Syracuse Ska Forum

Th Ska is Dead in May of 2004, I know it was only a year ago but for some reason I thought it was a while back. My fault. Everyone is out to get me!

that was so fun

oops: thats quoting MGsinger like 3 pages back lol

Word, my first ska show too. No, nevermind, I saw RBF at RIT the fall before that.

Feel free to use the "edit" function to re-do your posts.

1) I'm Brandy, I'm currently living in syracuse...just graduated from SU and my lease here ends 8/15 and I have no Idea what I'm doing after that

2) Reel Big Fish ~ back in the day...didn't really get into it til like 4 or 5 years ago though. The first show I went to was STPete, and the Planet Smashers at 505...after that I was hooked for life

3)Rx Bandits, Save Ferris, STPete, Mad Caddies, Taj Motel Trio, Catch 22, Streetlight Manifesto, Goldfinger

4) hmmm...I like that when I went to cali for a few weeks I saw both Mad Caddies and Suburband Legends

5) when that guy proposed in the middle of a song at the planet smashers show, Drinking with Matt at their show in at that golf club, Random bands staying over at my apartment

1)Jared, Liverpool, going to be a senior at LHS
2)Muh older Brother showed me bands I guess. About three years ago, though that can be argued .
3)The specials, Mustard plug, RBF, Suicide Machines, OP IVY.
4)The fact that I can dance at shows and no no tells me not to because I suck at it.
5)...dancing?

1) Your name, where you live, some general stuff like that.
2) How did you get into ska?
3) What are some of your favorite ska bands?
4) What do you like about the ska scene?
5) What are some of your favorite moments from shows?

1) Godwin, I live in the city of syracuse. I attend Bishop Ludden high school, going into as a seniot

2) I got into ska through punk. Punk compliation with ska bands on them.

3) the specials, the slackers, and more.

4) Dacning to ska is fun and positive!

5) Ska shows? Just having fun dancing to crucial bands with some of my friends.

1) Your name, where you live, some general stuff like that.
2) How did you get into ska?
3) What are some of your favorite ska bands?
4) What do you like about the ska scene?
5) What are some of your favorite moments from shows?

1) "smo" - tom smolenski. right now i'm in rochester, ny and i just graduated from rit with a degree in animation and film...i'm 22 whoa!

2) oh man...i got into ska because i was a band geek. played sax since 4th grade and was blown away when i saw saxophones could be used with punk instead of just hokey highschool band music! i think i got into it all during the 3rd wave ska boom in 96 or so and it was everywhere all the sudden. before that i listened to some pop punk and...weird al...i liked how colorful ska was too and it seemed to fit with who i am.

3) pain, blue meanies, link 80, skankin' pickle, bruce lee band [the new one], slow gherkin, orangetree, desmond dekker, the specails, the skatalites, the aquabats, prince buster, skoidats, opp ivy, mu330...bursting mosquitos *cough*

4) i like the history. what ska MEANS. what it stands for. peace, unity, friendship, inclusiveness. i like when someone gets knocked down at a show, people will rush over to pick them up. i like the vibe of "fun" and support too, and i like that ususally people who are into it, know what it's all about and aren't just jumping on some bandwagon.

5) in 1999 i saw less than jake, and it was in this HUGE gym. they got everyone to do a circle [not mosh] pit and it was insane! i remember this show my old band played with john wayne's severed head and disaster strikes. it wasn't advertised the right day or something, so no one really came, but despite that, the bands all supported eachother and it was tons of fun!

that's all i got right now...

1)I'm Jeff Sweeney from east syracuse gonna be a sophmore
2)My friend brandon blinko lead guitarest from the verbs told me to go to one of his show and i was pretty much hooked after one song. i had previously listened to raz sum but never realized they were "ska" so i was listening to ska and didn't even know it for about a year! hah
3)some favs are the toasters, public access, the planet smashers, big d and the kids table, the glow, i voted for kodos... but there is no limit to what i will listen to just introduce me to any band and i'll listen
4)compared to rochester or albany our scene here in syracuse is growing with popularity i can't wait for next year when all the highschool bands have year / 2 year experience and are putting out ep's n such
5)razsum too short notice show was crazy, that is the most people i think i have ever seen packed into westcott

Hey Tom, it's nice to have another "old scenester" here that can remember earlier times in the Syracuse ska scene. I want to especially say how much I really loved that while your band Bursting Mosquitos was never wildly popular like some of our bands, you guys were always fun and always super supportive of the scene in general. I'll always highly respect that.


DUDE. I'm SOOOOOOO all about that. In fact, I'm working on a new website to better explain it and help educate dumb Americans to what many Latin Americans, Asians, Africans and Europeans already know -- that ska is serious music with a very impressive history that's instinctively playful and fun, played by great musicians who appreciate that amazing history and yet never take themselves too seriously. When people find out what ska is REALLY about, they are always impressed, I've found. To have a ton of fun and be FOR something meaningful too is the best of all worlds, right? Email me or call me sometime off my contacts on Kingston Beat and maybe you can help me with this website I'm working on? It sounds like something you might instinctively understand and appreciate.


LOL. That was that crazy little show I put on as a favor to Jeff of Disaster Strikes at the Old Parochial League. Yeah, we had almost no one show up (yeah, I screwed up the flyers, it turns out), but it was a good time anyway. And I'll always remember that bizarre intro your band did where you end with, "and because we don't fit anywhere else, we're a SKA band!". That made me laugh pretty hard. BTW, Jeff was a big ska fan too. I actually met him at a Westcott hardcore show his band played when he saw me admiring the Skavoovie & the Epitones bumper sticker on his car. Ska fans can be met under surprising circumstances sometimes.

1) Hello i'm the drummer of Magic Goat chris. My friends call me the caveman because i play a simple instrument that involves hitting things
2) I got into to ska 4 years ago
My first experience of ska at a show was straighter than pete when they played with bowling for soup. Then saw catch 22 at bridge street
3)Favorite bands are skatalites, the specials, raz sum, big d, saaa, cletus doesn;t care, and many other really good ska bands from syracuse.
4)favorite thing about the ska scene is the people, without them it would suck, i like them because there is really no competition and people seem to get along.
5) most memorable moment was at ska is dead one skanking on stage till danny forceable ripped me off the stage.

thanks for the kind words! i always introduce myself to other old syracuse bands as "hey! i used to have a ska band that no one liked!" haha it was a blast! we liked to open so we could flip out when everyone else played, i miss those days!!!

this past year at school has been total hell for me and i haven't been able to involve myself in much other than animating my thesis...and it's STILL not done! ugh! i'll be in rochester through november, then heading back to skaneateles for a stint.

BUT as i said before and now that i'm a college grad [mostly] i think it's time to REALLY start a new band! we won't be all ska...but it'll definitely be prominent...and i can't do without a theme, you know that! PLUS we've got a foxy female bass player! so be on the look out for a band that combines: ska unity, choose your own adventure books, boy scout style uniforms, and dungeons and dragons?!??! it's all coming together...i'll let you know if it actually happens this time!

and i'd love to help you with your website! i love musically driven subcultures and history! as part of my minor i did a little research on it, but i couldn't focus on the ska skinhead stuff like i wanted to because it was supposed to be america based [booooring!] although it HAS filtered here, look at us! i shouldda tried harder! anyway my website skills aren't awesome but they're there, and i do have a degree in making cartoons. let me know what you need help with!

:: smo ::

1) Your name, where you live, some general stuff like that.
Libby, 16, Rochester NY (i go to Gates Chili HS)
2) How did you get into ska?
I went to this leadership conference/work camp where i met this girl who was obsessed with less then jake and we listened to them just about non stop in our cabin for the 3 days of camp.
3) What are some of your favorite ska bands?
ninepoundnote, less than jake, the arrogant sons of bitches, catch 22, reel big fish, ye wiles, the oc supertones, i voted for kodos, one cool guy
4) What do you like about the ska scene?
the people who are so passionate about the scene
5) What are some of your favorite moments from shows?
just being with all of my friends and having a good time-theres too many memories to count.

Basically anything I've given you?