Those that are true to the scene know that recently MTV has
been promoting "ska" bands, when they are
actually far from it. Many a ska show has been
ruined because of people who are not dancing, but rather punching
people. When asked about this problem, here is what some ska bands had to say. I just added at the end an e-mail that a disgruntal old-school bosstones sent me (messages typed as is, so there might be some errors...and I have no idea what bucket from the Toasters is saying):
we can only keep on keepin' on. however there is a large amount of peripheral interest that accrues to the music, therfore the label, therfore the artist. we will deal with the trickle down economics as it allows us to keep control of the lable if not the exploitation of the music.
bucket
The way I see it, if ska gets "big" the only down side would be an "unhip" crowd. Nothing I hate more than seeing pits at ska shows. But I guess there are much worse things than ska getting big...God forbid bands should get paid a little better than they have been. I think ska is an internatinally recognized genre of music. It's anti-racist messages and it 30+ year old roots suggest that whether it DOES get big or not, there will always be a place for ska in the world.
Ben Rosenfield/ The Beatdowns
I think it sucks. just sucks.
MTV pisses me off to bein with, commericalising something that I hold dear to me. Mephiskapheles also has a video, they're pretty true to the scene (even if they're a little odd). My band was able to play with them last night and had a blast..plus they've been around for a while. But No Doubt and Goldfinger from what I've heard are bad. No Doubt isn't even a ska band really. I've never herd of Goldfinger till the mtv thing.
It also sucks that bands that have been around for years aren't getting recognized. The Skatelites, The Toasters, Let's Go Bowling..all my favorites aren't getting the kind of recognition.
MTV has lost it's heratage. Cheezy shows, barely music, all we get to see is the wornderful places VJ's get to vacation. What happened to the good old days?
Those that know about the scene will continue on being who they are, those that are new to the scene, don't take all your info about ska from MTV. Learn the true history behind it and enjoy it for what it really is. And for those who are ignorant to just about everything and come to the shows, they're welcome I guess and I get a good laugh...just don't most next to me while I'm skanking.
Cheers,
melanie
t-sax
the anklebiters
madison, wiskansin
Date: Wed, 11 Mar 1998 22:00:57 -0500
From: Elon Malkin
To: braseth@lyco.lycoming.edu
Subject: what the hell is happening to the bosstones
hey man, remeber the good old days when you went to a bosstones show,
the only people saying the chant were drunk people and not little trendy
girls. and dont you notice how lame dickey's new voice sounds on lets
face it. I think the bosstones are dying. i miss the good old days.
dickeys voice is never gonna be back to where it was. and what the hell
are we gonna do? wheres the plaid? wheres the drunks? why the
teenyboppers? i hope im not the only still loyal but extremely
dissappointed bosstones fan. when i wanted to go to my first bosstones
show i could only find 2 other kids to go with me. 3 years later
everyones there. what the fuck is happening. the new album is the lamest
thing i ever heard. and the next will probably be lamer. the bosstones
are touring somewhere in germany (trendiest country) and odds are they
are never gonna be back in boston ever ever again. I liked better when
only i knew who the bosstones were. I think im gonna write em a letter
or something.wanna help out? i dont want them to die.
still skankin,
Elon Malkin