In a 2004 interview with Rick Rubin, the producer extraordinaire complained about the wealth of musical talent that goes ignored when musicians hit their golden years. "I feel like it's really an issue with our society," he said, "that we discard good things before their time just because they get old or look a little ragged." Rubin was referring to Johnny Cash, a musician whose career he help reignite, but the same could be said for talent across the music industry.
Well, perhaps except for Ska. Few genres still have septuagenarian legends jumping sprightly onstage to the cheers of massive crowds, but on Sunday night that was exactly the case. The lineup included Sound Dimension and the Skatalites, whose ranks still include original members in their 80's playing alongside bandmates as young as their 20's. "We're going to put on our dancing shoes now," shouts Stranger Cole, during the Sound Dimension set. Donning a white suit and matching grin, Cole skipped and jumped around the stage like a teenager, not like a man born in 1945. "To LIFE!" he screamed, and hundreds of the bespectacled, pork-pie hatted hipsters in the crowd screamed in response. I've heard talk of how the ska/reggae scene has shrunk in Japan, but you can never tell at a gig like this. Walking out to Studio Coast in Shin Kiba, it was easy to believe that the barren suburban streets indicated a low turnout. But once I walked in, I realized that everyone had shown up early to catch the Ska Flames, Japan's foremost purveyors of authentic Japanese ska music. |
Holding each set together were the DJ team of Gaz Mayall and Baby Soul, who spun their famously comprehensive (and drool-worthy) collections of rare groove 45's. Mayall's London Nightclub, "Gaz's Rockin' Blues," is celebrating it's 30th anniversary and title of "Longest-running one-nighter club on the planet," and in honor of the occasion, he's decided to throw a party or three, along with this mini-tour through Japan. Clad in a kimono and trademark wide-brimmed black hat, Gaz teased and taunted the crowd, making sure the dancing didn't stop between bands. I hung near the back where it seemed like dozens of ticket holders tended to their kids (Seriously: at least a dozen under-5's. Kinda cool actually), but when Gaz played the Ethiopian's "Train to Skaville" I had to get out there and dance. 
I stayed up front through the Skatalites set, where guest vocalist Doreen Schafer serenaded the crowd. I looked at the old-schoolers onstage and wondered how much longer they'd last on the road. Time gets the best of us all eventually, as it has many of these bands' original members. Strokes, wheelchairs and comas have struck, yet that doesn't seem to slow down the few original members left. Perhaps the newer recruits keep them young. Soon it was grand finale time, with everyone taking the stage: Ska Flames, Skatalites, Sound Dimension, Stranger and Gaz. The number hovered around 30 people playing, singing and dancing, with Tan Tan Thornton, trumpet in one hand and mic in the other, scatting the beat for another twenty minutes. Gaz announced the after parties to come, but I headed home. Being half the age of many of these musicians, I hesitate to say I'm too old for this life, but I can say that gave this capacity crowd - and me - a workout. I'll leave it to the college-aged kids still dancing to keep the after parties going. Perhaps they'll keep the legends young, as well. |
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report by jinki and photos by hanasan |
| intro | The Ska Flames | Sound Dimension | The Skatalites & review (ENG | JPN) |
 mag files : Gaz Mayall, The Ska Flames, Sound Dimension, The Skatalites Ska for life: Gaz's Rockin Blues Anniversary Party Shakes the Shack (10/04/04 @ Shinkiba Studio Coast) : review by jinki, photos by hanasan |
| The official site Gaz's Rockin' Blues http://www.gazrockin.com/ check 'em? -->MySpace / iTunes the compilation albums  "Gaz's Rockin' Blues" (国内盤 / US import) 
"Gaz's Rockin' Blues" ( US import) 
"Top! Ska Tunes" ( US import) |
the best album "The Best of the Trojans" (iTunes) previous works "Ska Stars of the 90's" (iTunes) "Ska Stars of the 80's" (iTunes) "Save the World" (iTunes) "Cool Rulers" (UK import) "A La Ska" (UK import / iTunes) "For your Protection" (iTunes) "Wicked and Wild" (UK import / US import / iTunes) "Celtic Ska " (UK import/ iTunes) "Desiderala" (UK import) "The Spirit of Adventure" (iTunes) "Earth First!" (UK import / UK import - 12' analog) "Stack-a-dub" (iTunes) "Stack-A" (国内盤 / UK import) "Rebel Blues" (国内盤 / UK import / iTunes) "Wild and Free" (UK import) "Skalalitude" (UK import / iTunes) check the albums? |
the compilation albums
"Gaz's Rockin' Blues" ( US import) The Ska Flames  "Realstep" (国内盤) Sound Dimension  "Mojo Rocksteady Beat" (US import) Stranger Cole  "Bangarang" The Best of Stranger Cole 1962-1972 (US import) The Skatalites  "On The Right Track" (国内盤 / US import / iTunes） jinki's works & twitter  2010Ska for life: Gaz's Rockin Blues Anniversary Party Shakes the Shack : Gaz's Rockin' Blues 30th Anniversary Party feat. The Ska Flames, Sound Dimension with Stranger Cole & The Skatalites with Doreen Shaffer (4th Apr. @ Zepp Tokyo)Black & Blue : The Dead Weather Hang from the Heavens : The Dead Weather (31st Mar. @ Zepp Tokyo)Hot & Bothered : The Gossip work up a sweat : The Gpssip (8th Feb. @ Liquidroom Ebisu)Tooth and Nail : Rodrigo y Gabriella drop jaws : Rodrigo Y Gabriela (18th Jan. @ Tokyu Bunkamura Orchard Hall)2006Sufi Cool: Mercan Dede Sends Us Spinning : Mercan Dede & Secret Tribe (4th Oct. @ Tokyu Bunkamura Theater Cocoon2003CD review : Last Heaven's Bootleg : Thee Michell Gun Elephant (26th Dec.)2002interview : Have Guitar... Will Travel : Melissa Ferrick (5th Jul.)interview : Hate Machine: The Parkinsons Come Out Swinging : The Parkinsons (5th Jun.)The Fat of the Land : FatBoy Slim Kicks Off : Fatboy Slim & Boom Boom Satelites (1st Jun. @ Makuhari Messe)Still "Perfect"... : Eddi reader (20th Mar. @ La Foret Musium Roppongi)interview : A Singing Angel Sings Free... : Eddi reader (20th Mar.)interview : 聞く人の心を揺さぶりたい... : Eddi reader (20th Mar.)Multi-ethnic Music-monsters, Ozomatli! : Ozomatli (14th Mar. @ Shinjuku Liquidroom)interview : Here come the people's music again! (JPN) : Ozomatli (24th Feb.)interview : Here come the people's music again! (ENG) : Ozomatli (24th Feb.)Ahh, Natalie, Natalie... : Natalie Merchant (6th Feb. @ Harajuku Laforet)Come on up, hipstars! : Katteni Shiyagare (3rd Feb. @ Shimokitazawa Basement Bar)2001The band to watch for in the future... : The 3peace (30th Sept. @ Shinjuku Loft)-->... and more |