WTF IS WTSM?

WTSM stands for "What The Scene Means".  On this page you will find exactly that - What The Scene Means to the people involved in it!

In 1985, the local arts cinema was playing a double feature consisting of DANCE CRAZE and STOP MAKING SENSE. It was my first and only experience of people skankin in the movie theater aisles.

I was already in love with Madness, but this British 2-TONE documentary(DANCE CRAZE) introduced me to BAD MANNERS and the SPECIALS. Both bands are still essential to my listening pleasure. The next day I bought on cassette, Bad Manners "Klass". I wore it out in less than 6 months.

My obsession with SKA started on that day. Scouring the thrift stores for shark skin suits, mod apparel of any kind, and of course the record shelves for anything SKA/REGGAE. In the mid to late 80's, there were few bands playing SKA, but a band called FISHBONE from the Los Angeles area started making their way up to San Francisco. Another milestone for me. FISHBONE made me want to be in a band. Their live show was second to none.

Slowly, but surely bands started making their way out west. The Toasters from NYC came through in 1987 and we had ourselves a pretty good local ska punk band called OPERATION IVY. Heard of em? And it progressed from there. Bands started popping up everywhere. Bands from all over the US were making their way to the west coast.

And of course all good things come to an end as mainstream outlets scooped in on the underground sound we had come to love and brought it to the forefront. Next thing you know, the ska sounds were all over MTV and ROLLING STONE. And every kid in America who played in the marching band started a ska band. The days of originality were lost in a sea of crap and insincerity.

But hear we are in 2008 and the sound still keeps my body moving and we've weeded out the bands/musicians who were only in it for their 5 minutes of fame. And we have a sound that is still the purest form of dance music. So long live the ska.

Peace always,
Mike Park
Mike Park Music
Asian Man Records

The first three ska albums I ever owned were released in the mid-late 90's by Reel Big Fish, Goldfinger, and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.  In other words, I was one of THOSE kids.  There was something in the music that was exotic and vibrant, the details of which I didn't quite grasp at the time.  I couldn't tell you specifically what was in these songs that wasn't in the other popular bands of the day, but I knew I was drawn to it.  While it's embarrassing, I actually thought for some reason that the number of ska bands in the world could be counted on two hands.  I literally did just that on my front porch one summer day.  I was a lonely teen with a new musical obsession.

If it wasn't for those bands, I never would've found myself participating in blossoming online communities.  People on the internet were talking about bands like Hepcat, the Slackers, and the Toasters.  To my ears, Hepcat didn't sound much like the Bosstones at all, and I really couldn't figured out how they were both called "ska".  Furthermore, I didn't like the Slackers when I first heard them.  Somehow, though, I stumbled upon their song "Have The Time".  This was the first song of theirs I fell in love with.  Once I got snared into the world of the Slackers, everything changed for me.  Suddenly Hepcat made sense.  Suddenly the decades of history unfolded themselves to me, and the lineage was clear.  Taking in originators like Prince Buster and the Skatalites for the first time and hearing the foundations of the more modern forms was magical to me.

Since discovering this expansive secret garden, I've started writing my own music.  I've played ska-punk, I've played twisted skacore, I've copied old Jamaicans, and I've even tried doing my own new genre crossovers.  I've also seen new kids get into the music through new gateway bands.  Few of them could possibly feel the same connection I do to the word "ska", but none of them are any different than I was almost twelve years ago.  As a musician I want to help educate kids as quickly as possible, because if they can get hooked, it makes the scene stronger.  But more importantly, as a fan, I have the same agenda.  I still consider myself much more a spectator than a contributor, and I still fall in love with bands new and old.  My interest in the scene isn't that of the musician who wants kids to see things his way, but rather as the fan who wants to see things keep getting bigger and better.

Of course, I also want to get rich.  Really rich.  Like No Doubt rich.  That would be nice.

Matt Wixson

Looney Tunes, an independent record store in my hometown, was the place that first introduced me to ska music. I was 13 years old and every Tuesday I'd ride my bike up to the store to see what new records had come out.

Rummaging through their cd racks one day, I saw that they had a smallsection under the title "Ska". I had just started going to local punk shows and had heard about the music, but didn't really understand what it was. So, I asked the guy that worked there to give me the best cd in the section. He handed me "Let's Face It" by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. It didn't leave my cd player for months.

After that, I continued my weekly record trips, but now picking up a new ska or reggae disc every time. The Skatalites, The Specials, and The Bosstones helped me match a sound to each wave of the music.

Growing up on Long Island, I had tons of ska bands to take note from. We had veterans like The Scofflaws, ska-boom bands from the late 90's like Edna's Goldfish and Step Lively, and the local leaders of the ska/punk scene at the time, The Arrogant Sons of Bitches.

I was lucky enough to have the two necessities that have kept ska music alive: an awesome independent record store and a great local scene. The scene has been a welcoming home to me ever since. As cliche' as it may sound, it seems that there's a sort of unity amongst the ska scene no matter where you travel. The bands seem to stick together, always lending each other a hand. It is some of the most DIY music out there, where there's no expectation to "get big". Everyone is just there for the same reason, to dance to the ska.

- Jesse Litwa
Royal City Riot

When I was in high school, my brother came home from college one weekend and asked me to help him out with a music question.  He was taking a music history course and he asked me what ska was.  I said that I had no idea.  That was the first time I heard that word.  I had been playing the guitar for a year or two at that point.

After high school I wanted to pursue my musical journey and attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.  There I met a group of friends and we started a band called Big D and the Kids Table.  The first few months at Berklee I was inundated with ska and reggae music from the other guys in the band.  Since we were friends first and they needed a guitar player, I figured that I should learn how to play it.  How hard can it be to play ska?  It's just upstrokes on the guitar, right?

Over the past 13 years I have learned what ska means to me as well as what it means to people all over the world.  We've played thousands of shows in more countries than I can count, and from what I've gathered, it's about having a good time.  People, not just kids in high school, want to dance.  It can be fast or slow, loud or quiet, but it has to groove.  There are so many cool ska bands that lay down grooves that make you want to get up and dance.  Hepcat, the Slackers, Chris Murray...there's so much good ska music out there.

There is no limit on how you can play ska too.  You can mix it up with some punk rock, reggae or dub...whatever you want.  The songs can be about any matter of subjects, the instrumentation can be any combination, you can play it acoustic or plugged in, in a VFW hall or a huge club...as long as it's honest, fun and played well, people will like it.  I know that I do.

-Sean P. Rogan
Big D and the Kids Table

Due to being "out of the way" and only seen as a country music city, Nashville is often skipped when it comes to tour routing. My bandmates and I often have to coerce booking agencies into bringing larger punk/ska/hardcore/whatever bands to the area with promises of a good turnout, even on a Monday, the standard day alloted for Nashville when it comes to less mainstream styles of music because, let's face it, there's a lot more people in Atlanta or any of the cities three or four hours away. Our city is detached; it is easy for us to drive to other major cities to play shows, but harder to get them here.

By no means does this deter our scene from flourishing. We have a close knit group when it comes to good punk/ska shows that continually make it a point to spread the word and show touring bands a good time when they arrive. Every show that they set up, whether it's in a basement, warehouse, or venue, the artists make it a point to return to Nashville the next time around. As with anything, belief and determination can sustain the scene, even if support ebbs for a while, it will rise again. 

-Will Carter
Stuck Lucky

The Clash were a great band, no one would ever argue that, but The Clash were my older brother's band, yknow the band he got spit on for, the band he sang along with in the suburban streets of New Jersey. My band could never be The Clash, no matter how much I love them, my brother loved them more. I stumbled accidentally on Operation Ivy, just by a chance visit to the east bay, there they were, the blended the line of things I liked, they were my age, sang about things that I knew about- things that set fires off in my head. They became my band and the hybrid of blending ska and punk became the genre of music that I drank to in parking lots, traveled the world to, saw break ups and crashes to. Ska punk became a voice for me and my friends and still is the basic foundation for the life that I lead. ska. punk. my music. my voice.

- Vinny Fiorello
Less Than Jake

At the risk of sounding uncool (is that an oxymoron beacuse of the topic?) I was introduced to ska along with the masses by bands like the bosstones, reel big fish and goldfinger at age 15.  Initially as a kid I was drawn to it for it's complete wackyness at times and it's ability to be some of the most fun and positive music possible. As I grew up though and watched countless bands duck out of the scene for various reasons as well as the genre  gain mass appeal and lose it just as quick I also came to love it for a different reason.  Ska is one of the most honest forms of music at points as it is written by people for the love of it and not the possibility of fame and fortune. As a ska musician we don't play it expecting that giant record contract and million dollar signing bonus at the end of the day, we play because we love it and couldn't imagine enjoying any other type of music as much.  What we get out of this scene is worth more than the possibility of that big check and that's what makes ska great and that's why since age 15 I haven't looked back.

-written on my iPhone (balling!)
-John DeDomenici
Bomb The Music Industry

I didn't know much about music except that I liked rock, but I remember after buying my first CD player ever, I came home with the Foo Fighters self-titled album and "Let's Face It" by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. I knew that there was a difference in the way the two albums sounded, and that I always liked the Bosstones record better --- for some reason it always put me into a great mood. From that point, the two twin brothers that I was in a band with started to open my eyes to bands like The Aquabats, The Hippos and Reel Big Fish.  These guys were two years younger than me and had a million times better musical taste than I did. They were rocking to all kinds of great ska bands, as well as bands like Saves the Day, The Stryder, Bane and Snapcase. All of these bands would peak an interest in me, but none so much as the ska bands. I remember borrowing "The Fury of Attack - The Aquabats" from one of the brothers and keeping it in my car for at least a year. I listened almost non-stop to ska. From that point on, I was hooked.

When I sang in Long Shot Hero in college, I eventually started to figure out what I liked about this kind of music. I started listening to more and more reggae, and more and more local ska bands. I became big fans of ASOB, The Football Heroes, and Big D. I was digging the upbeats, and most of all, I just loved the horns. I knew when LSH started drifting more towards rock that I'd be on my way out soon. A big thing I liked about LMLC was that they were already experimenting with a ton of ways to play ska....all of which are different in their own way. Like Sean Rogan said, you can play ska a million ways, and I wanted to start experimenting with all of them. Whether it's trad ska, 3rd wave, dark reggae, dub or dancehall -- It remains the original dance music, and still the ONLY music I'll really dance to.

Especially when I'm wasted.

-Chris Irons
Last Martyrs of a Lost Cause

Until visiting the basement of suburban Richmond church to see my first ska punk show (inquisition/the unity project/funsize), I had only been to see huge major market productions like the Smashing Pumpkins Melloncollie and the Infinite Sadness tour, which was quite awesome, but overwhelming and not particularly accessible to me as a 13 year old.  The church basement show made a much more noticeable impact on my life because it made it apparent that this music was made by and for normal everyday people, and more importantly kids. The music could (and would be) mine from then on.  Regardless of whether a handful of friends or 300 people were laying down their $5 to make it into the show, these bands were going to be around playing the music that they loved.  It made music something attainable and personal rather than showy and awe-inspiring.  All of a sudden this was something that me and my friends could make and give to whoever was listening.  It was more about feelings and passion for the actual performance of the music than it was about the production and presentation of it.  In short, the ska punk scene is a sound, a place and a group of people that I can call my own.

-Reid Attaway
Murphys kids

“Ska is one of the most honest forms of music at points as it is written by people for the love of it and not the possibility of fame and fortune.” - John DeDomenici (is that you?)

I was about to bark up an entirely different tree. However, this statement really made me think for a moment and realize what turned me on to ska in the first place. I’ll never forget my first ska show. Me and James Doyle attended the Annual Long Island Superfest. We were treated to acts including: Edna’s Goldfish, One Cool Guy, Arrogant Sons of Bitches, Channel 59, Slow Gherkin, etc…
Quite the time…
At my second ska show, I was introduced to my favorite band, Less Than Jake. At 13 years old, their music truthfully changed my life. A decade later, nothing has changed. What John said really does describe ska in the most accurate way.

Ska music stems from the love of it. Whether it be my first show, second show, third vinyl record, fourth trip to Florida or my fifth trip to Knoxville: I’ll always think of myself as a ska kid in high school. Some things will never change. And sometimes the best change is learning to stay the same.

-Dave Solomon
High School Football Heroes

I was really young when I got into music, and one of my older friends Keith brought over a bunch of CD’s.  Two of them that stood out to me were an Operation Ivy CD, and an Ednas Goldfish CD.  From then on, ska and punk music have been a huge part of my life.  I was 13 or 14 when I went to my first show on said friend’s birthday, Ednas Goldfish, Step Lively, and others at Deja One on Sept 25th 98 or 99.  I’ll never forget it because, aside from being my first show, I went early and got in, while he was late and couldn’t get in because the show was sold out.  He eventually did get in by playing the birthday card, but for two hours I was a little kid completely alone in a packed room – And aside from not knowing a single person, I felt like I fit in so well.  I met a bunch of great people, spoke to total strangers about music, and had an overall fantastic time.  I was hooked.

Not long after that, I was going to every show I could with Keith.  We started going to Praise Tabernacle church when they started doing shows, Deja One all of the time, Ground Zero.  It was wonderful.  I met so many great people who I still consider my best friends today.  I can’t tell you what I did on past birthdays for the most part, but I’ll never forget seeing The Pilfers at Praise Tab on my birthday, or Mephiskapheles at Deja on another birthday.  These were the best years of my life.

The tight community within the ska scene is what makes it great.  I have always had a good time going to punk shows, hardcore shows, regular ol’ rock shows – but at ska shows I always feel welcome, always have a good time, and I know I will see the familiar faces I grew up with, and new faces who are having just as much fun as I did when I was younger. 

-Hardcore Justin
Crappy Jack Records
Barnaby Jones

I've never felt so accomplished in my life. 


When i was 12 i was listening to Fear Factory, Blind Guardian, and Tool. Passed on from my cousin, i still enjoy these bands but not like the next series of bands entered into my life.Living on Long Island, I was turned onto ska by friends i met in the town over from me and i started taking the train out to backstreet blues and the downtown. I started going to shows in NYC, making new friends and developing myself into who i am today. I taught myself saxophone in high school because i wanted to be able to play in a ska band and not be in the back(because ive always been a drummer). I started learning horn lines from my favorite bands like the Aquabats, Mu330, Slapstick, the Bosstones, Skankin Pickle, Link 80, Slow Gherkin, the Plug, the Glowskulls, Pilfers, Rx Bandits, Blue Meanies, and the Hippos. Playing bari sax in Drop It Jeffrey i eventually left the band to start another band with 17 other people. Friends from local ska bands like Forced Laughter, Kick Boxing Fury, the Monochromatics, 32 Degrees in Hell, DIJ, Battery Brain, and My Big New Pants joined together to make something that was one of the best times of my life. I loved all those guys despite any differences. I will never forget the day i met Jimmy Doyle while he was working his shit job at the downtown haha. From there i moved onto my next saga. 

I joined TFT a few years back. I couldn't believe the support in Connecticut. Now dont get me wrong long island had and still has a good scene but the local home shows for TFT were off the walls. These kids really cared and still do. Some of my favorite shows i have ever played happened at the Wallingford American Legion Hall. I love that small shithole. TFT's music intrigued me so much that I wanted to join. Such weird music and even weirder musicians. I fit in perfectly. One of my favorite things about TFT is having kids come up to me and be like " wow dudes, dont get me wrong i hate ska but i loved you guys!". It really makes me wonder. I never really understood that. We may not be a straight up ska band but we have straight up ska songs and parts and its something that we include because we all love it. The same goes for later Link 80, the Blue Meanies, and some Bosstones, all of which inspired me to make weird music with TFT. None the less, best kids. 

After that i joined WATU. Quite different from TFT in the fact that we play two very different styles but both still include ska into our writing as it is a part of all of our lives. WATU has been touring non stop now off of our debut full length and are in the process of recording new demos for our next record. The ska scene here in Michigan is not as prominent as it is in other places like New Orleans, the tri-state area, and L.A. to name a few. Sitting here writing this i'm now realizing how much my life is honestly based around the ska scene and what have you. I tour constantly in ska bands making ska music. Its what i do. I rely on kids to like ska and come to the shows and get merch so i can eat. I'm putting a lot of faith in this and im putting a lot of faith in you. Enough about my bands though. 

So back to square one. Where does this lead? Why do i feel so accomplished? Because of the friendships I have made in the scene. Hanging out with people i used to idolize. I will never be able to complain. Talking to Frank and Eric from the glowskulls about their new merch designs. Going to Europe and touring with Sonic Boom Six and Grown at Home. Talking to Vinny from Less Than Jake about different vegan mock meats at "Chop Stix" in gainesville. Having Obi from westbound text me at 5 am to say " i hope you are doing well". Seeing old bandmates and friends thrive in new bands like Royal City Riot, Barnaby Jones, Arabian Facebuster, Collider, My Heart to Joy..., Hostage Calm, Last Martyrs, Magic Goat. Seeing deer friends bands play their final shows like Public Access, the Fad, and At All Costs. Sharing the stage with other brothers like Stuck Lucky, Fatter Than Albert, and the Brunt of It. Touring with Mustard Plug and Mu330. Talking to Coolie about his son. Calling Dan Potthast about Santa Cruz and how he is doing. Watching Tommy get fucked before playing with Bomb. Eating Dave from the Plugs famous home made salsa. These are all things that make me say i have really done something with my life and really love where i have gone and what i have done. I will never forget the day Dan and Rob from Mu330 told me to learn the songs and get up on stage and play. They are my favorite ska band ever and always will be. They were great men that i looked up to. And i can honestly say that i want to live with Gerry in his mom's basement with him because he is the big brother i never had haha. I love all of you guys and i dont think you know how much you have all changed my life. 

Ska will keep striving all over the world. Whether i be in Long Island, New Haven, or Detroit i know i will always be able to go see one of my favorite bands and have a great time. Keep the local scene alive and don't change for anyone. I love all the bands in this calendar and so should all of you. Get educated. The only thing i can't stand is the kids who say "heck yea i love ska. I listen to streetlight and RBF". I also enjoy those bands but if you are so strongly moved by them then go to google and make a search for other ska bands. They may be lesser known but i promise you you'll find something you'll hold onto forever. This scene is my life. Thanks to all the bands that decided to keep writing ska songs and thanks to all the labels that decided to keep helping these bands put out their music. I love you. 

"Hang Tough, Hold Tight. The Ride's Not Over Yet" - Mu330

-John Ryan
The Flaming Tsunamis
We Are The Union

The Ska scene for me started with the Colony Diner in East Meadow, NY. A friend from a band called Who Cares asked me if I wanted to be in a band. I had just left a band and really didn't want to do anything. the choice of music or college, I figured why not... and so I started playing Ska. I left that band after a few years and went to another one. Why ska is important to me? The people I met, the great musicians, the friendships I created, and it gave me an outlet to be happy. Sorry... I like down beats just as much as up beats. For me, it was always the people!!!!

-David Ringel
Edna's Goldfish
Step Lively

What does the scene mean to me? Seriously it has taken me three weeks to start writing this. So much of my life has revolved around  Ska scene I have no idea where to start. Fact! Music seriously meant nothing to me it was not even on the radar in my life. Then  a friend in 8th grade gave me Ska core the devil and more. After that it was all over I had to get more. Scouring the local record store just to get more.
Which led me to a flyer promoting a show at the local American legion. Little did I know I was about to see a band that would change my life forever. That band was none other than Treephort. I made more friends at that show than I have ever had in my life. I was addicted I had to go to more shows.
Then came time to start my own band. Quit those bands join more bands. Somehow  now I am about to spend the majority of 2009 in a van with my own band.
This scene has given me so much. At the very least I have the comfort of knowing I have a floor to sleep on in most major citys in the united states.  It has been a very positive affect on my life and can not imagine where I would be with out it.

-Jett!
The Disregardables

 


I used to get asked the question "what does the scene mean to you?" a lot when I was in a band.  At the time I don't think I gave it all  that much thought.  We were just sort of out there doing it.  Winging it at every turn because we never received a manual on how to be a band.  You never really think about a scene so much when you're trying to keep six people fed and happy, but it's the people involved in the scene as a whole who keep you going.


In retrospect the scene was what kept us alive and made sure that there was another day to look forward to.   Everyone from the zine writers to the kids who let us sleep on their floors to bands like The Toasters who took a chance on us and took us on tour around the world, these people were the most important thing to my existence and are the reason I'm still involved in music today.  I learned everything I needed to know in this business of music in the ska scene.

The ska scene was so important because it was all completely grassroots.  Before the whole thing "blew up", ska bands were out there doing it because we loved the music and we loved the people. There are still bands out now doing it for the love of the music and not because they may get famous off of it (they won't!).  I find that gives me hope that there are still people doing things for the love of the music and not because it's going to be a paycheck.

The 90s ska scene gave me the opportunity to meet some lifelong friends, tour the world, be on TV, be on the radio, and support my life.  I am forever indebted to anyone who helped during those times and I am forever grateful and proud to have come out of the Long Island/NYC ska scene.


-Brian Diaz
Edna's Goldfish