CD yet and, let me tell you, I've been looking. If you have it, please, be a pal...

1 Jumbo Jet
2 All Right
3 Who am I?
4 Les Cadavres
5 Monsterska
6 Nebraska
7 Quadrophenia
8 Bonehead
9 Dogs of War
10 No Time to Lose
11 Chicken Pie
12 L'homme qui Rit



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Positive Craze - Pretty Body 7" (1983)

The Positive Craze was a band from Philadelphia and I don't know much about them. I don't think they ever released anything. In fact, this single was never actually released.

Enjoy.

A - Pretty Body
B - Settle Down

DOWNLOAD 

Delaney Venn - Neon Heart LP (1980)

Delaney Venn was an Australian duo comprised of Michael Delaney and Chris Venn but the band was rounded out by Paul Wheeler (ex Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs, Band Of Talabene, MacKenzie Theory) bass, Chris Raggett (ex Matt Finish) guitar and Tony Doyle on drums.

They were relatively successful but their entire catalog is represented in this one release. They did have three singles but all a and b sides are on this album.  There are 10 new wave/rock songs on the album and about half of them have a ska/reggae influence. The album and the singles are hard to find and they are usually pretty pricey if you do find them. You may not love these tunes on first listen but you have to appreciate that they were from 1979-1980 in Australia. The British ska scene hadn't really hit hard yet at that time. These guys were pioneers.

After the success of this record the duo was invited to pose for a womens' magazine called Cleo. I'm not going to post the picture here but you can see it on their Facebook if you are so inclined.

Delaney was a writer who was working for different magazines before he was killed in a car accident in 1982.


1 Lucky Number
2 White Reggae
3 Fix it Up
4 Shake of the Hoodoo
5 Cub Dub
6 Young Lion
7 No Expectations
8 Prisoner
9 Tumblin' Down
10 Breaking Your Own Heart



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United Balls - One for the Money, One for the Soul 7" (1988)

A - One for the Money, One for the Soul
B - Hot and Horny

DOWNLOAD

Beau Weevil - Wooly Bully 7" (1982)

A - Wooly Bully
B - 'Cause it Feels Good

DOWNLOAD




*Let it be known that I am still very much against ska cover versions of "Wooly Bully". Nobody ever gets the lyrics right (this one comes the closest) and nothing compares to the original Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs version. If you want to play it live, then by all means. It is a fun song to hear live. But stop recording it. Especially as an a-side.


Oh, and I don't have a cover for this so I respectfully stole this from 45 Cat which also has another picture sleeve that I have never seen for this record. I included it in the download.

The Hoodlums - Unreleased LP (1985)

The Hoodlums were a laid back ska band from Eugene Oregon... and they never actually released anything. They recorded seven songs in the studio that were intended to be for an LP but the band broke up before it was finished.

Thanks to the blog Panic on the 13th we can hear not only the seven studio songs but twelve live tracks from a show the band did at the EMU Ballroom in 1984.

1 This is Your Life
2 This Person
3 Through My Eyes
4 Follow Your Heart
5 You and I
6 My Chiquita
7 My Beach

8 You and I
9 This Person
10 My Chiquita
11 Wouldn't You Like to Talk?
12 Follow Your Heart (part I)
13 Follow Your Heart (part II)
14 Find My Heaven
15 Through My Eyes
16 Hold Them High
17 Talk to Me
18 What Are You
19 Five Characters
20 I'm Laying Down

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Elite - You Don't Care About I (1983)

I say this a lot but this is one of those great singles from the 2 Tone era that really should be more well known. It was more popular in its day than a lot of the stuff I post but it has been all but completely forgotten. There are plenty of copies available and it usually goes for cheap but I can't find any evidence that it's ever been made available on line.


A - You Don't Care About I
B - Silly Grin

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Soul Rebels - Soul Rebel 7" (1980)

A - Soul Rebel
B - Plain Truth

DOWNLOAD

Kelvin B. - IBM Skankin' 7" (1982)

A - IBM Skankin'
B - Crooks Celebration Ball

DOWNLOAD

Requests and Re-ups

Amazulu - Too Good to be Forgotten 12"

Porkers - Tired of Being Pork Hunts

Spy Kids 1991 demo tape

No Sports - King Ska

No Sports - Stay Rude Stay Rebel 

Checkered Cabs

N-E-1 - So We Go

The Employees - Pick it Up

I can no longer offer Artur Kay's music for download on this blog. 

King Apparatus - Loud Party (1989)

I'm sure you guys already know this is Chris Murray's band. There were two albums later released on CD but this is the first release. It was cassette-only recorded in 1988-1989.

1 Made for TV
2 Hangin' On
3 Five Good Dub
4 Dancing Fools
5 Fire (Springsteen cover)
6 Five Good Reasons

DOWNLOAD

Shack - Suburban Urban 7" (1983)

My copy doesn't have a cover so I stole this one from Discogs which seems to be the only image of the cover anywhere online. These guys were from New York and I think this is their only release. Collector's Frenzy states that this band has one of the members of the very short-lived New York band The Plague but I think they got that information from an eBay post and I'm not convinced that it's true. I welcome you to prove me wrong.

A - Suburban Urban
B - Give a Little

DOWNLOAD

 This is hosted with Zippyshare. I don't know what's going on with MEGA but my latest links are invalid. I hope I can get it straightened out because Zippyshare deletes the file after it goes a while without being downloaded so get it now while the gettin's good.

Fill In The Blanks - Cop Lover (1986) [LINK UPDATED Sunday September 3rd, 2017]

Fill In The Blanks (not to be confused with Phil 'n' the Blanks, the new wave band from Chicago who also did a couple of ska-inspired songs) was a pop, soul, reggae band from Portland and I think this is their only release. It's a cassette single with two tracks. The first is a poppy danceable song with some mildly humorous lyrics and the B-side is a mellow reggae-rock song with some soul/disco vocals.

This is being posted for it's rarity factor.

1 Cop Lover
2 I Wonder Who Tired Out

DOWNLOAD from Zippyshare

Verandahs - The Right Time 7" (1981) [LINK UPDATED Sunday September 3rd, 2017]

This was an Australian band and this is probably their only release.

The A-side is a great lost ska gem. The B-side has another slow ska tune with female vocals and another song that didn't really need to be there. The B-side was recorded so low that in order to hear it the volume had to be turned up so high the background hiss makes listening unbearable. At first I thought I was doing something wrong but I used three different needles and all three came out the same. The A-side came out pretty good and that's what's important.

A - The Right Time
B1 - Give Me a Reason
B2 - South of France

DOWNLOAD from Zippyshare

Beat About The Bush - Undo 7" (1986)

This is a Swedish band and I don't know of anything else they've released. This is a double A-side and I just love the beat on the song "Undo" even though "The Galloping Gourmet" is more of an actual ska song, but it has all that weird shit at the beginning
I wasn't able to get a good rip of the other side and it skips in two places. I worked with it enough that I don't think you'll hear the second skip because it happens during an instrumental part but the first skip happens during the vocals and is quite noticeable. Someday I'll get another copy of this but this is for demonstration purposes only, right?

A - Undo
B - The Galloping Gourmet

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Les Crazy Skankers - Demo Studio (1992)

They later released a full length and an EP (neither of which I have yet) but this is their first release.

1 Smoky Mountains
2 Dread Black Rebel
3 Rude Boy on the Move
4 Skanky
5 Number Six

"Skanky" live in 1995 (you can skip the first 40 seconds)


DOWNLOAD

Screaming Believers - My Eyes 7" (1984)

These guys were from Australia and I have their albums "Communist Mutants From Space" and "Refugees From the Love Generation" which have no ska on them so the B-side on this recording "Unprofessional" may be their only ska song. The A-side "My Eyes" is an alternative rock song with some Madness-style saxophone.



A - My Eyes
B - Unprofessional


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The Strikers - No Reason 7" (1981)

It's pretty hard to find a good copy of this record. It's a 7" but the cover is longer than it should be. My copy doesn't have a cover and the seller was honest enough to tell me that the record is warped and in terrible condition before I bought it. He was right - the record is trashed but I got it cheap so I at least know what it sounds like. This image is from Discogs. It's the only image I've ever seen of the cover.

The first song "No Reason" is so good that I am still looking for a decent copy just so I can hear it in better quality. I'm not into high quality sounds as you can tell from so many past offerings, but this rip really is pretty bad. The song "Knock it Down" is the worst. It's very crackly and skips in a couple of places but the song was released on a compilation from 1981 called Test Patterns that featured bands from St. Louis, Missouri (so we can guess that's where this band is from...) and I have included a CD version of the full album that includes another song by The Strikers called "Kick Around". It's not a ska song but there is a nice ska tune called  "Love 'N' Skank" by a band called The Felons.

The Strikers - No Reason 7" (1981)
A1 - No Reason
A2 - Original Crowd
B1 - Knock it Down
B2 - Running on Air

va Test Patterns (1981)

1 The Felons - Love 'N' Skank
2 Zanti Misfits - Holier Than Thou
3 Trained Animal - U.R.A. Girl
4 The Mopeds - Woe is Me
5 Oozkicks - Unknown
6 Swift Kick - Crushin' Russian Girl
7 The Strikers - Kick Around
8 Oozkicks - I'm so Young
9 Swift Kick - Unpredictable
10 The Mopeds - She's a Mongrel
11 The Strikers - Knock it Down
12 The Felons - Dancing School
13 Zanti Misfits - Bachelor's Friend
14 Trained Animal - When You Dance With Me


DOWNLOAD THE STRIKERS 7" AND "TEST PATTERNS"

The Spots - Mr. Career 7'' (1980)

I first told you about the Spots in May 2016 when I posted the Skampler compilations HERE. I have since obtained a copy of the single so now I at least know what the b-side sounds like. It's not bad. It's not all that great either, but the a-side should be one of the most recognized songs from the 2 Tone era.
I'm doing my part, now it's up to you to spread it around.



A - Mr. Career
B - Silly Billy

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Private I.D. - A Little Fun 7" (1981)

Private I.D. was a new wave/ska band from Aberdeen, Scotland who only released two singles (as far as I know). This is their first one and both songs are ska-influenced.

A - A Little Fun
B - Stay Back



The vocalist was Jacqui Copland who was a back-up vocalist for some well-known acts including Duran Duran. Read about her HERE.

The second single isn't ska at all but I can't find any trace of it ever being online so I included the 12" version of it in the download.

A - Cold Cold Sweat
B1 - Cold Cold Sweat (instrumental)
B2 - Perfect Lady

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Chapter XII - Chalawa Meets Chapter XII (1979)

Chapter XII released two singles:
Crocodile Ska

and

Buffalo Step

...both songs from the Buffalo Step EP are on this 12" and I included the Crocodile Ska single in this download.

There are two additional songs on the EP that weren't released on any other format
  
A1 - Chapter XII - Buffalo Step
A2 - Chalawa - Hop, Skip, and Jump
A3 - Chapter XII - Topless Reggae
B1 - Chapter XII - Topless Reggae Dub
B2 - Chalawa - Picadilly Hop
B3 - Chapter XII - Buffalo Step Dub


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The Internationalists - Let the Pressure Start (1986)

This is a British punk-reggae band who released this album in 1983. It was re-released in the UK in 1986 and again in France in 1988. The original 1983 release had a different cover...

...and the track listing was a different order.
This is the French version:

1 Kicking on the Wrong Door
2 Every Fifth Man is Guilty
3 Breaking Your Heart
4 Tighten Up
5 Solidarity
6 Gun Runner
7 Let the Pressure Start
8 Tooth and Nail
9 Lay the Foundation

"Kicking on the Wrong Door"


"Solidarity"


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Audrey Hall - Eight Little Notes (1985)

Pop-reggae with a slight new wave influence from 1985. It might take a while to grow on you but play it a couple times. You'll love it.


1 8 Little Notes
2 Oh What a Fool
3 Nobody Wants to be Alone
4 I Want to Know What Love Is
5 Anyone Who Had a Heart
6 Holding Hands
7 No Honorary Whiteship
8 Imagine
9 One Dance Won't Do




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Cook The Books - Piggie in the Middle Eight 7" (1985)

Cook The Books was a British new wave band who did this one ska / punk.reggae song. I used to have one of their albums and I remember them doing at least one other ska-influenced song. I could be wrong and I don't think I have any of their other albums at this time.
This single was produced by Dennis Bovell.

This is their first release and after this the band went by the name "Cook da' Books".

A - Piggie in the Middle Eight
B - Gone to Black



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Detonators - Dance! EP (1982) [REPOST]

Re-posted by request...

British new wave/punk band that had a ska song on this EP.
A1 - Don't Talk
A2 - Opening a Modern Art
B1 - Restless Kid
B2 - Passé

I was lead astray from the facts by the eBay seller who reported that this band was from the UK. I have since been informed that they were not British, but were actually from Spartanburg, South Carolina.


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