New Wave Outpost Forum

It surprises me that this catagory is not used that often. With that being said let's get down to the important subject and that is the cool rock steady sounds of ska and white reggea. give me your take about this genre and what were your favorite bands and songs from this style and era.

The Ruts -- now this band was absolutly the shit, sucks when you die young!!! Songs like "give youth a chance" and something that i said" where epic.
The Clash
The Specials
The Selecter -- My fav two tone band
The Offs
Madness
Bad Manners
English Beat
The New York Citizens -- Their First EP from 1988 was classic "Yo Punk Rocker D.A.N.C.E"
The Police -- Thier early stuff was very edgy like the "Beds to Big Without You"
The Members -- early stuff like "Off shore banking business"

well thats a start. <img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>

late,
jr



Edited by - Quite Life on 07/02/2003 07:35:37

Early UB40 was quite nice...that is, everything that came before the waaaay overkilled Red Red Wine (argh!!!). I've Got Mine, King, etc are sensational songs. Their 1980-1983 CD is a good sampling of that early era. Wasn't their name was some sort of UK welfare form?

I was also glad that some of the Specials soldiered on with Fun Boy Three and produced a few more hits. Did the post ska revival (1984, 85??) Untouchables get much airplay outside of LA? That was a fun band too. What's Gone Wrong is a fantastic tune.

How could I forget.....
L.A.'s own
Fishbone

"U.G.L.Y. you don't have an alaby"

and not to mention S.F.'s Uptones

Out to Sea was a cool song but my only copy of it is in a compulation called "KQAK Quake Rock of 84"

cheers,
jr

How bout Flying Lizards or more as Davidm Cunningham.They implemented the ska sound in the early 80's as well as Jah Wobble. More of a blue collar aproach.

Since I have always preferred making plans The passage of time is flicking dimly upon the screen;
I can't see the lines I used to think I could read between.
Perhaps my brains have turned to sand.

Brian Eno

White Reggae?

Most of the bands you mentioned just covered the old Jamaican Ska classics especially during the Two Tone Era. Bringing Black Music to the White masses?

Don't get me wrong - growing up with (79/82)two tone and the punk/reggae hybrids (Clash/very early Police etc) was great but to label it as such I think forgets where it originates.

Anyway top tunes: Guns Of Navarone, The Liquidator, You Rocksteady, Police and Thieves.

Agree with you about the Ruts - great band but you haven't mentioned Babylon's Burning!

Tomb,
I am not going to argue with your point, well made that it is.
I am just running with what the media like NME label it back in the day. The Police ran with the genre hence the loosely labeled "Reggatta de Blanc".


I forgot to mention The Bodysnatchers which have only done 4 or 5 songs (my favorite being "Do Rocksteadt") which you can get all of them by collecting all the two tone comp collectables. The Bodysnatchers were so cool with 4 or 5 known songs yet they later flowered into the Belle Stars.

Good call on the Junior Murvin classic. Thanks for reminding me of "Babylon's Burning" and the next song "Dope for Guns"


happy 4th
jr

The NME called it that? Blimey..... Anyhow I wasn't trying to start an arguement!

The Bodysnatchers were great - Do Rocksteady is one of my faves.

I am sure you must of heard of the Trojan Label. They have two excellent Ska compilations out with over sixty songs on each. Well recommended.

Have fun!

Tomb asks:
"I am sure you must of heard of the Trojan Label. They have two excellent Ska compilations out with over sixty songs on each. Well recommended."


Glad you asked, you bet ya.... I have several box sets from Trojan covering Ska, rocksteady, roots reggea, dub, and so on

I totally love Althea and Donna -- Uptown Top Ranking. It is one of my favs of all tome

cheers,
jr

One band that my friends and I happened upon in the early 80's was a Jamaican band called the Equators. I highly recommend "Age of Five" and their cover of the Equal's (Eddie Grant's band from the 60's) "Baby Come Back"



Bobby Retro
New York City

Amazulu were a fairly decent example.

I remember a band from Toronto( I think) called The Government. Reminded me of The Selecter. Anyone know of them?

What about all those late 80's Ska bands that appered on the "Unicorn" label like The Trojans or The Toasters.


jr

The Toasters!!!! Loved them! Untouchables, Englishbeat also great.

The Untouchables and Fishbone were great. I saw them both at local concerts, and they had everyone dancing and singing along. "Party at Ground Zero", "Free Yourself", and "Ghosttown" are some of my favorites from this genre.

Nowhere Girl

Here is a little Bay Area Classic from 1983
The Uptones. Just Imagine you at the Berkeley Square right there on University Ave back in the day [:)]

http://www.shinra.com/quake/mp3/rock84/ ... %20Sea.mp3



cheers,
jr