Behind The Curtain: 2023 in review with Mike Park & Chris Reeves TEASER

Behind The Curtain: 2023 in review with Mike Park & Chris Reeves TEASER

Author: Aaron Carnes January 1, 2024 Duration: 7:32

Patreon Exclusive Bonus Episode! And it’s the episode of episodes. You won’t want to miss it! 

2023 has been an awesome year. We've had Stewart Copeland, Fred Armisen, Bill Stevenson, Rhoda Dakar, Vic Ruggiero and a bunch of other amazing people.

So, to talk about our year, we brought on the great Mike Park. Additionally, we asked our editor Chris Reeves to join the conversation as well. You will gain lots of insight into our guests and hear some secret (very Behind The Curtain) information about the episodes we recorded in 2023. It’s also one of our funniest episodes! 

Give it a listen and we'll see you in 2024! We have a ton of great episodes planned. And our Season 4 premiere on Jan 17 is going to be extra special for a few reasons #BigThingsHappening 

To listen to this entire episode, sign up to the In Defense of Ska Patreon.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 



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There's a persistent idea that ska music is just a punchline, a relic of checkerboard Vans and goofy horn sections. In Defense of Ska dismantles that notion with genuine passion and deep knowledge. Hosted by Aaron Carnes, who literally wrote the book on the subject, and musician Adam Davis, this podcast goes far beyond nostalgia. Each conversation, whether with scene veterans or curious outsiders, digs into the genre's rich history, its surprising cultural footprint, and the vibrant community that keeps it alive. You'll hear personal stories that trace ska's influence in unexpected places and passionate arguments for its artistic merit. It’s not about blindly championing every upstroke; it’s about thoughtful, often funny, and always dedicated discussions that give the music the serious consideration it rarely gets. Tune in for a refreshing reevaluation that might just change your mind about what ska has been and what it continues to be. This is a defense built on facts, stories, and undeniable love for the sound.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

In Defense of Ska
Podcast Episodes
The Exit Interview with Sammy Kay [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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The Final episode w/ special guest Mike Park [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Felipe Esparza on Voodoo Glow Skulls and all things ska [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:40
Comedian Felipe Esparza may have won Last Comic Standing in 2010 and is currently touring theaters. But probably the most important thing to know about him is that he loves ska. We’re talking Madness, The Skatalites, Los…
The Mozzarella Stick Ska Meme: Its history and impact on ska [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:31
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Ska Punk International: An interview with Chris Reeves [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:25
Eras of ska are, in part, defined by the ska labels. This week on In Defense of Ska, the crew chats with the head of one of those labels helping make the modern age of the genre -- Chris Reeves, owner/operator of Ska Pun…
The beginning of a global trad ska revival: Potato 5 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:29
In England, two-tone ska was absolutely huge -- but only for a brief time. By the early ’80s, the country had moved on to other sounds in pop music, and most of the two-tone bands broke up or moved on to play non-ska tun…
Japan’s finest: Hey Smith singer Shu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:24
This week on In Defense of Ska, the gang travels to the ska-loving country of Japan to interview the amazing ska-punk group Hey Smith. Listen to the band's singer and primary songwriter Shu and trombonist Ume (also of Ki…