"1985: The Year American Ska Broke"

A mock-up of the cover of Wasserman's book "Ska Boom:
An Oral History About the Birth of American Ska and Reggae"

In addition to my forthcoming new book The Duff Guide to 2 Tone, I've written an introductory chapter to Marc Wasserman's superb and absolutely essential Ska Boom: An Oral History About the Birth of American Ska and Reggae (DiWulf Publishing) that's titled "1985: The Year American Ska Broke."

The thrust of my piece is that if three incredibly influential 1985 US ska releases--namely, The Untouchables' Wild Child, and Fishbone's and The Toasters' debut EPs--hadn't come out when they did, the nascent, 2 Tone-inspired American ska scene would likely have flamed out, and the massive 1990s "Third Wave" of ska in the US would never have happened. That's all I'm going to give up here--you'll have to read Marc's book to read my case backing up this claim.

Also, I'm working on putting together a companion book to Marc's Ska Boom that will contain reviews of the first releases from the bands whose oral histories are featured, including Beat Brigade, Mephiskapheles, The Toasters, The Hooters, Bim Skala Bim, Heavy Manners, The Untouchables, The Uptones, Skadanks, Gangster Fun, the NY Citizens, Second Step, Blue Riddim Band, The Scofflaws, The Boilers, The Box Boys, The Shakers, Kyber Rifles, and Let's Go Bowling. This book (tentative title: The Duff Guide to the Music of Ska Boom: An Oral History About the Birth of American Ska and Reggae) will be released by Duff Guide to Ska Publishing in paperback this fall/winter.

Lastly, I'd just like to note how groundbreaking and important Ska Boom: An Oral History About the Birth of American Ska and Reggae is. Marc sent me a draft of The Toasters' chapter for my feedback, and I found it to be incredibly compelling and informative--a really great read. I worked with The Toasters for almost a decade in the 1990s and came across many things I never knew about regarding the early history of the band, and (finally) heard from band members whose perspectives have never been previously documented. Anyone interested in ska music will need this book!

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