With an early reggae influence, this septet gradually incorporated ska, African, and Latin rhythms over four independent releases in the mid-'80s. In 1990, the band moved to Relativity Records for Bread And Circuses and to BMG for 1992's Gitchee Gumee To Me. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide

Yes No

Five Iron Frenzy were one of the seemingly thousands of ska-punk bands that dominated the post-grunge mainstream modern-rock scene of the late '90s. The group -- comprised of Reese Roper (vocals), Micah Ortega (guitar), Scott Kerr (guitar, backing vocals), Keith Hoerig (bass), Andrew Verdecchio (drums), Dannis Culp (trombone, backing vocals),... [+] Read More

Yes No

Along with No Doubt, Sublime, and Rancid, the Los Angeles quartet Goldfinger helped contribute to a mini-U.S. ska-punk movement in the mid- to late '90s. The group was originally formed in 1994 by ex-Electric Love Hogs guitarist/singer John Feldmann and bassist/singer Simon Williams (who were both working at the same shoe store at the time), in... [+] Read More

Yes No

Hepcat was among the most celebrated bands to emerge from the Southern California ska revival scene of the 1990s, winning fans with their infectious Caribbean melodies, soulful harmonies and swinging rhythms, all informed by elements of reggae, rock steady, R&B and jazz. Comprising vocalists Greg Lee and Alex Desert, keyboardist Deston Berry,... [+] Read More

Yes No

Latin music is given its hardest edge by New York based band King Chango. Combining dancehall chants, deep space dub, straight up skanking and Latin rhythms, King Chango creates some of contemporary music's most intense dance music. According to Spin magazine, the band combines "Gen-X irony with the street energy of classic salsa and a... [+] Read More

Yes No

Formed in 1992 as a power pop trio with a heavy punk influence, a sense of humor, and a fixation with Pez candy, Less Than Jake metamorphosed into a ska-inspired punk band with the addition of several members from 1993 to 1995. Vocalist and guitarist Chris, bassist Shaun, and drummer Vinnie were the first incarnation of the group, based in... [+] Read More

Yes No

One of the cornerstone bands of the '90s punk revival, Rancid's unabashedly classicist sound drew heavily from the Clash's early records, echoing their left-leaning politics and fascination with ska, while adding a bit of post-hardcore crunch. While some critics dismissed Rancid as derivative, others praised their political commitment, surging... [+] Read More

Yes No

Reel Big Fish was one of the legions of Southern California ska-punk bands to edge into the mainstream following the commercial success of No Doubt and Sublime. Like most of their peers, the band was distinguished by their hyperkinetic stage shows, juvenile humor, ironic covers of new wave pop songs, and metallic shards of ska. The group... [+] Read More

Yes No

Formed in Long Beach, CA, in 1988 as a garage punk band, Sublime grew to fame in the mid-'90s on the back of the Cali punk explosion engendered by Green Day and the Offspring, though Sublime mixed up their punk rage with reggae and ska influences. The band released just two albums during its first seven years, finally finding a hit with its... [+] Read More

Yes No

Although many mistake alterna-ska punkers the Suicide Machines as being from California, where most of the genre's bands come from, they're in fact Detroit natives. Starting off in the early '90s, the quartet consisted of Jason Navarro (vocals), Dan Lukacinsky (guitar/vocals), Royce Nunley (bass/vocals), and Erin Pitman (drums) and released... [+] Read More

Yes No