Ska is not Ska?

[AgentCheese]

I've been looking through the site a lot if a pretty short period of time, but I have come to the conclusion that the term 'ska' has been used very mistakenly to refer to its modern derivatives (or even distant relatives) rather than real ska.

For example:

1. Listen to any song by any of the following: Prince Buster, The Skatalites, Derrick Morgan and similar outfits of the '60s-early 70s.

2. Listen to a song in the 'ska' category on newgrounds.

3. Listen to any song by 'Save Ferris'

And ask the following questions?

What does the the songs from the 1st group have in common with the other two, other than brass and guitars on the off-beat?

Nothing, as far as I've seen.

So; is 'ska-punk', which is a derivative of a derivative ('third-wave') of a derivative ('two-tone') mixed with elements of punk & indie rock STILL ska?

IMHO, No. So why use the label everyfreakingwhere for a different of music which it is clearly not?

/rant

NOTE: This is not about the quality of the music itself, just the misuse of terminology.

[loansindi]

At 10/31/09 01:55 AM, AgentCheese wrote: IMHO, No. So why use the label everyfreakingwhere for a different of music which it is clearly not?

Honestly dude, no one cares (not to be harsh, just sayin the truth), for a few reasons.

First, yours is not the first (nor will it be the last) thread decrying the 'terrible' state of genres on the audio portal.

Further, your position is ridiculous. Third wave ska (ska/punk) is quite often referred to, in common culture, as simply 'ska', without a need to differentiate it from its roots. You refer to the first wave, which is, as you've said, 40-50 years old. Things change dude. People will use old words to describe new things.

And finally. If a fairly large community all apparently agrees that one style of music can be called ska, who are you to wander in and say 'YOU GUYS ARE DOING IT WRONG!' ? Does the word really matter that much?

[SessileNomad]

yes dude, we are all aware of the state of the audio portal

plus, alot of us are electronic producers, so its farily likely that any ska found on NG will have some electronic influences in it

im refering to the Ska Void series by raging mullet

[AgentCheese]

Yes it does matter. I will begin a quest to purge the word 'ska' from NG in the name of all that is good, honest and correct.

Now; where can I find a white horse?

[sorohanro]

Welcome to real/ virtual world.
Here we have Funk (James Brown, The Commodores...etc) which is called Funk, Jazz Funk (Herbie Hancock, Maceo Parker...etc) which is called Funk, Rock Funk ( Red Hot Chili Peppers, Living Colour, Prince, Primus) which is called Funk, and some techno "unce unce" with no relation to Funk, guess what, which is called Funk.

[CWN]

........ wait.............
there's more to ska than some trumpets and trombones and *ink ink ink ink* guitars?
Didn't know that...
:D

[SessileNomad]

At 10/31/09 07:16 AM, CWN wrote: ........ wait.............
there's more to ska than some trumpets and trombones and *ink ink ink ink* guitars?
Didn't know that...

D

wrong but good try, you have to have lyrics about alcohol

[nathanallenpinard]

Ska = fast reggae with horns? :P

[sorohanro]

At 10/31/09 01:32 PM, nathanallenpinard wrote: Ska = fast reggae with horns? :P

With a punk feel (less shuffle, more straight divisions).

[nathanallenpinard]

At 10/31/09 05:02 PM, sorohanro wrote:

At 10/31/09 01:32 PM, nathanallenpinard wrote: Ska = fast reggae with horns? :P

With a punk feel (less shuffle, more straight divisions).

Yeah, I never had to knock on wood...

[SineRider]

At 10/31/09 06:09 PM, nathanallenpinard wrote: Yeah, I never had to knock on wood...

That's the impression that I get

[SessileNomad]

At 10/31/09 06:26 PM, SineRider wrote:

At 10/31/09 06:09 PM, nathanallenpinard wrote: Yeah, I never had to knock on wood...

That's the impression that I get

Title=right, lyrics=wrong...

but i know someone who has...

[AgentCheese]

At 10/31/09 01:32 PM, nathanallenpinard wrote: Ska = fast reggae with horns? :P

Reggae is actually a slowed-down version of ska. Some of the artists in the first category (srsly, listen to them before commenting) actually switched to reggae for awhile- until the rastas took it over.

And yes, here is... I mean, was more to it. Drums and piano are *cough* were two other unique aspects of ska that have disappeared since.

[SymbolCymbal]

i completely understand what your talking about with mislabeling ska but seriously ... who cares...
Ska was one of my favorite types of music when i was a teenager... i loved the big band ska sound and the evil ska sound the most... i wasnt really big into the punk band with horns type ska.. but everyone has their own preference.

yeah your gonna find alot of shit mislabeled here on newgrounds.. like just the other day i was searching through ambient and found TONS of glitch dnb.... it doesnt belong there but oh well...

BTW does anyone know of any good computer generated electro ska... yeah im not even sure if that exists but maybe you guys can point me to something that resembles that.

[SessileNomad]

yeah your gonna find alot of shit mislabeled here on newgrounds.. like just the other day i was searching through ambient and found TONS of glitch dnb.... it doesnt belong there but oh well...

im am one of the few who contribute to that, and i appoligize, i like mixing those genres and somtimes its hard to decide between ambient or dnb

[EmperorCharlemagne]

bu- b- but....

I thought Ska WAS Ska.....

Now I'm confused... What's going on???