Hornpod: A Ska Podcast

Dicky Barrett sang in the Mighty Mighty Bosstones for 39 years, and announced for the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show for 18 years. In 2022, his stance on COVID vaccines seemingly ended both careers. Nowadays he writes and sings in 90s punk supergroup The Defiant, alongside members of Smash Mouth, the Offspring, the Street Dogs, and the Briggs. He joins Hornpod to share stories about the earliest days and highest heights of U.S. ska, as well as his place in the world these days. Hornpod theme written by Matt Wixson. Performed this episode by Brunt of It. The Hornpod Ska Canon lives at hornpod.org

You know him as a modern-day dub master and ska producer, but now we're calling him "professor" as Victor Rice takes us to production school. Ricey shares his advice on composing, performing, recording and mixing your music- it's like Masterclass but for ska kids.

Rebroadcast of an episode of the Monster Boogie Show, originally aired March 5th, 2024 on WCSB 89.3FM Cleveland Cleveland native and trombonist Greg Robinson (Mephiskapheles) guest hosts the Mikal Reich Memorial Show. For two hours, Greg spins rare, early Mephiskapheles tracks from 1992-1996, along with vintage ska from the 1960s that Mikal loved, and a few selections from the bands Meph toured with back in the early days. In between, there are brief interview segments from the Mephiskapheles circle as well as guests from the NYC scene who knew Mikal and pay tribute to him on-air. Together, we remember this brilliant, creative person who touched so many lives significantly with his friendship and his enthusiasm for ska music and living life to the fullest. We hope you'll find time to listen and remember Mikal too. Guests: Mike Drance, Dave Martinez, Andre Worrell, Mike Bitz, Rob “Bucket” Hingley, Brendan “Brendog” Tween, Irena Hyena RIP Mikal Reich (Mephiskapheles, Barbicide)August 28, 1965 - February 20, 2024

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra (TSPO, or Skapara) has been making records since 1990, but their music has been hard to come by in the US for much of their career. However, after their Supernova debut, and the availability of their entire back catalog for streaming, TSPO is finally getting the recognition they deserve. JJ and Matt have decided to become experts on the legendary band, and with the help of Chris Malone from The Pandamics, The Pilfers, and Bigger Thomas, they will take you through the history of TSPO.

Matt recently had the opportunity to hop on a Zoom with Coolie, Vinny and Nick from The Pilfers! Their seminal record from 1999, Chawalaleng is available for streaming for the very first time, and this coincides with a reunion of the band's original lineup. This is Coolie Ranx's third visit to Hornpod, check the feed for episodes 027 and 028 for the full Pilfers' Saga.

It's been a fantastic year for ska music and we have been making lists. JJ and Matt welcome the curator of the BIG 2023 Ska Releases Spotify playlist, Cody Freedom and author/blogger of Ska, Punk and other Junk, Dane Jackson to the show. We each share our own Top Ten lists, find some common overlap and reflect on another year in ska.

It's Christmas time again! Yes, again. Some folks were disappointed that nothing was added to the Ska Canon in the last episode. We're fixing that with a self-proclaimed Christmas Ska expert, Sean McCabe from Rocky Sullivan, Psy D and Bomb The Music Industry!

JJ and Matt are in a Christmas mood, so we've brought on Jesse Wagner (The Aggrolites) and Eitan Avineri from Western Standard Time to talk about their new record, Bluebeat Holiday. It's a classy mix of Big Band, Ska and Christmas favorites. And in Ska Canon, we try to find some Christmas Ska that's worthy to be inducted.

Guests, James McDonald, I-Peace Unikue and their band Eastern Standard Time are playing Supernova Ska Festival 2023! More than that, they’ll also be backing up Sister Nancy and Dr. Ring-Ding! Eastern Standard Time joins JJ and Matt to tell us what it’s like infusing traditional Ska with non-traditional amounts of Jazz- and finding the right balance over their nearly 30 years together. We get into the nuances of playing Ska-Jazz, and also, when things get too far out.

JJ and Matt are joined by Victor Rice and Kristoph Toth to discuss their new project, Heritage: On Bartok's Path, which combines ska with traditional Hungarian folk songs. A true ska visionary, Rice conceived of the new genre-mixing album years ago, and enlisted Toth's band, the Pannonia Allstar Ska Orchestra to make it a reality. We talk Scofflaws! We talk about Samba Rocksteady! And of course, we talk Bela Bartok!

The Prizefighters are a Minneapolis band who really studies Jamaican music. This has led them to be picked to back living Jamaican legends including Stranger Cole, Patsy Todd, Roy Panton, Yvonne Harrison, Charlie Organaire, and "King of Ska" Derrick Morgan. Aaron, Tony, and Courtney from the band join us to discuss the nuances and particulars of playing Jamaican music and the ways it has and hasn't been done since the 1960s.

It’s the 1981 documentary that captured the energy and excitement of the ska scene during the height of the 2 Tone movement in Britain. Featuring electrifying live performances by bands like The Specials, Madness, and The Selecter, it remains a cult classic, one that played a key role in kickstarting the third wave in the US. Recently remastered, remixed and rereleased by the British Film Institute, we are finally given the chance to see it restored to it’s original glory… it’s DANCE CRAZE and the latest episode of the Hornpod Film Club! Our special guest is Marc Wasserman, he's the author of Ska Boom: An American Ska & Reggae Oral History; host of Ska Boom podcast and bassist for Rude Boy George & Bigger Thomas

Here's a special episode to address the recent announcement of an Operation Ivy reunion by way of the new band, Doom Regulators. Or should we say, Bad Optix? Whatever they're called, we've got Jimmy Doyle (The Fad and The Forthrights) to serve up Rancid trivia and hot takes!

In this episode of Hornpod Film Club, we review the 2019 documentary, Shella Record: A Reggae Mystery. Directed by Chris Flanagan, the film tracks his decade of searching for the soulful siren featured on a 10-cent record he bought in a thrift store, credited only with the name Shella Record. His journey takes him from record shops in Toronto to the legendary recording studios of Jamaica, where he discusses the history of Jamaica's music with some of reggae's greatest hitmakers. Along the way, Chris's own artistic practice of carefully crafted miniatures helps to tell a playful story of obsession, the power of music, and final redemption. Tune in to our discussion with special guests and hear the tale of Shella Record: A Reggae Mystery, plus Ska Canon.

In this episode of Hornpod Film Club, we explore the 1997 hit movie, Grosse Pointe Blank. Starring John Cusack as a hitman attending his high school reunion, the film blends action, comedy, romance and maybe a little Rude Boy mythology. The soundtrack is iconic and peppered with ska and reggae classics like "I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash, “Rudie Can’t Fail” by The Clash and “A” Message to You Rudy” by The Specials. Our special guest for this episode is Ryan Reeves, guitarist for the band, The Exceptions. Ryan compares his experiences growing up as a ska kid in Detroit in the 80s to what we see on film, but also offers insights into the main character’s psyche. We get into it! All this, and Ska Canon.

Hornpod Film Club 01 The Harder They Come (1972) It’s the story of a Jamaican country boy who comes to the big city with dreams of becoming a Reggae star but ends up exploited by the music industry, cheated by the drug trade and eventually gunned down by the police. It’s Jamaica’s first feature film, a cult classic and is widely credited with introducing Reggae to the world. It’s The Harder They Come from 1972 and it is our first movie in The Hornpod Film Club! Heather Augustyn is our special guest, she is the author of Ska: An Oral History and many other books about Jamaican history.

JJ and Matt welcome Cody Freedom, curator of the Spotify-complete-ska-release-playlist every year. Together, we reflect on a year in ska and we compare our Top Ten lists.

JJ and Matt are joined by many guests tonight as we explore the pop side of ska. First, Agent Jay of The Slackers and Ali and Danny of Stop The Presses call in talk about their new album, Got It. Then, Tim from Supernova Ska Fest joins us to talk about Ska Canon and other big announcements.

JJ and Matt are joined by Adam Reeves, creator of the forthcoming biography of The Skatalites' legendary trombonist Don Drummond. Drummond's creative genius helped shape ska music in its earliest days, but his life was short and marred by tragedy. We celebrate his music, learn about his extensive legacy and even consider a few albums for the Ska Canon.

Jazz is one of the major musical elements of Ska, so what's the deal with Ska-Jazz? JJ and Matt sit down with the Jazz experts of Westbound Train to help us break it down. Westbound's Obi, Rich and Thad help us crack the code of Ska-Jazz, and even elevate a few classics into the canon.