The Duff Guide to Ska "Best Ska/Reggae 7" Singles of 2011" List!

Here's my (hopefully) eagerly-awaited, messy and woefully incomplete Best of Ska/Reggae 7" Singles of 2011 list! I'm sure I've missed some excellent releases this past year due to my limited disposable income, highly-subjective personal tastes, lapses in judgement, or outright cluelessness. But this considerable list contains both new and reissued recordings, all of which are absolutely worth your hard-earned cash--and guaranteed to bring you joy and satisfaction over repeated listens.

Entries that include a hotlink will connect you to The Duff Guide to Ska review of that particular release; otherwise, I've tried to provide a few sentences to give you an idea of why I like that single so much.

Seems like a lot of quality ska 7" vinyl was released in 2011. Sure hope that this trend continues into 2012...

- The Aggrolites: "Dreaming on Erie" b/w "Eye of Obarbas" and "Trial and Error" b/w "Enemy Dub" (Young Cub Records)

- Big D & the Kids Table "Not Our Fault" and "Lash Out" b/w Brunt of It "Nah Nah Nah Nah" and "Art School Dropout" (Ska is Dead 7" of the Month Club)

- Black Market Sound System: "Heavy Lies the Crown" b/w "Reggae Night" and "Movin' On" (May Cause Dizziness Records)

- Blue Riddim Band & Big Youth: "Nancy Reagan" b/w "Nancy Reagan Remix 2011 - Voice of the People" (Rougher Records)

- Ken Boothe and Tasty Grooves: "A Change Must Come" b/w "Better Than Nothing" (Liquidator) - This haunting rocksteady cut is the most overtly (and welcome) political single of the year with Ken Boothe decrying what is essentially racial profiling of suspected immigrants (both legal and non-documented) who are then swept up and detained in C.I.E.s (Immigrant Detention Centres that are not considered jails, but function as such) whilst their immigration status is determined. In most countries throughout Europe, the C.I.E.s function in a legally gray area with no guaranteed legal rights for detainees, leaving people jailed for months and subject to abuse--even torture--before they are released or deported. This cut reminds us that people are people, no matter where you come from or the color of your skin--and demands that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

- Los Bullets: "Crystal Ball" b/w "Gunshot" (Steady Beat Recordings)

- Hollie Cook: "That Very Night" b/w "Milk and Honey" (Mr. Bongo)

- Hollie Cook: "Body Beat" b/w "Sugar Water (Look at My Face)" (Mr. Bongo)

- Hollie Cook: "Walking in the Sand" b/w "Shadow Kissing" (Mr. Bongo)

- The Crombies: "Blood and Fire" b/w "Mad at the World" (Jump Up Records)

- Deal's Gone Bad "Far from Home" b/w "These Arms of Mine" (self-released)

- Nora Dean "Mama" b/w The Soul Syndicate "Natty Hong Kong" (Trojan Records/Harry J)

- The Delirians: "Move Around" b/w "Overdub" (Steady Beat Recordings)

- The Emotions "You are the One" b/w Phil Pratt & the All Stars "Girls Like Dirt" (Trojan Records/Big Shot)

- The Ethiopians: "I'm Shocking" b/w "Sign the Cheque" (Trojan Records/Smash) - In a case of unfortunate timing, this single was issued not long after Leonard Dillon's death (it had been in the works long before his passing), but these two rare rocksteady gems (recorded after their debut Engine 54) are wonderful reminders of his extraordinary gifts.

- The Forthrights: "Camp Birdman" (Panic State Records)

- Jamaica 69: "Nostalgia del Ayer" b/w Una Lagrima por Ti" (Steady Beat Recordings)

- The Jokers "Brixton" b/w Lloyd Charmers "The Premises" (Trojan Records/Explosion)

- King Hammond: "Mr. DJ" and "Bongo Ska Fever" b/w "The Loop" and "Dub Movement 1" (N.1. Records) - An incredible EP of booty-shaking ska and skinhead reggae, which also doubles as a mini-sampler of KH's three recent stellar albums (The King and I, Jacuzzi, and Showbiz). The King is at the top of his game!

- Lighta Secret: "Elinor All Night Long" b/w "Gaz Dangerous" (Gaz's Rockin' Records)

- Carl Moore "My Forefathers Died in the Sand" b/w The Sunshot All Stars "Strange Mood" (Pressure Sounds/Sunshot) - A plaintive track about African repatriation over the classic John Holt "Strange Things" riddim. Profound and powerful.

- Mustard Plug "Aye Aye Aye" b/w The Beatdown "Piece of Mind" (Ska is Dead 7" of the Month Club)

- Ocean 11: "Miss Understanding" b/w "Spring in Rome" (Moondust Records) - From one of the top--yet somehow elusive (they never played out much beyond SoCal)--traditional ska bands of the 1990s comes the first vinyl appearance of "Miss Understanding," which was originally released on the Girls Go Ska comp from Simmerdown, as well as an unreleased duet with Malik Moore of Los Bullets. I was lucky enough to pick up this single when Queen P played Brooklyn with The Shifters earlier this fall... (Many more terrific releases are soon coming from Moondust--but it looks like they'll be on next year's list!)

- The Pioneers "Easy Come, Easy Go" b/w Derrick Morgan & Desmond Dekker "Mercy Mercy" (Trojan Records/Dr. Bird)

- Prince Fatty and Mutant Hi-Fi: "Transistor Cowboy" b/w "Son of a Thousand Fathers" (Mr. Bongo) - From the fantastic Return of the Gringo album filled with spaghetti-Western inspired reggae--part homage to all the "Dollar" sides from Lee "Scratch" Perry and the Upsetters ("Return of Django"), Lloyd Charmers and The Hippy Boys, Derrick Harriot and The Crystalites, Harry J, Clancy Eccles, Joe Gibbs et all, as well as a brilliant contribution to this somewhat obscure musical sub-genre.

- Red Soul Community "One More Time" b/w Green Room Rockers "I'd Rather Go Blind" (Jump Up Records/Golden Singles Records)

- The Selecter: "Big in the Body, Small in the Mind" b/w "Back to Black" (Vocaphone Music)

- Sonic Boom Six "Play On" b/w The Nix 86 "Peter Pan Syndrome" (Ska is Dead 7" of the Month Club)

- Various Artists: "Doin' the Popcorn Ska: Golden Oldies, Volume 1" (Discotheque Records)

- Vic Ruggiero & Maddie Ruthless "Policeman" b/w The Forthrights "Carla" (Ska is Dead 7" of the Month Club)

- Earl Zero: "None Shall Escape the Judgement" b/w "Judgement Version" (Channel Tubes)

And the brilliant single that never was (Mad Decent was supposed to release a 7" of this over the summer, but for whatever reason it never came to pass): The Beastie Boys featuring Santigold: "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win."

+ + + +

Soon come: The Duff Guide to Ska "Best Ska/Reggae Albums of 2011"!

+ + + +

King Django and The Snails Northeast US Tour This January!

King Django and Philly's The Snails (who are backing Django, plus playing their own set) are hitting the Northeastern US this January. Expect some terrific shows, so make sure to go out and see 'em if you're in the area! Lee "Scratch" Perry is not on this tour, but we dig this picture of Django, who happened to run into Perry in the airport a few years ago...

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Conductor Pablo Fiasco's Reggae Sweatshop with
King Django
backed by The Snails
Plus Special Guest TBA

Chief Ike's Mambo Room
1725 Columbia Road, NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 332-2211

Doors: 9:00 pm
Ticket: $5
Ages: 21+

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

King Django
backed by The Snails
with special guests Keystone Ska Exchange

The Vintage Theater
119 Penn Avenue
Scranton PA, 18503
(570) 589 0271

Doors: 6:30 pm
Ticket: $5
Ages: All

Thursday, January 5, 2012

King Django
backed by The Snails
with special guests The Heavy Beat

The Funhouse
5 East 4th Street
Bethlehem, PA 18015
(610)868-5311

Doors: 9:00 pm
Ticket: $3
Ages: 21+

Friday, January 6, 2012

Manic Productions and Asbestos Records Presents:
King Django
backed by The Snails
with special guests Steady Habits and Shots Fired

Café Nine
250 State Street
New Haven, CT 06510-3117
(203) 789-8281

Doors: 9:00 pm
Ticket: $8
Ages: 21+ with ID

Saturday, January 7, 2012

King Django
backed by The Snails
with special guests The Big Takeover

Red Square
388 Broadway
Albany, NY 12207-2941
(518) 465-0444

Doors: 8:00 pm
Ticket: $10
Ages: 18+

Monday, January 9, 2012

King Django
backed by The Snails
Decrepit Youth

The Court Tavern
124 Church Street
New Brunswick, NJ, 08901
(732) 545-7265

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

WKDU University Goes Ska presents
King Django
backed by The Snails
Lion's Paw

Kung Fu Necktie
1248 North Front Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122-4602

Saturday, January 14, 2012

King Django's Roots & Culture Kosher Dinner Quintet
Two sets starting at 8:30 pm
King Django - ukulele, trombone, vocals
Audrey Welber - clarinet
Adrian Banner - piano
Ira Heaps - Bass
Andy O'Neill - Drums

Smokey Joe's Kosher BBQ
494 Cedar Lane
Teaneck, NJ 07666
(201) 836-7427

Saturday, February 11, 2012

King Django
backed by The Snails
Bad Luck Dice
details TBA

Tumulty's Pub
361 George Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-2012
(732) 545-6205

NYC Winter 2011/2012 Ska Calendar Update #10

Saturday, December 31st, 2011

New Year's Eve Reggae with The Frighteners vs. The Forthrights (plus Selectors Agent Jay and Sweet V)

175 Stockholm Street #111
Brooklyn, NY
$5/21+

+ + + +

Friday, January 6, 2012 @ 7:30 pm

Westbound Train, Dave Hillyard & The Rocksteady 7, The Forthrights

The Studio at Webster Hall
125 East 11th Street
Manhattan

Tix: $12 in advance/$14 day of the show
19+

+ + + +

Friday, January 13, 2012

Dirty Reggae Party #15 with Dub is a Weapon (10th Anniversary Show), The Forthrights with Maddie Ruthless, The Shifters (from D.C.)!

The Lake
258 Johnson Avenue (between Bushwick Avenue and White Street)
Brooklyn, NY
$7

(Take the L train to Montrose, walk down Bushwick and make a left on Johnson--or take the J train to Flushing, walk towards Bushwick Avenue, make a left, and walk till you hit Johnson Avenue and make a right. Look for the metal door with '258' on it, open it, and go up the stairs...)

+ + + +

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Bigger Thomas

Havana
105 South Main Street
New Hope, PA
(215) 862-9897

Bigger Thomas will be playing a 3-set show of 36 songs (including a good number of album tracks that don't get played live very often)!

Additional gigs will be posted when we find out about them. Send info to duffguidetoska@gmail.com!

+ + + +

The Duff Guide to Ska Year-End Wrap-Up

With December 31st fast approaching, I'm scrambling to put together The Duff Guide to Ska's "best of" lists for 2011. The "Best Ska/Reggae Singles of 2011" post is almost ready to roll out, to be followed by the "Best Ska/Reggae Albums of 2011." Already, these lists are much longer than the ones for last year, so 2011 must have been a particularly good year for ska, right?

Reggae on Mi Stereo

I always get a kick out of discovering instances where a particular music's/band's style or image ends up influencing the look or feel of something completely unrelated (they're borrowing--or some might even say appropriating--the established cool factor for their own purposes). It's a tip of the hat, an homage--or like a good cover of a song. Or, in the case of reggae, like versioning.

My teenage son has been big into longboarding, though he recently found an old banana board (the short skateboard with the plastic deck that many of us had back in the 70s) that someone was throwing out on the street--and he's completely into them now. So, he asked his grandparents for a banana board for Xmas and they ended up getting him a Stereo Vinyl Cruiser.

One of the cool features of this board is that its deck has grooves like an LP and Stereo (the skateboard company co-owned by Jason Lee, who was a professional skateboarder before "Almost Famous" and "My Name is Earl") gives you a bunch of retro-looking stickers to choose from for the center label of your skateboard. The sticker that my son chose was one that mimics the label from Joe Gibbs' release of Althea and Donna's "Uptown Top Ranking." He's not much into reggae (apart from The Clash's version excursions), but the kid knows a good thing when he sees it.

Duff Review: Lighta Secret "Elinor All Night Long" b/w "Gaz Dangerous"

Gaz's Rockin' Records
2011
7" vinyl

(Review by Steve Shafer)

This single marks the first release on Gaz's beloved label since the early 2000s (with The Dreamlets' "My Boy Lollipop" in 2003), which is a pretty momentous occasion in my humble opinion. (If you're unfamiliar with Gaz's Rockin' Records, since the mid-1980s, the label has issued essential ska recordings from his stellar band The Trojans, Prince Buster, Laurel Aitken, Potato 5, The Ska Flames, and The Forest Hillbillies.) While Gaz has been focusing his energies of late in the UK on his terrific book (Gaz's Rockin' Blues: The First 30 Years--read our review here), his sound system at the Notting Hill Festival each year, and his epically long-running night club night--Gaz's Rockin' Blues, of course--it's fantastic to see him return to yet another of his great strengths as a producer and label head with the debut single from the formidable Jamaican singer/toaster Lighta Secret, whom Gaz encountered on a recent trip to JA (read a bit about Lighta Secret's background from Gaz himself here).

Over spare, loping riddims ("Unmetered Taxi" and "Answer") highly reminiscent of those employed by Lone Ranger and Yellowman in the early 80s, Lighta Secret sings and toasts the praises of Gaz, his night club night, DJ Baby Soul (AKA Elinor Fahrman, Gaz's girlfriend/partner), and Natty Bo (of Ska Cubano and another DJ at Gaz's Rockin' Blues) amongst other topics densely packed in to the lyrics on both sides. "Elinor All Night Long" also doubles as a slightly rude reggae record ("Elinor come all night" doesn't just refer to her DJ prowess, I assume). One of the best rhymes appears on "Gaz Dangerous," which is about his deadly supremacy on the decks: "We bring dem/from de dance to the morgue/Six foot six all in the graveyard/all selectors/All him dead like dog/no jump up and talk to Gaz all..."

I've never heard of Lighta Secret before--but here's hoping that Gaz continues to share more tasty musical biscuits like this. It reminds me how much the international ska scene has desperately missed him, his music, and his label.

Welcome back, Gaz--and keep the new releases coming!

+ + + +

The Lighta Secret single is available from Gaz through eBay--and from Rough Trade, Dub Vendor and Ernie B's Reggae in the US.

Madness Central Blog: Tour of North America in the Works for 2012!

According to a posting on The Madness Central Blog, Madness tour dates for 2012 are soon to be announced, "including a welcome return to North America."

The Nutty Boys are already scheduled to play the Vive Latino Festival in Mexico City in March 2012, so it would only make sense for the band to put on some shows for their US fans while they're on this side of the Atlantic. I'm just sayin'...

2012 is already shaping up to be a fine year!

Duff Interview: Paul Willo of the "Specialized: A Modern Take on Specials Classics" Charity Album

Paul "Willo" Williams--author of the essential Specials book "You're Wondering Now - The Specials from Conception to Reunion" (Cherry Red Books), administrator of fantastic official Specials fan website (www.thespecials2.com), and all-out 2-Tone fanatic--is the man behind Specialized: A Modern Take on Specials Classics, a Specials tribute album whose total proceeds are being donated to the Teenage Cancer Trust (a British charity that The Specials supported on their recent reunion tours).

To date, over thirty ska, indie, punk, dance, rap, and rock bands have contributed newly-recorded, never-before-released covers of your favorite Specials cuts (see the band/track list here). The double-CD and digital download will be available for sale in February 2012 through www.thespecials2.com. Surely, this release will be of great interest to Specials fans far and wide--and your support will have a direct impact on the lives of teenagers doing their utmost to fight and defeat cancer.

The Duff Guide to Ska: What sparked the idea for doing this charity album to benefit the Teenage Cancer Trust? (Without getting too personal, do you have a connection to this cause that motivated you to do this project?)

Paul Willo: I've always worked with kids in my spare time. I come from a deprived area of York in northern England, became a football coach and used to train these rough 'n' ready kids. I firmly believe that kids, as our future, need nurturing. I don't like seeing them suffer or miss out--and serious illness at a young age is very unfair and cancer at a young age is such a blow, at a time when life is quite tough anyway. You should be living your life and experiencing new horizons, not plugged into a chemotherapy unit. It's awful. So when I realised that The Specials themselves were supporting the charity, I thought it was a great gesture. I then decided on this project, to keep the money going that could help the kids struck down with the disease cope with life that bit better. Having seen and been affected by cancer in its virulent form, anything we can do to help get rid this disease off the planet can only be a good thing. I've also been involved with a local cancer case of a young girl and The Specials contributed to that.

DGTS: How did you select the bands to be included on this album--and what was the criteria? Were any members of The Specials involved in the selection of bands?

PW: I know plenty of bands/artists, so it was never going to be hard to fill. A colleague on the project, Graham Lambert who has been invaluable, has plenty of London and international connections--and things just clicked into gear. Criteria-wise, it was simple: a love of The Specials, the chance to do something really positive, it didn't matter if you played ska. It's almost a showcase compilation, as well. Lots of young bands, crammed with talent. If the compilation helps them as well, brilliant, happy days! As for choosing the bands, none of The Specials were involved. This is a separate project, but I do know that some of them have heard some of the tracks and were over the moon with them. However, we do have the support acts from the last Specials tour, By The Rivers and Stone Foundation on the compilation, along with some of The Specials' brass section in their own bands, and even The Specials keyboard player Nikolaj Torp Larsen is booked in.

DGTS: Was there a particular reason for focusing on UK-based bands? (The Specials are beloved world-wide...and there are ska bands all over the globe.)

PW: No, none at all--it just seemed to work that way. We do have the band Lushy, who are an American lounge style band, and we have a French band called The Dustaphonics. Once the project gained ground, bands came quick and fast and the tracks went in a flash.

DGTS: Please don't take this as a criticism, but what is the thinking behind the inclusion of non-ska covers of Specials' tracks? I realize this potentially increases the appeal of this compilation beyond the ska scene, but were there other reasons for doing this?

PW: Yeah, the main reason was I think that The Specials are regarded in high esteem in many ways, not just for being a ska band. They have a huge legacy that has inspired musicians all over the world to take up a musical path and career and these bands/artists are not all ska acts. They jumped at the chance to say thanks in their own ways and styles, and this a measure of The Specials' depth and popularity--and one that definitely needs highlighting. There are, of course, a good selection of ska and reggae bands, so people won't be disappointed--plus the fact that the Teenage Cancer Trust is such a hard working charity and a great cause to play for that it was a huge band/artist magnet.

DGTS: I realize this is like asking a parent to publicly declare their favorite child, but out of all the tracks on the album, which ones do you like the best or work particularly well (or take The Specials' music in a wonderfully unexpected direction)?

PW: Wow, there are so many! It's been eye-opening, but fantastic to hear. I haven't got all the tracks yet, but The Craven Braves' "Too Hot," Swagga's unique take on "Stupid Marriage," the ear-blistering "Too Much Too Young" by rock outfit Venous Return, Theatre of Ghosts' "International Jet Set," "Enjoy Yourself" by Mr. Bligh, "Why" by Urang Matang. I've heard sneak previews of other tracks like "Gangsters" by The Dustaphonics that I'm really excited about, as well. It's going to be a real festival of music, shall we say. So many great artists, so much great music!



DGTS: How did ex-FYC singer Roland Gift become involved? (And where has he been all these years?)

PW: Well, Roland's addition was a fantastic coup, but not of my making. The band The Values have a member who did the video to one of his tracks "Crushed" and I think they just know him. They chose the track "You're Wondering Now," asked Roland to guest, and there you have it. I was very well chuffed! last I heard he had been recording and acting?

DGTS: Where will fans be able to purchase a digital or physical copy of Specialized?

PW: There will be a download version and a very limited-edition physical double-CD album (we're only able to do this thanks to some fantastic sponsors) with sleeve notes by Horace Panter of The Specials. There will be a launch in Coventry.

DGTS: Are The Specials going to sell this album at their future gigs (assuming they're doing gigs in the coming months)?

PW: No, I very much doubt it. Be nice if they could, but it's not feasible, I'm afraid. But that doesn't dampen the spirits, they know we mean well and have said they hope we can go on to raise lots of money. This project is possibly going to lead on to others as well.

DGTS: Any bits of as-of-yet unannounced Specials' news that you can share with us?

PW: No mate, sorry. The band and management make all the official announcements. We only announce stuff that they ask us to do. Sometimes we get the exclusives, but at the moment it's all very quiet. The odd dates abroad have filtered through, but it's had no official confirmation.

DGTS: Lastly, I've heard a rumor that you're helping King Hammond (aka Nick Welsh) write his autobiography...is this true? (How is his take on "Friday Night, Saturday Morning"?)

PW: Nick--sorry, the King--is doing "Friday Night, Saturday Morning" and it will be a great Hammond rendition. I've heard some of it and it's great. Gonna be a highlight, I reckon. We are devising a biography, the title, "The Life and Times Of a Ska Man (or How to Fail in the Music Business)" will be a cracker. Eye opening, brutally honest--but, by God, hilariously funny.

+ + + +

Reissue of Expanded "Dance Craze" Magazine/Book

Thanks to Johnny Reggae at Hoi Polloi Skazine for the tip that Garry Bushell's Dance Craze-related magazine (originally published by Sounds) has been re-issued with expanded content (see a PDF of the original magazine here--and Marco on the Bass has some additional interesting background info about it).

The extras this time out include never before published photos of Madness, The Beat, The Selecter, Bodysnatchers, and The Specials by photographer David Arnoff and a postscript by the author.

The book is available to order through Acid Jazz in the UK--and would probably make a nice present for the rude boy or girl on your Xmas or Hanukah list!

NYC Fall/Winter 2011 Ska Calendar Update #9

Friday, December 16, 2011 at 10pm and Midnight

Two Boots Reggae Party with The Hard Times

Two Boots of Brooklyn
514 2nd Street
Brooklyn, NY
Free (but buy some pizza!)

Band plays two sets: 10pm and midnight!

+ + + +

Friday, December 16, 2011 at 10:00 pm

Special Beat Service: Punks, Dreads, and Rudeboys Holiday Bash w/The Bluebeats, Little Victory, Stagefright, Bearfoot, Dis-Con, and Suga Massive (plus DJs Alleycat, Chris Morell of Let Me Crazy, Easeback and anti Cathy)

Broadway Bar
198 Broadway (at Oak Street)
Amityville, NY
$10/18+

Free buffet of Jamaican cuisine w/admission!
Drink specials all night long.

+ + + +

Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 8:00 pm

The Slackers, The Pietasters, Bomb The Music Industry (plus DJ 100DBs)

Irving Plaza
17 Irving Place
New York, NY
$17.50

+ + + +

Saturday, December 31st, 2011

New Year's Eve Reggae with The Frighteners vs. The Forthrights (plus Selectors Agent Jay and Sweet V)

175 Stockholm Street #111
Brooklyn, NY
$5/21+

+ + + +

Friday, January 13, 2012

Dirty Reggae Party #15 wtih Dub is a Weapon (10th Anniversary Show), The Forthrights with Maddie Ruthless, The Shifters (from D.C.)!

The Lake
258 Johnson Avenue (between Bushwick Avenue and White Street)
Brooklyn, NY
$7

(Take the L train to Montrose, walk down Bushwick and make a left on Johnson--or take the J train to Flushing, walk towards Bushwick Avenue, make a left, and walk till you hit Johnson Avenue and make a right. Look for the metal door with '258' on it, open it, and go up the stairs...)

+ + + +

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Bigger Thomas

Havana
105 South Main Street
New Hope, PA
(215) 862-9897

Bigger Thomas will be playing a 3-set show of 36 songs (including a good number of album tracks that don't get played live very often)!

Additional gigs will be posted when we find out about them. Send info to duffguidetoska@gmail.com!

+ + + +

MIS Mexico!

In advance of Madness' upcoming appearance at the Vive Latino Festival in Mexico City on March 25, 2012, Radio Skandalo has launched the Madness Information Service Mexico (MIS Mexico).

Currently, the site only features a countdown clock, but promises to include much more in the coming weeks. Check it out!

Update (12/14/11): MIS Mexico has a Twitter feed: @MIS_Mexico

+ + + +

We're still keeping our eye on the Madness blog to see if any additional gigs will be announced in the Americas around Madness' appearance in Mexico...

+ + + +

The Return of Gaz's Rockin Records?!

Since I'm a massive fan of the late 80s UK and Euro ska scenes, I sometimes find myself searching eBay for releases that I kick myself for not picking up back in the day (well, it often boiled down to not having that much spare cash back then to mail-order all I wanted through Unicorn Records--during that time I was in my last years of college and then endeavoring to pay rent anyway I could).

While I have a fair number of the CDs, LPs, and singles released on Gaz Mayall's brilliant Gaz's Rockin Records (which featured his band, The Trojans; Laurel Aitken and the Potato 5; The Ska Flames; and The Forest Hillbillies)--I actually won an almost pristine 7" single of The Forest Hillbillies "The Munsters" a few weeks ago (and had no idea that it even existed in this format)--every now and then I'll plug the label's name into the eBay search field. Most of the time, whatever comes up I already have, but today was markedly different. In a very good way.

Gaz has pressed a new single on his label (!) featuring Lighta Secret--and he recently found about 100 mint copies of Prince Buster & The Trojans' "Stack-o-Lee" 12" (released in 1989) that had been forgotten in a storage locker (both can be ordered here). Needless to say, I've bought a copy of each.

Here's the scoop on the Lighta Secret single from Gaz himself:

Brand New on Gaz's Rockin' Records

7” GAZ 024 – Lighta Secret – "Elinor All Night Long" b/w "Gaz Dangerous"

Recorded on my recent trip to Jamaica with my partner and club DJ Elinor Fahrman, alias Baby Soul. We stayed in a small coastal village, Cousins Cove, situated between Montego Bay and Negril, where we met the illustrious singer Lighta Secret, somewhat of a local legend. A real character and top entertainer from nearby Green Island. He’d been performing at a local showcase supporting Richie Spice.

Lighta Secret’s name is due to the fact that every time he performs his music live at a dance the audience all take out their cigarette lighters and raise them in the air aflame. One of his many gimmicks is to make symbols with his one complete hand in the form of unusual handshakes. The fingers on the other were lost in a machete attack while climbing out of a bedroom window at a girlfriend’s house on the sudden return of her husband.

On both sides of this record Lighta Secret raves about and praises Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues – London’s number one blues dance – bigging up the DJs, myself Gaz, Baby Soul and Natty Bo.

Even though I've never heard of Lighta Secret, Gaz has impeccable taste in music--so I'm very much looking forward to putting the needle on this record. And I'm thrilled that Gaz's label is back in business after far too many years of being dormant.

Here's hoping that this is the first of many more records to come...

SNL and Katy Perry Do the Ska

I usually cringe when mainstream-y things take on ska, but this Saturday Night Live bit about Kate and Pippa Middleton visiting the Queen was pretty funny--and it ends with Fred Armisen (The Queen) and Bill Hader (Prince Philip) strapping on guitars and playing a 2 Tone-ish Christmas ska song ("The Queen's Christmas Message"), with Katy Perry and Armisen sharing the vocals.

Jump Up Releases The Toasters' "Dub 56" on Vinyl!

Toasters' fans and ska vinyl freaks should take note that the band's stellar 1994 album Dub 56 has been re-issued on wax for the first time by Jump Up Records. (The demand for vinyl in the US was at its nadir in the early 90s, so it was never released in this format, here or abroad.)

At the time of its release, the US ska scene had really begun to heat up--in no small part due to the 1993 national Skavoovee Tour with The Skatalites, Selecter, Special Beat, and The Toasters that provided a slew of opening slots for local ska bands and really helped galvanize the ska scene--and Dub 56 showcased the band at their best, with now-classic tracks like "Mona," "Legal Shot," "Dub 56," "Direction," "Ain't Nuthin'" and many more. Dub 56 became an instant fan-favorite, received raves from critics (see here, here, and here), and went on to be one of Moon Records' best-selling records ever.

This LP is available from Jump Up Records in clear or white vinyl for $12 and includes a digital download card for the entire album in digital form, plus four bonus tracks not on the LP: "Dub 56 (Chat Mix)," "Legal Shot (Dance Mix)," "Legal Shot (Gangster Mix)" and "Ain’t Nuthin’ (Chorus Mix)."

+ + + +

Where did the title of the album and song come from? It was the license plate number on Bucket's dad's motorcycle (you can make it out on the original artwork)--and the song is about (momentarily) leaving all of your problems behind by taking a fun spin on the motorbike...

+ + + +

It should be noted that in 1995, Stubborn Records released a 7" single of "Dub 56" with the album version on one side and "Dub 56 Chat" on the other (the last copy of which is for sale at Stubborn for $100). Also, the CD was licensed to sister labels in the UK (Dojo), Germany (Pork Pie), and Japan (Jimco).

+ + + +

NYC Fall/Winter 2011 Ska Calendar Update #8

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Across the Aisle

The Village Lantern
167 Bleecker Street
Manhattan, NY
$5 online advance/$10 at the door
21+

Buy tickets on-line (cheaper): http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/76019.

Please tell the door person that you're there to see Across The Aisle!

+ + + +

Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 6:00 pm

The Rudie Crew, The Snails, On Trial, and Karate Chop Shop

Circle of Hope
1125 South Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA
$7

+ + + +

Friday, December 16, 2011 at 10pm and Midnight

Two Boots Reggae Party with The Hard Times

Two Boots of Brooklyn
514 2nd Street
Brooklyn, NY
Free (but buy some pizza!)
Band plays two sets: 10pm and midnight!

+ + + +

Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 8:00 pm

The Slackers, The Pietasters, Bomb The Music Industry (plus DJ 100DBs)

Irving Plaza
17 Irving Place
New York, NY
$17.50

+ + + +

Saturday, December 31st, 2011

New Year's Eve Reggae with The Frighteners vs. The Forthrights (plus Selectors Agent Jay and Sweet V)

175 Stockholm Street #111
Brooklyn, NY
$5/21+

+ + + +

Friday, January 13, 2012

Dirty Reggae Party #15 wtih Dub is a Weapon (10th Anniversary Show), The Forthrights with Maddie Ruthless, The Shifters (from D.C.)!

The Lake
258 Johnson Avenue (between Bushwick Avenue and White Street)
Brooklyn, NY
$7

(Take the L train to Montrose, walk down Bushwick and make a left on Johnson--or take the J train to Flushing, walk towards Bushwick Avenue, make a left, and walk till you hit Johnson Avenue and make a right. Look for the metal door with '258' on it, open it, and go up the stairs...)

+ + + +

Additional gigs will be posted when we find out about them. Send info to duffguidetoska@gmail.com!

+ + + +

Madness to Play Vive Latino Festival in Mexico City in March--US Dates To Come?

Thanks to a tip from one of The Duff Guide to Ska's readers in Mexico (Sunday Munoz), I've been alerted to the fact that Madness will be playing the Vive Latino Festival in Mexico City, which will be held from March 23-25, 2012. See the entire festival line-up here. (It should be noted that the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra played this event last year.)

Of course, if the band is traveling to this side of the pond, it will raise speculation/expectations that Madness may play some US dates this spring (we hope!) in support of their forthcoming new album.

Stay tuned!

Jump Up Records 2012 Ska CD and Ska LP of the Month Clubs!

Now that the holidays are upon us once again and we're all scrambling around to find meaningful gifts for our friends and loved ones, here are two great suggestions for a perfect gift for the ska fan on your list (or yourself!) that will keep on giving throughout the year...







Jump Up Records 2012 Ska CD of the Month Club

For $100 (includes shipping in the USA/Canada; it's $120 internationally), Chuck Wren, head honcho of Jump Up Records, will hand-select 14 outstanding, mostly hard-to-find new ska imports and send them out to you or your giftee throughout the year (that's a little over $7 per CD--and the majority of these CDs are imports!). Only the first 25 people to respond will be able to join the club!

The first four releases will arrive just before Christmas:

Moon Invaders' "Fine Line" CD
Upsessions' "Below the Belt" CD
Gramaphone All Stars' "Levitant a La Deriva" CD
The Dropsteppers' "Get Up In It" CD

Then, in the very near future, members will receive new albums from Magic Touch (Germany), Too Many Crooks (UK), Captain Black No Stars (UK), The Butlers (Germany), and some Northern Soul sounds from The Inciters on Jump Up Records!

Want two bonus CDs? Feel free to pick two classic Jump Up label CDs: Mr T Bone's “Nothing To Lose,” The Bullets' “Sweet Misery,” Green Room Rockers' s/t, Moon Invaders vs Caroloregians' “Hot Blood Cold Weather,” Mr T Bone's “Instrumental Sessions Vol 1″ CD, Pressure Cooker's “What She Wants,” Deal’s Gone Bad's “Welcome To The Vaults" 3 CD box set, The Drastics' “Waiting,” “Chicago Massive” or “Premonition,” Lord Mike’s Dirty Calypsonians' “More…,” Steady Ups' “Soul Of The City,” See Spot's “Who Got It?,” Israelites' “Jamaican Celebration,” Mr Symarip's “Skinheads Dem A Come,” Dr Ring Ding's “Back And Forth,” King Django's “Meets The Scrucialists,” Firebug's “On The Move,” Eastern Standard Time's “Tempus Fugit,” Scorchers “Stuntin,” Skapone's “Black & White,” Lady Ann's “Bad Gyal Inna Dance,” Don Segundo's “Censura,” The Soulsteppers's “Return...,” or Pressure Cooker’s “Burning Fence”!

You’ll get all six selections before Christmas! Then in June more CDs start coming!







Jump Up Records 2012 Ska LP of the Month Club

For the vinyl fetishist on your list (I'm one!), you can sign up for the 2012 LP of the Month Club for $120--which will score you 12 LPs, plus bonus 7" singles and other goodies as well (due to shipping expenses, this club is only open to US residents). This club is only open to the first 25 people to sign up!

The first six releases will be shipped to arrive before Christmas:

Moon Invaders' "Fine Line" LP
Upsessions' "Below the Belt LP
B Soul All Stars' "Rainbow" LP
Gramophone All Stars' "Levitant a La Deriva" LP
Various Artists' "Soul of Pum Pum Hotel" LP
The Prizefighters' "Follow My Sound" LP

Plus, later in the year, members will receive new LPs from Mr. T Bone, The Inciters, Magic Touch, and many more!

+ + + +

Join the 2012 Jump UP CD or LP Club here.

+ + + +

While we're on the subject of Jump Up Records, several of their recent releases we highly, highly recommend: King Hammond's "Floorshaker" LP, The Void Union's "Higher Guns" LP, The Prizefighters' "Follow My Sound" LP, V/A's "The Soul of Pum Pum Hotel" LP, The Skabilly Rebels' "Blues Attack" LP, The Toasters' "Dub 56" and "2 Tone Army" LP reissues, Green Room Rockers' self-titled LP, The Bullets' "Sweet Misery" LP, The Revivers' "Early Reggae" EP--and singles from Deals Gone Bad and The Crombies!

2012 London International Ska Fest Band Competition Results!

For the 2012 London International Ska Festival, the organizers decided to include a slot for a band that received the most votes from ska fans from around the globe. Well, the votes are in and all tallied up--and the winner of the 2012 LISF Band Competition is...

The Kinky Coo Coo's from Barcelona, Spain!



Rounding out the top five spots were...

2. Los Furious (Canada)
3. Jamaica 69 (Mexico)
4. Bigger Thomas (USA)
5) Monkey Boots (Indonesia)

While congratulations are due to all the bands, we'd like to make a special shout-out to NYC hometown heroes Bigger Thomas for snagging the #4 spot and being the only band from the USA in the top five!

Here's a taste of what you'll be missing in London this May...



+ + + +

This year's 2012 LISF is taking place from Thursday, May 3rd through Sunday May 6, 2012--and the line-up includes Dandy Livingstone, The Pioneers, Dawn Penn, The Dualers, Neol Davies, The Hotknives, Fishbone, Buster Shuffle, Rebulation, The Moon Invaders, Los Granadians, The Delegators, Capone & the Bullets, and many more TBA!

Calling All Rude Boys and Rude Girls! King Hammond at The Lake This Saturday Night!

Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 8:00 pm

Dirty Reggae Party #14 at The Lake with King Hammond, The Hard Times, The Reggay Lords (plus Ticklah on the decks!)

The Lake
258 Johnson Avenue (between Bushwick Avenue and White Street)
Brooklyn, NY
$6

(Take the L train to Montrose, walk down Bushwick and make a left on Johnson--or take the J train to Flushing, walk towards Bushwick Avenue, make a left, and walk till you hit Johnson Avenue and make a right. Look for the metal door with '258' on it, open it, and go up the stairs...)

King Hammond will be selling CDs of his three recent releases (The King and I, Jacuzzi, and Showbiz--click on the links for The Duff Guide to Ska reviews), as well as vinyl copies of his EPs ("Riot in London Town" and "Hey, Mr. DJ")--so bring some extra cash to buy 'em (or cut down on the beers!). Did I mention that he's got old skool King Hammond badges, too?!

+ + + +

For those of you who missed King Hammond's killer set at Shrine last night (he was backed by The Hard Times), here are two videos I shot of his performance. The first is "Rocking on Ridley Road" followed by "Hanky Panky."

Reminder: King Hammond and The Hard Times at The Shrine in Harlem Tonight!

This is it! One of two chances to catch King Hammond on a rare visit from the UK (he'll also be at The Lake on Saturday night)...

King Hammond and The Hard Times

Shrine
2271 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard
(7th Avenue between 133rd and 134th Streets)
New York, NY
Free!
All ages/21+ to drink

Take the 2 or 3 train to 135th Street and walk one block over to 7th Avenue.

The Hard Times go on at 9:00 pm; King Hammond hits the stage at 10:30 pm.