Deemus Mint

Ska band from the U.K. who only ever released five songs.
Here's their Facebook page which tells you everything you need to know about them.

1 Beam Me Up
   (from the Beam Me Up 7" 1980)
2 Love Don't Come Easy
   (from the Beam Me Up 7" 1980)
3 Echoes of History
   (from the Echoes of History 7" 1981)
4 Gimme Back My Money
   (from the Echoes of History 7" 1981)
5 Rude Boy
   (from the Logical Steps compilation 1980)
6 Rude Boy Rackateer
   (not officially released 1981)
7 The Legend
   (not officially released 1981)


"Rude Boy"
"Love Don't Come Easy"

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va Reggae Beat (1984)

Wow, the way the mind works. When I posted the Tracey Harvey single I distinctly remember it sounding the same way on this compilation. I haven't listened to this comp in years and it was strange hearing Shy Girl again because it sounds nothing like the single and I retract my previous statement that it is the best song on this album. The single version is great. The one on this record is not very good at all. In fact, the majority of these songs are mediocre at best. There are a couple of good selections though.
For example:
Althea Ranks* - Radio

1 Althea Ranks - Karma Chameleon
2 Jesse Green - Why You Not Take it Slow?
3 Bonnie Benedict - Caribbean Dream
4 Robert Chonia - Let the Music Play
5 Skyway - Fight for Understanding
6 Althea Ranks - Radio
7 Tracey Harvey - Shy Girl
8 Dillinger - Slipe Pen Road
9 Althea Ranks - Israelites
10 Robert Chonia - Searching for Love
11 Gene Wolf - Who's That Sneakin'?
12 Orchestra Raymondo
13 Nynus Sylvia - Caribbean Man

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*I'm guessing Althea Ranks is Althea Forrest from Althea and Donna. Anybody know?

Cherry Boys - Come the Day 7" (1982)

Mod/power pop band from Liverpool who released at least four singles in the early 80s. I'm pretty sure this b-side is their only ska-inspired song. 

A - Come the Day
B - Only Fools Die


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No Nonsense [REPOST]

1 Skatunes Approachin'
2 Dr. Marten
3 My Dad
4 Titan

 

1 Changes Must be Made
2 Next Time
3 Hawaii Five-O
4 Changes Must be Made (Extended Mix)
5 Hawaii Five-O (Extended Mix)

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Skeletones - Introducing the Skeletones (1988)

This is the Skeletones first record. It is a 5 song EP and it was posted previously on Tone and Wave but the version that was previously posted was from a second generation cassette (thank you Ronan!) but this here is my own rip from the original vinyl ( it was warped but I think I got the best rip ever considering what I had to work with)

A1 - You Make Me Wanna Laugh
A2 - Sheeba
A3 - Mugzy's Shambles
B1 - Dr. Bones
B2 - Unity
"Dr. Bones" 

(...and I threw in the songs The Telephone and Boneshaker because it has come to my attention that there are some poor depraved individuals out there who have never heard these tunes)

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*This post was inspired by this Youtube post of a rare live recording of the Specs at Spanky's Cafe...incredibly rare!

Tracey Harvey - Shy Girl 7" (1983)

If any of you know this song it's probably because you have the 1984 compilation "Reggae Beat"

Tracey Harvey's song "Shy Girl" is probably the best song on this compilation and I was hoping that there would be more from her out there somewhere. This single is the only thing I have ever found. Sadly, the b-side is an instrumental version of the same song.

A - Shy Girl
B - Shy Girl (instrumental)

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Silly Walks - Babbling Feebly (1994)

This is the only album from this Dutch band who appeared on both of the compilations Do the Dutch Ska Dance vol. 1 with the song Facelift and Do the Dutch Ska Dance vol. 2 with the song Suit, Hat & Tie.

1 Problems
2 Town
3 Happy Boy
4 Entertainment
5 Suit, Hat & Tie
6 One Way Street
7 Silly Walks
8 Facelift
9 At the Pictures
10 Holidays (In the Sun or Rain)
11 David Jones
12 RIP
13 The Party Ends (When I Arrive)

"At the Pictures"
"Suit, Hat & Tie"

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Ska Blazers - No Time for Sippin' EP (1995)

A - Gringo
B1 - Macheesmo
B2 - Skankenstein

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Sublime / Wesley Willis split 7" (1996)

...by request (somebody asked me to re-post this...I have never posted this before...if it wasn't for this request I never would have posted this...)

A - Sublime - All You Need
B - Wesley Willis Fiasco - Get on the Bus

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OZO double post [link updated 09/11/2016]

On the post I did for OZO - Listen to the Buddha 7" I received a comment from Kosmikino:

"It would be great if you could repost the Listen To The Buddha backed with the cover of Kites by Simon Dupree And The Big Sound as too few Ozo recordings are available on the net. Sadly it seems the driving force behind Ozo, Keni St. George, went AWOL a number of years back and attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful. I know I would love to see their recordings reissued as they are without a doubt one of the most criminally under-rated bands ever. Many thanks if you can help with my request. PS> Thanks to Enterprises for the source and date of the video, it has had me baffled for a long time where the recording came from."

So, instead of reposting the single, here are two full lengths from OZO:

Listen to the Buddha (1976)

1 Listen to the Buddha
2 You Better Run
3 Kites
4 Anambra
5 Love Me Tomorrow
6 Who Shot Him Down
7 Times a Changing
8 Love is Gone
9 Realms

Museum of Mankind (1979)
1 Museum of Mankind
2 Tales from the Bardo
3 Don't Cry Johannesburg
4 Night of the Black Mamba
5 Think Twice
6 Spirits of the Living Dead

DOWNLOAD BOTH ALBUMS

American ska mix tape

Somebody on Reddit pretty much stated that American ska sucks and was almost asking somebody to prove them wrong. Now, I must admit that I - being from California - will say that there are better English, European, Australian, and Dutch bands (European is an altruistic term) and, although the majority of American "ska" bands really do suck, there really are some good ska tunes to come out of the good ol' U.S. of A. I spent about four minutes making this compilation. There are better songs (and I know there are a hell of a lot worse) but this was my quick response.

I actually had about 50 songs to begin with but I whittled them down to exclude the more popular ones.

1 The Good Guys - Fun Lover
2 Los Rudiments - Too Late
3 The Chinkees - Big World
4 Tiny Hat Orchestra - Jawbone
5 Plate O' Shrimp - Mariskando
6 Highball Holiday - Poetry in Motion
7 Stretch Armstrong - Rodent Deoderant
8 Heavy Manners - Flamin' First
9 The Bruce Lee - Running Out of Time
10 Stinkfish - Victim
11 Uptown Rulers - Somebody Else's Fun
12 Rebel Rockers - You Get to Me
13 Hepcat - Home
14 Dave's Big Deluxe - To Build a Fire
15 Skoidats - Free Consultation
16 Skiptooth - El Detectivo
17 Dance Hall Crashers - Street Sweeper
18 The Chinkees - She's My Friend
19 Let's Go Bowling - The Cup Rub
20 The Allstonians - Walking in the Sand
21 The Suspects - The Bad One
22 Mephiskapheles - Force of Nature

DOWNLOAD THIS CRAPPY COMPILATION

Lettuce Boy - Inspector Gat 7" (1997)

Lettuce Boy is from Poughkeepsie, NY. They released a cd or two and they may still be active. Their early incarnation broke up in 1997 and nobody talks about those days for some reason. Their most modern version started up in 2004 and, if you look hard enough, you may find some information about them online. 
This could very well be their only release from their early line up and it's not easy to find. As far as I can tell the band doesn't even acknowledge that this record exists.

A - Inspector Gat
B - Around

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The Igniters - The Igniters 12" (1981)

The Igniters were an Australian studio-only band made up of members of Allniters, vSpy v Spy, and even INXS. This is their only release and, at one point, it was virtually impossible to find. I spent over $50.00 (US) on my copy. A quick Google search shows there are a few copies available for less. Oh well. I'm not kicking myself for this though. My copy is in great condition (static-y as hell but that's cheap radio-station stock for you).

They only did instrumentals and my understanding was that they were intended to only be a studio band - this EP was recorded in-the-studio at Triple J - 105.7 F.M. (I may be wrong about this and, if I am, I'll respect your corrections) but in 1984 they (whichever members 'they' were at the time) regrouped and played a few live shows. Maybe only two or three.
I don't know the whole story and I'm not really a fan of dub (I'm a drinker - not a smoker) but this is really an amazing record...just listen to the horns on "Ignition" - simple, but fucking awsome!
"Ignition"

A1 - Ignition
A2 - Rubby Dubby
B1 - More Flaming Dub
B2 - Kent St. Skank





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Apartheid Not (1981-1982) [LINK UPDATED 09/11/2016]

Bob Marley performed in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1980 (Their Independence Day!) sparking a number of reggae performers in Africa. 
Apartheid Not were one of those bands. They were a new wave/reggae/ska band from Nigeria. They released 2 albums and 2 singles (that I know of...there may be more)

Apartheid Not - African Rockers (1981)

1 Never Let You Down!
2 Mefiance
3 No More War
4 Jalousie
5 Small Axe
6 Ega Nanoa Messi



Apartheid Not - Single Rescue (1982)

1 Love Africa
2 He Sends to Me
3 Life's Road
4 Leaving Us
5 All We Need is Peace
6 Amama
7 Should'n Should be Tired
8 Know Them



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The two singles that I know of are the "Love Africa" 7" with Amama as the b-side. Both of those songs are on the Single Rescue album. Then there's the Listen 7" (b/w Listen instrumental) - I don't have that one.

Joan Armatrading - Reggae and Ska (A Tone and Wave Compilation)

Unless you're a fan of mellow adult contemporary music you probably have no idea who Joan Armatrading is. She has been a prolific recording artist for decades and she has attempted many genres over the years.

I was going to just post one of her ska/reggae songs called Eating the Bear but I think some of  her other stuff deserves some attention too so here are 9 tracks spanning four decades. Not all of her ska/reggae songs made it on this comp...there are a few others. These are the best of them in my opinion.

"Eating the Bear"
"Simon"

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The Shakers - Yankee Reggae (1976)

This is the first reggae album recorded and released in California.

I have posted before about California's first ska record but this is California's first reggae full length. The Shakers were the first American reggae band to be signed to a major record label - Warner-Elektra. This is the only thing the Shakers released - with the exception of the "Funny Girl" single with the b-side "Baby Come Back" which, as you know, is a cover of the Eddy Grant...I mean Equals hit.

Both of the songs on the single are on the album so this is all that they've recorded.

Members of the band later went on to form The Fabulous Titan's who released one single and an EP.
The single has been posted on Tone and Wave several years back (HERE) but I've never posted the EP yet. I have it and, if anybody gives a damn, I'll post it. Leave a comment.

1 Wonder Girl
2 Some Guys Have All the Luck
3 Easy Come, Easy Go
4 Missing You
5 Baby Come Back
6 Second Chance
7 Girl You Rock My Soul
8 Emergency Call
9 Funny Girl
10 There's Something About You
11 Feel Good All Over

"Girl You Rock My Soul" (a Rad Bryan cover - HERE's the original. It was later covered by Eddie Money on his 1980 album Playing for Keeps but it was titled Running Back. The guitar at the beginning shows that Eddie Money's cover was of the Shaker's version - not the original)


DOWNLOAD the SHAKERS LP

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I put this record up for sale on eBay several times for $1.00 Buy It Now and nobody ever bought it. Your loss.

Also, I was wrong about California's first ska record. There was at least one other one that was recorded a few years before the Skyliters' record. Anyone know what it is? I'll give you some clues
* It was a b-side
*It had the word 'ska' in the title
*It was an instrumental
*The band is a well-known surf band

Jon commented:

"As far as I know the first band in California to release a "ska" record was the Marketts, "Come See, Come Ska". If I recall my research correctly that one came out at the tail end of the summer '64 ska craze, August I think."


Jon is correct - over a decade before the Skyliters released "Bumpin Onn Down" the Marketts released their "Look for a Star" single with the b-side "Come See, Come Ska"

A - Look for a Star
B - Come See, Come Ska


DOWNLOAD the MARKETTS 7"

NRC - Sally's All Alone 7" (1980)

The NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) from Tennessee released a full length in 1980 called Reactor as well as this, and another single. This is their only ska influenced release.

A - Sally's All Alone (After the End)
B1 - Disposable Sponges
B2 - Lazy Boys

"Sally's All Alone"

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...oh, what the hell...HERE's The LP (I don't have the other single...)

Employees - Pick It Up 7'' (1980) [LINK UPDATED 09/11/2016]

A - Pick it Up
B - Toothpaste

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Blue Haze - Smoke Gets in Your Eyes 7" (1972)

A - Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
B - Anna Rosanna

You know this song but I think this version deserves some attention. The song was written in 1933 for a musical called Roberta. It was performed on Broadway featuring a young Bob Hope as Huckleberry Haines. In 1934 four different artists had top 20 hits with the song - Paul Whiteman (#1), Leo Reisman (#3), Emil Coleman (#4), and Ruth Etting (#15).

In 1935 the play was made into a film starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. This film inspired recording of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Benny Goodman (1940) Artie Shaw,  Glenn Miller,  Nat King Cole (1946), Harry Belafonte (1949), and Eartha Kitt (1954) amongst many, many others.

The most familiar version is the 1958 version by the Platters:

 In 1973 Byron Lee and the Dragonaires released the first reggae version of the song on their Reggay Roun' The World album.

...except for the fact that the UK band Blue Haze already recorded it a year earlier. 

A - Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
B - Anna Rosanna

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