Monday, June 1, 2009

A Tribute to the Spirit of '69

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These four 7-inches were submitted by an anonymous submitter who suggests that you play these songs loud and "shake your ass!"
Beautiful skinhead reggae by both older and current bands keeping the Spirit of '69 alive.

Vol.1
1 Judge Dread - Bring Back the Skins
2 Yebo - Sound Pressure
3 The Spartans - At the Discotheque
4 The Mood - Wail Now

Vol.2
1 Derrick Morgan - Mon Hop
2 Allstonians - Hijacked
3 Monkey Shop - Funny Boy There
4 Scrapy - Suntime

Vol.3
1 The Pigletts - Johnny Reggae
2 King Banana - Don't Fight It
3 The Marvels - ...and Then He Kissed Me
4 Rocking Steady - Piano Concerto

Vol.4
1 Millie - Enoch Power
2 The Soulsteppers - Anything at All
3 The Mood - Hold Your Head Up High
4 Mighty Maroons - Midnight Hour

DOWNLOAD

Sunday, May 31, 2009

The Frits - Look on the Bright Side of LIVE!

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Here's one I didn't have that was just sent to me by Mr. Freeze.

1 Concrete Jungle
2 Not Enough for Me
3 Hey Girl
4 I Don't Want to Live Alone
5 Rat Race
6 Most I Hate is You
7 Bonehead
8 The Snake
9 New Life
10 Street Fighter
11 All You Ever Did
12 Life of Brian
13 Searching for Another Place
14 Why do You Change It?
15 Work
16 Too Much Pressure

DOWNLOAD

Thank you Mr. Freeze!!

Tone and Wave mixtape vol.1

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This is just a lot of random stuff I've been listening to lateley. Some of it's great and some of it's cheesy. You probably won't like it all.

About 3/4 of this stuff is from the 80s.

I could give you some information about all these songs but that's a lot of work. I could take the time, but I'm not gonna.

Just enjoy the music.

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1 Roberto Jacketti and the Scooters - Moscow Nights (1984)
2 Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons - Puppet on a String (Let Her Go)
3 Lou and the Hollywood Bananas - Hollywood
4 The Forest Hillbillies - Western Ska
5 Napoleon Solo - 0059 (from one of their 1986 demos)
6 Spectre - Ideal Home
7 Kodiaks* - Murderska
8 Bill Lovelady - One More Reggae for the Road
9 APC - The Scum Ska
10 The Hotknives - Echo Beach (Martha and the Muffins cover;non-album track from the Echo Beach 7")
11 Piranhas - Zambezi
12 X-Streams - Appeared to Me
13 The Burtons - McArthur Park
14 50% Potato - Pay Hommage to Hommus
15 Cowboys - Rude Boy
16 Claudio Cecchetto - Ska Shou Shou

DOWNLOAD

(*If you are a ska fan who appreciates the Pogues you should check out the Kodiaks. The best of both worlds.)

Monday, May 25, 2009

The Villains - Go Crazy & Life of Crime

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There was an old vaudevillian joke that wasn't funny to begin with and can now be found in numerous joke books for kids that goes:

"I can show you something that has never been seen before and, after I show you, will never be seen again!"

At that point the comedian will either peel a banana or crack open a nut and then eat it.

I feel the same applies to this cassette I just bought. It is by the Villains. Their "Life of Crime" EP is well known as a classic ska contribution, but this "Go Crazy" album falls short in so many ways.

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The cassette I just purchased was still sealed in its original shrink wrap from 1984. This particular tape was never heard by anyone ever. I bought it for $2.
I think that after hearing it you'll see why it shouldn't be heard ever again.

I'll be honest - there are a couple of good moments, but overall this is not the sort of recording that a band such as the Villains should have ever made.

Even still, being completely unplayed for 26 years the tape has developed a hiss problem that I cannot get rid of. To be honest - the album isn't good enough that you'll want to listen to it more than a time or two so the hiss shouldn't really be a problem.
I know this sounds like I'm making fun of the band, but I'm really not. I love the "Life of Crime" EP and I have included it in this download so that you can see the difference yourself.


DOWNLOAD

Friday, May 22, 2009

The Smooths - Very Own Vegas

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(posted by request)

1 In the Grass
2 78th of Soon
3 Letter After J
4 Enemy
5 Property is Theft
6 Mr. Figurehead
7 Tout Seul
8 Durango 95
9 Lord Jack
10 Bewitched

DOWNLOAD

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Natural Rhythm - Bluebeat and Ska

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Here's another great contribution by Rikard.

Natural Rhythm formed in Bradford, Northwest UK in 1990. They recorded this one album for Skank Records before breaking up in 1995. Their song Bluebeat and Ska might sound familiar to you if you have the Ska Wars 4 cd compilation. (If you don't have it it is on Hangover Heart Attack)

They have recently began playing again and have added new songs to their set list. Check out their Myspace.

1 When Night Time Falls
2 Ska Skank
3 I Want Justice
4 Ethiopia
5 People Unite
6 Cellar Beat
7 Bluebeat and Ska
8 That's the Law
9 Love at First Sight
10 007 (Shanty Town)
11 Natural Rhythm

DOWNLOAD

Thanks Rikard!!

Forest Hillbillies - Food Poisoning 7"

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Forest Hillbillies released this 7" in 1986 and up until today I didn't know that it ever existed. This was sent to me by Rikard and it's an amazing rarity. You may remember their song 'Jump Start' from the 'Licensed to Ska' comp, or their song 'Hand in Hand' from the Bib Records compilation "The Shack vol.2: Club Ska '99", or maybe from 'The Munsters' 12" single they released on Gaz's Rockin' Blues.

With this new enlightenment I'm curious what else they have somewhere out there. Anyone know?

A1 - It's the Wouluff
A2 - Food Poisoning
B - Forest Hill Ska

DOWNLOAD

The Puzzles (REPOST)

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This download includes both the full-length and the single.

"Let's Have a Puzzle Party" LP 1980

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



"Do the Puzzle" 7" 1980

A - Do the Puzzle
B - I'm Ill

DOWNLOAD from zShare

DOWNLOAD from Mediafire

Friday, May 15, 2009

Licensed to Ska

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1 Busters Allstars - Skinhead Love Affair
2 The Bluebeat - Fire
3 The Braces - Julie Julie
4 The Busters - Orion
5 The Loafers - Laughing Loafer
6 Skaos - Ska Skank Down Party
7 The Forest Hillbillies - Jump Start
8 Busters Allstars - Pipeline
9 The Bluebeat - Safeguards
10 The Braces - The Letter
11 The Busters - Keen on Games
12 The Loafers - Melancholy Sally
13 Skaos - The Struggle
14 The Toasters - Shocker

DOWNLOAD

Ska for Ska's Sake

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1 Mark Foggo's Skasters - Skadansk
2 The Loafers - It's so Easy
3 The Hotknives - W.L.N.
4 King Hammond - King Hammond Shuffle
5 Maroon Town - City Riot
6 Off The Shelf - Off The Shelf Tonight
7 The Riffs - Blind Date
8 Mr. Review - Another Town
9 The Skandal - Driving Me to Drink
10 Judge Dread - One Eyed Lodger
11 Pick It Up - Ska Sax
12 The Pork Hunts - Woman

DOWNLOAD

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

The Fifteen Commandments of Ska

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This is the last of the three compilations put out by Skank Records.

1 The Hotknives - Dave and Mary
2 Maroon Town - Average Man
3 International Beat - Magical Feeling
4 King Hammond - Right On King Hammond
5 Judge Dread - Reggae and Ska
6 Natural Rhythm - Cellar Beat
7 Mark Foggo's Skasters - Spot
8 One Hundred Men - YeahYeah Girl
9 Clubland - I'm Yours
10 The Loafers - Feelings Right
11 The Allsorts - What More Can I Do?
12 Bugsy Malone - Best Friend
13 The Riffs - Darling
14 Clubland - Rude Boy James
15 The Hotknives - Julie Julie

DOWNLOAD

Ngobo Ngobo - Daily Talk

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This post is by request.

Here's Ngobo Ngobo's Myspace.

1 I'm on TV
2 I'm Alright
3 Wednesday Man
4 Ghost Train
5 Stay Away
6 Bored Beyond Belief
7 Meet My Magnum
8 Everyday Man
9 Kraut Holiday
10 Don't Go
11 Blank Expression
12 Say Goodbye

DOWNLOAD

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Intensified - demo tapes [Re-Upped on July 12th 2011]

Two early demos by Intensified submitted to us by Rikard.

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1 Dictator
2 Carnival
3 Saturday Girl
4 Summer in Jamaica

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1 Hard to Disguise
2 Suffering
3 Bullet for the General
4 Fugitive
5 Intensified

...both cassettes recorded in Ashford, Kent 1991

http://www.mediafire.com/?1c2jvfs9117f174


Again, thanks to Rikard for this post!!

Blue Riddim Band

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Here are both releases from Blue Riddim Band. America's first all-white reggae band.
Some of you may be familiar with their song "Nancy Reagan" and the video of them performing at sunrise in August 1982 at Reggae Sunsplash in Jamaica.

If you don't already know about them HERE's a great article.



Restless Spirit (1981)
1 Come See About Me
2 Sho Be Do
3 Restless Spirit
4 One Love, One Heart
5 Rock It Sister
6 Cuss Cuss
7 Twistin' the Night Away
8 Oh Babe
9 Joke's On You
* Nancy Reagan (12 in. mix)

Alive in Jamaica (1982)
1 Chariots of Fire
2 Smile
3 Feeling Soul
4 Cuss Cuss
5 Tribute to Coxsone
6 Nancy Reagan
7 There's a Law

DOWNLOAD BOTH

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Labi Siffre - It Must be Love



Get the song HERE.

Labi is in the video that Madness made for their cover of this song:
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Labi Siffre also did the song "I got the (Blues)" that was sampled by Eminem in his song "My Name is" or whatever the hell it was called.

Bette Bright and the Illuminations [LINK UPDATED OCT. 21st, 2012]

Bette Bright was married to Suggs from Madness. She was formerly in a band called Deaf School before she teamed up with Glen Matlock of Sex Pistols and members of Clive Langer and the Boxes to form The Illuminations. Clive Langer produced Madness' early albums, and the Illuminations keyboardist Ben Barson is brother of Madness' keyboardist Mike Barson.

Bette was also sang for the Dutch post-punk/pop band Gruppo Sportivo and she appeared in The Great Rock and Roll Swindle as well as Madness' video for "One Better Day"


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Here are all 5 of her singles:

My Boyfriend's Back (1978)
A - My Boyfriend's Back
B - Hold on, I'm Coming

The Captain of Your Ship (1979)
A - The Captain of Your Ship
B - Those Greedy Eyes

Hello, I am Your Heart (1980)
A - Hello, I am Your Heart
B - All Girls Lie

Some Girls Have All the Luck (1981)
A - Some Girls Have All the Luck
B - Tender Touch

When You Were Mine (1981)
A - When You Were Mine
B - Soulful Dress


DOWNLOAD ALL 5 SINGLES


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"Rhythm Breaks the Ice" (1981) - her only album.

1 When You Were Mine
2 On a Night Like This
3 Hello, I Am Your Heart
4 All Girls Lie
5 Take What You Find
6 Talking Whispers
7 Thunder and Lightning
8 Shoorah Shoorah
9 Some Girls Have All the Luck
10 Tender Touch
11 Hold On

DOWNLOAD RHYTHM BREAKS THE ICE

Yeah, the 2 singles "Hello, I am Your Heart" and "Some Girls Have All the Luck"
are on the full-length - both A and B sides...same versions, but damnit, I'm a collector so I have the singles and therefore I feel more 'complete'. I trust you understand.
There is a bit of a ska influence in the later recordings, but she was not exactly a ska artist. Even still, her version of "Hold on, I'm Coming" is sexy and worth the listen.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

The Same - Movements 7"

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The Same was a mod/ska band in Brighton. They recorded this single in 1980.
Side A is a good slow punk-reggae song. Side B is a mod song.

A - Movements

B - Wild About You

DOWNLOAD

(Yes, I uploaded it to zShare, but they finally got their shit together and it is working.)

live shows by The Toasters, The Slackers, The Pietasters, and more

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For those of you who aren't aware there is a site called INTERNET ARCHIVE that is hosting live shows by some ska bands: The Toasters, The Slackers, The Pietasters, Fishbone, The Allstonians, Ruder Than You, Conehead Buddha, Fighting Gravity, Slightly Stoopid, and a band called Moniska Lewinsky and the Clintones.

The site is full of hippie type jam bands so it takes a while to browse everything but there are lots of treasures to be found for those with varied interests. 29 Shows by Southern Culture on the Skids, 50 by The Decemberists as well as the Mekons, The Minutemen, The Supersuckers, Gin Blossoms, Camper Van Beethoven, and all kinds of others.
Everything is free and posted with the bands' permission and you don't need to sign up to anything.

HERE'S the complete archive

The Allsorts

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Here's some random Allsorts stuff. Loose songs, articles, etc...

DOWNLOAD