So much love – Adam Flymo Birch and The Vershon’s
Adam Birch strolled by the merch tent wearing a T-shirt, baggy cargo shorts and an ear-to-ear grin. It was 30 …
Interviews
Supernova Ska Fest 2018: 4-question interviews
The 2018 Supernova International Ska Fest brought some of the best ska bands on the continent to the 1781 Brewery …
Album review: The Giver by David Hillyard and the Rocksteady 7, featuring Sean Wheeler
In the ultimate ska band made up of active players, Dave Hillyard would be my choice for tenor sax. He’s …
New Single from The Big Takeover
New York-based The Big Takeover has released “Rainboots”, an infectious little number that pairs perfectly with pool-side drinks and warm …
Continuity: An interview with Skatalites guitarist Natty Frenchy
My favorite Skatalites show? Every one I’ve ever seen. And that’s true for the recent show at The Haunt in …
Burning questions for Phoenix City All-Stars
Sean Flowerdew is a busy man. In January, he released Pama International Meets Manasseh, putting the band’s amazing Trojan Sessions …
Getting schooled—an interview with the authors behind Alpha Boy’s School: Cradle of Jamaican Music
As of this post, Adam and Heather have never been in the same room. Heather lives near Chicago and Adam …
Interviews
“I feel so lucky” – Backstage with The Big Takeover
Jamaica meets Motown. That’s the spot-on way The Big Takeover describe their soulful ska sound. Jamaican-born lead singer Nee Nee …
“You adjust. You Move on.” A conversation with The Pandemics
Bosstones-esque vocals, Pietaster-ish lyrics, Slackers-level musicianship and Reel Big Fish energy. You could make a solid case that The Pandemics …
Interview Mixtape from SuperNova Ska Fest: Part one
Back-to-school sale ads have taken over the airwaves so I suppose that the summer of 2017 is winding down to …
Spicy graphic pop: an interview with CHema
Thick, black outlines, bold colors, quirky characters and stray ink spots. CHema’s style is instantly recognizable. If you like your …
Alive and dancing: An interview with Death of Guitar Pop
A good hunk of my spare time is spent to listening to debut releases from just-getting-started ska bands. These formative …
Take Two: In the studio with The Skamanians
You can hear hints of mento, jazz, blues, and/or R&B in just about any ska song, and if that song …
“Jamaicans and Greeks have a lot of things in common”: An interview with Les Skartoi!
If you’ve been to Greece, you’ve got a thousand reasons why you want to go back. Let me add one …
Monique Powell is an open book: Checking in with Save Ferris
You never forget your first time. And for thousands of ska fans, that first time was back in 1998 at …
“I love the hard jam” – A conversation with drummer Fred Campbell
I can usually tell how a phone interview is going to go by the first question. Sometimes there’s a long, …
Drunken, slack and fun: Complicated Men of Leisure have nothing to apologize for
You can tell a lot about somebody by checking out their exes. Good or bad, they’ll be judged by the …
Something Better: chattin’ with Steve Jackson of The Pietasters
Back in October of ‘95, I got a copy of The Pietasters’ Oolooloo stuck in the CD player of my …
Interview with Bob’s Ska Radio – So you want to run a ska radio station?
In the US, it’s possible to live your whole life and never hear a ska song on commercial radio. Maybe—and …
A Special Libertine: an interview with Gary Powell
When John “Brad” Bradbury died last December, his family and friends lost a loved one, and the ska world lost …