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In The Builders of Modern Rock, the musical foundations that led to the explosion of new rock music over 1976 and 1977 were explored, with one exception – ska music. This was a musical style rich in history and that modern rockers in the late 1970s reinvigorated and modernized. Therefore, it wasn’t properly a ‘new’ form of music but was an important element in the early period of modern rock. To understand ska in the modern rock era, a proper ska retrospective must go through all three of its waves.

First, what is ska? The simplest definition is a combination of Jamaican music and American jazz, R&B, rock or pop. Jamaican music evolved out of the African influenced mento sound and the similar sounding calypso style from Trinidad and Tobago. The ska sound involved accents on the off beats (rock and pop typically emphasized the first and/or third beats whereas ska hit, most commonly, the second and fourth), the guitar riffs (and at times, keyboards) in the “guitar chop” or “skank” rhythm, played on an upstroke, the walking basslines, and very commonly the use of horns to emphasize the skank beat.

The Playlist - song \ artist (year)

First Wave

Little Honey \ Buster’s Group (1961)
Snow Boy \ Ska-talites (1962)
King & Queen \ Lord Creator & Ska-talites (1964)
Madness \ Prince Buster (1963)
Simmer Down \ Bob Marley, The Wailers, & Ska-talites (1964)
Don’t Leave Me \ The Techniques (1965)
Stop Making Love \ The Gaylads (1966)
Israelites \ Desmond Dekker (1968)
People Funny Boy \ Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry (1968)
Hold Me Tight \ Johnny Nash (1968)
Pretty Looks Isn’t All \ The Heptones (1969)
Monkey Man \ Toots and The Maytals (1971)
Lively Up Yourself \ Bob Marley and The Wailers (1973)
Second Wave
Watching the Detectives \ Elvis Costello (1977)
Gangsters \ The Specials (1979)
Concrete Jungle \ The Specials (1979)
A Message to You Rudy \ The Specials (1979)
On My Radio \ The Selecter (1979)
The Prince \ Madness (1979)
One Step Beyond \ Madness (1979)
Baggy Trousers \ Madness (1980)
Rudie Can’t Fail \ The Clash (1979)
Spyderman \ Akrylykz (1980)
Hands Off… She’s Mine \ The (English) Beat (1980)
Twist and Crawl \ The (English) Beat (1980)
Mirror in the Bathroom \ The (English) Beat (1980)
Let’s Do Rocksteady \ The Bodysnatchers (1980)
Special Brew \ Bad Manners (1980)
Second Choice \ Any Trouble (1980)
Third Wave
Twist ‘n’ Shake \ The Untouchables (1982)
Party at Ground Zero \ Fishbone (1985)
East Side Beat \ The Toasters (1987)
Gimme Some Kinda Sign \ The Sattalites (1987)
Made for TV \ King Apparatus (1990)
Where’d You Go? \ The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (1991)
Date Rape \ Sublime (1991)
Squeal \ No Doubt (1994)
Time Bomb \ Rancid (1995)
Two Face \ The Slackers (1996)
Here in your Bedroom \ Goldfinger (1996)
Into Action \ Tim Armstrong (2007)

The borders of ska are debatable. How much of the above elements are needed, and to what degree in a mix with R&B, pop, punk, or rock, to qualify a song as ska? Further, we’ll see that the pace and tone also vary the sound into rocksteady and reggae. Does any combination of the three with American music make it ska? Naturally, opinions will vary, and a lot of subjectivity applies, but what is intriguing is these sounds work brilliantly regardless, whether slow or fast, infused with heavy rock sounds or stripped down. For the purposes of this playlist, we’ll work from the pure out to the borders, sampling a bit from the full spectrum.

There were three waves in which ska was popularized around the world. The first was in Jamaica and the second was in Britain as part of the modern rock genesis. The third was in the late 1980s and into the ‘90s internationally, and mostly focused in the US with greater emphasis on the punk and rock side of the sound. Therefore, this playlist will focus on the leading lights of each of those waves. It is not an exhaustive list, but just a sampling to provide some of the best tunes from each wave and to provide a leaping off point for further exploration.

FIRST WAVE

Little Honey \ Buster’s Group (1961)– As Jamaica moved from British colony to independence in 1962, Jamaican musicians were adapting their island sounds with American jazz, R&B and jump blues sounds. One of the earliest and most influential to do this was Cecil Bustamente Campbell (his middle name was a tribute to Jamaica’s first Prime Minister, post-independence). In his teens Cecil started attending music clubs and after his school years started following ‘sound systems,’ which were groups of DJs and performance spaces for bands and DJs to play music. These were often set-up on truck beds in open lots or streets. DJs were also known as ‘selectors,’ and had a huge influence on the development of the early ska sound in Jamaica by exposing locals to the American sounds. Cecil was a follower of the influential sound system, Tom the Great Sebastian, and later became involved as a selector for Clement ‘Coxsone’ Dodd, one of the most prolific operators of sound systems in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s Jamaica. Campbell formed his own sound system, ‘Voice of the People.’

Pursuing a musical career and performing under the name Prince Buster, Campbell formed his first band, Buster’s Group. They released their first single, “Little Honey,” in 1961, one of the earliest ska recordings.

Snow Boy \ Ska-talites (1962) – Sir Coxsone Dodd, in addition to running sound systems, produced recordings and opened his own recording studio and label, Studio One, which was one of the first black-owned recording businesses. The first recording he produced was a 1962 jazz album that featured performers known as The Ska-talites. These ten musicians had played together in various forms since 1954, and in the ‘60s were the backing band for many of the artists recording at Studio One. They also recorded some early singles, usually instrumentals, such as “Snow Boy,” that displayed the evolving sound of ska. In 1964 they released their first LP, Ska Authentic.

King & Queen \ Lord Creater & Ska-talites (1963) – Kentrick Patrick, who performed as Lord Creator, was a calypso singer from Trinidad and Tobago who had hit songs in the late ‘50s. Moving to Jamaica in 1959 he fell in with the emerging ska scene, recording several singles through the early ‘60s. Most significantly, he recorded “Independent Jamaica” in 1962, the official song celebrating the country’s independence. It was recorded on Chris Blackwell’s Island Records, which was to become an important link between Jamaica’s music scene and the British music industry.

In 1963 Lord Creator issued a 7” single with The Ska-talites as his backing band, “King & Queen,” which was also known as, “Babylon.” If it sounds familiar, that’s because Lord Creator re-did the song in 1970 as “Kingston Town,” which would become his best-known song and was re-popularized by British reggae band, UB40, in 1989. In this song the mix of American R&B with the ska rhythm really came through, showing how the genre was gaining its distinct sound. Lord Creator would move on from ska, going back to calypso, before picking up the reggae wave in the late ‘60s.

Madness \ Prince Buster (1963) – The ska sound was being perfected by Prince Buster, mixing jazz-influenced horns with the jump sound. He had a series of singles in the early ‘60s that would forever define the ska sound and provide a rich feeding ground for the second wave ska artists fifteen years later. Buster’s singles, “Madness,” “One Step Beyond,” and “Al Capone” would all become staples of the British ska movement. Prince Buster would evolve his ska sound into rocksteady in the late ‘60s, providing more influential rhythms for both current and future artists.

Simmer Down \ Bob Marley, The Wailers, and The Ska-talites – Jamaican music cannot be explored without visiting its biggest star. However, the enormous, international, reggae success of Bob Marley in the 1970s started with a long, arduous journey through ska and rocksteady in the 1960s. Teaming with a band comprised of Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Junior Braithwaite, Beverly Kelso, and Cherry Smith, they cycled through a series of names – The Teenagers, the Wailing Rudeboys, the Wailing Wailers – before settling on The Wailers as their name. Recording with Sir Coxsone at Studio One and with The Ska-talites, they had a hit single in Jamaica in 1964 with the ska tune, “Simmer Down”.

Don’t Leave Me \ The Techniques (1965) – Another prominent producer/DJ at the time was Arthur "Duke" Reid, who ran a sound system called The Trojan in the ‘50s and started a label and studio called Treasure Isle. One of his prominent artists was The Techniques, featuring Winston Riley and Slim Smith, who were rivals to the artists coming out of Coxsone’s Studio One. “Don’t Leave Me” was one of their first singles in the ska style before they moved into the more comfortable rocksteady genre.

Stop Making Love \ The Gaylads (1966) – The Gaylads were a vocal group that recorded with Coxsone at Studio One and practiced the rocksteady sound. Rocksteady evolved out of ska around 1966 and evolved into reggae. It was marked by a change in emphasis on the beats and slower basslines, leading to richer, R&B styled rhythms to offset the pace of the guitar chops. The Gaylads released a plethora of singles from 1964 onwards before issuing their first LPs in 1967. “Stop Making Love” was one of those singles, and though the pacing was a little quicker than most rocksteady songs, the distinctive, hooky rhythms of the bass, drums, and piano made for an affecting blend of ska and rocksteady.

Israelites \ Desmond Dekker (1968) – Dekker was a Jamaican who had many hits during the ‘60s and by 1968 was moving towards the Rastafarian influenced sounds of reggae music. “Israelites” was one of the first international reggae hits and did much to start the popularization of the island’s music to British and American audiences. While reggae is often used to refer to all Jamaican music, its arrival was considered a more politicized form of rocksteady. It was linked to the Rastafari, a Jamaican religious and cultural movement that celebrated and championed the peoples’ African heritage as a counterbalance to British colonial culture. Musically, the main difference was that reggae further slowed the tempo from rocksteady. “Isrealites” wonderfully blended the rocksteady rhythms with the reggae pacing. The song reached #1 in the UK and the top ten in the US in 1969. British label, Stiff Records, released an up-tempo, ska version in 1980 that was brilliant.

People Funny Boy \ Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry (1968) – One of the variants of ska, rocksteady, and reggae was dub, which typically involved remixing the music, adding reverb or echo, removing the vocals, and inserting vocal samples and other sound effects to convert the songs into a new, often beat-oriented or more atmospheric version. Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry was a Jamaican who helped pioneer this approach. He was a singer and producer who worked with many of the leading Jamaican artists over the ‘60s and ‘70s. Perry started out at Studio One, but a falling out with Sir Coxsone Dodd let to him working with Joe Gibbs at Amalgamated Records, before creating his own label, Upsetter Records, in 1968, also after conflicts with Gibbs.

“People Funny Boy” was Perry’s first single from his new label. It was notable for its use of a sample of a baby crying, an early and rare use of sampling in any genre and a form of his dub style. It’s pacing and rhythm were an early and influential progenitor of reggae.

Hold Me Tight \ Johnny Nash (1968) – Johnny Nash was an American R&B singer who’d been releasing singles since his teens in the 1950s. He’d had a few hits, with a couple cracking the top forty in the US, but by 1968 hadn’t had a high charting single in almost ten years. He visited Jamaica with a girlfriend with links to the island and was taken with the ska and rocksteady rhythms. He was determined to champion the sound back in the US.

Nash signed Bob Marley and the Wailers to his label, but they were not able to achieve any hits working together. Johnny also recorded songs in Jamaica, making him one of the first foreigners to do so. In July 1968 he released the song, “Hold Me Tight,” which was to be the title track from his new LP. Its rocksteady beat blended with Nash’s smooth, R&B vocal, and hit the mark with international audiences. The song went to #5 in both the US and UK and #1 in Canada.

Like Dekker, Nash was integral to broadening the audience and revealing the appetite for the Jamaican rhythms abroad, especially so when he repeated his success in 1972 with “I Can See Clearly Now,” which reached #1 in the US and Canada and the top ten in the UK. Though it was more of a traditional pop composition with only a light rocksteady beat, he was the first to enjoy international success with the Jamaican sound.

Pretty Looks Isn’t All \ The Heptones (1969) – Another rocksteady vocal group, this trio was comprised of Leroy Sibbles, Earl Morgan, and Barry Llewellyn, who started originally as The Hep Ones. Recording for Studio One, they were one of the prominent acts of 1960s Jamaica, releasing a series of influential singles including “Pretty Looks Isn’t All.” The act continues to this day, with Early Morgan as the only original member. Llewellyn passed away in 2011 while Sibbles went solo in 1978, enjoying a strong career in Canada.

Toots and the Maytals \ Monkey Man (1969) – This band, at first known as just The Maytals, started recording out of Studio One around 1964, putting out several singles and albums and also playing with The Ska-talites and Prince Buster. They were one of the original and most revered ska acts who also transitioned from ska to rocksteady. They remain active today, with Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert still the front man.

Aside from their work with the other luminaries of ’60s Jamaican ska, they started recording their own songs, especially after starting to work with Chinese-Jamaican producer, Leslie Kong. Together they issued the 1968 single, “Do the Reggay,” which was a reference to a passing dance fad. The song has been generally regarded as the reference that led to the adoption of ‘reggae’ as the universal term for Jamaican music.

In 1969, Toots and the Maytals released their first LP, Sweet and Dandy (also released later as Monkey Man), which included their seminal singles, “Pressure Drop,” “Sweet and Dandy,” and “Monkey Man.” The last of those was released as a single in ’69 and enjoyed international success in 1970, reaching #47 in the UK chart. “Pressure Drop” would be a success with the inclusion in the upcoming Jamaican gangster film, The Harder They Come, starring reggae star Jimmy Cliff. The Maytals’ rocksteady vibe influenced a new generation of artists, as we’ll see soon.

Lively Up Yourself \ Bob Marley & The Wailers (1973) – In the early ‘70s Marley and the Wailers were evolving their sound, trying to find a way to break out of their local scene in Jamaica. Slowly their ska and rocksteady sound was converted into a more melodic reggae, and after some time in England touring with Johnny Nash, they signed with Chris Blackwell at Island Records. From that point Marley and the band were on their way to conquering the world with a more polished, deeper reggae sound blended with their Rasta-rebel messages. Indeed, few artists have had such a sustained legacy as Marley, whose music is regularly heard around the world, every day. But in 1973 they were still recording demos and tinkering with their sound trying to find the magic, and this early recording of “Lively Up Yourself” revealed their rocksteady roots were still in play. The song would be updated to the better-known version when included on the 1974 LP, Natty Dread.

SECOND WAVE

Elvis Costello \ Watching the Detectives (1977) – Immigration from Jamaica to England was strong after WWII, and despite Jamaica achieving independence in 1962, many still came to England seeking better employment during the 1960s and 1970s. Jamaicans formed a sizeable community among the working-class segments of British society, and with them brought their music. Jamaican artists like Prince Buster and Bob Marley toured England quite successfully through the ‘70s, building audiences for their sound among both black and white UK music fans; and by the late ‘70s Jamaican rhythms were increasingly infiltrating British pub rock.

Elvis Costello (Declan McManus), born in England but of Irish descent, was a pub rocker signed to Stiff Records. He arrived on the scene forcefully in 1977 with his first LP, My Aim is True, and a slew of singles that included, “Watching the Detectives.” The song was one of the first British rock releases to feature the influence of reggae and island music. The keyboard rhythm and light guitar skank were subtle, but undoubtedly revealed an island flavour within the pub rock sound. It was Costello’s breakout single, reaching #15 in the UK chart.

1977 was an incredible year that broke rock music apart, creating several new strains that would diversify the creativity of the rock universe. Elvis Costello was an integral player in the birth of a new ska movement in England, creating a second wave that helped the genre become international success.

Gangsters; Concrete Jungle; A Message to You Rudy \ The Specials (1979) – Ska music had lost the spotlight in the 1970s to Rastafarian focused reggae music and the huge success of Bob Marley and The Wailers. However, some lads in Coventry, England loved the ‘60s music and brought it back to prominence. Jerry Dammers formed a band in 1977 called The Automatics (later The Coventry Automatics) playing traditional ska. With new members joining in 1978 they renamed themselves Special AKA and gained attention with the help of Joe Strummer, who picked Special AKA to open for The Clash in a 1978 tour (the bands shared the same management company at that point too). By 1979 the name of the band was shortened to just The Specials.

In an era of political instability in England and rising racial tension, Dammers and The Specials were very politically focused and particularly keen on bringing black and white people together. Ska music was perfect for this, as its pacing and catchy rhythms were a perfect match for the new punk and modern rock sounds that were thriving among the white, English youth. Usually, black music only found broad white audiences when white artists started covering it or doing their own versions. Ska experienced this dynamic to a degree, in so far of it catching on outside of Jamaica, but at least black musicians and some of the original ska artists participated, making it a more collaborative, diverse culture than other forms of rock.

In addition to his band, Dammers formed his own label, 2 Tone Records, which with its iconic black and white checkered branding and Rude Boy mascot (known as Walt Jabsco), gave a platform to the attack of ska music on the British charts. Rude Boy was a Jamaican slang term for rebellious street boys that also became a fashion featuring stylish suits, thin ties, and porkpie hats. Rude boys were synonymous with ska and rocksteady music in Jamaica, and quickly became so among 2 Tone artists and fans.

The Specials first single was “Gangsters.” It was released in early 1979 and was a rework of Prince Buster’s song, “Al Capone.” It reached #6 on the UK singles chart, giving notice that a new brand of ska had arrived. The band followed this with the most renowned ska album of all time, their self-titled debut in which every song is now a ska classic. It was produced by Elvis Costello, and thus his further role in popularizing ska in the UK. The Specials featured the single, “A Message to You, Rudy,” a cover of a song by Jamaican singer, Dandy Livingstone. Ska-talite band member, Rico Rodriguez, also played on it, same as he had on the original.

The album and “A Message to You, Rudy” both reached the top ten in the UK, tapping into a willing market for the ska sound. An EP with the album track, “Too Much Too Young,” performed live and again with Rico, was released in January 1980 and hit #1 on the UK singles chart, further cementing The Specials as a sensation. Over time other album tracks such as “Concrete Jungle” have become some of the most revered ska songs.

The band, unfortunately, couldn’t hold it together and broke up in 1981 after just two albums. The band’s singers Terry Hall, Lynval Golding (also on guitar), and Neville Staple left to form Fun Boy Three. Dammers and the remaining members continued for a few more years as Special AKA before folding. Several reunions and various combinations of the band have since played, though Dammers has never participated.

On My Radio \ The Selecter (1979) – This band was known for its black lead singer, Pauline Black, and her Rude Girl style. Their first single, also called “Selector,” was the B-side to The Special AKA’s “Gangsters” single, meaning both bands essentially issued the first modern British ska singles at the same time and was the first release on the 2 Tone label. “On My Radio” was their second single, an infectious, lively single released in October 1979 and that reached #8 on the UK singles chart. The debut LP, Too Much Pressure, was released in February 1980 and reached #5 in the UK, contributing to the growing ska wave. They embodied the spirit of the new wave of ska, with greater energy, an edgier sound, and greater pop polish than the early first wave, Jamaican originators.

The Selecter broke up in 1981 but was reformed by Black in 1991 along with fellow vocalist, Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson. They have now released released thirteen albums. The band’s original guitarist, Neol Davies, also formed a version of the band in 2011, but must tour under his name after Pauline Black successfully claimed the band name for her version. Black and The Selecter toured for their fortieth anniversary in 2019.

The Prince; One Step Beyond; Baggy Trousers \ Madness (1979/80) – Formed in London as the North London Invaders in 1976, this act gained prominence playing in the local pubs. Discovering The Specials and realizing the two were simultaneously trying to revive ska in England, they joined together for a tour in 1978. During that time, they changed their name to Madness, taken from the Prince Buster song, and released their first single in 1979, “The Prince,” also in tribute to the iconic Jamaican singer. Madness was signed to Stiff Records, who along with 2 Tone and Island Records, were driving the distribution of ska across England.

Madness were never short of interesting poses for their photos

There were three kingpins of British ska who each released defining albums of the second wave era. The Specials were the first and Madness was the second, and their contributing LP was October 1979’s, One Step Beyond… Again, every song became a ska classic. The album reached #2 in the UK to become the highest charting ska LP yet, and their trio of 1979 singles, “The Prince,” “One Step Beyond,” and “My Girl,” all cracked the UK top twenty, with the latter two reaching the top ten.

It was the start of a good run for Madness, making them the most enduring and successful of the second wave acts. They enjoyed fourteen top ten hits in the UK through 1983, including “Baggy Trousers,” the lead single from their second LP, 1980’s Absolutely. Their first five LPs also all cracked the top ten. They were a rare British ska act to achieve international success as they moved away from ska towards pop. Their 1981 single, “It Must Be Love,” reached the US top forty and 1982’s, “Our House,” reached the top ten.

Madness’ sound, with singles such as “One Step Beyond,” showed how British ska was faster than the traditional rocksteady rhythms, featuring greater use of horns, more frenetic pace changes, and an undeniable dance energy that would fill dancefloors in British pubs and dancehalls. It was punk and rock infused into ska, and it was undeniably infectious.

Rudie Can’t Fail \ The Clash (1979) – One of the interesting things about British ska was that it was taken up and championed by the Mods, who were influenced by ‘60s British styles in both fashion and music, and Skinheads. The latter were a working class movement that expressed its social isolation by adopting military styles such as shaved heads and Doc Marten army boots, and unfortunately for some a penchant for violence. They are hardly unique in this regard, as many British social movements have had their thuggish ways, usually against authority but as much against each other. Britain has rarely, at the best of times, been a harmonious culture. While the Mods were more into first wave ska and helped popularize it in England and contribute to the arrival of the second wave, Skinheads adopted second wave ska bands wholeheartedly, embracing its dance energy and punkish, political attitudes (there were also ‘60s era skinheads that were a variation on the mods and thus, into first wave ska). Indeed, punk and ska were closely tied to one another and Skinheads were a symptom of that shared culture.

Another hallmark of the joining of ska and punk were punk pioneers, The Clash. After two heralded LPs the band was evolving their sound away from the short, quick, abrasive nature of their first work. They also had an ear for ska; recall that Joe Strummer brought The Specials on tour with them in 1978. In December 1979 The Clash released their third LP, London Calling, which would go on to be recognized as one of the greatest modern rock albums. Contributing to its critical acclaim was the band’s diversification into other genres, including rockabilly, jazz, and ska. The Jamaican rhythms were a little more reggae, but in mixing it with rock the result was more ska. The album had songs such as, “Guns of Brixton,” which was based on a Jamaican immigrant and referenced the Jamaican film, The Harder They Come. The most ska influenced track was “Rudie Can’t Fail,” a celebration of the rebellious nature of the Jamaican Rude Boys. The title was taken from the 1967 Desmond Dekker hit, “007 (Shanty Town),” and the lyric, “And now rude boys have a go wail / ‘Cause them out of jail / Rude boys cannot fail / ‘Cause them must get bail.”

Coming on the heels of the 1979 successes of The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, and The Beats’ first single that year, ska couldn’t have gotten a better, more legitimizing endorsement than to be adopted by punk’s leading act. Ska seemed to be poised to blaze a trail through the next decade.

Spyderman \ Akrylykz (1980) – Ska kicked off the next decade with a single from a new band from Hull, Akrylykz, a nickname of their guitarist, Nik ‘Akrylyk’ Townend. Though he started as their sax player, Roland Gift would become their singer by the time of the release of their first single, a double A-side (ska bands were enamoured with the double A-side release), “Spyderman”\ “Smart Boy,” in January 1980. They would only release one more single before breaking up in 1981.

Hands Off… She’s Mine; Twist and Crawl; Mirror in the Bathroom \ The (English) Beat (1980) – The third kingpin of British ska was The Beat, from Birmingham. In North America they were called The English Beat to avoid a conflict with the American band of the same name. I saw the two bands play together in 2012. The American band, The Beat, formed around Paul Collins, was known for songs such as, “Work-a-Day World.”

The English Beat, like The Specials, were notable for having both white and black singers. They were also a 2 Tone Records act. Their first release was a standout double A-side single in 1979, “Tears of a Clown”/“Ranking Full Stop.” “Tears of a Clown” was a Smokey Robinson cover, showing Motown could feed ska as much as the Jamaican songs.

In 1980, The Beat released another stellar double A-side, “Hands Off… She’s Mine”/“Twist and Crawl,” the latter of which remains one of my all-time favourite songs. I recall falling in love with it the first time I heard it, though had no idea what they were saying. Along with “Mirror in the Bathroom,” the next single, The Beat had themselves three consecutive top ten UK singles to kick off their career.

Their debut LP, I Just Can’t Stop It, was released in May 1980 and was the third in the triumvirate of foundational British ska albums, chock full of more infectious ska classics. It reached #3 in the UK album chart, as would their second LP, 1981’s Wha’ppen?

The three albums every ska fan must own: The Specials, One Step Beyond…, and I Just Can’t Stop It - all were iconic covers.

To demonstrate just how much the second wave and the first were linked, all three of the second wave kingpins and their respective landmark albums paid tribute to the Jamaican artists that influenced them. Here are the songs from those albums that were covers of first wave artists and songs.
The Specials
- A Message to You , Rudy – Dandy Livingstone
- Do the Dog – Rufus Thomas
- Too Hot – Prince Buster
- Monkey Man – Toots and the Maytals
- Stupid Marriage – Prince Buster
- Too Much Too Young – Lloyd Charmers (lyrics) and Prince Buster (music)
- You’re Wondering Now – Prince Buster and The Ska-talites
One Step Beyond…
- One Step Beyond – Prince Buster
- Madness – Prince Buster
I Just Can’t Stop It
- Rough Rider – Prince Buster
- Whine and Grine – Prince Buster
- Jackpot – The Pioneers

The Beat were fronted by the charismatic pairing of Dave Wakeling and ‘Ranking’ Roger Charley, in which Wakeling’s soulful voice was offset by Ranking Roger’s deeper, sharper edged voice and occasional toasting, an early version of rap originated by Jamaican DJs talking to the music. The Beat’s often frenetic, punkish pace was driven by the likes of Andy Cox on guitar, David Steele on bass, and Everett Morton on drums. Jamaican born Lionel ‘Saxa’ Morton provided their distinct sax sound, and had also played with Prince Buster and Desmond Dekker.

The third LP, Special Beat Service, didn’t do as well as the first two LPs, despite the excellent singles, “Save It for Later” and “I Confess.” The band broke up in 1983. No less than three notable bands were formed from its ashes. Wakeling and Ranking Roger formed General Public, Cox and Steele helped form Fine Young Cannibals with Roland Gift, and Morton and Saxa created The International Beat, the only act to continue in the ska sound. In the 1990s Ranking Roger also joined with members of The Specials form the act, Special Beat, which didn’t record any original music but just performed music by the original bands.

Let’s Do Rock Steady \ The Bodysnatchers (1980) – Ska was traditionally dominated by men, especially in Jamaica, and that continued in England. In this regard it wasn’t much different than other rock genres. While ska appealed to women, few ventured into the performing side. Pauline Black of The Selecter was an exception, Chrissie Hynde of Pretenders and members of the American pop-punk band, The Go Go’s, had guested on The Specials’ first two LPs, and then there was the brief tenure of The Bodysnatchers. Formed in 1979 and done by 1981, The Bodysnatchers were a seven-piece, all-female ska act signed to 2 Tone Records. They only released two singles, “Let’s Do Rocksteady” in 1980 and the double A-side, “Easy Life”/“Too Experienced,” which was produced by Jerry Dammers. Their first single reached #22 in the UK singles chart. Five members of the band went on to form The Belle Stars, a Stiff Records band that had a hit LP and several singles in the early ‘80s, but more in the pop and new wave sound than ska.

Special Brew \ Bad Manners (1980) – Before leaving the British 2 Tone era we have to check in with Buster Bloodvessel (a name he took from the bus conductor in The Beatles’ move, Magical Mystery Tour) and Bad Manners, one of the more fun artists of the ska scene. Often singing about fatness, the lead singer would be known for his girth and stunts like trying to set the world record for eating the most Big Macs in one sitting (he ate 28, but I’m not sure if he set the record), eating a shark, and consuming fifteen lobsters. He had gastric bypass surgery in 2004 and reduced his weight from over 400 lbs to less than 200 lbs. Bad Manners had a run from 1976 to 1987 (they reformed in 1989), during which time they released five LPs and fifteen singles, accumulating 111 weeks on the UK charts between 1980 and 1983. Their first three LPs reached the top forty in the UK and they had four top ten singles. “Special Brew” was the first of those and was their third single, both of their career and for 1980. They were definitely a band that had fun, with two of their most successful hits being a ska version of the French dance, “Can Can,” and a cover of the 1956 proto-ska song, “My Girl Lollipop,” by Barbie Gaye, though Bad Manners were likely more inspired by the 1964 ska version by Millie Small, “My Boy Lollipop.”

Second Choice \ Any Trouble (1980) – Another Stiff Records band, Any Trouble were from Crewe, a bit south of Manchester. The quintet was mostly a pub rock act, playing the new brand of indie rock blossoming in the early ‘80s. They released four LPs between 1980 and 1984 and nine singles, none of which charted. Their best-known song was 1981’s, “Trouble with Love.” Their second single was “Second Choice,” a track from their debut LP, Where Are All the Nice Girls? The ska influence in their pop sound was unmistakable, providing an example of how it was catching on within more musical styles.

Certainly, ska was influencing the broader British music scene over the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Reggae was increasingly popular and pop-rock acts like The Police were using island rhythm accents to gain a distinctive sound, to great success. Purer reggae acts like Steel Pulse were also rolling out great albums. The most successful of the British reggae acts was UB40, who would go on to sell over seventy million records.

Yet, despite the increasing presence of ska and reggae in the British music scene, the second wave was surprisingly short-lived. Other than Madness and Bad Manners, who lasted until 1986 and 1987 respectively, most of the leading second wave ska acts were done by 1983 – even The Clash and The Police called it quits by 1985. Though sales were healthy it seemed the bands couldn’t sustain, and as they all subsided, no new acts came in their wake to continue the momentum. However, their influence was strong and their impact was growing across the ocean.

THIRD WAVE

Twist ‘n’ Shake \ The Untouchables (1982) – Interest in ska in the US was slow at first as not many bands took up the sound during the 1980s. Not surprisingly, it was the east and west coasts that did so through the punk scenes that latched onto British ska through the skinhead affiliation. The Untouchables were out of LA and one of the first to release a ska record. They released a mini-LP and two LPs between 1985 and 1988, but were formed in ’81 and released their first single, “Twist ‘n’ Shake, back in ’82. Though they’re still together, there hasn’t been any new music from them since the ‘80s.

Party at Ground Zero \ Fishbone (1985) – Born of the Los Angeles punk scene but drawing on ska rhythms, Fishbone was a rare (for punk or ska) all-black group. They started to bring ska back into focus among college and indie audiences but would never break through to larger success. No doubt their fusion of hard rock with ska was a formative influence on the third wave. Coming together in 1979, they released their second single, “Party at Ground Zero,” in 1985 followed by their debut LP, 1986’s In Your Face. Success came with their second LP, the fantastic Truth and Soul in 1988, driven by the singles, “Ma and Pa,” and their cover of Curtis Mayfield’s, “Freddie’s Dead.” However, that success was limited as their albums and singles never charted but did build an appreciate fan base on alternative and college radio. Their sound has moved away from ska towards hard rock and punk over their seven albums.

East-Side Beat \ The Toasters (1987) – One of the first American ska bands, they were formed in 1981 by Robert "Bucket" Hingley, a British ex-pat living in New York. It wouldn’t be until the late ‘80s and early ‘90s for them to gain some recognition as the ska audience in North America grew with the third wave. Their first single was released in ’84 and their debut album was 1987’s Skaboom, which included songs like, “East-Side Beat” (also issued as part of a 4-song EP in the UK), revealing their quick and catchy style. A faster pace would be a key element of the third wave.

Gimme Some Kinda Sign \ The Sattalites (1987) – There could be a broader playlist that covers how ska flourished in other parts of the world over the late ‘80s – mainly in Europe and Australia – but for this review I’ll keep things focused on North America and include a couple from Canada. The Sattalites were never very big in Canada though beloved around Toronto as a regular performer, especially at the Bamboo Club on Queen St (where I saw them), a regular spot for reggae acts. Their sound was located more on the pop, soul and reggae side of the spectrum and revealed how the Jamaican rhythms were still showing up in popular music. The band had a minor hit in Canada with their cover of the 1967 soul tune, “Gimme Little Sign,” though re-titled as “Gimme Some Kinda Sign.” The pacing captured a ska beat.

Made for TV \ King Apparatus (1990) – Other Canadian ska bands, such as Skaface, were toiling in the cities’ clubs, but few broke through. One of the few to do so was King Apparatus. Hailing from London, Ontario, they caught on thanks to airplay on Toronto’s alternative radio station, CFNY, and regular rotation on Canada’s music TV station, MuchMusic. “Made for TV” was their most successful song, appearing first on their mini-LP, a cassette-only release in 1989, Loud Party, before being included on their first LP, a self-titled 1991 release.

Where’d You Go? \ The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (1991) – In the 1990s there was a rise in ska influence on American rock, pop and indie charts, and this was the period in which third wave references are generally focused on. The ska elements were less pronounced as rock and pop-punk were the more propulsive elements of the music, but the ska vibe held true and was unmistakable. Though never successful enough to hit the mainstream charts, third wave ska bands regularly topped the American specialty charts, such as those for modern rock or for radio airplay. The breadth of bands playing ska from that point onwards was exponential, so we’ll just focus on the few leading acts and songs from that wave.

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones were from Boston and an early and enduring third wave ska act. Originally formed in 1983, their first album was 1989’s, Devil’s Night Out. It was the 1991 EP and single, “Where’d You Go?,” that raised the band’s profile. It led to further successful singles such as, “Someday I Suppose,” in 1993 and “The Impression that I Get,” in 1997. The Bosstones have now released ten albums and are still going strong.

Date Rape \ Sublime (1991) – Sublime was another Los Angeles act that evolved out of the punk and ska scene of the late ‘80s. Their career was cut short after singer Bradley Nowell died of a heroin overdose in 1996, just before the posthumous release of their biggest album and most successful single. They released three LPs in 1992, ’94, and ’96. “Date Rape” was their first single in ’91, a song that described a rape and the prison style justice he received for his crime. Their last album, a self-titled release, was one of the strongest albums of the decade and gave the band their peak of success, reaching #13 in the US charts to also make it one of the most successful ska albums of the third wave. Its success was driven by the single, “What I Got.”

Squeal \ No Doubt (1994) – The third wave was, once again, dominated by males. The arrival of No Doubt and their colourful lead singer, Gwen Stefani, was a breath of fresh air for the ska scene. Mixing rock, rap, pop and ska, the Los Angeles band started in 1986 but took until 1992 to release their first, self-titled LP. It featured the single, “Trapped in A Box,” which despite its creativity and energy, failed to catch hold. There followed a second LP, The Beacon Street Collection, and the single, “Squeal.” Their ska sound was evident in the single, and despite the growing third wave and, again, the song’s catchy energy, it also failed to launch them to chart success.

For No Doubt, the old adage, ‘third time’s the charm,’ came true as the 1995 LP, Tragic Kingdom, brought them a #1 album. Less ska oriented, that vibe still informed singles like, “Spiderwebs.” Of the album’s seven singles, only the first, “Just A Girl,” charted in the US, reaching #23. Others charted on the American specialty charts, but the band did better in the UK, Canada, and Australia, where “Don’t Speak,” reached #1. No Doubt went on to release two more LPs, Return of Saturn in 2000 and a return to their ska influence with 2001’s Rock Steady. The single, “Underneath It All,” was built on a strong reggae rhythm that included a ska toast from Lady Saw (Marion Hall). Stefani then went to great solo success in 2004 (along with various other pursuits), putting No Doubt on hiatus until the 2012 album, Push and Shove, their last release to date.

Time Bomb \ Rancid (1995) – Up the coast in Berkeley, CA was Rancid, led by ‘80s punk veteran Tim Armstrong. They were formed in 1991 and the self-titled debut was released in 1993. Success wouldn’t come until their third LP, 1995’s …And Out Come the Wolves, carried by the ska-heavy single, “Time Bomb.” The band embodied the third wave dynamic of mixing punk with ska to produce heavy, fast versions of songs that, often, were full-on punk, dropping the ska vibe entirely.

Third wave ska sound found its biggest support on college campuses rather than in the broader listening public. The jarhead/jock mentality of many American dorms seemed to align with the original skinhead affiliation of ska, but without the politics. The scene seemed acutely fueled by testosterone.

Two Face \ The Slackers (1996) – Back to the east coast and The Slackers, formed in New York City in 1991 and who were keeping the older sounds alive with their more traditional ska sound. “Two Face” was their first single, released in 1996 along with their debut LP, Better Late Than Never. They have issued fourteen albums and tour regularly; I caught them at The Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto in 2017. The Slackers’ sound ranges between slow reggae ballads and the occasional hopped-up pop that trends closer to ska. Like many third wave bands, high energy is a regular aspect of their music.

Here in Your Bedroom \ Goldfinger (1996) – Goldfinger was another band that rode the ska wave in the ‘90s to some prominence among college and indie charts. “Here in Your Bedroom” also showed how standard rock chords dominated and ska was more of an accent than the foundational rhythm structure. Using a ska rhythm for the verses and then straight-ahead pop-punk for the choruses was a common formula for third wave bands. There were other artists during this time that often get cited as hyphenated ska or reggae acts but similarly only hinted at those sounds, such as Smash Mouth and 311 (pronounced, three-eleven). Goldfinger was another Los Angeles band, coming together in 1994 and releasing their debut, self-titled LP in 1996. “Here in Your Bedroom” was their first single and brought them instant success, reaching the top ten on the US Modern Rock chart. Like most third wave acts, they were not as popular in the UK. The band has now released seven LPs and have had a few more, minor hits.

Into Action \ Tim Armstrong (2007) – That concludes the highlights of the most notable and successful of the third wave bands. After the 1990s, ska fell back into the niches of the music industry, as did much of the modern rock variants in an increasingly diverse music world. Occasionally a ska song breaks through, and one of my favourite tunes of the past twenty years is one such example, Tim Armstrong’s “Into Action.”

Since the late ‘80s Armstrong has performed solo and with bands including Operation Ivy, Dance Hall Crashers, The Transplants, and of course, Rancid. His 2007 album, A Poet’s Life, was his first solo LP and used the reggae act, The Aggrolites, as his backing band. Canadian singer, Skye Sweetnam, was featured on “Into Action,” a tune that perfectly exhibited how ska could make a song unbelievably energetic and catchy.

I included “Into Action” as probably the only prominent ska song I’ve heard in the past 20 years. I have to think good ska bands and songs are out there but they’re not making their way to me. I have no idea why, but ska music seems to have dropped out of favour, yet the bands and songs of the British and American eras remain popular and pack venues on their tours. Despite a long, rich, diverse, and successful history, ska’s future seems as uncertain as ever. Are we primed for another wave? I’d be okay with that.

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