Dixo Wankers - City Boy 7"

The first release from this Dutch band from 1981. Read more about them HERE. The first song 'City Boy' is poppy with female vocals and 'Jaguar' is mostly instrumental with male vocals not toasting so much as just talking.

Here they are performing 'Bah Bah Bloemenbuurt!' with Ab Van Der Laak in 1983


Here they are performing the Selecter's "Danger". This video was posted by Ronan. Thank you very much for this great post Ronan!


side A - City Boy
side B - Jaguar

If you do download this keep in mind that you are doing so for reference only and that you must delete it within 24 hours. If you like what you hear save your money and hold your breath and wait for the day their record company accidentally hires a music fan who gets them to re-release this and buy it then so that the band can pay their bills and keep playing.

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Both sides...

There are lots of good arguments for why I should continue to post music and a couple for why I shouldn't but the fact of the matter is that it is illegal. That's it plain and simple. That's why Tone and Wave won't continue in the same way it started out. I'm considering what to do next. Are any of you really that damn interested in reading more reviews? Maybe I could do a podcast and link to some Myspaces? Maybe I could keep posting obscure things that are unrelated to certain record labels and wait for them to threaten me with lawyers.

I'm being tongue-in-cheek right now, but I have to say that even though I'm a bit irritated at Megalith (not because of them telling me to take off their music, but because of the 'I'm telling my lawyer on you' attitude) I will not be boycotting them. I have gotten lots of good stuff from them in the past and I will continue buying from them in the future. I do support the ska scene and I support any record company that helps put out ska music. I could support them a hell of a lot more if I wasn't spending $80 on a rare used vinyl that they own the rights to and are not selling for whatever reason. Like Steve from Moon said labels should make more of an effort to make their back catalogs more available. Tone and Wave is an example that there is still a market for this stuff.

I would have a bit more respect for them though if they came straight out and said "Look asshole, you're affecting my livelihood!", instead of all this crap about how I'm affecting the bands. I've had numerous bands comment when I posted their music - some corrected the errors I made in describing them, some asked where I got certain things, some thanked me for posting their music, and some even just responded with "I was in this band". Not one told me to remove the post. Not a single one. Three of these responses were from bands that were on the list of bands I had to remove.

Here's a perspective from somebody in a band.

Tone and Wave is coming to an end

Hey,
This is Jeremy at Megalith Records (The Toasters / Moon Ska Records),
I have come across your blog and see that are you hosting links to many
bands on our label that you have no legal right to distribute freely.
http://toneandwave.blogspot.com/
Please remove all links in reference to the following bands and
compilations:

The Butlers
All Skarmageddon comps.
Anything and everything Toasters, Skaos, Dr. Raju, Skavoovie and the
Epitones, Bluekilla, Mr. Review, The Busters, Too Many Crooks, No
Sports, Go Jimmy Go, The NY Citizens, Deal's Gone Bad, Royal Roost and
all related releases.

Not only is what you are doing completely illegal, but you are NOT
supporting ska music by pointing people to download their work for free,
you are hurting them. Many of these albums you have links to are
releases from 2008 and 2007. I know because I designed that Royal Roost
album cover and we released that last year, and the Deal's Gone Bad
album was released this year between us and JumpUp Records.

You MUST remove all links to these bands, if you do not comply within
48hours, we will have our lawyer contact you and Google and have your
account removed as well as Yahoo. Please take me seriously.
You are creating a DIS-service to these hard working bands and you are
breaking the law.

Jeremy Patton.

--
megalith records
c/o jeremy w patton
1529 sunrise circle
norman, ok 73071
cell 405.641.8114
http://www.toasters.org
http://www.megalithrecords.com
http://www.jiantwebproductions.com

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

Sorry folks, I can't argue with this. He's right.
My only dispute with this letter is where it says I am not supporting ska music. He meant to say I'm not supporting the people who make money off of ska music.

If you look on the Megalith Records site you'll see that the Toasters "Skaboom!" cd which I posted is out of print which means that I didn't harm their ability to sell it and that if you wanted to buy it you'll have to wait until it's repressed - if ever. (Or you can just get it used off of ebay)

How was I to know that there was still a market for many of the bands on the list when they aren't mentioned in their catalogue? It took me quite a long time and way too much money to collect all of the Too Many Crooks cds because I had to find them second hand in other countries because nobody in the US sold them - not even Megalith. How am I keeping them from making money from something they're not even selling?
But that's besides the point. I was told to remove them and I did. I will not send anybody the links so please don't ask. Support the bands by going to the shows and buying their music from them. Buy stickers and buttons and whatever else.

I also removed anything else I thought that anybody could still be making money off of.

This is not the end of Tone and Wave. I still have a few things left that I think I can post. After that I will call it quits. You will know when it's over.

The Blackpool's Skampilation vol.II

Live compilation from 1994.

1 Mobtown - Zoot Suit Samba
2 Mobtown - Ten
3 Mobtown - Comin' ta Get Cha
4 The Soulfuls - Monte Carlo
5 The Soulfuls - Chillum Pipe
6 The Soulfuls - Backslider
7 Buck-O-Nine - She's Fat
8 Buck-O-Nine - More than Your Eyes Can See
9 Buck-O-Nine - Junior
10 Mealticket - Brassman
11 Mealticket - Looking Glass
12 Mealticket - 98

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The Specs - Changes to the Few (link updated November 22, '08)

This is The Specs'(The original Specs from Riverside California) first recording from 1991. It was a cassette only release which I have never been able to find another original copy of since mine disappeared. Luckily I made a friend a copy of my original tape way back in the days and after all these years he still has it. The sound quality is terrible - there is a constant tape-hiss all the way through and almost every song warps or has tape fading but those of you who know this album should appreciate it nonetheless.
And, though I don't have the original tape I do still have the cover - the scans are included in the download with the lyrics and all.

1 Don't Change My Song
2 My Soles are Worn
3 Eliminator
4 Let Me Now
5 Rude Agents
6 Dance with Me
7 Problems Arise
8 Bush Clearing
9 Rudeboy Has to Skank
10 Cleopatra Skat

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The Targets - Unity Beat

In 1983 the Southern California band The Targets released this EP. The record and sleeve says very little about this band and, therefore, I know very little about them. This release was on a label called American Standard Records based in Torrance California - I can't find any info on them either.
The Targets sound is a little bit reminiscent of The English Beat with a bit of The Donkey Show and even a slight bit of Blondie. Not strictly ska but they fit perfectly in the 2 Tone era.

1 Don't Stop Now
2 The Perfect Guy
3 Searching for a Scene
4 Sax Man
5 Two Tone Mover
6 Unity Beat

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The Tigers - Savage Music (link updated April 21, 2009)

These are the same Tigers who did the song Ska Trekkin'. This is their only full length. It was released in 1980. They are not strictly a ska band - this is mostly a post punk album but there are five songs with a ska influence.

1 Promises Promises
2 Worlds to Conquer
3 Kidding Stops
4 Fall for You
5 True Confessions
6 Make-Up Girl
7 Savage Music
8 Gone Like You
9 Big Expense, Small Income
10 Sexual Blanks
11 Ice Cold in Fulham
12 Take it Like a Man
13 Jack it Up
14 Watch This Space

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The Puzzles 7"

This was released in 1980 before the full length. The song "Do the Puzzle" is the same version as on the album. The B-side "I'm Ill" is not on the full length.

side A - Do the Puzzle
side B - I'm Ill

(This single has been reposted with the full-length)

Ultra Rare Ska vol.1 - The Lost European Ska of the 2Tone Era (link updated on November 17, 2008)

This is a great comp that features 20 ska rarities but is quite a rarity itself. I can find very little info about it anywhere. Word around the campfire is that there were only 500 copies of this cd made. Is that true? I don't know. You tell me.

I have posted a few of these songs on Tone and Wave previously but they sound much better on here than my vinyl rips do. The version of Skavengers' "Party Girls" sounds great compared to the one I posted though the whole 7" is still available in it's authentic vinyl-crackling glory HERE. This comp also has Graduate's "Elvis Should Play Ska", The Employees' "Pick It Up", and The Mangy Dogs' "Itsy Bitsy"...all of their full 7"s are still available for download - if you don't have them yet get them before they're gone.

1 Boss - Rude Boys are Back in Town
2 Skarab - Babe Don't You Know the Ska?
3 Lou and the Hollywood Bananas - Hong Kong Ska
4 Skavengers - Party Girls
5 Graduate - Elvis Should Play Ska
6 Cairo - Movie Stars
7 Tigers - Ska Trekkin'
8 Vodska - L'espion Qui Venait Du Ska
9 Inner City Unit - Amyl Nitrate
10 Akrylykz - Ska'd for Life
11 The Skaooters - Summer Ska
12 The Plugs - Indoor Shopping Centre
13 The Mexicano - Trial by Television
14 The Employees - Pick It Up
15 The Army - Trendy
16 Rimshots - I Was Wrong
17 Gangsters - Wooly Bully
18 The Mangy Dogs - Itsy Bitsy
19 Alberto Camerini - Ska Tentati
20 Jamaican Survivors - Mafia Theme

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The T-Shirts - Walk on Water 7"

The T-Shirts were formed in Sweden in 1980. Their first release was a 6 song EP titled "Walk On Water" which also spawned this single. The song "Is It Gone" was not on the EP. They broke up in 1982 after releasing 4 more singles and a full-length called "Mr. Swing". Recordings after Walk On Water featured a female lead singer named Ylva-Li.

side A - Walk On Water
side B - Is It Gone?


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The Puzzles - Let's Have a Puzzle Party

Very rare album from this Dutch band from 1980. This is their only full length but they did release a 7" prior to this album which I will be posting in the next few weeks.

1 Do the Puzzle
2 (I Don't Like) Spiders
3 Talking Lady
4 Alibi
5 Alladinn
6 Heejoo
7 It's Puzzle Time Again
8 Silly Willy
9 Is that What You Want
10 Zombie v.s. Godzilla
11 Hahahaha
12 Dance Woman Dance

This album has been reposted with the single.

The Piranhas - The Piranhas

The Piranhas started in 1977 as a punk band in Brighton UK who are best known for the song Tom Hark which has been adopted as a popular chant by many football ('soccer' to us yanks) fans. (If you don't have the Play Kwela single that Tom Hark originally appeared on you can get it HERE.)In 1980 they recorded 3 singles and this album - their only full-length. They broke up in 1981 without any subsequent recordings.
Boring Bob Grover does have a current band called Dates that are certainly worth a listen.

1 Getting Beaten Up
2 Pleasure
3 Do You?
4 Saxophone
5 Love Game
6 Tom Hark
7 Tension
8 Fiddling While Babylon Burns
9 Green Don't Suit Me
10 Something
11 Coffee
12 I Don't Want My Body
13 Final Straw

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*A bit of trivia: The Piranhas had nothing to do with the re-recording of Tom Hark that is the most familiar version in Brighton today. That version was recorded in 2005 by a band calling themselves 'Seagulls Ska' - who were really members of
Too Many Crooks and Attila the Stockbroker. Money raised by the song went into building a new stadium for Brighton and Hove Albion F.C. whose nickname is 'The Seagulls'.

Klang - Beat It 7" (link updated April 21, 2009)

Here's another rare gem from 1980.

side A - Beat It
side B - The Things We Do For Love

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Reel Big Fish - Buy This! demo

Any blog about 3rd wave ska is bound to post this at some point...
No further comment.

1 Intro
2 I want Your Girlfriend to be My Girlfriend Too
3 Why do All Girls Think They're Fat?
4 Beer
5 I'll Never Be...

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The Sheds - demo

1 Fueled by your Sunshine
2 You Not Me
3 Surgery
4 Critical Moment
5 Only Way Out

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Monkey Business 7"

Monkey Business was a band from Seattle Washington in the early nineties. This 7" is from 1991 with a ska song on the a side with great sax playing, and a mod-rock b side that was noticeably influenced by the grunge sound from that time and place.

A - Mistakes
B - Keep on Walking

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Los Rudiments - Terror in the Heartland 7"

Do not download this 7-inch. You will not like it. Unless you know Los Rudiments and like them already it is unlikely that you will appreciate this rare Dill Records release from 1995.

1 Terror in the Heartland
2 Blow Out
3 Land Shark (originally by Fang in 1983)

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Skavengers The [LINK RENEWED Aug.13, 2010]

Skavengers The was a 3 piece ska/rock band that started in 1979 in southern England. This 7" is from 1980 and is their only recording. Though there were only a limited number of these records made they received a good amount of radio exposure both locally and on National Radio 1 through the interest of such people as John Peel and Mike Reed.

PETE CHRISTIE (guitar and vocals) and CHRIS HAINES (bass and backing vocals) continued playing after the departure of drummer Dave Parsons as Red Square with Martin Evans on drums. They moved to London in 1984 but despite good reviews and some great live performances they were unable to get a record deal and the band ended in 1985.


Pete Christie is still recording music but has opted for an acoustic guitar and a more laid back sound and he still enlists the talents of Martin Evans on occasion.
Chris Haines is also still playing with various bands and has recorded with Fringe Benefit, Lick the Tins, Yeah, and Foodbug.

"Party Girls" is one of my all time favorite songs but since the disc is so rare I have been able to find only one copy over the years which is not in the best shape. I have improved the sound the best I could but it is still a bad quality transfer. Chris Haines has a much better version on his Myspace.

A - Party Girls
B1 - Go to Pieces
B2 - Happy

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Ocean 11 - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

I am going to assume that anyone who comes to this site already knows who Ocean 11 is so I shant write a description.
I have taken it upon myself to include 4 extra tracks that were not originally on this album.

1 Housewive's Choice
2 Confucius
3 Solid as a Rock
4 Freedom Sounds
5 Rules of Life
6 From Russia with Love
7 Rock Steady
8 Let's Start Again
9 Song for My Father
10 Can't Forget About You
11 Rockfort Rock

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

12 Ska-Go-Mambo
13 Take it Cheazy
14 Night of the Dragon
15 Be Thankful
16 Hong Kong Low Rider
17 Stone Boat
18 Cairo East part II
19 Miss Understanding
20 Skagasm
21 Stop That Train
22 The Best of Love

DOWNLOAD PART 1

DOWNLOAD PART 2

Ak Band - Pink Slippers 7"

This is the Ak Bands first recording from 1980. They were a British power pop trio who played a lot of 2Tone inspired ska with no horn section or keys. The first song here Pink Slippers is an up-tempo song about receiving a bad Christmas gift and the other song Skegaway has more of a Police sound to it.

side A - Pink Slippers
side B - Skegaway

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