Ska Boom - An American Ska & Reggae Podcast

Marc Wasserman
  • 4.9 (28)
  • MUSIC HISTORY

Ska Boom - An American Ska & Reggae Podcast is hosted by Marc Wasserman, author of Soul Salvation: A Gen-X Love Letter To The English Beat and Ska Boom: An American Ska & Reggae Oral History published by DiWulf Publishing. Wasserman helped to found Bigger Thomas -- the first ska band from New Jersey -- in 1988 and had a front row seat to watch the growth of American ska. Ska Boom is the audio companion to his books. The podcast explores the impact of ska and reggae on popular music and features interviews with key ska and reggae musicians, audio documentaries about the history of ska and reggae and special episodes based on news and developments in the world of ska.

  1. 11/06/2024

    Soul Salvation - A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat: Record Store Day Reflections

    Welcome to the Ska Boom podcast.  This episode marks the conclusion of the Soul Salvation series, which has served as the audio companion to my book Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat.  Across 18 episodes, I’ve explored the legacy of the English Beat and their final album, Special Beat Service, highlighting its significance to a generation of music lovers. This final episode encapsulates the journey of celebrating a band that has profoundly influenced so many – musicians like Pete Townshend, Elvis Costello and Eddie Vedder are fans -- and, it can be argued the album was the template for what would become Brit pop, 10 years later. While my podcast about the band is coming to an end, if you are a fan of the band and the Special Beat Service album I have some very exciting news for you. Record Store Day Black Friday 2024 has announced that among the 159 titles that will be released on Friday November 29, 2024 is an RSD exclusive double LP version of Special Beat Service album.  With the reissue on the horizon, I’m going to use this last episode to reflect on the album in terms of the band’s musical evolution, its unique sound and it's commercial appeal, particularly to Americans. My book Soul Salvation: A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat is now available from DiWulf.com and from Amazon globally. The music clips included in this podcast fall under the “Fair Use Doctrine” as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976. The law allows for use of music clips for purposes of criticism, com

    21 min

  2. 10/30/2024

    Soul Salvation - A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat: American Bandstand

    Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast!  This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me.   The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initially was largely overlooked – and how their music and the love of a young woman changed me forever. This week I’m taking a look at the influence American Bandstand had on 80s new wave music and the two appearances that the English Beat made on the show in 1982 and 1983 that were part I.R.S. Records goal of breaking the band in America.   My new book Soul Salvation: A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat is now available from DiWulf.com and from Amazon globally. The music clips included in this podcast fall under the “Fair Use Doctrine” as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976. The law allows for use of music clips for purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research.

    18 min

  3. 10/23/2024

    Soul Salvation - A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat: Bands Reunited

    Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast!  This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me.   The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initially was largely overlooked – and how their music and the love of a young woman changed me forever. This week I’m delving into the fascinating but futile attempt by VH-1 to reunite the band for their 2004 show “Bands Reunited” and the behind-the-scenes story of why it was doomed from the start. My new book Soul Salvation: A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat is now available from DiWulf.com and from Amazon globally. Here's a link to the full Ban's Reunited episode featuring the English Beat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUKLV9akM5c The music clips included in this podcast fall under the “Fair Use Doctrine” as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976. The law allows for use of music clips for purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research.

    15 min

  4. 10/16/2024

    Soul Salvation - A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat: The International Beat

    Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast!  This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me.   The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initially was largely overlooked – and how their music and the love of a young woman changed me forever. This week I’m telling the story of the International Beat, the band formed by English Beat saxophonist Saxa and drummer Everett Morton after the demise of the original band in 1983. While members of the Fine Young Cannibals and General Public reinvented themselves and found pop success, the two most overlooked members of the band may have been partially responsible for kicking off the American ska boom of the 90s. My new book Soul Salvation: A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat is now available from DiWulf.com and from Amazon globally.  The music clips included in this podcast fall under the “Fair Use Doctrine” as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976. The law allows for use of music clips for purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research.

    21 min

  5. 10/09/2024

    Soul Salvation - A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat: Cribabi

    Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast!  This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me.   The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initially was largely overlooked – and how their music and the love of a young woman changed me forever. This week’s episode is about the English Beat's guitarist Andy Cox’s post-Fine Young Cannibals band Cribabi and their 2002 album "Volume." The story of how Cox -- best known for his memorable power chords on the worldwide hit "She Drives Me Crazy," and the band's Japanese singer Yukari Fukiu met could be the inspiration for a 90’s-styled Hollywood rom-com.  And I mean that in the best way possible. I also touch on Cox's interest in the world of experimental music made by bicycles!  As noted, click here to listen to the full interview he did in 2007 with the Bike Show: https://thebikeshow.net/more-experimental-bicycle-music/ My new book Soul Salvation : A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat is now available from DiWulf.com and from Amazon globally.  The music clips included in this podcast fall under the “Fair Use Doctrine” as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976. The law allows for use of music clips for purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research.

    24 min

  6. 10/02/2024

    Soul Salvation - A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat: Fried

    Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast!  This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me.   The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initially was largely overlooked – and how their music and the love of a young woman changed me forever. This week’s episode is about the English Beat's bassist David Steele’s post-Fine Young Cannibals band Fried. Chances are you’ve never heard of Fried, but I’m hopeful that if you are a fan of my podcast and music made by all the former members of the English Beat, you’ll take my advice and check them out.  Take my word for it. You won’t regret it. On it you will hear all of Steele’s musical DNA stretching as far back as the English Beat’s first album and certainly the sounds on Special Beat Service.   My new book Soul Salvation : A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat is now available from DiWulf.com and from Amazon globally.  The music clips included in this podcast fall under the “Fair Use Doctrine” as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976. The law allows for use of music clips for purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research.

    22 min

  7. 09/25/2024

    Soul Salvation - A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat: Supernova International Ska Festival

    Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast!  This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me.   The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initially was largely overlooked – and how their music and the love of a young woman changed me forever. I recently attended the three-day, Supernova International Ska Festival in Hampton, Virginia which featured 30 plus ska bands from all over world that was headlined by The Selecter. I was invited to be part of the festival’s very first literary tent which featured authors like Pauline Black and Daniel Rachel who have focused on writing about ska and 2 Tone   This week’s episode features musician and author Charles Benoit interviewing me about the genesis of writing "Soul Salvation" and some interesting stories and anecdotes about the band and some of my personal story that is woven throughout the book. My new book Soul Salvation : A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat is now available from DiWulf.com and from Amazon globally.  The music clips included in this podcast fall under the “Fair Use Doctrine” as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976. The law allows for use of music clips for purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research.

    36 min

  8. 09/18/2024

    Soul Salvation - A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat: Solo Records

    Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast!  This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me.   The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initially was largely overlooked – and how their music and the love of a young woman changed me forever. This week’s episode is about the dueling solo albums that both Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger released during the time between their two stints in General Public in the 80s and then again in the 90s. After the second General Public album "Hand To Mouth" failed to meet record company expectations, both Roger and Dave Wakeling dissolved their musical partnership in 1987.  Wakeling recorded and released his solo record "No Warning" and Roger decided to do the same with his record “Radical Depature”.   My new book Soul Salvation : A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat is now available from DiWulf.com and from Amazon globally.  The music clips included in this podcast fall under the “Fair Use Doctrine” as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976. The law allows for use of music clips for purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research.

    23 min
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About

Ska Boom - An American Ska & Reggae Podcast is hosted by Marc Wasserman, author of Soul Salvation: A Gen-X Love Letter To The English Beat and Ska Boom: An American Ska & Reggae Oral History published by DiWulf Publishing. Wasserman helped to found Bigger Thomas -- the first ska band from New Jersey -- in 1988 and had a front row seat to watch the growth of American ska. Ska Boom is the audio companion to his books. The podcast explores the impact of ska and reggae on popular music and features interviews with key ska and reggae musicians, audio documentaries about the history of ska and reggae and special episodes based on news and developments in the world of ska.

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