Ska News
(written Spring/Summer 1997)

Alot has happened in the world of ska since my last zine. A number of bands have broken up including The Insteps, The Skunks, Out of Order, Janitors Against Apartheid, Skankin’ Pickle, and The Defactos. Alex Montalvo, lead singer of The Defactos was found dead on Wednesday July 23rd. He disappeared the Saturday before while jet skiing. He left behind his girlfriend, Pamela, his daughter, Christian, who will be 1 year old in September, and a loving family. It was a sad day in NYC. On a different note, Venice Shoreline Chris Murray recently married his Ex-Darling, Katie. Many bands have left labels like Moon, BYO, and Shanachie to join the force of Hellcat Records, a traditional ska/’77 punk label and a subsidiary of Epitaph. Hellcat is owned and run by Tim Armstrong, of Rancid and Brett Guzewitz of Epitaph/Bad Religion. Hellcat’s debut release is a comp entitled “Give ‘em the Boot” and it features tracks from The Slackers, Hepcat, The Pietasters, and The Skatalites. I believe each of those bands has a full length CD coming out on Hellcat as well. That Hellcat sampler has 20 ska and punk tracks and retails at $5, so I don’t think you can go wrong with that one. There are some killer new CD’s out on Moon Records that you will definitely have to check out. Look for the debut releases from The Articles and The Skoidats as well as sophomore efforts from Skavoovie & The Epitones and The Allstonians. Also, Scofflaws live, Skinnerbox, Los Hooligans, and Dr. Ring Ding & the Senior All-Stars. Coming up later this year from MoonSka is The Toasters 7th full length, Mephiskapheles CD!, Bad Manners new CD, Rude Bones CD (Japanese Ska at its best!), “Bang!” - the first all ska film soundtrack, a reissue of the first U.S. ska comp, “NY Beat: Hit and Run” with a new NYC area ska comp (it’s a double CD) and extensive liner notes on the history of Moon Ska Records (this is Moon Records 100th release!). And coming in 1998 is a new Scofflaws studio album and a new CD from Mobtown, a great traditional band from CA, who recently joined the ranks of MoonSka! Also be on the lookout for a new Stubborn All-Stars release. There are a bunch of ska videos making it onto M2 and Mtv. I’ve seen videos for The Stubborn All-Stars, Mephiskapheles, The Toasters, and Hepcat. Many other bands such as Spring Heeled Jack, Skavoovie & the Epitones, Skinnerbox, The Scofflaws, Issac Green and the Skalars, The Trojans, and Venice Shoreline Chris have made videos. Moon Records will be releasing a video compilation called “The Real Ska Reel” with most of the above mentioned bands. The 1997 Winter Ska Fest at Penn State was a huge success. Over 2500 people showed up. Next year’s fest has already been confirmed for the dates of February 13th and 14th, so mark your calendars. It will be a fest that everyone will be talking about and one you can tell your grandkids about! Next year’s fest will be better than last years, more bands, more ska, more fun! It may not be a free show like last year, and if it isn’t it will only be a buck or two to get in, plus Penn State students (and one guest) will be able to get in for free. I’ll tell you more about it when I know. If you recall there was supposed to be a live CD released of last year’s fest on Jump Start Records. Well, the guys at JumpStart decided that the overall quality of the disc wouldn’t be good, plus they’ve had trouble contacting all the bands about it, so they are picking the best tracks to be released on a double 7”. Speakin’ of Jump Start Records, they just released The B-3’s debut 7”, and it’s really good. Pittsburgh Ska at it’s best! Also be on the lookout for a 7” from Montreal’s The Kingpins as well as Syracuse’s Too Hectic, possibly their last recording as a band. Jump Start Record’s CD comp of trad/swing/jazz ska bands will be out any day now. It looks to be really good, around 15 good tracks from 15 good ska bands, for the low price of $6 ($7 ppd.) This CD has put Jump Start in mega financial debt, so their mailorder (of other labels) has been put on hold for the time being. Once the CD comes out, they will be able to afford to do the cheapest mailorder in the country, definitely the place you should fulfill all your ska needs. Jump Start’s new website will be at http://www.lazerlink.com/~jstart and the new email contact is jstart@lazerlink.com (Tioga is no more!). Jeremy Myers (of JumpStart/Freefall Skazine fame) now plays trumpet with State College, PA’s best band, 2000 Flushes. Right now I’d say the best bands in Pennsylvania are The B-3’s, The Upstanders, who also just released a good 7”, and The Ska Blazers, who have finally released their debut CD! Erie, PA’s The Go-Go Rays CD is out now on Ska Satellite, the MoonSka subsidiary that is also releasing CD’s from The Robustos, Johnny Too Bad & The Strikeouts, Bufford O’Sullivan, Highball Holiday, and Can’t Say, as well as many other promising acts. I’ve recently heard the comp “Hey Brother...Can You Spare Some Ska?” on Vegas Records and it is well worth the retail price of $3.99! Coolie Ranx (ex Toasters) and Vinny Nobile (ex Bim Skala Bim) formed a band named The Pilfers. Word is they are excellent and they should be touring soon.....