The first time I heard Culture was between bands at a basement punk show in the late 70s. The DJ—who …
Everybody should have a Heavensbee (and a brewery): An interview with Roger Apollon Jr.
I get it—you’re busy. We’re all busy. But are you Roger Apollon Jr. busy? A member of the legendary New …
An old skool sax player from Ha(a)rlem: An Interview with Thomas Tornado
First off, that’s not the name he was born with. Nobody’s parents are that cool. When he first arrived thirty-eight …
Rastamonk Vibrations – Monty Alexander talks about his new album
When he was a young teen, Monty Alexander would sneak out of school and hop a bus down to Federal …
This just in: An interview with Stop The Presses
It’s about 1,270 miles (2,043km) from Hialeah, Florida, a suburb just north of Miami, to Brooklyn, a borough in south-east …
Memoirs of a Ska Librarian: an interview with author Kevin Flowerdew
There are more ska bands in more countries releasing more new tunes than ever before. To keep up with this …
Mento is exuberant and lively: An interview with Los Apartmentos
The name of this website is Reggae-Steady-Ska, and if you’re here, you probably know how the three are connected. Ska …
The Royal Treatment: King Zepha grants us an audience
When the album “Introducing … King Zepha & The Bluebeat Renaissance” dropped in 2015, it won a spot on my …
Diggin’ the scene with a gangsta lean – Prince Fatty and Earl 16 roll up in an R&B classic
One of the highlights of Record Store Day 2019 was the release of Prince Fatty’s 7” cover of the William …
“A team that stays together, wins together”: A conversation with The Skapones
A new album that’s earning rave reviews from the critics (here, here and here), a rapidly growing fan base with …
Book review: Dub Poets in Their Own Words by Eric Doumerc
I read a lot of poetry and listen to a lot of dub, so you’d think I’d know something about …
Three Special Questions about The Specials
To celebrate the release of Encore, I reached out to 21 people I’ve interviewed over the past few years and …
Building a Reggae-Steady-Ska record collection: Insider tips from Chicago’s top collector
Recently I realized I couldn’t live another day without an original recording of Theophilus Beckford’s “Easy Snapping” on Coxson Records. …
The Abruptors: Buffalo, NY’s hottest band is getting even hotter.
I first saw The Abruptors a couple years ago in a packed bar in Buffalo, New York. Back then they …
Veteran Reggae guitarist’s first solo record is a tribute to the movie music that inspired him.
Andy Bassford on the making of The Harder They Strum 2018 will go down as one of the best years …
Lost in Space: a pre-launch check-in with Gentleman’s Dub Club
Some bands play it safe, some bands push boundaries. Gentleman’s Dub Club rockets past those boundaries, creating concept albums(!) that …
“History blurs things. Politics blurs things even more.” A conversation with Heather Augustyn, author of Operation Jump Up: Jamaica’s Campaign for a National Sound
As much as I think I know about ska, I’m always learning something new. And that’s true every time I …
Sweet Romance: Don Letts talks Lovers Rock
BBC 6Music listeners know him for his weekly Culture Clash Radio show. Film buffs know him for his feature films …
History Lesson: an Interview with author Eric Doumerc
It’s back-to-school time here in New York so it’s a perfect time to crack open Jamaican Music in England: From …
“I live in a different world” — an interview with Coolie Ranx
Writing a song is easy. Writing a song that combines infectious riffs with sharp, insightful lyrics that stay relevant 20 …