Well! The 19-year-old inside me sprang to life and started kicking and swinging full force. Four whole dollars spent... an element of my youth reclaimed...
...or so I thought.
I have this album on LP. Its kind of a classic record for the ska scene... an early-80's British band get the chance to back up Laurel Aitken, The Godfather of Ska, for a few songs. I remember when I first heard this record... it was when Napster was free and all the rage... I had just started college, had high-speed for the first time, and spent many sleepless nights (and the following days) downloading music like crazy. This was one of the first full albums I downloaded, and at the time it blew me away.
I was WAY into ska and the ska scene... was for MANY years, and still am to an extent. This was one of those records that changed my whole perspective on the genre.
I hadn't listened to it in three or four years... and, of course, I'd NEVER seen the film version... so of course, part of my was bursting inside.
I slid the tape into the VHS and hit play.
The result was, well, not what I was expecting. Instead of reliving a fun and exciting part of my younger days, I felt annoyed. Aggravated. The Loafers were not the band I had in my mind. Instead of the boisterous, churning band I kept tucked in the back of my brain, I saw this sloppy group of goofballs bouncing around with one of my favorite JA artists. It was almost embarrassing to watch.
Watching this reminded me of the bands that made me not want to listen to Ska anymore.
All I know is that I don't really want to watch this tape again. I just couldn't bring myself to enjoy it. What should have been a fun, awesome experience was just mildly depressing. I mean... that shit was just REALLY CORNY... plain and simple.
And it makes me wonder if there is a part of my life that truly is gone... Have I just grown up? Or have I forgotten what fun really is? I'm not really sure right now. Am I still affected by the shit I went through while with The Beat? Am I just taking myself too seriously?
Maybe I've just finally grown out of 2tone... or maybe its just "2tone inspired" bands (a la Punk: Attitude's commentary on the duplicity of punk: the early days of "rock inspired punk bands" paving the road, and the modern era of "punk inspired rock bands" reaping the benefit of mass-market acceptance via homogenization). Seeing/playing with Bad Manners was okay... not the most thrilling experience of my life, but it was cool... (the best part was when they covered "You're Just Too Good To Be True")... Specials Self-Titled still gets me going... SOME Madness and Selecter stuff still pumps me up... but a lot of this stuff... Loafers... Potato 5... Body Snatchers... the "later" British sound... the early and modern American sound... it just does absolutely nothing anymore.
Its not the simplicity, either... I still get down on my Studio One comps...
I think its the lack of genuineness- and an over-abundance of cliches- that turns me off to this sound now. Everything is "Rudy"-this and "Rudy"-that... throwbacks to first-generation JA references... Henry Mancini and Neal Hefti lead-line rips... 1-4-5 procressions (throw in a minor key for spice)... the post-2Tone British sound is directly comparable to the pop-punk explosion (at least in regard to the homogenization) of the late 90's/early 00's... Nothing is fresh, nothing is original, and worst of all, nothing is done as well as the original.
And while at one time it was amazing to watch/listen, it is not almost sad to see someone like Laurel Aitken backed up by this band. It literally pains me to watch this.
Which brings me back to my problem...
Is it me?
Or is it the music?
A little of both, I think.
I think I can be okay with that.
TRACK LIST:
The Undertaker
Too Late Rudy
It's So Easy
'Z' Cars
Follow My Leader
Liquidator
The Laughing Loafer
Everyday
Skankenstein
Sally Brown (feat Laurel Aitken)
Rudy Got Married (feat Laurel Aitken)
Skinhead (feat Laurel Aitken)
Mad About You (feat Laurel Aitken)
