I fell in love with ska music in its most recent heyday of the 90's. I love the roots ska like The Skatalites and Prince Buster, the 2-Tone era, like The Specials and the 3rd Wave (90's) like The Toasters, The Slackers, The Pietasters, Reel Big Fish, and Dr Ring Ding. Alot if this music is horn heavy but i just love it, and here I am 15 years later still skanking out to ska! I would love to start or join a ska band, but the scene here won't support it.
Alot of people think ska is just Sublime, or Mighty Mighty Bosstones, but few know it was what spawned Rocksteady and then Reggae.

Here a few of my faves, enjoy!

The Skatalites
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDABIO8Ou4Y&feature=fvst

The Specials
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGDQ85Dg-ss

The Toasters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWAf6L9v ... re=related

The Slackers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do0iB79m ... re=related

Reel Big Fish
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCgX4ixCRcQ

Dr. Ring Ding
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cQj6EkhRNM

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I love playing ska. Its so bouncy and fun, especially the faster newer stuff. Still cant decide which does the job better, a Tele or a Strat , but anyways...

All those you list are cool. I like the more punk ska stuff like Voodoo Glowskulls, AAA, Leftover Crack/Choking Victim. My favorite is Operation Ivy

I absolutely love SKA and Reggae. My parents tell me all the time that I am stuck in the 90's, I would rather wear a flannel than wear that stupid Abercrombie or Hollister overpriced garbage and would much rather listen to tapes than cds' while wearing dirty torn jeans and a Elmer fudd hat (sorry back to the topic after that short messege) Reel Big Fish is really amazing, I am not sure if Sublime is considered Ska still but they are good to. Sadly I never got to see Sublime with Brad but I now get to see Sublime with Rome on July 9th and im stoked.

I love The Specials...they were one of my favorite bands in high school. The Selecter was a cool band as well.

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2008 MIA Telecaster Crimson Red
2009 Highway 1 Telecaster Sunburst Maple
2010 Martin D-1
Vox Pathfinder 15R
Vox Night Train 15W
WhiteBox Cab w/12in Eminence Man O' War

It ain't no sin to be glad you're alive...

I like some of Lee 'Scratch' Perry's stuff. My son was in a ska band
for awhile until the singer moved away. 'Santeria' is a staple that
I play on a regular basis.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

finally this topic comes up
i like this style of music but dont know enough to know which cd's to look for.
im afraid i wont like the cd or it will turn me off to ska altogether if i grab a bad one.
i like reel big fish. ive heard like 3 of their songs.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

I am glad to see there are a few others on the forum into ska! Way Cool, If you like a few tunes by RBF, check out their CD Turn The Radio Off. It was their first major label CD and I think its their best. There used to be a label called Moon Ska NYC that featured a ton of great ska bands but unfortunatly that label folded years back. There is also alot of good stuff from Hellcat records (Tim Armstrong's label). Hey TobiJ, I've been meaning to break out the Op Ivy for some time now! I like some Voodoo, but haven't heard the rest you mentioned. Do you like Less Than Jake? I do like the punk ska, but I tend to lean towards the 3rd wave that still has some roots in it, like The Slackers. Canada also has some great ska bands.

The Planet Smashers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqVNgF2XuCc

The Kingpins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF3ACQe3uXI

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this band has some ska vibes
War - Southern Part of Texas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbjEqKzCr9A

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

I get to see.Reel Big Fish on July 20th now. As the STL concert calendar continues to rape my wallet of all of its money. 5 concerts to attend in less than 3 months.

Check out King Tubby and Scratch Perry!

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

give us a couple links to the better songs mike.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

I haven't listened to much King Tubby, but I have listened to Lee 'Scratch" Perry. He's more on the dub side of things, but still pretty cool.

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Thats kinda funky, I like it!

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Theres something about horns and short sharp upstrokes on the 3 highest strings with a punky power chorded out chorus which really does it for me. Love it.

As soon as spring hits and the summer kicks into gear the ska playlists come out full force, and don't my neighbours know about it