The Mighty Mighty Bosstones were an American ska punk band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1983. From the band's inception, lead vocalist Dicky Barrett, bassist Joe Gittleman, tenor saxophonist Tim "Johnny Vegas" Burton and dancer ("Bosstone") Ben Carr remained constant members. The band's final line-up also included drummer Joe Sirois, saxophonist Leon Silva, guitarist Lawrence Katz, keyboardist John Goetchius, and trombonist Chris Rhodes.
Ska punk is a fusion genre that mixes ska music and punk rock music. Ska punk tends to feature brass instruments, especially horns such as trumpets, trombones and woodwind instruments like saxophones, making the genre distinct from other forms of punk rock. It is closely tied to third wave ska which reached its zenith in the mid-1990s.
A Jackknife to a Swan is the seventh studio album by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. It was released on July 9, 2002, by SideOneDummy Records. It was recorded over a few weeks in February 2002. This album marked the band's return to an indie label, and was the last album released by the group before their four-year hiatus between 2003 and 2007.
The Toasters are one of the original American third wave of ska bands. Founded in New York City in 1981, the band has released nine studio albums, primarily through Moon Ska Records.
Devil's Night Out is the debut studio album by the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. It was released in 1990 by Taang! Records. It was one of the first albums to mix ska and hardcore punk.
Bim Skala Bim is a ska band formed in Boston that was influenced by the bands in England's two-tone movement as well as artists such as the Clash, UB40 and Bob Marley. Their "Boston Blue Beat" sound, a mix of upbeat two-tone ska, rock 'n' roll, and calypso with a substantial reggae undertone, made them, along with The Toasters, some of the first bands kickstarting the third wave of ska in the 1980s. Other bands quickly followed their example, resulting in a lively scene in Boston and much of the United States.
The Pietasters are an American eight-piece ska/soul band from Washington, D.C., with additional members from Maryland and Virginia.
Pilfers are an American ska band formed in 1997, when former Toasters vocalist, Coolie Ranx, at the urging of Pietaster's vocalist Steve Jackson, joined with former Bim Skala Bim trombonist, Vinny Nobile. To complete the lineup, they recruited the Skinnerbox rhythm section of Anna Milat-Meyer on bass and James Blanck on drums, as well as guitar player, Nick Bacon of The Erratics.
Spring Heeled Jack is a third wave ska band based out of New Haven, Connecticut. The band was formed by guitarist/vocalist Ron Ragona and drummer Dave Karcich in 1991. After a short breakup, Ragona and Karcich reformed the band with a new lineup. This lineup went on to record two albums before announcing a hiatus in 2000. While the band members moved on to perform in several new bands, their intention was to play the occasional reunion show. This plan would never come to fruition as a cerebral aneurysm would be cause for Karcich's death in 2002. In 2015, several band members returned to reform the band full-time. A third studio album, Sound Salvation, followed in 2017.
Static World View is the first album by Spring Heeled Jack, released by Moon Ska Records on March 26, 1996.
Deal's Gone Bad is a band from Chicago, Illinois. Their sound mixes reggae, rocksteady, and ska music with American soul. They have been together since 1994, with numerous lineup changes over the years. The current incarnation has been mostly stable since 2003. The band hews to a more traditional ska-reggae sound while many others working in the genre morphed into a more punk variety.
Asbestos Records is an American independent record label in Stratford, Connecticut, United States, founded in 1996. It was established as a business to release albums and compilations for local bands, and to book shows at the Newtown Teen Center.
Dennis Brockenborough is an American musician who played trombone in The Mighty Mighty Bosstones for ten years and was an important contributor to the band's brass instrument-driven skacore sound.
Lost City Angels were a punk rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. Their most well-known line-up consisted of members, Ron Ragona, Adam Shaw, Chris Duggan, Drew Indingaro and Nick Bacon.
The Players Band is an American 10-piece ska band formed in Baltimore in 1999. The band's musical style combines Jamaican ska, rock, and reggae, and is characterized by the use of upbeat horns and percussion. The band has performed over 500 live shows in various states, including; Maryland, Pennsylvania, Washington, DC, New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Long Island, Vermont, and Virginia. The Players Band has performed with acts such as Grammy Award Winner The Isley Brothers, Grammy Award Winner Toots & the Maytals, The B-52's, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Joe Strummer, Matisyahu, The English Beat, Third Eye Blind, Citizen Cope, Fishbone, The Toasters, The Skatalites, Reel Big Fish, The Pietasters, The Aggrolites, The Slackers, Rebirth Brass Band, Big D and the Kids Table, The Know How, King Django, The Scofflaws, Westbound Train, Eastern Standard Time, Junkyard Band and many others. Notable ska musicians who have performed on stage with The Players Band as guests include; Adam Birch, Jeff Richey, Buford O’Sullivan, Vinny Noble, Dr. Ring-Ding, Morgan Russell and H.R..
Pin Points and Gin Joints is the eighth studio album by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, which was released on December 8, 2009. It is their first album of all new material since the release of A Jackknife to a Swan in 2002. Pin Points and Gin Joints was produced by Ted Hutt, notable for working with other bands such as The Bouncing Souls, Flogging Molly, and The Gaslight Anthem. Recording and writing sessions for the album lasted from November 2008 to July 2009.
The Magic of Youth is the ninth studio album from Boston ska punk band The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, released on December 6, 2011 on Big Rig Records. The album was released in whole mainland Europe on December 6 via Rude Records.
While We're At It is the tenth studio album from Boston ska punk band The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, released on June 15, 2018 on Big Rig Records. It marks the band's first studio album in seven years and is the final part of a musical trilogy that began with Pin Points and Gin Joints in 2009 followed by The Magic of Youth in 2011.
Swim Herschel Swim was a ska band formed in Provo, Utah and active 1989 to 1993. The band's initial members were Rod Middleton, Jon Armstrong (keyboardist), Rich Hillquist (drums), Russell Cluff (bass), and Rick Anderson (guitar). Jeff Hubbard replaced Cluff on bass shortly after the band's formation, and Sam Reisner (saxophone) joined in 1991. Middleton and Armstrong continued in the band when the remaining members changed around 1992 to Pat Campbell (drums), Matt Corry (trombone), Kent Carter (bass), Andy Warr (saxophone), and Lou Eastman (guitar). Their manager Dave Merkley was also involved in many aspects of the band's development. Swim Herschel Swim opened for national bands Skankin' Pickle, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and No Doubt in 1992. While their charismatic performances and enthusiastic audiences made it difficult to find repeat venues, the band is praised for jump-starting the local music scene in Utah, specifically in ska music.
