Ska Blah Blah » Podcasts

JJ’s Still Got It

JJ Loy — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 04:44:17 +0000

So here’s my obligatory, “sorry-I-haven’t-posted-in-a-while” post that are so popular with the kids these days.

The truth is, I’m not all that sorry. I’m still doing the Ska’s The Limit radio show, and I’ve even been podcasting for the boys over at Pressure Drop/Music Is Our Occupation. Trust, I’m keeping busy.

Also contributing to my lag- There are just so many great Ska blogs out there, scooping me at every turn. Perhaps I’ll start showcasing a few of these wonderful websites, in the near future.

Of course, any reader of mine has got to be hip to the one they call, Gabe Pressure and his catalog of ska podcasts, Music Is Our Occupation. A few months ago, Gabe and I thought it would be fun to recreate the tracklist of The Slackers’ seminal record, Redlight, using tracks from my extensive live bootleg collection. Redlight is the second album by The Slackers- but in many ways, it’s their first.

The whole sha-bang can be found over at MusicalOccupation.com- JJ Loy Presents: Redlight Redid

One last thing- When I collected these live bootlegs, I didn’t realize that I’d ever play them for the public. While I’m all too happy to do so, I feel bad that I don’t have a single credit for any of the tapers. I apologize. If you are one of the tapers, or you know who the credit goes to, please let me know.

Dub Online: Live Dub From Balanced Records

JJ Loy — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:17:50 +0000

Balanced Records has quite a long list of killer dub and electronic podcasts, full of long, live DJ sets and mix tapes. I’m especially into the hour long Dubmatix set. I also can’t wait to check out the episode featuring Subatomic Soundsystem. If you are in the mood for some straight, uninterrupted live dub- the Balanced Podcast is for you.

Check it: Balanced Podcast

Dubmatix Homepage

Subatomic Soundsystem

The State of Ska Blah Blah

JJ Loy — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:25:38 +0000

I’ve come to the end of another series of interviews. Small Talk concluded with just as much punch as it began with- and I am honored to have spoken with each and every artist featured within.

I know the site has been wonky with Safari and Opera, lately- and I think that issue is resolved at the moment. Please let me know if you are still having trouble viewing SkaBlahBlah.com. A site overhaul is in the works. Until then, here’s a complete hunk of links- everything I’ve produced for Ska Blah Blah:

Series One – Conversations on a Revivalist Movement

01.Chris Murray
02.Victor Rice
03.Dave Hillyard
04.Joey Altruda
05.Vic Ruggiero

Series Two – Cut the Chit Chat

01.New Ska
02.Skinhead Reggae
03.Hard Edged Dub
04.Ska Rap
05.Ska Demos
06.Even Newer Ska

Series Three – Small Talk

01 – Victor Axelrod
02 – Green Room Rockers
03 – Babylon Party Machine
04 – The Impalers
05 – The Aggrolites

Special Episodes

00 Field Trip to Ska Weekend ’07
00 A Look Back at The Skatalites Middle Period

New episodes aren’t in the near future, but the blog side of Ska Blah Blah will continue to bring you lots of Ska Links and Videos. If you haven’t already, please subscribe with your favorite feed reader.

Thank you all so much for reading the blog and listening to the podcasts, especially those of you who have really contributed by commenting on the various posts. I encourage everyone to leave a comment or drop me a line with your thoughts on all things Ska.

Thanks,

-JJ Loy

jjloy@skablahblah.com

Ska Blah Blah: Small Talk – Episode 05 – The Aggrolites

JJ Loy — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:04:46 +0000

Brian Dixon has been a major influence in LA’s Ska and Reggae scene for years now. He’s been a key player in the Rhythm Doctors and the After Hours project- his latest thing is a little band you might have heard of- called The Aggrolites.

Brian and I discuss The Aggro’s writing process and their belief that everyone can love good Reggae, on this, the last episode of Small Talk.

Get The Aggrolites newest record Reggae Hit LA Link

Watch The Aggrolites Videos on YouTube Link

Ska Blah Blah: Small Talk – Episode 4 – The Impalers

JJ Loy — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 03:38:48 +0000

Lars Nylander, once the great valve T-bone player for Skankin’ Pickle and now the (even greater) keyboadist to the Impalers, talked to me at length for this episode of Small Talk. We discuss the maturation of his music as well as the production techniques that distinguish The Impalers from their Skinhead Reggae brothers, The Aggrolites.

The Impalers are an impressive band and Axe Records is a quality label, I encourage everyone to check them out.

Links:

Axe Records Link

Impalers MySpace Link

Buy Blood, Rum & Reggae from iTunes Link

Bobby Bobson’s review at Musical Occupation Link

Ska Blah Blah: Small Talk Episode 03 – Babylon Party Machine

JJ Loy — Thu, 29 May 2008 20:05:53 +0000

This episode, Matt Wixson- former keyboardist to the Flaming Tsunamis. He’s the one and only member of Babylon Party Machine, an electro-Ska experiment who (last year) released two albums online. For free. At once, Wixson’s music can seem contradictory and more than a little controversial, but then all forward thinking music is.

Link to Babylon Party Machine MySpace

Link to Matt Wixson’s MySpace

Link to Free Copy of The Back of My Hand EP

Link to Free Copy of God Hates Babylon Party Machine

Link to Free Copy of Matt Wixson’s solo album, Best Intentions

Crossover Event – Pressure Drop vs Ska Blah Blah

JJ Loy — Thu, 08 May 2008 00:35:31 +0000

I’m a bit late in writing about this, but it bears a post none the less. Gabe over at Pressure Drop Soundcast called me up and we discussed podcasting and the state of the current ska scene. It was a lot of fun and he gave me the entire set list to play some new and not so new stuff. You’ll hear some brand new Slackers, lots of Greg Lee and Alex Desert tracks, and yours truly supplying long winded answers to Gabe’s questions. Link

A Look Back at The Skatalites Middle Period

JJ Loy — Sat, 03 May 2008 21:09:59 +0000

Officially speaking, The Skatalites were only together from 1963 thru 1965. Since 1989, the surviving members have stayed together (to varying degrees) in response to their then growing worldwide audience. But the years between ’65 and ’89 weren’t completely Skatalites free. Here’s the scoop on The Skatalites’ middle period recordings.

In 1973, The Skatalites put aside their differences for at least on recording session at Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s Black Ark Studio. This session has been the basis for several records, all of which share duplicate tracks in various stages of remix. In a rare move by the founders, this session is not a ska set. Instead, they opted to prove that their proficiency in Roots Reggae is as unparalleled as the style they are famous for. Mittoo’s switch from piano to organ and harpsichord are a stand-out change of vibe for these releases.

Lloyd Brevett and The Skatalites – African Roots – This record features the straight-ahead, unadulterated tracks from the Black Ark sessions.
The Skatalites meet King Tubby – Heros of Reggae in Dub – The Black Ark tapes were quickly sent off to King Tubby for a Dub Version-ization.
The Skatalites meet King Tubby – Legandary Skatalites in Dub – Same idea as above, and even has some of the same cuts, but this disc is packed with even more dub reworkings at the hands of King Tubby.

Ten years later (1983) found each living member of the original band being convinced that a full scale reunion would be worth the trip back to Jamaica. Reggae Sunsplash was the main impetus behind the reformation, but several great recordings were produced in the few days leading up to the big show. Not young men, anymore, but not quite the senior citizens they are today, these middle-aged Ska legends displayed huge amounts of mastery and energy.

Stretching Out – To prepare for the Sunsplash set, The Skatalites played a small club gig to shake off any rust that might have built up in the 18 year interim. Released from their previously strict recording session limitations, and allowed to “stretch out”, this live set proves that there was no little rust to shake off in the first place. (note: The Skatalites were never paid for this recording, feel free to bootleg it)
Rolling Steady – Recorded in ’83 but released just last year, this record features the band in Music Mountain Studios, playing mostly new and lesser known compositions. Even Lord Tanamo shows up to sing Big Trombone. Absolutely great stuff.
Return of the Big Guns – The official ’84 album represents this iteration of The Skatalites sound. Like Rolling Steady, many of the compositions are original to the record, not retreads of their 60′s classics.
Live at Reggae Sunsplash – This is the main event- the reason for the early 80′s reunion. The full time reunion would still be six years away, but this is the show that proved how vital and necessary The Skatalites were. This was when they took their place as the founders of Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae.

If anyone knows of any more recordings from their middle period, please alert me to them.

Update: on 05/07/08 castBot 8.6 created this podcast, using only AI and an ipod.

Ska Blah Blah: Small Talk Episode 02 – Green Room Rockers

JJ Loy — Thu, 01 May 2008 23:27:26 +0000

If you’ve been following the scene this past year- If you read blogs like this or Musical Occupation- If you lurk around forums like Dancin’ Mood or Chatty Mouth- then you’ve surely heard the buzz surrounding Indiana’s own, Green Room Rockers.

[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8cU8Hpp034]

[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FExZGzpmm8E]

I talked with Green Room Rocker Mark about acoustic Ska, the Mid-West scene and the formation of his band.

Ska Blah Blah: Small Talk Episode 01 – Victor Axelrod

JJ Loy — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:07:25 +0000

Your eyes have not deceived you- It is a new series for Ska Blah Blah. This time around, the interviews are a bit shorter and the artists are a bit newer. I’ve also broadened the focus from mere Ska Revivalism to a more encompassing umbrella of Jamaican Revivalism. This is to better fit with this millennium’s crop of bands and DJ’s.

I’m starting off strong with my interview with Victor Axelrod, but subscribe to the feed and you’ll automatically get interviews with The Impalers, Babylon Party Machine, The Aggrolites, and The Green Room Rockers as they become available.

Multi-instrumentalist, producer and Dub mixologist, Victor Axelrod isn’t quite a household name, even if you live in the hippest of households. He’s worked with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Antibalas, Easy Star All-Stars, Lily Allen, and even Amy Winehouse- so it isn’t like he’s shying away from the spotlight. However, Axelrod’s love of pseudonyms has at times prevented audiences from connecting the dots of his work. His newest solo record seeks to reconcile this by featuring a virtual soundclash between himself and his better known alias, Ticklah.

I spoke with Victor about making retro music, working with Victor Rice, and of course his newest solo record, Ticklah Vs. Axelrod.

Ticklah Vs. Axelrod is out now on Easy Star Records where you can purchase the cd or digital download LINK

National Geographic’s Podcast Interview with Ticklah LINK

Wishtank’s bit about Ticklah’s Don’t Trip Studio with lot’s of extra info LINK

Rock Paper Scissors bit about Ticklah with a great review and press pack goodies LINK

Be friends with the man himself at MySpace LINK

Cut the Chit Chat – 06 – Even Newer Ska

JJ Loy — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 04:54:10 +0000

Way back before Episode 01 of Cut the Chit Chat I had scoured the internet trying to find the newest bands and the newest tracks. But I always felt the episode still wasn’t reflective of the unique time/space location that is late 2007. Luckily for me, the episode opened some doors with several prominent labels. Since the begining of this series, I’ve been swamped with samples from bands that I’ve never heard of.

New Skool and Traditional Style Ska are seeing a huge push in Europe and South America. Not to be counted out, the old USAok has it’s share of Traddy bands dotting it’s wide landscape.

Let me tell you a little bit about each band featured on this episode:

Downbeat Alley – Django Kill – Born from Royal Roost this group delivers heavy organ Reggae.

Deal’s Gone Bad – Rough and Ready – Chicago’s up and comers with a cut from the new album.

New Town Kings – Fire In the Hole – Do the Dog Records sent me this song, it’s fast, it’s rockin’ but it’s not typical.

The Dualers – Money – I found these guys on MySpace and was immediately impressed by their unique sound.

Bedouin Soundclash – Trinco Dog – See? I like them.

Miss Mad-e Ruthless – Dia De los Muertos – This fellow ska enthusiast has decided to lay down some tape of her own with this pretty song about scary things.

The Pepperpots – Be My Baby – Less of a band and more of a Ska Review, The Pepperpots prove their slickness with this classic cover.

3 Minute Warning – Sussed Out – Another Do the Dog offering seems to blaze past in an flash of high energy.

Green Room Rockers – Divided – A Soul Reggae group from West Lafayette, IN of all places, unplug their instruments and criticize foreign policy.

Rebelation – Minor Incident – This instrumental track takes it’s time and allows for so many solos; it might be my favorite cut on their whole cd.

Lord Mike’s Dirty Calypsonians – Rub My… – Classic Calypso tune- raised from the dead by this Chicago Revivalist group.

Ticklah/Victor Axelrod – Mi Sonsito – If you don’t have this cd- get it! A member of Easy Star All-Stars and many other dubby projects, Ticklah is Axelrod. But is the converse true?

The Slackers – Wanted Man – Vic and the guys cover the result of a Johnny Cash/Bob Dylan team-up.

Kingston Kitchen (Dr. Ring-Ding) – St. James Infirmary Blues – Another classic cover, with the Doctor taking on a very Tom Waits style voice.

The Pietasters – G to F – One of the best songs of last year. Great album great song.

The Toasters – Run Rudy Run Redux – I talk a lot of shit about the silly side of ska. But I’ll let you in on a little secret: I have a huge soft spot for cheezy spy-style ska. Run Rudy Run was on the second ska album I ever owned and this reworking of the classic Toasters track is really fun.

As I state on the show, this will be the last episode of the Cut the Chit Chat series. However, it is not the end for Ska Blah Blah. Expect a new interview series in January, and the blog will continue throughout. So keep your subscriptions active and you won’t miss a thing.

Cut the Chit Chat – 05 -Ska Demos (RERELEASE)

JJ Loy — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 21:24:51 +0000

It’s the day after the sites big move, and the only major issue I’ve discovered is a broken link to my most recent episode of Cut the Chit Chat.

After tweeking the original post a million times, to no avail, I’ve decided to repost the link in a new post.

To read the original show notes, click here.

Cut the Chit Chat – 05 -Ska Demos

JJ Loy — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 02:57:00 +0000

This Episode of Cut the Chit Chat isn’t the pretteiest or the most accessible; I’ve made- but it’s one that I’ve been dying to make for a long time. The reason being that I’m an amateur tape trader, and I get very few excuses to show off some of my rare stuff.

If you put up with the raw mixes and the loud hisses, you’ll be rewarded with alternate takes and a backwards engineered reflection of the recording process.

The introduction to the show features what can’t be aptly described as a demo, but is just as scratchy and hard to find, as anything else in the show- Bob Marley’s Rudie Cut. I started the first set off with three rare Slackers tracks that embody their early Two-Tone style, including the earliest version of You Don’t Know I, that I’ve ever heard. I keep the sound in NY for the next couple of demos by Mephiskapheles: Doomsday and My Three Favorite Americans. The first set ends with tracks from Fishbone and The Toasters, respectively. These tracks aren’t exactly rare, but might serve as a curiosity to those who haven’t heard them before.

The next set kicks off with the Violent Femmes’ Reggae-licious demo of Please Don’t Go (compare this to the original studio version to note the progress of this amazing bass solo). A pair of Hepcat demos follows, early cuts of Nigel and Take Dat. Although, these versions have never been released, you’ll find a lot of Hepcat fans already have these tracks on their ipods. The 7 Song Demo that Hepcat made for Moon Records is standard fare for Ska bootleggers. Following right behind comes some early Specials, or rather, The Coventry Automatics. This (hornless) version of Dawning of a New Era has been released dozens of times, but is very much a rough outline of the track we all know and love. And much the same could be said of the next demo track by The Clash, Rudie Can’t Fail from the Vanilla Tapes- not hard to find, but not quite ready for the big leagues.

The final tracks are what I believe will be of most interest to my listeners- but first, a bit of history: I’m sure many of you remember when the first Give ‘em the Boot compilation dropped. Nearly every track on that $5 cd was steller, but one song stood out over all the others, in my opinion. The Silencers’ Policeman was that song- ghostly and urban, the sound was very Two-Tone, faster than The Slackers but not as Punky as Rancid. The liner notes confirmed that this was a team up between Vic Ruggiero and Tim Armstrong, and promised a forthcoming album. Years go by and still no sign of a Silencers record. Ruggiero mentions in an interview, that an albums worth of songs were, in fact, recorded an are just waiting for some attention, but also, to not hold our breath. Then, about two years ago, I found (through a P2P service) a folder labeled, Life Won’t Wait Demos. Sure enough, many of the files were early demos of songs that would end up on Life Won’t wait, but the last few in the folder were unique. They would never become Rancid songs, and they featured Ruggiero more prominently. I believe this session, the Life Won’t Wait demos, to be all there is to The Silencers rumor. But please correct me if I’m wrong. This also reconfirmed a theory of mine, that Ruggiero had a great deal of influence on Rancid’s Life Won’t Wait. To finish the show, I picked two tracks from these bootlegs, the demo for Policeman and a much lower-fi version of the Rancid B-side, Brad Logan.

Also, check out the previous episode, Ska Rap, to hear another Silencer Sessions cut, Express Yourself (an NWA cover).

Cut the Chit Chat – 04 – Ska Rap

JJ Loy — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 21:48:00 +0000

This episode was born from a post I submitted a few months ago, where I told you all about a strange Acid House/Ska remix record I found. After that, I found a bunch of other tracks that feature a similar DJ meets Ska sort of mash-up.

You’ll hear some Rap Ska tracks from Wyclef Jean, Dr. Ring Ding, and DEL tha funkee homosapien; as well as House, Electro, and Dance tracks by artists like Asian Dub Foundation, Roughneck, and Pama International. Plus, if you stay tuned til the end you’ll hear a cut from the ultra-rare Silencers/Life Won’t Wait demo sessions, in which Tim Armstrong and Vic Ruggiero cover Express Yourself.

Field Trip – Ska Weekend ’07 – Special Episode

JJ Loy — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 22:43:00 +0000

I drove from St. Louis to Knoxville, TN to attend the big Ska Weekend, in the hopes of snagging a few interviews and catching a bunch of live sets from today’s top Ska artists. And wouldn’t you know it? I did just that.

While this piece tracks my day, the people I talked to and the music I was most interested in, it is by no means a report on the event as a whole. You’ll hear live songs by Deals Gone Bad, Westbound Train, Dr. Ring Ding feat. The Drastics and The Slackers. Plus, interviews with King Django, Anthony from the Drastics, Dr. Ring Ding and Agent Jay Neugent.

Links of Interest:

Ska Weekend Website
Musical Occupation’s coverage of the event

Cut the Chit Chat – 03 – Hard Edged Dub

JJ Loy — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:59:00 +0000

Maybe I’ve had the wrong impression for a long time, but I had always seen Dub Reggae as chill-out music- something to be passively and herbally enjoyed. Dub is a Weapon was the first band, that I encountered, to change the vibe from relaxing to energetic, with squealing guitars and double-time rhythms. And now, groups like Dub Trio are fulfilling this aggressive dub destiny by mixing creepy Dub FX into Bad Brains style Hard Core.

This episode brings you this sound, plus other non-traditional Dub approaches from bands like the Beastie Boys, Gotan Project, and the Drastics.

Babylon Motorhome – Big Band Vid Link
The Drastics – Al Q’runka Live Vid Link
Beastie Boys – Suco De Tangerina Vid Link
Dub Trio – Illegal Dub Vid Link
Slackerland All-Stars – Dub #1 Live
Dub is a Weapon – Unlabeled Live Track Live Vid Link
Crazy Baldhead – Controls
Gorillaz feat. Terry Hall – M1A1 Terry Hall Vid Link
Gotan Project – El Capitalismo Foraneo Vid Link
Pepper Pots – We Must Believe (Remix) Live Vid Link

Other Link of Interest:
-Archive.org has a ton of live Dub sets form many of these groups. Plus it’s free! Link (search for Dub)

Cut the Chit Chat – 02 – Skinhead Reggae

JJ Loy — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 22:11:00 +0000

These days, it seems like a most of the bands that had been releasing straight ska albums, several years ago, are now cutting their fair share of Skinhead Reggae tracks. Sure, the popularity of the Aggrolites has probably spurred this on, but maybe there’s a lot of folks like me, that don’t want a bible lesson every time they listen to Reggae.

This Rasta-free Reggae isn’t so much about social messages as it is about funky organs and foot stomping. This episode is exclusively Skinhead Reggae, and in keeping with this series’ theme, I’ll be interrupting the music as infrequently as possible.

The Vulcans – Vulcan-ized
The Aggrolites – Make it Reggae
Crazy Baldhead – Eye Jammy
Pama International feat Dave & Ansel Collins – It Ain’t Funny
Tim Armstrong feat. The Aggrolites – Among the Dead
The Moon Invaders – Don’t Touch the Dog
The Upsessions – Pharaoh’s Last Wish
The Skoidats – Smash Your Fucking Head
The Rhythm Doctors – Mark’s Mood
Downbeat Alley – Nobody but You
Westbound Train feat. Alex Desert – Soul Revival
Monty Alexander and Ernest Ranglin – Double Barrel
The Slackers feat. Glen Adams – Live Injection
The Aggrolites – Don’t Let Me Down

Other links of interest:
-A lengthy but informative essay on the Skinhead/Reggae connection. link
-A brief bit on early Skinhead culture. link

Oh, and Nazi Punks can Fuck-Off.

Cut the Chit Chat – 01 – New Ska

JJ Loy — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 02:21:00 +0000

My next series of interviews is still a ways off, so I thought I’d try to keep everyone interested by running an all-music series. Look forward to episodes featuring Skinhead Reggae, Dub Revivalism, and more.

In this episode, I play some of the best Neo-Trad Ska to come out of the past couple of years. You’ll hear bands from the States, Europe, and Asia; all of them calling back to Jamaica, but adding something modern.

I’ve added links where I can, and I encourage you to buy something from any of the bands that you like.

The Caroloregians – Super Bikini Link Ska Cubano – Istanbul Link, Link

Pepper Pots – King of the Street Link

Westbound Train – Fatty Fatty, Boom Boom Link

The Debonaires – Interrupted Link

The Determinations feat. Ego Wrapping – A Love Song Video Link

Heavy Step – You Got It (Newish – I couldn’t find any Deal’s Gone Bad)

ASPO – Nuthouse Shuffle Link, Video Link

The Moon Invaders – Consciousness Link

The Pepper Pots – Runaway Video Link

The Upsessions – Cool Ska Time Link

The Slackers – Robots

If you are in a band or know of one, that plays Jamaican Revivalism in any form, and would like it to be featured on an episode of Cut the Chit Chat, please contact me: jjloy@skablahblah.com

05 – Vic Ruggiero – Conversations on a Revivalist Movement

JJ Loy — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 21:34:00 +0000

Being the band leader, songwriter, keyboard player, and vocalist of The Slackers, Vic Ruggiero is a very busy man. But he took an hour out of his schedule to talk to me in this, the final episode of the series.

Vic picks up where Joey Altruda left off, last episode, talking about working within a genre’s parameters. And Ruggiero also answers my many questions about his lyrics and the various themes that appear in them. In doing so, he represents the connection between American and Jamaican Roots Music. All this plus Vic’s take on fate, collective thought, and Os Mutantes.

You’ll also hear lot’s of live music from The Slackers, as well as New Vic Solo Stuff.

Links of Interest:

-The Slackers live sets on Archive.Org
- The Slackers merch page
- Ruggiero’s MySpace with Downloadable tracks for Free and for Fee
- JupUp Records sells Vic’s Japanese Solo Record, Hamburguru
- Vic and The Slackers on NPR
- And On Austin Radio

04 – Joey Altruda – Conversations on a Revivalist Movement

JJ Loy — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 06:30:00 +0000

I was back on the phone to LA this episode. This time, to talk to Joey Altruda about his part in the California Trad Ska scene, as the leader of Jump with Joey. Not only has he played with many of Ska’s founders, as my other guests have, Altruda has genuinely befriended his Ska and Jazz mentors. He’s played countless shows with Ernest Ranglin and Plas Johnson, toured with Roland Alphonso, and produced sessions with Coxsone Dodd.

He also discusses the maturation of the LA crowds, and the few things American Ska fans have in common with the original Sound System audiences of yesteryear.

Links of Interest:

- Joey Altruda’s Myspace.
- A video interview with Joey, about a theme song he wrote.
- Amazon Link to Jump With Joey CDs. Mostly used, but cheap. And the buy now feature often links to a local shop somewhere.
- Altruda’s Merch Page
- A wonderful NPR story about Monty Alexander and Ernest Ranglin, with live music and interviews.

03 – Dave Hillyard – Conversations on a Revivalist Movement

JJ Loy — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 17:23:00 +0000

In this Episode, you’ll hear my interview with Dave Hillyard, as well as some live music from his bands, The Slackers and The David Hillyard Rocksteady Seven. Hillyard talks about life on the road, as a touring musician, and life at home, as a husband and father. We discuss playing for non-ska audiences and the different reactions he’s gotten from Jazz-heads. He also talks about his trip to Jamaica, and the times he’s worked with some of Ska’s earliest legends.

Other Links of Interest:
-Hillyard’s MySpace page with Downloadable tracks for Free and for Fee.
-A Press Kit for RS7′s United Front.
-YouTube Results for Dave

02 – Victor Rice – Conversations on a Revivalist Movement

JJ Loy — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 08:33:00 +0000

This edition features the words and music of Victor Rice. Recorded in Sept. of ’06, from his home in Sao Paulo, Rice talks about his early career in the NYC Ska scene, and the work he did for Moon Records and Version City. In the 90′s, Rice was a prolific producer and bassist for such bands as The Scofflaws, Mephiskapheles, New York Ska Jazz Ensemble, and many more. We also discuss some of his lesser known projects, his current work as a Dub engineer in Brazil, and the future of Samba Rocksteady.

Other Links of interest:
- Rice’s Resume
- A place to get Age of Insects
- Get music from Victor
- A place to get many of the records Rice has produced

01 – Chris Murray – Conversations on a Revivalist Movement

JJ Loy — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 20:52:00 +0000

In this episode you’ll hear my interview with Chris Murray from Dec of ’06, as well as a few tunes from various points of his career. We spoke about his early 4-track solo style, and his recent recordings with The Slackers Murray answers questions about working for Moon and Asian Man Records, and talks about the LA Ska and Reggae concert series, The Bluebeat Lounge, which he also hosts.

Other related links:
-Chris Murray’s Homepage
-A place to buy Da Whole Thing at Version City
-A place to buy Chris Murray feat. The Slackers: Slackness (good luck)
-Murray’s solo albums can be ordered here