Mod to Suedehead

What's he wearing under the sweater that sticks up that much? I like that little hint of whatever the hell it is.

This stuff is so interesting to me probably because it is so foreign. Most of this I have never heard of. I recognize some of the styles. Atthe risk of revealing my ignorance it seems kind of contridictory to put so much effort into appearing working class. Again I don't know much about this stuff so please take no offense. Growing up (I was born in 82) I really identified with punk rock. I was never into a scene or really even listened to much music.I just did my own thing. I had friends who were into punk or some who were into hip hop. When I went to a show it was usually in a friends basement and was usually hard core.
To me what appealed about punk rock was independence not thinking like everyone else and doing what you wanted that is at least what I found in it. I always did what I wanted I never really dressed into a scene or anything thought there was some influence. I guess the point I am trying to make is that it seems so contradictory to me to have a "style" for the music you listen to or whatever and strictly adhere to it.
I know this may be offensive. I don't mean to be I only wish to learn, and understand someones point of view on this.

Originally Posted by Get Smart

Click to expand...

This pic blows my mind. Did it trip out the ska bands to realize how popular they were with skins? The contrast with the hyper-aggressive look of skins and the fact that they were big fans of reggae, ska and soul is so unexpected, I still have a hard time wrapping my head around it. How did that start btw, and was there any particular reason why they gravitated towards that kind of music? Apologies if that was already explained in this thread. I used to go see a lot of ska bands when I was in high school (mid 90's) and I never really noticed many traditional skins in the audience. Maybe they were there but I didn't realize it at the time. Used to go see Hepcat a lot, the skeletones, and other local ska bands from the OC area.

Originally Posted by lance konami

Click to expand...

This pic blows my mind.

Did it trip out the ska bands to realize how popular they were with skins? The contrast with the hyper-aggressive look of skins and the fact that they were big fans of reggae, ska and soul is so unexpected, I still have a hard time wrapping my head around it. How did that start btw, and was there any particular reason why they gravitated towards that kind of music?

Apologies if that was already explained in this thread.

I used to go see a lot of ska bands when I was in high school (mid 90's) and I never really noticed many traditional skins in the audience. Maybe they were there but I didn't realize it at the time. Used to go see Hepcat a lot, the skeletones, and other local ska bands from the OC area.

If my knowledge of the early ska scene serves me correctly, skins weren't around when ska came to England. They were still mods, or hard mods, at that point. It was the style of Jamaican rudeboys which helped develop the skinhead look, such as the rolled or cropped pants and denim. Also, I imagine these early groups probably didn't have much of an audience besides other Jamaican immigrants. They might have enjoyed that their music had such an influence on the native English working class. From what I understand, this helped many first and second generation Jamaicans assimilate to British culture.

Also, ska in the mid-90s, especially from OC tended to be more of a ska/punk influence. Hepcat was certainly more of a throwback style, but some of the others from that era weren't particularly catered towards skinheads. Think of popular 90s bands like The Toasters for 90s skinhead-type ska.

I have a video documentary on traditional skinhead where Roy Shirley (old school reggay/ska/rocksteady artist from 60s..RIP, died earlier this year) talks about how he felt at home when he played gigs and the crowd was full of skinheads, he knew it'd be a good show

mid 90s was a bad time for ska, for reasons AntiHero mentions...when ska became frat-boy party music. The only band that did punk-ska fusion well was Operation Ivy imo.

when I used to go to ska gigs regularly (1980s) the crowd was probably 75% skinheads, the rest mostly mods, and a few normals thrown in..that completely changed by early 90s when ska became mainstream radio music (Save Ferris, Aquabats, etc)

Hepcat and the Toasters def had huge skinhead followings....esp the Toasters in the late 80s when "Skaboom" and "Thrill Me Up" were their only records

Interesting about the Jamaican rudeboys helping to define the look. I didn't know that.

And soul music? Similar reasons or...?

Originally Posted by lance konami

Click to expand...

Did it trip out the ska bands to realize how popular they were with skins?

they knew it and made music to cater to the skins. the late 60s produced tons of "skinhead" themed songs like "Skinhead a Bash Them", "Skinhead don't fear", "Skinhead Moonstomp", "Skinhead Girl", "Skinhead Jamboree"...the list goes on. All set to a reggay/ska beat

Originally Posted by Get Smart

Click to expand...

I have a video documentary on traditional skinhead where Roy Shirley (old school reggay/ska/rocksteady artist from 60s..RIP, died earlier this year) talks about how he felt at home when he played gigs and the crowd was full of skinheads, he knew it'd be a good show mid 90s was a bad time for ska, for reasons AntiHero mentions...when ska became frat-boy party music. The only band that did punk-ska fusion well was Operation Ivy imo. when I used to go to ska gigs regularly (1980s) the crowd was probably 75% skinheads, the rest mostly mods, and a few normals thrown in..that completely changed by early 90s when ska became mainstream radio music (Save Ferris, Aquabats, etc) Hepcat and the Toasters def had huge skinhead followings....esp the Toasters in the late 80s when "Skaboom" and "Thrill Me Up" were their only records
Heh, the Aquabats. Saw them a few times too. Would you consider Voodoo Glow Skulls acceptable punk-ska fusion? We were way into them when they first were getting going. My guitar player buddy was obsessed with Op Ivy. The history behind all this is pretty interesting. Nice thread. Will have to check out the vids and articles linked so I can edumacate my ignorant ass.

Originally Posted by lance konami

Click to expand...

And soul music? Similar reasons or...?

Soul is more of a leftover sound from the mod scene, since "mod music" was primarily soul and RnB (jazz for ultra purists)....and since skinheads evolved from mods it's natural some of the music crossed over, tho ska/reggay is def the defining soundtrack for skins. me personally, I love soul and nothing gets me on the dancefloor faster than something like The Flirtations "nothing but a heartache" being played

Originally Posted by lance konami

Click to expand...

Would you consider Voodoo Glow Skulls acceptable punk-ska fusion?

seen them play a few times, fun band...but probably one of the groups that spearheaded ska music becoming 90s frat-boy sound

Originally Posted by Get Smart

Click to expand...

Soul is more of a leftover sound from the mod scene, since "mod music" was primarily soul and RnB (jazz for ultra purists)....and since skinheads evolved from mods it's natural some of the music crossed over, tho ska/reggay is def the defining soundtrack for skins. me personally, I love soul and nothing gets me on the dancefloor faster than something like The Flirtations "nothing but a heartache" being played

There's a great little remix of this on Blu Jemz and Roger Yamaha's "Second Cousins" album. Random fyi.

Originally Posted by lance konami

Click to expand...

Would you consider Voodoo Glow Skulls acceptable punk-ska fusion?

I used to love the song they had on the first Give Em The Boot compilation. Even bought their album... Then I realized it all sounded like circus music. Seriously, it gives me a headache after a while. The singer's lisp doesn't help either. ha. That's just my opinion, though.

Get Smart: What do you think of New Soul? I.E. Ubiquity Records has a ton of stuff in this genre, as well as some really cool jazz. Right now, I'm heavily into things like Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra, Nostalgia 77, Quantic, Elizabeth Shepherd, Alice Russell, Clutchy Hopkins, etc, plus a lot of "interesting" hip-hop (Dirty Diggers, Ohmega Watts, etc). I think I just came onto the scene late because I can't really do reggae or ska (like you, Op Ivy is pretty much the only punk-ska done well.. AFAIC, punk-ska begins and ends with Op Ivy, but there's one song I dig by Choking Victim, "Crack Rock Steady" that I dig). Just curious.. Edit: There's just something about an old Fender Rhodes and a breakbeat that just makes me flip out. Love it.

Originally Posted by AntiHero84

Click to expand...

I used to love the song they had on the first Give Em The Boot compilation. Even bought their album... Then I realized it all sounded like circus music. Seriously, it gives me a headache after a while. The singer's lisp doesn't help either. ha. That's just my opinion, though.

Your def right about that. Our obsession with them was short-lived too. They're still at it I think.

Originally Posted by lance konami

Click to expand...

Your def right about that. Our obsession with them was short-lived too. They're still at it I think.

I'm sure. A few of the 90s ska punk bands are alive and well. I saw Less than Jake recently. They put on a good show, but played too many songs off their new album. Catch 22 is also still touring. Other than them, I don't listen to too much ska/punk these days. Oh, and the contemporary ska kids have to be one of the most irritating subgroups still around. A fedora, checkered braces, pinstriped shorts, argyle socks, and wingtips should never... ever... go together. :shudder: