Skanking is known as the dance that goes with Ska music. This week is designed to get you up and skankin' like you've never skanked before. Ska originated in Jamaica and was the precursor to reggae music. However, the ska music of today has more of a punk influence than that of the original. This gives it a little more lively beat, with melodies often built around a horn section. While some may argue that this is not true ska, and will refer to it as ska-punk, it's roots are still the same as original ska and will inarguably will get you up and skankin' with the best of them.

New

(2007) A Poet's Life - Tim Armstrong As one of the founding members of Operation Ivy, Tim Armstrong is an early pioneer of modern day Ska. Although he forays into punk and heavy metal more often then not, his new solo album, A Poet's Life, is pure ska. Tim team's up with The Aggrolites, a great ska band from L.A., on this album to give a more traditional ska sound rather than the newer, ska-punk sound one might expect to hear from Tim. Either way, I don't think a single fan of Tim's is anything less than ecstatic with this album. Every song has a great beat, a nice flowing melody, and although Tim will never be called a great singer, he uses his unique voice to hold all of the songs together and gives you no reason to not sing along with them. I usually don't post links to videos, but because the song is so good, and my buddy Dave Brown is the main 'scooter guy' in the video, I can't pass up sending you YouTube to watch the video for "Into Action". So check it out, which will then force you to get the album, which will then force you into a skankin' frenzy.

Must Haves Track No. 01 - Wake Up Track No. 03 - Into Action

Tried

(1988) Truth and Soul - Fishbone Fishbone hit the scene with a sound like no-one had heard before, and by the time of their second album, Truth and Soul, they had grabbed a lot of people's attention with it. Their blending of funk, metal, punk, and ska is done in a way that leaves you baffled on how to describe it, but you instantly know you like it. John Norwood Fisher's funk bass is the back beat for many of the songs and every time it finds it's way to the front you can't help but say, "Damn that's funky." But the true heart and soul is delivered through Angelo Moore's vocals. Sometimes they're delivered as spoken poetry, other times they've got enough funk to make James Brown blush. All of this is set to a ska beat, with plenty of horns in the background. Now, the reason this album is important is that it really pushed the new wave of ska into the musical forefront. Without this album, it would be hard to say there ever would have been bands like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones or No Doubt. So, the next time you're skankin' to new ska music, you can thank Fishbone and Truth and Soul for making it possible.

Must Haves Track No. 02 - Ma And Pa Track No. 11 - Ghetto Soundwave

True

(1994) Sing Along With Skankin' Pickle - Skankin' Pickle Sing Along With Skankin' Pickle is my all time favorite ska album. It's got a great beat, great horns, is very light in mood, and really just begs you to have a good time with it. I would describe it as being in the ska-punk category, just because they get some faster guitars going in some of their songs, but nothing to hard core. Their songs range from a tribute to Spike from Degrassi High, to getting ripped off by a promoter, to the theme song for the never aired Margaret Cho Show. I also think it's the best album to learn to skank by as you can't help lifting your legs in a little bit of an odd fashion as you place them one in front of the other. Your arms will start to rise with your elbows pushing out at shoulder level as your head bobs up and down. Before you know it you're skankin' all around your living room wondering why you don't do this more often. So, grab a copy of Sing Along With Skankin' Pickle, put it on, and get to skankin'.

Must Haves Track No. 02 - $13,000 Is A Lot Of Food! Track No. 06 - I'm In Love With A Girl Named Spike