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)


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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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The Jumpers - Galimatias Amoureux 7" (1981)

A1 - Girl & Toy
A2 - Every Time I Look at You
B1 - Me No Send, You No Come
B2 - Anytime

Band members include
Johnny Jumper -Vocals
Cathy Tune - vocals
Dave Lennon Drums (Later with Strange Tenants / Allniters / Club Ska)
Michael Hope
Jim Bowden

They had one song called "1966" which was released in 1980 on a compilation called "5MMM's Compilation Album of Adelaide Bands 1980" and was later released on the first "Ska Skank Down Under" compilation but the band was called The Jake Jumpers for some reason. It is included in this download.

Thanks to Rude Rich for providing the rip!

...and to this channel who put it on Youtube.



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Famous 4 - Hume Tunes 1. 12" (1984) [REPOST]

Rare British ska.

A1 - Sand Dance
A2 - I Want That Girl
A3 - I Want That Girl (Dub)
B1 - Not Just Any Picture
B2 - Never the Policeman

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Beeside - What You Call Love 7'' (1981)

This is an extremely rare record that took me years and years to find. The a-side is female-fronted punk reggae. The b-side is a rockin' song with an early new wave influence. Both sides are good.

I don't know anything about the band but I'm pretty sure they were from the US. I have no idea if they ever released anything else.
As rare as it is there is currently a copy available on Discogs for $45.00 which I think is reasonable (no, I'm not the one selling it and I don't know the person who is selling it.)


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The Mobsters - The Mobsters (cassette 1991)

The Mobsters was a Canadian band who released two cassettes in the early 90s before there was a third wave.
This is their first release. Six tracks of pure 2 Tone inspired ska.

I also have their second 4-track cassette from 1993 which I will post when I get a decent rip of it.


1 One of These Days
2 Rude Awakening
3 Miss Schiffer
4 Simone
5 Untitled
6 Ease Up the Pressure

DOWNLOAD

 

Bang - Soundtrack (1997)

"Bang" was an independent movie from 1995 that was about a woman who had a bad day and she steals a police uniform and motorcycle and goes around L.A. for a day pretending to be a cop.

Every song on the soundtrack is ska.

The entire movie is available on Youtube HERE.

Here's the trailer:


...and here's the soundtrack:

1 Ocean 11 - Hong Kong Lowrider
2 New York Ska Jazz Ensemble - Elegy
3 The Slackers - Run Away
4 The Skunks - Dubz 57 Sauce
5 Dr. Sauce - Barret Yall's Ride
6 The Toasters - Brixton Beat
7 Los Pies Negros - Pesadilla  [Nightmare]
8 Let's Go Bowling - Cumbia del Sol
9 The Toasters - Toast on the Coast
10 Isaac Green & the Skalars - Don't Count
11 House of Rhythm - Sign of the Times
12 Dr. Ring Ding & H.P. Setter - Louis Gone a Foreign
13 Skavoovie & the Epitones - Riversion
14 Dr. Ring Ding & H.P. Setter - Emergency Case
15 Isaac Green & the Skalars - Don't Count Dub
16 The Articles - The Ska's the Limit, Take 2
17 Dr. Ring Ding & H.P. Setter - Trombone Sound

DOWNLOAD

Humdrum - 79 7" (1980)

A - 79
B - Tooza

Belgian rock band who only released this one record. I don't know what the rest of their repertoire was but the A side is power pop with a 2 Tone influence and the B side is power pop/new wave with a 50s influence that's kinda reminiscent of The Bay City Rollers' "I Only Want to be With You". Both songs are sung in English with a harsh but charming accent.



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Skatterbrains [Canada] - The Killer Beat (cassette 1991)

Not to be confused with the Skatterbrains from Colorado, these guys were from Canada and I don't know anything about them. This is probably the only thing they ever released and it's incredible. This should be right up there with everything that was released on Unicorn Records at the time this was recorded. There are 12 tracks on this cassette-only album and all 12 are ska. How did this go unnoticed for so long?

1 The Killer Beat
2 Theme Song
3 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
4 Love Thy Neighbour (But Don't Get Caught)
5 Scandal
6 Possessed
7 Cheesy Love Song
8 Questions
9 Messin' Around
10 Road Warrior
11 Skankin' for Family Pleasure
12 TV Preachers

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Skapa [New Zealand] - Easy Street (cassette 1992) -&- Skapa - Skaparty (cassette 1990)

Skapa - Ska Party (1990)
1 Easy Street
2 It's Your Round
3 Ska Polka
4 Easy Street (Extended version)

Skapa - Easy Street (1992)
1 Easy Street
2 Suzanne Beware of the Devil
3 Ska Jig
4 It's Your Round
5 Times are Hard
6 Step Lightly
7 Mr. Ed
8 Ska Polka
9 Jamaica Ska
10 Tear it Up
11 These Boots
12 Special Brew
13 Rudy Got Married
14 Shame and Scandal
15 Nite Club

...from the Ska-Otea-Roa
*Jane Bondage
* Ska Jig

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va Beat of the Street (1989)

There's a record store in Southern California called Dr. Strange Records that I have mined many gems from over the years. Many years back I came across this record in the back room (where all the good stuff is) but it had a price tag of $30.00 so I put it off for a few years. It has a rare song by The Loafers which was later featured on Skarities in 1990. I eventually stumbled across a copy for $2.00. This is that copy.

The Instigators are an amazing punk band from Dewsbury, England not to be confused with the ska/punk band from Auckland, NZ that I previously featured HERE.



There are only two records in this series and I have included a Frankensteined version of the first record which I know aren't the original versions but it's still good stuff.


A1 -  The Crack - My World
A2 - The Instigators - Cry Freedom
B1 - The Loafers - Feelings Right
B2 - Frantic Flintstones - Honey Maker

DOWNLOAD a vinyl rip of vol.2 (pictured) with an inaccurate version of vol.1


*Incidentally there was an American band also called the Instigators who only put out one single in 1985 and I absolutely love it. It's campy new wave with naive lyrics but it's brilliant. We Don't Know What We Want.

Bud's Balooxe - Skamenco 7" (1995)

A - Skamenco
B - The Ugly Bone

This is a great German band who only ever released this one 7" and a 4-track demo tape. I don't have the tape but I have this and it's better than you might imagine. The A-side is sung in Spanish and the b-side is in English.

DOWNLOAD

Tony Titt and the Torpedoes - Dance 7" (1982)

A - Dance
B - No More Reggae


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Atlande - Miss Hollywood 7" (1980)

A - Miss Hollywood
B - Le Mac Homme



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Jamaican Survivers - Jamaican Survivers LP (1980)

1 Dark Side of Hong Kong
2 Baby Face Nelson
3 Attack of the F.B.I.
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

Danny and the Terminals - Investigations 7" (1981)

This one has been overlooked by everybody. I don't know one person who has it or has even heard it and it's too good to be this unknown, not to mention that it is readily available. There are lots of copies out there and some are very cheap.

Two sides of great ska-inspired power pop that get better every time you listen to them.

A - Investigations
B - Lazy Afternoon

DOWNLOAD


/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

I still haven't even started the list yet. Life has been hectic lately. I'm really aiming for next weekend.

After Drizzle - Jamaican Tango 7" (1980)

A - Jamaican Tango
B - Back in '83

DOWNLOAD

Captain Dompfaff - Let's Spend the Night Together 7" (1980)

A - Let's Spend the Night Together
B - Ein Gefühl

DOWNLOAD

The Crystal Set [U.K.] - Know How 7" (1981)

This is probably the only thing released by this band. Not to be confused with the Australian band of the same name. Both sides are ska.

A - Know How
B - Critical Town

DOWNLOAD

The Ventilators - SKA live cassette demo (1991) [UPDATED LINK]

The Swiss band The Ventilators really is one of my favorite bands. They're right up there with Mr. Review. This tape was recorded when they first started out and it shows how amazing they were from the beginning. From what I know there were less than 100 copies of this tape made and the number of them that exist today is God's own private mystery. There are four songs on it and none of them were ever recorded in the studio. The only way to ever hear these songs is from this tape. Unfortunately my copy is warped pretty badly. I tried my best to adjust the sound to make it listenable but the sound quality sucks. Nothing I can do about it.

Most of you will want to skip this one, but Ventilators fans will truly appreciate it.

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

La banda suiza The Ventilators es una de mis bandas favoritas. Están ahí arriba con Mr. Review. Esta cinta fue grabada cuando comenzaron por primera vez y muestra lo increíble que eran desde el principio. Por lo que sé, hubo menos de 100 copias de esta cinta hecha y el número de las que existen hoy en día es el misterio privado de Dios. Hay cuatro canciones en él y ninguno de ellos fueron grabados en el estudio. La única manera de oír estas canciones es de esta cinta. Por desgracia, mi copia está muy deformada. He intentado mi mejor para ajustar el sonido para que sea audible, pero la calidad del sonido es una mierda. No puedo hacer nada al respecto.

La mayoría de ustedes querrán saltarse éste, pero los ventiladores de los Ventilators apreciarán verdad.


1 Jah War
2 In Heaven
3 Take Me Away
4 (Why Don't We) Start a Revolution

DOWNLOAD from Dropbox

DOWNLOAD from MEGA

Johnny Too Bad & the Strikeouts - Memoirs of the Hunted (1996)

Cassette-only release. Much thanks to Tim Caron for contributing this!

1 9 to 5
2 Doesn't Matter
3 Eugene
4 Russian
5 220
6 Stay Inside
7 1952
8 Hello Baby



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Wild Horses - Funky Poodle 7" (1980)

A - Funky Poodle
B - Neighborhood Angel



DOWNLOAD

Peter Proud - Hypnotist 7" (1981)

A - Hypnotist
B - Crazy



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Strange Idols - Tired of Earth 7" (1982)

A - Tired of Earth
B - I'm Normal

This is the very rare single from this Australian band. The a-side did get some airplay and they even made a music video for it, but I'm posting this for the b-side that you can hear HERE.



DOWNLOAD

F-Troop - She Was My Baby 7" (1989)

A - She Was My Baby
B - Rude Girl

This is the only release that I know of by this Australian band. The A-side was on the first "Ska Skank Down Under". The B-side can be heard HERE.

DOWNLOAD

Newmatics - But My Love 7" (1981) [REPOST]

A - But My Love
B - Love Dub

DOWNLOAD

The Notables - Quite Notable (1997) [REPOST]

These guys were from Seattle Washington. This is 13 tracks of pure instrumental ska in the style of the Skatalites.
 
1 Escobar
2 Knuckles
3 Teen Party
4 Who Knows
5 Rude Mood
6 Misfit
7 Godfather Ska
8 Palladin
9 Vital Organ
10 The Beachcomber
11 Perdido
12 Night Watch
13 Freak Shuffle



DOWNLOAD

J.C. Superska

J.C. Superska - self-titled cassette (1993)
1 I'm Silly
2 Power of a Union
3 Got so Much
4 No Parking
5 See You Dead
6 untitled
7 Theme
8 Speedball Train
9 Peace
10 Home (for Dave)
11 I'm Silly

J.C. Superska - Hepstepper 7" (1995)
A - Hepstepper
B - A Little Bit Nothing

J.C. Superska - demo tape (year unknown)
1 Sneakyman
2 Danger Zone
3 Feel Like Jumpin'
4 People Get Mad
5 Scooter Gang
6 Speed Ball Train
7 Home
8 Dancing Girl
9 Bartender
10 Fess Up

J.C. Superska - Bartender (from "Welcome to Skannecticut" comp)
J.C. Superska - Hey Jackie (from "Skanarchy" comp)
J.C. Superska - Home (from "Skarmageddon" comp)

"Bartender"


DOWNLOAD ALL from MEGA

Joe Salvo - Life Could be Better 12" (1984)

A - Life Could be Better
B - Life Could be Better (Instrumental)

Don't take this as fact but I think Joe Salvo was a blues/rock musician from the US who made this one-off new wave/reggae song in the UK.
I don't know anything more about it except that this song makes me happy. It sounds like it would be perfect playing over the credits at the end of an 80s movie. You can almost picture Emilio Estevez roller skating in shorts and striped socks into the sunset...

HEAR IT on Soundcloud

DOWNLOAD from MEGA

Noit Otni & the Pits 7" (1979)

A - A Heart Can Only be Broken Once
B - Moving Target

It's all about the b-side for this one. Slow punk/reggae. Even though Discogs has this listed as being from the UK the singer sounds American and the whole record sounds like a demo.

DOWNLOAD
(Zippyshare is down so the link is for MEGA)

The Emotion Pictures - They Say Space is Cold 7" (1980) [REPOST]

Thank you  Edd Bartlett for informing us that the vocalist for this band passed away last week. There's really nothing online about the band so it's hard to put anything together as a tribute. At least we have this one record. If anybody else knows anything more, please leave a comment.

A - They Say Space is Cold
B - Rescue Remedy



DOWNLOAD

Does anybody have this?

This is a rare 7" from 1981 that nobody can seem to find a copy of. It's called "Galimatias Amoureux" from the Adelaide, Australian band The Jumpers. It was released on Smash and Grab Records and there are four tracks:

A1 - Girl & Toy
A2 - Every Time I Look at You
B1 - Me No Send, You No Come
B2 - Anytime

Band members include
Johnny Jumper -Vocals
Cathy Tune - vocals
Dave Lennon Drums (Later with Strange Tenants / Allniters / Club Ska)
Michael Hope
Jim Bowden

They had one song called "1966" which was released in 1980 on a compilation called "5MMM's Compilation Album of Adelaide Bands 1980" and was later released on the first "Ska Skank Down Under" compilation but the band was called The Jake Jumpers for some reason.
HEAR "1966"


If anybody has some MP3s or if anybody knows of a copy of this single for sale please let me know. 

Click Clack - Ketchup 7" (1982)

Click Clack (not to be confused with the British band Click Click) were a Belgian new wave/disco/ska band who put out this 7" in 1982. I have seen it for sale quite a few times listed as a ska record but I had never heard it so I was reluctant to buy it. I found a cheap copy so I thought 'what the hell' and bought it.
I was very surprised...this is a great record. It's not exactly ska but it is definitely Tone and Wave type of stuff.
There are at least three other singles that I intend to get at some point and I'll post them when I get them. It won't be for a while. I have to put it at the bottom of my list with the other "not exactly ska" stuff like Otitis and Ex-Hole.

A - Ketchup (hear it on Soundcloud)
B - Theo (hear it on Soundcloud)

DOWNLOAD through Zippyshare

DOWNLOAD through MEGA