Better Must Come

Despite the fact that there are so many compelling and gifted bands now active on the current US ska scene who are regularly playing out and releasing some excellent new music, ska is in trouble here in the States.

A majority of ska fans (and music fans in general) continue to acquire their music through illegal file sharing rather than by purchasing it, digitally downloaded or otherwise (old news, for sure, but absolutely worth repeating here, again and again). The fans who are inclined to go to shows and actually buy albums and merch have much less disposable income to spend, due to the crappy economy. And the independent ska labels, battered by quarter after quarter of poor sales--and who persevere despite their diminishing returns each year--continue to be increasingly weakened in their ability to finance much of anything beyond the very basics of printing up short runs of new releases to sell (forget about promotions to college/alternative radio, music press, and clubs; ad campaigns; tour support; music videos, etc.).

Ska bands all over the US are doing what they can to get by--local and regional gigs; releasing material via digital tracks on iTunes, CD-Rs, the occasional piece of vinyl or plant-manufactured CD, either self-financed or licensed to one of the indies--all of which is great, but probably won't lead to bigger things. It really makes one question whether or not the US ska scene will ever be in a position to rise beyond its present state.

Clearly, the scene is lacking an energized center, an organizing, hydra-headed entity with the cash, peoplepower, verve, and mad skills to produce, release, and distribute a steady stream of albums (digital or tangible); to put together larger package tours that are the bread and butter of both established acts and newcomers; and effectively promote everything to the core of fans and beyond in a manner that actually makes a profit (so both the bands and label peeps who do the work get paid) to keep it all functioning and moving forward. You know, a label like...Moon Records, which in a somewhat similar climate in the early 90s (bad economy; a fragmented, disorganized ska scene) was able to help successfully develop a nationwide syndicate of college radio stations, local newspapers and zines, and indie record shops to help promote and sell ska releases, as well as forge a coast-to-coast network of ska-friendly venues for the well-established bands to tour (and local acts to play).

But the Catch-22 of the matter is that the model of selling albums that worked well for decades is obviously no longer viable, since a generation of music fans have abandoned it for the '77 NYC blackout-like looting of the digital age. Where and how are the cash-deprived labels going to find the resources to invest in and promote new acts? The only bands that stand half-a-chance of earning a livelihood from their music are those who made their names in the pre-file sharing era (if The Specials come over to tour they will, no doubt, rake in the bucks--but a new release, however unlikely that is, would probably tank; and I'm really curious to see how the new Mighty Mighty Bosstones record will fare...). In this environment, the prospects for up-and-coming ska bands to take things to the next level are kind of bleak.

While no one that I've spoken with seems to have been able to formulate a reasonably viable solution to all this (and I have no radical new model to offer for successfully selling music in the digital era), let me offer this fairly simple suggestion--consider it a New Year's resolution for 2010: ska fans need to open their wallets if we want the scene to survive and thrive.

We need to change our ways.

I'm not admonishing anyone for past sins, real or imagined--and don't want to get into recriminations over this whole file sharing business. (Well, apart from the fact that it is illegal to do so, since it violates the bands' copyrights; denies musicians the opportunity to support themselves off their own blood, sweat, and tears; and is killing parts of the music industry that are worth salvaging, such as indie labels, record stores, local clubs, and your favorite ska band.)

If we want the ska scene to keep going, all of us who call ourselves fans need to collectively pay for it. In our capitalistic, free-market society, it's just how things work. So now is the time to turn off YouTube and get out to see a gig (and buy something from a band's merch table); yank out our iPod ear buds and wander into a record shop to pick up some releases (if one is left where you live!); and shun the file sharing sites in favor of ordering a CD, album, or download from Megalith, Jump Up, Stubborn, and Asian Man, or directly from your favorite ska band.

We've got to support (in every meaning of the word) ska bands and labels if we want them to keep on doing what we want them to do: make the music we love. The bills have to be paid to keep the scene going...or eventually the only thing left to do will be to decide who'll be the last one to turn out the lights after everything fades away.