Ska in the ’00s soldiered on as more and more fans left the sound for something new. Why is this? My best guess is that the pre-mid ’90s folks getting into ska were the kind of people seeking out new sounds in the underground. By 2002 most of those folks had moved on to find other new stuff to listen to as they were always just music seekers. What’s to bad is that many parts of the US didn’t have an established ska scene that dated back further than 1996, so there wasn’t much of a scene to stick with it after the local ska band broke up or moved to a bigger city. It was also around this time when the usual discussion about ska went from “Ska? What’s that?” to “Oh, ska? You still listen to that junk?” That last phrase is forever burnt in my mind after it was uttered to me by a girl in a comic shop in the Winter of 2003 as she was picking out a classic rock record to buy while wearing a Jethro Tull t-shirt, I knew this girl from punk, ska & power pop shows. Disheartening to hear, for sure. So, here’s to the bands that kept the fire going through the dark times! Here’s to the fans that found ska, liked and continued to support it! Here’s to all of us!

Skapone – Men’s Club (the Black & White Album ’08)

the Malcontents – the Greatest Contradiction (Never Enough ’03)

Pressure Cooker – Refugee (I Want to Tell You ‘ 01)

Masketesta – Tu Que Pediras (the Maskatonians All Stars & Friends ’07)

Reel Big Fish – a Little Doubt goes a Long Way (Cheer Up! ’02)

Out of Line – Salty Sister (Channel Surfing ’03)

New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble – Brain Freeze (Skaleidoscope ’05)

Find & like 23min of Ska on facebook. Also, feel free to download this episode. Ska is better on vinyl. Hit up Grandpa’s Casino Recordings, we don’t have any cassettes, but we have some great vinyl records!