History
The band originally performed as the New Bohemians, initially with a stronger emphasis on novelty '60s, R&B and TV-show theme cover songs, bolstered by original ska-oriented anthems such as "Rudy's Back" and "Paul Getty". In 1988, they sold the New Bohemians name to Geffen Records (who had just signed Edie Brickell & New Bohemians), and regrouped as the Scofflaws.
The Scofflaws early sound was characterized by strong R&B and jazz influences as well as eclectic covers of such songs as Henry Mancini's "A Shot in the Dark", Danny Elfman's theme for Pee-wee's Big Adventure , Sergio Leone's "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" theme and the Skatalites instrumental "Ska-La Parisian". Original songs like "Rudy's Back", "Nude Beach" and "William Shatner" became cult favorites due to the offbeat lyrics and quirky vocal stylings of bandleader Richard "Sammy" Brooks, co-founder Mike Drance and trombonist Buford O'Sullivan.
Their self-titled debut studio album was released in 1991 by Moon Records, followed by Ska in Hi Fi in 1995, the concert recording Live! Vol. 1 in 1996, and their third studio album, Record of Convictions, in 1998.
They toured the United States several times, including stints as the openers for Desmond Dekker and Bad Manners.
The band's lineup saw frequent changes and served as a springboard for numerous New York ska musicians, as well as sprouting several spinoff groups. Original co-frontman Mike Drance left in 1994 to form the Bluebeats, while bassist Victor Rice went on to be a founding member of the New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble and continue a career in music production. Several Scofflaws members including O'Sullivan, Paul Gebhardt and Tony Calarco also played for fellow Moon Ska artists the Toasters as well as One Groovy Coconut and Royal Roost, and the Scofflaws have often shared members with fellow Huntington band Spider Nick & the Maddogs (whose leader, "Spider Nick" Martielli, composed Scofflaws favorite "Spider on My Bed").
Although the Scofflaws have not released a studio recording since 1998, Brooks continues to lead the band in live performances within the New York area.
The Toasters are one of the original American second wave of ska bands. Founded in New York City in 1981, the band has released nine studio albums, primarily through Moon Ska Records.
Go Jimmy Go was an American ska, rocksteady, reggae and soul influenced band from Honolulu, Hawaii. Although chronologically, the band belongs to the third-wave, their mellow, slower tempo sound is reminiscent of the classic style of the original 1960s Jamaican first wave of ska.
Let's Go Bowling is an American third wave ska band hailing from Fresno, California. Since the band's inception in 1986, the band's traditional ska style, barbershop harmonies, wisely crafted instrumentals, and its frantic live performances, helped set the standard for dress and culture for West Coast Ska, which in turn, set the groundwork for the Third Wave Movement in 1995.
Bim Skala Bim formed in Boston as a ska punk band that was influenced by the bands in England’s 2 tone movement as well as artists such as the Clash, UB40 and Bob Marley. Bim’s "Boston Blue Beat" sound, a mix of upbeat 2 tone ska, rock ‘n’ roll and calypso with a substantial reggae undertone, made them, along with The Toasters, the premier 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.
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.
Stubborn All-Stars are an American, New York City-based ska band led by King Django, front man of Skinnerbox and owner of Stubborn Records.
Monkey is a third wave ska band based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Their musical influences include the Skatalites, Prince Buster, the Specials, and non-ska artists such as: Elvis Costello, David Byrne and Tito Puente. Monkey has released five albums, the first two as independent releases, the next three by Asian Man Records. Their debut album ¡Changito!, was listed as San Jose's Best Independent Release for 1998. They have toured the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and the United Kingdom, and have earned several nominations and awards, including winning the California Music Award (Bammie) in 1999.
The Skoidats were a band that played music combining elements of ska, Oi!, jazz, and punk rock.
Ska jazz is a music genre derived by fusing the melodic content of jazz with the rhythmic and harmonic content of early Jamaican Music introduced by the "Fathers of Ska" in the late 1950s. The ska-jazz movement began during the 1990s in New York and London, where pioneering avant-garde jazz and reggae musicians pushed the boundaries of reggae music. They were combining traditions with modern tendencies, using the reggae beat along with high improvisation and jazz harmonies, primarily by horns and percussion.
Critical Mass is a ska band, formed in 1992, from the San Francisco Bay Area. The band has played shows with The Skatalites, The Untouchables, and others. They won the award for Best Ska Group at the 1998 SF Weekly Music Awards (Wammies); received a 1998 California Music Awards (Bammies) Nomination for Outstanding Ska Artist, as well as performing at the Awards show; and the 1996 TicketMaster National Showcase.
Ruder Than You is an American ska band that was founded in 1989 at Penn State University and, in 1991, the group relocated to Philadelphia. While ska and reggae stylings have always provided the common musical thread, over the past 15 plus years Ruder Than You has been mixing in dancehall, hip hop, rocksteady, and rub-a-dub – even adding elements of funk, jazz, and punk – to create their own unique sound.
The Kingpins featuring Lorraine Muller - The Queen of Ska was a ska band from Montréal, Canada that created Stomp Records label with fellow Montreal Ska band The Planet Smashers. The last Kingpins tour took place in 2004, after which the members of the band reformed under the name Lo and the Magnetics founded by Muller in order to reflect the drastic line-up changes that had taken place since the band's inception in 1994. During their ten-year reign, the band toured extensively in Canada, the U.S., France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, and Japan. They are known for their danceable ska rhythms, and their catchy song-writing abilities in both English and French.
The Skatalites are a ska band from Jamaica. They played initially between 1963 and 1965, and recorded many of their best known songs in the period, including "Guns of Navarone." They also played on records by Prince Buster and backed many other Jamaican artists who recorded during that period, including Bob Marley & The Wailers, on their first single Simmer Down. They reformed in 1983 and have played together ever since.
Victor Rice is an American musician, record producer and mix engineer from New York City. Raised in Huntington, New York, Rice attended the Manhattan School of Music and began his professional career in the late 1980s during ska music’s so-called third wave as both a bassist and producer. In the late 1990s he became a composer and sound designer for television. In 2002, Rice moved to Brazil and although he continued working as a producer, performer and sound designer, he shifted his focus and became renowned as a mix engineer, working with a variety of local groups representing a number of different genres.
The Players Band is an American 9-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..
The SKAndalous All-Stars are an American ska band, composed of members of The Slackers, the Skatalites, Mephiskapheles, the Stubborn All-Stars, Agent 99, Ruder Than You, Sic & Mad, The Excalibur, Cocktaillica, The Hurtin' Buckaroos, Living Colour, Perfect Thyroid, the Cycle Sluts from Hell, and The Klezmatics, and is led by Slackers frontman Vic Ruggiero. Considered one of the first ska supergroups, the Skandalous All Stars built their reputation on ska and reggae stylized versions of popular rock and pop tunes. Their first two albums—Hit Me, released in 1997, and Punk Steady, released the following year—included dance-inspiring interpretations of songs by the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Blondie, Patti Smith, the Ramones, Kiss, Nirvana, Radiohead, Stevie Wonder, and White Zombie. With their third album, The Age of Insects, released in 1999, the group began focusing on the original songs of keyboardist and vocalist Ruggiero.
Inspecter 7 is an American ska band formed in 1992 in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
São Paulo Ska Jazz is a Brazilian ska-jazz band formed by musicians of the pop and jazz scene in São Paulo. It was created between the years of 2007 and 2008 by Marcelo Calderazzo.
The Orobians are a ska band founded during 1997 in Bergamo, Italy and still based in Bergamo. They play ska and rocksteady standards with a modern jazz twist.
