2-Tone Ska

2-Tone Ska

In the late 50’s and early 60’s, Jamaica was experiencing the first wave of ska. It was a new blend of rock, jazz and reggae gets fused together to make a new form of music named ska. Now I know what your thinking when I say the word ‘ska’. You’re thinking about songs that were featured in the first Tony Hawk’s pro skater. The songs that your babysitter rocked out to when she was out in the backyard smoking joints like cigarettes and getting fingered by her boyfriend. Goldfinger, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and all that knee high tube sock wearing bullshit from the 90s right? Wrong. That mess is called third wave ska. It’s the untimely, drunken mistake child of what’s extremely, musically relevant.

The first wave of ska that was born in Jamaica had a major impact in the UK. Kids couldn’t get enough of the shit and it also loosened racial tension between the whites and blacks. In fact, they joined together and formed a blend of ska that is referred to as 2-tone ska. Basically, in the early 60’s, a shit load of Jamaican immigrants moved straight to London. Specifically the borough of Brixton. Keep in mind; Jamaica at times has been considered the highest emigration capital of the world. This is probably due to the fact that it is also the highest crime rate (per capita) in the world. The crime didn’t really cease when they got to Brixton either. The result of this mass emigration and crime wave was 2nd wave ska. Think of it as early gangster rap except without the gnarly lyrics about slappin’ bitches and selling 8-balls of coke.

2nd wave ska was essentially a bunch of white kids trying to be like the cool black kids from Brixton by combining with them to make some dope music. (Has anything really changed?) Case in point: 2-Tone Records. 2-Tone Records is probably the foundation of the 2nd wave London ska movement. It signed bands such as The Specials (who are playing at Splendour in the Grass 09) and Madness (who recently played a few months ago at the V Fest). Also some other bands to check out from this era are The (English) Beat and The Selecter. You know this shit when you hear it because of the hypnotic infusion of trumpets and brass with hollow, upbeat guitar riffs. It’s sick shit so give it a listen. Fuck, it’s a lot cooler than 3oh3, I’ll tell ya that. - Ian

Check these songs:


Ghost Town – The Specials
Too Much Pressure – The Selecter
Blank Expression – The Specials
Mirror in the Bathroom – The English Beat