Real to Real - White Man Reggae (1980)

Real to Real were a U.K. new wave/reggae band that featured Alan Wilder from Depeche Mode and, as far as I know, they had three singles. This is the most popular of the three.*

A - White Man Reggae
B - One of These Days

SHAREBEAST -or- ZIPPYSHARE


*(...and, no, I don't have the other two. Not yet anyway.)

Black Crowes - Play Bob Marley

1 Pimper's Paradise
2 Time Will Tell
3 Three Little Birds
4 Kinky Reggae

SHAREBEAST -or- ZIPPYSHARE

Laid Back - Sunshine Reggae 7'' (1982)

This record was apparently a big hit for this Dutch duo. Read HERE.
A - Sunshine Reggae
B - White Horse



SHAREBEAST -or- ZIPPYSHARE

Sharp Ties - Get That Beat (1981) [LINK UPDATED 09/11/2016]

Sharp Ties were from Greece. They played new wave rock but their first album had a heavy ska/reggae/mod influence. Their second album "Safari Boys" released a year later was almost completely devoid of the ska sound. There were 2 songs that had a slight influence Sleep Tight Tonight and Camino Real but the rest of the album was straight forward new wave rock.

They had a total of 4 full length albums and I only have the first two so I don't know if they have any other ska styled songs but they also had some singles (HERE's their discography). One of which was the "Work" 7" from 1985. The b-side "Boogaloo" has the influence so I have included that song in this download.

1 Ties
2 Making Bombs
3 Get That Beat
4 Playing Jesus
5 Rock the Boat
6 Perfume
7 Black Wars
8 Just Five Minutes
9 My Girl
10  Ende
* Boogaloo


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Winston & the Churchills - Brewing since 19-83 (1989)

English ska band lead by Winston Forbes who played keyboard for Splodgenessabounds.

1 Why do You
2 Feelings
3 Don't Wake Me Up!!
4 Just Don't Know
5 Girl Friend's Friend
6 Sunny Holiday
7 Annie
8 I Don't Like Her
9 I Feel So Glad
10 Reggie
11 Giant Mushroom

"Don't Wake Me Up!!"
"I Don't Like Her"

DOWNLOAD -or- DOWNLOAD

Insatiable - 1993 demo tape

 

Insatiable from Salt Lake City, Utah. You
 may know the song Walkin' Shangbootie which appeared on the first Skarmageddon compilation as well as Ska the Third Wave Vol. 2

1 Stuff

2 Beatnik Soul in a Suit

3 L.A. Rising

4 Free TVs

5Wanna be Just Like Me

6Walkin' Shangbootie

"Stuff"

 

"Walkin' Shangbootie"

DOWNLOAD -or- DOWNLOAD

Gruppo Sportivo (LINK UPDATED July 19th, 2015)

Gruppo Sportivo is from the Hague. They formed in 1976 and are still performing and recording. They have released lots of music. Band leader Hans Vandenburg is an amazing lyricist and he has released several solo albums. Even though they had Bette Bright as a frequent back-up singer they never were a ska band. Amongst their many releases they did show an occasional ska influence.

These are some of my favorite Gruppo Sportivo songs:

"Goodbye Radio"
"UFO"
"Blah Blah Magazines"

DOWNLOAD

(Gruppo Sportivo also released music under the name Buddy Odor Stop. You can find the Buddy Odor is a Gas 7" HERE)

The Conspiracy - 1993 demo tape

The Conspiracy formed in 1992 in Petaluma, California and were one of Northern California's most popular ska bands. They released 2 demo tapes (this is the second) before releasing a full length in 1995 called "Too Far Gone". They then released a 7" called "The Boot / Circus Circus" and a compilation of outtakes that included both demos but did not include the song Amoeba Man from this tape (but this same version is on Too Far Gone. In 2011 they released the full length "The Finishing Touch".

1 (It's a) Conspiracy
 
 2 Her Avenger
3 Amoeba Man
4 Fist Fulla Ninja

The song Her Avenger might sound familiar to you. It was on disc 2 of the first Skarmageddon compilation.

DOWNLOAD -or- DOWNLOAD

This download is my own rip of this cassette and it includes the scans. The sound quality is really good for an old cassette but if you want to hear these songs in better quality you might want to check out The Conspiracy's Bandcamp page where they allow you to download all of their music for free!

East of Eden - Sea of Happiness Mystik Mood 7'' (1984)

...perhaps the rarest of all of the Moon releases

A - Sea of Happiness
 
B - Mystik Mood

DOWNLOAD  or, DOWNLOAD

Buck-0-Nine - Buck Naked (their 1992 demo tape)

1 New Generation
2 Happy Stay
3 True or False
4 Still Remains
5 A Few Too Many
6 Junior
7 Fat
8 Picante

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2012 - The year ska started making a comeback (Podcast)

Ska has been dead for a while now. In the last ten years you had three choices:
* The screaming and yelling sort of "ska-punk", "skacore", or "crack rocksteady" bands that may be a bit unclear on the concept of what ska is.
* Incredibly talented but out of touch 40-somethings that feel ska should be about showing off their musical education instead of playing stuff people want to hear.
* Bands that were once successful trying to "cash in" on the success that they think they have now.

The Aggrolites (who are overrated because people tend to confuse authentic sounding instruments with authentic sounding music) are one of the few bands that made a bit of money and, for a while, everybody and their brother wanted to jump on the bandwagon hoping that they too will be able to break even on their hobby. People who once appreciated a ska beat sacrificed their integrity for over-played reggae instead. It got old real fast. But, sadly, these bands still called themselves "ska" bands and the youth of today - surely the group that should have been the driving force behind today's ska scene - didn't relate to this "old man's music" [Lynval Golding once called ska "Old Man's Music" - have we come full circle?]. "Ska of today is left in the hands of the older brothers and uncles who grew up listening to Streetlight Manifesto and Choking Victim.
Given both options - screamo metal with an occasional horn refrain and lounge music with a reggae beat, it's amazing to me that there is anybody left in the world playing ska at all. But there are. Ska just might be making a comeback. These are the bands I see leading the way:
[...or...in other words...Jason Duncan's favorite ska releases of 2012]

Electra from Israel
"For the Record" from the album Second Hand Love (2012)

Inner Terrestrials from London
"In the Name of the Father" from their first full-length Tales of Terror(2012)

BANG the Skillet from Delft, Netherlands
"Cool Cat" from their debut cd Do the Dishes

The Skatterbrains from Colorado, USA. They played in Boulder and Denver from 1981-1984. In 1984 they moved to Boston and recorded several tracks - with a studio drummer - then moved back to Colorado and continued performing a few more shows. The recorded tracks were not released until 2012. You can buy this cd HERE.
"We're Going Dancing" from The Best of The Skatterbrains

(Thanks to Freddy Vidal!)

Chatchy from Auckland, New Zealand
"Running Away" -single

The Butlers from Berlin, Germany - They're not new. They've been around for a while.
"Berlin Moscow" from the album A.K.A. Bensonmam (2012)

The Last Slice from Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
"Alcohol Man" from their debut album Fresh Cuts (2012)

Yes Sir Boss from Bristol UK - the first band to be signed to Joss Stone's Stoned label
"Never Know" from Desperation State EP (2012)

Two Steps Twice from Sudbury, UK

"Streets are on Fire" from their debut 3-song EP Two Steps Twice EP (2012)

Mr. Wallace from Holland
"Too Rude for You" from their second EP Rudies and Rockers (They had one in 2011 called Ska Love)

Los Furios from Vancouver, BC
"Situation Critical" from the Never Look Back EP (2012)

...and there's "One More" song

I put all of these in a podcast. No talking. Just music.
Download it HERE

Phoebe Cates - Paradise 7'' (1982)

Yes, THAT Phoebe Cates.

She released an album of slow ballads in 1982 also titled Paradise and this was her first single. It was on the soundtrack for the movie of the same name.

A - Paradise
B - Paradise (Instrumental)


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She later went on to record two more songs for the movie Private School and that concluded her short recording career

Giant Steppers - Uptown Downtown 12'' (1983)

A1 - Uptown Downtown (Clubmix)
A2 - Out of Order
B1 - Updub Downdub
B2 - Uptown Downtown (LP Version)



Submitted by Rikard!

DOWNLOAD

The Malchiks - Skavant Garde (1998)

Rare Canadian 3rd Wave!

1 Sleep Over at Libby's
2 Jerry
3 Smugglers
4 Dr. Skank N. Stein
5 My Feet Told Me
6 Spanish Song
7 Fuck James Bond
8 Mario
9 Lover Boy
10 They Stole My Suit
11 Skankouver, B.C.
12 Drunk at the Carnival
13 The Frog Song
14 I Got so Drunk that I Peed Myself
15 My Friends Call Me Mr. Electric Pan
16 Scott Likes Acid

"Lover Boy"

"Skankouver, B.C."
 

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Professionals - Primitive Man 7'' (1983) & Jungle Drums 7'' (1980)

A - Primitive Man
 
B - Maigret Theme

A - Jungle Drums part 1
B - Jungle Drums part 2

DOWNLOAD BOTH 7"S

Rev Counta and the Speedoze - Life Begins at Thirty (1980)

Christian Ska from the UK that sounds a lot like Ishmael United - because it IS Ishmael United. Same band, different name. READ MORE.

1 All Mixed Up
2 Love so Great
 
3 Motex
4 Hell ain't for Heroes
5 For What We're About to Receive
6 Dr. Heckle and Mr. Snide
7 Marksman
8 No Coincidence
9 2 Years on a Camel
10 Every Circus Needs a Strongman
11 Marmite Sandwiches
12 Ferguson's Mule
13 Miss Us
14 Wot a Life
 

DOWNLOAD -or- DOWNLOAD

...another great submission by Rikard!

The Replicas - I Was Born to Cry 7'' (1983)

If you ever see this record for sale I can pretty much guarantee you that the seller will say it's a ska record.

It's not.

Imagine a Dion and The Belmonts cover band in the early 80s that feels like they have to incorporate a sort of Two Tone sound without going all the way.
That's exactly what this record offers. Both songs are Dion covers.

Now, I am a doo-wop fan and I love Dion and the Belmonts, so this record was right up my alley. If you are unfamiliar with the original songs I have included them in this download.

Ain't that swell, Daddy-O?

A - (I Was) Born to Cry

B - Lovers Who Wander

DOWNLOAD

(link updated 12/02/2012)

The RB's - The RB's LP (1981)

Scottish band The Rude Boys. Some members later went on to form Fiction Factory.

1 Explain
2 Careers Information
3 Let's Call it a Day
4 Let Me Feel It
5 Tonight
6 Deja Vu
7 Movie Theme (to Dance to)
8 Moving Pictures
9 Life in Exile
10 Waiting for a Dog Year

"Explain"

"Let's Call it a Day"
 

DOWNLOAD  -or, if that don't work - DOWNLOAD

THANKS TO RIKARD FOR THIS SUBMISSION!!

Easy Big Fella - Fruit Cup (1994)

1 Mom and Dad
2 Surfin the Trees
3 Las Vegas
4 Hells Kitchen Polka
5 Grey Day
6 The Astrolube Tango
7 Hit Me in My Head
8 Once More

"Mom and Dad"


DOWNLOAD

Heptones - Mr. T (1989)

1 Falling in Love Again
2 Honey You're All
3 Where Good Music Gone
4 Love My Girl
5 Long Long Time Ago
6 Wonderful World
7 Unfaithful Baby
8 Rasta Music
9 In My House
10 Allalackalama
11 Mr. T
12 Jumpy Me No Jumpy

"Falling in Love Again"
 

...and,hey, doesn't this song sound a bit familiar?
"Rasta Music"


DOWNLOAD

Emotion Pictures - They Say Space is Cold 7'' (1980)

A - They Say Space is Cold

B - Rescue Remedy


DOWNLOAD

Otitis - Take It Away EP (1981)

Otitis was a Swedish new wave band that had released a handful of singles and one full length self titled album in 1984 as well as this EP.
I have never heard any of their music before but I have seen this record labeled as 'ska' numerous times in the past and, even though their other releases are somewhat easy to find around the internet, I've never seen any of their other stuff labeled 'ska'.

That's okay though. I'm listening to them for the first time and I really like them - even their non-ska songs. I intend to have their full discography some day. I might not post it if it isn't ska unless you guys would like to hear more. Listen to this first, then let me know if they're in demand or not.

1 Take It Away
2 Same Old Story
3 Hiccups
4 Girls and Boys
5 That's the Reason Why
6 Try to Get It

"Take It Away"

"Try to Get It"


DOWNLOAD



This was donated to us by the ultra-awsome Rikard. More of his donations will be posted in the future...stay tuned.

va - Blue Beat Special (1968)

A1 - Soul Vendors - Something Special
A2 - The Termites - Do it Right Now
A3 - Jackie Mittoo - Midnight Special
A4 - Alton Ellis - Let Him Try
B1 - Soul Vendors - Get With It
B2 - Ken & Keith - Groove to the Beat
B3 - The Termites - My Last Love
B4 - Soul Vendors - Early Bird
B5 - Dudley Sibley - Run Boy Run

DOWNLOAD

Pick Pocket - Same Stories 7'' (1983) & You ain't Got Nobody But Me 7'' (1985)

Same Stories 7'' (1983)
A - Same Stories
 
B - Lovin' on the Line

 You ain't Got Nobody but Me 7'' (1985)
A - You ain't Got Nobody but Me
B - You ain't Got Nobody but Me (dub)
 

Pick Pocket was a Dutch band. I think they were from Holland but I'm not sure. They were on Dureco Benelux records which was a division of Dureco records. "Dureco" means "Dutch Record Company" and they specialized in soul music until later they went disco. I'm not sure where Pick Pocket fit into their demographic but they did have a traditional ska artist or two that they at least distributed records for. "Dureco Benelux" was a branch for bands in BElgium, NEtherlands and LUXembourg.

As far as I know these two offerings here are the only songs these guys ever got around to recording.
As usual, I could be wrong, but I doubt it.   


DOWNLOAD BOTH 7"s

Jaki Graham - What a Little Moonlight Can Do (2012)

"Jaki Graham has been one of the UK's leading female soul vocalists since the release of her first solo single ‘What's The Name Of Your Game’ in 1984. To date Jaki has scored six UK Top 10/20 singles and two Top 5 singles in the U.S. Dance charts including the monster No.1 ‘Ain't Nobody’."*

...and in all that time she has never done a straightforward ska/reggae song - until now. (Yes, I know she has touched upon a quasi reggae sound in the past - she did a reggae inspired version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" with David Grant.)

Her latest album "For Sentimental Reasons" has a cover of the Jazz standard "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" that was made popular by Billie Holiday in 1935.
It was re-recorded by Billie Holiday in 1954 and that version was covered by Peggy Lee on her 1959 album "Jump For Joy". It was also a regular feature in Benny Goodman's set (probably where Peggy Lee got the idea) and was also recorded by Diana Ross, Nancy Wilson, Bing and Gary Crosby, Crystal Gayle, Dianne Reeves, Betty Carter, Anita O'Day,
...and countless others including Robert Palmer on his 1992 album Ridin' High. 

Robert Palmer did a lot of reggae inspired stuff, but his version of What a Little Moonlight Can Do was directly inspired by the 1935 Billie Holiday version. He did not make it a reggae song.
In fact, I can't find a reggae version of this song anywhere. This is the first as far as I know (and I'd love it if someone can prove me wrong.)

Jaki Graham - What a Little Moonlight Can Do (2012)



[I cannot post a download link - the album was just released on October 15th, 2012 but you can support the artist by buying this song HERE]


*quoted from Cherry Red

va - A Full English Breakfast (1998)

1. Too Many Crooks / Kiss
2. The Rough Kutz / Supergrass
3. Eskalator / Wise Man
4. Ska Gal & The Hands of Ra / Some Higher Ground
5. Intensified / More Pressure
6. Bibulous / Kebab
7. Hotknives / I Wake Up Screaming
8. Loonee Toons / Boys
9. Rude Boys / The Gangsters
10. One Step Behind / Market Trader
11. Ska Boom / Party Good Time
12. Mistakes / Sense Of Freedom
13. Arthur Kay and The Orginals / Last Of The One Named Singers
14. The Riffs / Murderation
15. Freetown / Star
16. Last Orders / Eyes
17. Spithead / Call the Police
18. Colonal Hathi / TV Girl
19. The Skanksters / Just Another Nightmare
20. The Bakesys / Confused
21. The Write Offs / Big Issue
22. The Xplosions / Snatched

 DOWNLOAD


*originally posted at Liquidator but no longer available

Der Polizei - Let's do the Razzia 7'' (1980)

A - Let's do the Razzia

B - Give It Up

DOWNLOAD

The Walkman - Jump! Jump! 7'' (1988)

A - Jump! Jump!

B - Some People


DOWNLOAD

Gangsters - Who's That Man? 7'' (1980)

This was posted before but this is a re-rip of my own vinyl with different sound quality.

A - Who's That Man
B - Games



DOWNLOAD

Ska-Boom [U.K.]

 The album in this download is the original 11 track from 1990 though the cover pictured here is from the 1991 re-release that included all 3 tracks from the "More Tea Vicar?" single. The cover of the original didn't have the yellow writing or the speech bubble.
(Thanks to Rikard for this submission)

Here they are performing "What Did I Do" in 1990. Rikard also posted this on Youtube.


 Lost in Ska LP (1990)
1 Classic Case
2 Hard Times
3 What Did I Do?
4 But My Love
5 So FarAway
6 Carry Go Bring Come
7 Lost in Ska
8 Sister
9 Romeo (live Abbey Park '89)
10 Today
11 Ska Summer (1990)

 DOWNLOAD Lost in Ska LP

 The Plan 7" (1989)
A - The Plan
B1 - Long Shot Kick de Bucket
B2 - Rukumbine

Romeo 7" (1989)
A - Romeo
B - Ska Summer

More Tea Vicar 7" (1990)
A - More Tea Vicar?
B1 - Runaway Girl
B2 - I Didn't Mean It

DOWNLOAD all 3 singles

Skunky Punky Monkey (1996)
1 Ska Summer
2 Last Train to Skaville
3 Romeo - Too Much
4 Jesse James (feat Laurel Aitken)
5 Classic Case
6 Coronation Ska
7 It's Not Unusual
8 More Tea Vicar
9 Al Capone
10 Rudy Medley
11 La Bamba
12 Monkey Man
13 La Bamba (Skanking John Major Mix)
14 Too Fat
15 Young Gal
16 Ska-Boom (Mr. Lee's Mean Fiddler Dublin, Sampler Mix)
17 Ska-Boom (Life of Brian Mr. Lee Mix)

DOWNLOAD Skunky Punky Monkey


 Traffic Warden Cassette (1992)

(...submitted by Ronan)
1 Traffic Warden
2 Baby Come Back
3 Baked Beanz
4 Jazzska
5 Street Victim
6 Black Night
7 I Know What You Want
8 What You Gonna Do?
9 Drowning

DOWNLOAD Traffic Warden cassette