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The steaming volcano of Southern California ska has spewed forth yet another two-tone compilation album. |
Runnin' Naked Thru the Cornfield was arranged by Los Angeles ska renegades Tazy Phyllipz and Albino Brown -- founders of the illustrious Ska Parade radio show. The 74-minute collection features studio and live tracks from all branches of the ska family tree, including Reel Big Fish, The Specials and the long-lost Equators.
Phyllipz, 29, and Brown, 26, coined the term "third wave ska" back in 1989, when No Doubt and Let's Go Bowling submitted countless demo tapes in hopes of winning airplay and recognition. After setting up shop at the UC Irvine radio station 9 years ago, the ambitious brother-brother team has recorded more than 300 live performances from nearly every notable ska outfit.
"We were the first to premiere 'Just a Girl' by No Doubt, the first to premiere 'Wrong Way' by Sublime, the first for 'Sell Out' by Reel Big Fish, and all of Save Ferris' stuff," Brown said. "We are recognized as the connection between the underground and the overground."
The pair used this legacy to convene the star-studded lineup for Runnin' Naked, which includes exclusive collaborations and cover songs. Orange County newcomers Reel Big Fish cover "Uniform of Destruction" by their heroes Suburban Rhythm -- who also make a guest appearance via an archived Ska Parade performance.
On a quest to chronicle ska through the generations, Brown spent eight months trying to track down the little-known, but highly influential Equators. After 15 years of silence, the band was found in Birmingham, England, and agreed to perform duets with Dave Wakeling of the new wave/ska band the English Beat and Angelo Moore of the hardcore ska/punk/rock group Fishbone.
Runnin' Naked -- which includes a 32-page booklet and is out now on A to Y Production -- follows on the heels of a 1995 disc titled Step On It: The Best of the Ska Parade Radio Show. That disc broke Sublime wide open with a song titled "Date Rape," which began receiving heavy airplay on the Los Angeles radio station KROQ soon after its release.
"On commercial radio, you get the gems out there, but then there
is the whole copycat effect that happens. That's what my brother
likes to call 'skrap' -- ska crap," Phyllipz said. "This new album
should really kick the 'skrap' to the curb, refocus people on what
groovin' music is. [That's important] because if people keep
putting the 'skrap' on the radio, the kids begin to emulate those
lower standards and it becomes a whole cycle of degeneration."
(Anni Layne)