The Most Important (North/South) American Ska Bands.

[Skibz McCullock]

Although I have the strong desire to, I've decided NOT to post the usual trite "wut r ur favorite bandz?" thread and instead pose a rather thought-provoking question: who do you consider the most important American ska bands? "Important" could be in whatever regard, be it the most innovative, who had the most impact on what/whom, etc., etc..

To me, I believe that the most important band I've heard so far are The Slackers. I feel that they've reinvented American ska in the same way The Specials reinvented Jamaican ska. Although The Slackers play traditional Jamaican ska and reggae right down to the very last beat, their sound is totally and uniquely their own. I mean, the way that they weave R&B, country, and soul influence into Caribbean music is seamless: How often do you hear a reggae version of a Johnny Cash or Bon Jovi song and it actually sounds "right"? To top it off, they're excellent musicians and Vic Ruggiero's songwriting is perhaps some of the best in the genre. And since they're on the Hellcat label and are good friends with Rancid, they've really exposed a whole new, young generation to trad ska, and that alone is priceless.

So...yeah.

[Andrew Lyons]

I'm gonna have to go with The Toasters, for several reasons.
Started in 1982, they are one of the longest lasting North American bands around.
Bucket Hingley was also responsible for Moon Ska Records. Virtually every American ska band of he 90's has appeared on some Moon Ska cd or compilation.
Bucket also founded Megalith Records and has had an important hand in bringing the American ska scene back from the ashes of the late-90's ska boom.
Bucket also created both the 3 Floors Of Ska concerts in both NYC and LA.
And he created the International Ska Circus which has held concerts in Las Vegas and Prague.

I would also like to mention The Untouchables, Fishbone and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones for helping ska put down roots in the US.

in South America, you gotta recognize Los Fabulosos Cadillacs and Desorden Publico.

[Steven Denney Shafer II]

I guess there are several for me, i can't narrow it down to one.

One one hand, bands like The Toasters or Fishbone were huge in the third wave ska era. But bands like No Doubt or Sublime really helped to bring it into the mainstream. But than band slike Rancid broadanded the kinds of people who liked the music.

If I had to narrow it down, I guess I'd agree that The toasters deserved it the most.

[sean]

Yeah, The Toasters have got to be up there. I'd also go with The Untouchables and Fishbone. Really pushed things early on when no one else was. Bosstones jus because they pushed things in a different direction. Bim Skala Bim...like The Toasters flying the ska flag from early on.

[Klaus Vanderson]

It may sound strange but I'm gonna have to go with Streetlight Manifesto. 4 years ago I don't think I'd ever have imagined I'd be listening to the music I listen to today. Ska music is my life. At that point however I had no knowledge of it. I had heard a little bit, some Bosstones, some Less Than Jake, etc. It was Streetlight that really hooked me though, especially after I saw them live for the first time. They opened the door to ska music for me and I think they do that for a lot of people that wouldn't ordinarily listen to ska. From Streetlight I got into mostly Ska/Punk, then from there I learned about the Slackers and on to Westbound Train, Deal's Gone Bad, onto some of the older stuff (which I'm not completely knowledgeable on but I'm getting there) like Toots and the Maytals and Augustus Pablo. Just picked up the new Pietasters album as well, which is chock full of soul music that I'm really digging, so there's another area I'm gonna have to look into.

[CurtW]

for history Im goin with the Toasters since they were one of the first ska bands in America to stick it out for so long. But today standards its gotta be the Slackers, they play the most traditional ska of all the 3rd wave bands out there (in my opinion). i think they are going to bring a lot of people back to the traditional ska style. like what the Aggrolites are doing with reggae. and with those two working/touring with bands like rancid and dropkick murphys your gonna have a lot more ska fans.

[sean]

Yeah, got to love The Slackers. Saw them in the UK recently. Fantastic. No one does it better.

[skaisyourfriend]

The early 3rd wave bands in America all deserve a place in this list for laying the foundation for modern ska (The Toasters and Fishbone as previously mentioned). Since then, the genre has become so diverse and so many innovative bands have emerged, it's hard to decide on a few most important but I'll try.

-Local Ska Bands - I know... this is very cliche, but the some of the most import bands in the North/South American scenes are the "Local Ska Bands". They're like transmitters of ska and are usually how the teenie bopper and college age groups become acquainted with the genre. For me it was The Usuals, Less Than Jake, Skif Dank, Sleepie Odie, Baker Act, Magadog and other FL bands that made me ska curious in the first place. For that reason... I'm starting off my list with (insert your local ska bands here)...

Less Than Jake - Although, they have long since departed from their status as a ska-punk band, LTJ has influenced several bands throughout the world, not to mention my former hometown (Gville, FL) scene. If LTJ didn't point the spotlight on ska in Florida, we probably wouldn't have seen such bands as The Know How, The Spitvalves, and more.

Who is next.... hmmm

Hepcat - How many times have you heard a clip of a Hepcat song in the soundtrack of a commercial or TV show? When those songs get stuck in your head, there's no escape! For that reason, they get the "Show the TV watching world how catchy and fun ska can be" award!

They Might Be Giants - Although they're not purely ska, I'm listing them for the same reason as I listed Hepcat.... can anyone say... the theme song from "Malcolm in the Middle"?

Sublime, No Doubt, and the Bosstones get the "Put SKA on MTV" Award and definitely deserve some credit for turning a plethora of Real World watchers on to our genre. Of course, these three were already mentioned.

I second (or is it third?) Catch 22/Streetlight Manifesto and Op Ivy/Rancid... I've heard several bands borrow from their style.

For South America, I second Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - It seems that I hear "Matador" in movies all the time.

Some other noteworthy bands I endorse for their "importance factor" and stylistic innovations:
-MU330
-The Pietasters
-Mephiskapheles
-Buck-O-Nine
-Pilfers
-Jeffries Fan Club
-The Smooths
-Filibuster
-I'm sure if I dig deep, I can name a few more.

All of these bands have had a huge impact on ska as we know it and continue to... "but you don't have to take my word for it"! (cue the 3 note sound byte from "Reading Rainbow)

[CurtW]

Living in North Florida you cant talk about ska unless u mention LTJ somewhere in the conversation, specially if you are talking to those that dont know much about the other ska genres.

and wasnt one of the guys from hepcat on the tv show Becker? the blind guy?

[Andrew Lyons]

Yes. Alex Desert.

[Skibz McCullock]

The only *true* traditional band I think is playing out there is Hepcat. They really go all out for that authentic Jamaican sound, where as The Slackers bring a much more American influence into the mix. Despite what people might say, I don't think I'd label them as "traditional"...they took the whole trad sound and turned it into something completely new and unique, yet still familiar and refreshing.

[CurtW]

yea, cant really argue there. The Slackers pull alot of American and Latin sounds into the mix. But comparied to most 3rd wave ska bands out now theyve got to be one of the most traditional sounds out there. No disrespect to Hepcat of cource, they put out those pure ,happy jamacian songs that can put a smile on anyones face

I wonder how Hepcat is dealin with the loss of Dave, i cant belive that he died.

[Brixton Beat]

<< Some other noteworthy bands I endorse for their "importance factor" and stylistic innovations: >>

I would put The Siren Six! in that list (personally, at the top!). Around 1998 or so, there seemed to be a bunch of bands "mimicking" their sound... incorporating power pop in with the ska. Bands like Slow Gherkin, The Hippos, The Gadjits, Let's Go Bowling, Animal Chin, Hollywood Rivals, The Jamons, etc.

I'm not necessarily saying they started the whole thing, but several of these bands listed them as an influence.