The Fine Line Between Punk and Ska

[A Pharmaceutical Bandit]

Canada3952

haha sorry bout generic, i was just emphazing my point and generalizing, most like say local band ska sounds basically the same, and if we call them somthing else why dont we call em what we already do, crack rock steady (ska aint even in the name lol)

Yeah, but it's considered a kind of ska. That just bugs me. And im not saying I dont like the music, I just think it attracts a lot of the wrong crowd, and is kinda changing the image of ska. At least for the people that were introduced to ska through those bands.  

[Throwaway Style]

xXDrummingBeastXx

Canada3952

xXDrummingBeastXx

CheewawaMewmi

For the sake of argument, 'cause I'm sort of a belligerent, little wench, I'm going to say something else.

I think that you're wrong about ska having to be about uplifting, happy music. Well, partially. While the connotation of ska nowadays presents it to be happy, originally, first wave ska, the roots of it all, often had themes that revolved around survival in the streets, clashes with the police, and were about equal rights, justice and such themes about oppression from the man or the law ("Judge Dread" metaphor). Then when you look at second wave ska, a lot of the themes presented there aren't always happy, such as the Specials whose songs involve talking about about how the police "use the law to commit crime". The Crack Rock Steady bands are, in a way, somewhat a continuation of this, by using their influence and music to try and get their message out, to tell what they believe is the truth and make people aware.

Ska's not just about being happy and uplifting; it's about being exposed to the truth and the world around you, to not be jaded nor ignorant.

Im aware of this, but it was never being pecimistic. They looked at the situations like they were rising up and overcoming, not how bad they have it (for the most part). It just seems like these "Crack Rock Steady" bands are straying too far from ska for my liking. One of the things I love most about ska music is its optomistic lyrics. Of course you cant be happy all the time, and there wont always be happy ska. But for the most part, lyrically at least, ska is optomistic. I see what you mean though, but then again its all about how you interpret it. Also there are a lot of songs that are lyrically sad, or angry, but melodically it is a happier sounding song. This is because almost all ska uses major chords. Reel Big Fish, for instance, writes a lot of sad songs, but they come off sounding very happy, which changes how you see the song. So, as I said, it's all about how you interpret it.

Well, either way, the point is that these bands are getting too far from ska.

i disagree that they getting too far away, i mean if they get too far away they technically not ska, but they have their own genre, avid first wave lovers could say 3rd wave is too far away from ska, and without this creation of a new genre w wouldnt have music like reggae which is actually 2 generations away from ska. The only way you can get something new and interesting is to get away from the old and generic and create something thats not there

Well, yeah, they are creating something new. But this new thing is becoming so far from ska, they should just call it something else. Maybe they should come up with some new genre, or just have it say "ska-influenced." And did you say ska is generic? Im not going to comment on that one xp
Also, keep in mind that I said they're getting far from ska, not they are far from ska.

Well, they donʻt call them, "CRACK ROCK STEADY" for nothing...

I mean, weʻll call it that, and thatʻs that.

However, the secret dub version of the song, "crackrocksteady" is sooooo ill.