History of Ska

Another dated piece from The Pit...

The past couple of years have seen a surge in the popularity of ska music. Bands like No Doubt and Dance Hall Crashers have become radio mainstays and the newest MTV minute steaks. This new wave of ska is a manifestation of a musical movement that has been around since the 60’s.

Ska didn’t start in America or England, but has it’s roots in Jamaica. Ska was more or less a 60s’ precursor to the reggae movement. Ska imported itself to England when waves of Jamaican immigrants brought it with them during migrations in the 60’s.
Ska started to gain popularity with white working class youths when first mods and then early skinheads began hanging out in the Jamaican clubs and dancing to the music.

From it’s beginning, ska was a movement that encompassed both blacks and whites. Despite race riots in Britain at the time, ska flourished. Whites and blacks were getting together, putting their differences aside, and allowing the music to unite them.

The 2 Tone movement was the next step for the mods and skins. 2 Tone monopolized on the black and white dichotomy of ska in it’s black and white checkered symbols. The hard core fans of 2 Tone became known as rude boys and rude girls. They became personified in the images of the Specials’ cartoony mascot Walt Jabsco and The Beats’ Margaret.

The 2 Tone label itself was started in 1979 by Jerry Dammers of the Special A.K.A., who would later shorten their moniker to the Specials. The first 2 Tone single was "Gangsters" by Special A.K.A., backed with "Selecter" by the Selecter. "Gangsters" eventually broke the British Top 10 charts, and major label Chrysalis began distributing the 2 Tone releases.

2 Tone became synonymous with ska. Madness debuted on 2 Tone with their first single, "The Prince". Another 2 Tone first was The Beat with "Tears of A Clown". The Beat would be known as The English Beat in the U.S. and would be responsible for introducing many newcomers to ska (After the demise of The Beat, General Public and Fine Young Cannibals were formed by former Beat members).

The Specials released many singles on 2 Tone, including "Ghost Town", and "Nelson Mandela". Elvis Costello also recorded an unreleased single on 2 Tone, "I Can’t Stand Up Falling Down".

2 Tone had a huge influence on many of the new wave ska bands. The new wave of ska was more or less spearheaded by Fishbone and became a virtual melting pot of musical diversity (as if ska isn’t diverse enough). New wave ska is generally a blend of ska and reggae with punk, funk, and so on, with the usual crisp, tight horn sections accompanying.

The ska of today is energetic if it is anything. The bands go crazy on stage, jumping, pogoing, skanking and inciting the crowds into frenzies. Moshing and stage diving are commonplace at ska shows, as is the skank, that cute little ska dance.
The ska uniform is varied. It can include sweaters, suits, Doc Marten boots, ties and suspenders, fedoras and pork pie hats. Ska dress is generally as distinctive as the music itself.

There are many talented bands playing ska these days. Orange County’s No Doubt has a charismatic female singer, Gwen Stefani. Dance Hall Crashers have harmonizing rude girls, one doing cool tricks with her pony tails. Ska is not just a men’s club.
The Untouchables and Skeletones play more traditional 2 Toneish ska. Operation Ivy added a hard-core punk edge to ska, and Voodoo Glow Skulls continue along these lines. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Buck O Nine are energetic, crazy purveyors of pseudo frat boy ska, constantly touring and gaining new fans.

Ska’s been around for a long time. The torch is carried by the new wave of ska. Occasionally some of the originals get back together and do a tour. It just goes to show that there’s a whole new generation of rude boys and rude girls, skanking and fighting on the dance floor.

British Punk

From The Pit...an old piece on British Punk, with some inaccuracies. I think I even pawned this off as a paper on a sociology class...

In the history of rock, no other incarnation has been so abrasive or made as much of an impact as punk rock. Though punk technically started in the United States in New York City with artists such as the Ramones, Television, Patti Smith, Blondie, and Talking Heads, punk caught on with much more force in England. Bands such as the Sex Pistols, Clash, Damned, Buzzcocks, and so on got inspiration from their American counterparts. The British punks were rebelling against the music of the seventies, the fashion, and the social, economic, and political climate of England at the time. The British punks expressed their frustration through their music, fashion (or lack of it), and through their attitudes.

British society is traditionally very conservative minded. The BBC (British Broadcasting Company) has instituted various forms of censorship throughout its reign over the British air and radio waves. In th 1970's the conservative Torie party took control of the British Parliament, under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, signaling a surge in conservatism that would last for years. In 1977 the Queen of England celebrated the 25th year of her reign in the Silver Jubilee celebration. The institution of the monarchy itself is perhaps one of the best indicators of an outdated, overly conservative political system. The social system in England is very stratified, emphasizing strict class differences. There has always been a strict separation of the classes in England, perhaps most strikingly illustrated by the cramped, almost slumlike neighborhoods of British class poor working class families. Traditionally a working class youth would finish school, only to become a part of the British welfare system, the Dole. This and the fact that working class youth seem to be doomed to lead similar lives to those of their parents seemed to indicate to many British youth that they were more or less condemned to failure.

Musically the seventies were a virtual wasteland. All the music sounded the same and there was little creativity and variation in style evident. The hard rock and disco scenes didn?t appeal to everybody, especially those looking for something fresh and new that could stir things up. Seventies rock and disco made no statements, had little raw power, and with few exceptions was overproduced and overrated. Not everybody wanted to hear about sex, drugs, and rock and roll all the time. The rock star mentality that developed in the seventies made many musicians inaccessible to their fans, in addition to the increases in popularity of huge arena shows in larger and larger venues. Older rockers like the Stones and the Who who were once rebel heroes were now seen by many as sell outs to the rock star mentality and lifestyle. Other popular seventies stars such as Led Zeppelin and Queen only seemed to perpetuate the rock star image. Then, in 1976 or so, British youths began to hear and go see American punk bands like the Ramones, Heartbreakers, and New York Dolls. The Ramones played a show in London on July 4, 1976. Present in the audience were many members of the British punk scene including individuals who would later form the Sex Pistols, the Clash, Damned, Generation X, and so on.

The main appeal in punk came in its? do it yourself attitude and emphasis on individuality and self expression. Punk was simple, powerful music that had energy and made a statement. Punk was easily accessible , as were the musicians and fans. Nearly anybody could easily learn how to play the music. All you needed were three chords and the truth and you could virtually start a band. It is well known that many of the musicians in the early punk bands didn?t know how to play their instruments when their bands started. Some never learned! Punk as a scene tried at its? barest to resist commercialism, and make recordings and shows affordable to fans.

Though it seems that the punks had little or no fashion sense, they were in a sense so anti-fashion that they made an even bigger statement. One of the main shops that specialized in punk fashion was Malcolm Mclaren?s shop Sex, were the Pistols started with Mclaren as their manager. Sex specialized in leather and bondage clothing and pre-mutilated or modified clothing that not all punks could afford. those that could ate it up though. The punk s were also fond of leather jackets, torn and ripped clothes, clothing that in no way matched, and accessories such as safety pins, swastikas, and communist symbols. Basically punk fashion emphasized individualism and embraced anything that stood out from the norm.

All in all, punk has been the most powerful anti-movement in rock. It brought a new form and attitude to music, a new type of rock anti-hero, and a new awareness to music. Though there has recently been a resurgence, punk is in no way the same movement it once was. Some of the attitude and energy and power are still there, but it is not the same movement it once was. Punk is now dominated by money, MTV, shopping malls and mall punks, and stereotypes. Punk has been corrupted by its? mainstream acceptance. Punk is not what you wear or even what you listen to. Punk is not whether you mosh or not or hang out in the coolest places or only listen to unsigned indie bands. Punk is an attitude, a method of expression and individuality. Oh, and pick each other up in the pit boneheads!!!

to mosh or not to mosh

Another Pit piece...wrote this after the referenced Bad Religion show...

When I went to see Bad Religion play at SOMA in San Diego recently, I knew it would be crazy. It was Bad Religion, it was SOMA, it was an all ages show. All three reputations precede themselves.

Needless to say, the crowd went off. It was a great show. I felt sorry for the young kid pulled from the pit with the dislocated shoulder. Arms and shoulders aren’t supposed to twist like that.
More and more, moshing injuries are becoming commonplace at shows. San Diegans will mosh to anything. I’ve seen moshing go on with no music, between songs and even between bands.
SOMA seems to be not only the all ages hot spot in San Diego, but also the cool place to mosh. “Dude--I was in the pit at SOMA last night and got SOOOO trashed!”

The owner and onsight emcee of SOMA often encourages crowds to go crazy. You can pretty much do what you want, just don’t climb up on the stage. I guess some guys can afford lots of insurance. Needless to say, if you don’t pay attention or are caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, you’ll get hurt.

I’ve jumped into pits, fell into pits, jumped into pits, been pushed into pits, pulled into pits, kicked, elbowed, jumped on, and so on. When I go to a show, I usually choose to watch the band. If I want to mosh, I’ll mosh.

At one time there was a pit etiquette. This seems to be slowly disappearing. When you go down, some people help you up. Others run you over. Moshing injuries increase with the violence. A 17 year old girl recently died after a Smashing Pumpkins in Ireland got too wild. No, she wasn’t doing drugs with the drummer.

So far, there has been one moshing related death in the United States. Two other men have been paralyzed for life. That’s life, Coco. A long freakin? Time isn’t it? Wouldn’t it suck if you and your friends went to a show, and one of you wound up paralyzed or dead just cause a bunch of punks are just dancing and having fun?? I don’t think it’s fun to be paralyzed, and dead men can’t mosh.

Promoters are facing rising insurance costs due to moshing problems. Some bands and venues are getting bad reputations. Many other venues are cracking down. Eventually you may not get to see the bands you want to see in the environment you want to see them in. Ticket prices will go up hand in hand with the rising insurance costs.

In New York there is pending legislation that would hold club promoters and owners responsible for moshing related injuries. It’s gotten to the point where it has become a hassle to go to all ages shows anymore.

If you intentionally mosh to hurt others or don’t follow pit etiquette, you shouldn’t be allowed into shows. I hope the bouncers kick your ass every time too.