Felipe Esparza on Voodoo Glow Skulls and all things ska

Felipe Esparza on Voodoo Glow Skulls and all things ska

Author: Aaron Carnes June 25, 2025 Duration: 51:40
In Defense of Ska
MusicCultureSocietySociety & Culture

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 Skarnales, Toots and the Maytals and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. 

We talk about all these bands with Felipe. But the group we spend the longest time on is Voodoo Glow Skulls. Felipe is friends with the group; he uses a recording of their song “Fat Randy” for his podcast theme, and he has some lore with the band. We’re talking an unaired episode of his podcast with the group, a TV show with Voodoo as the house band that never got picked up. And, Felipe’s opener, Rodrigo Torres, grew up with the Voodoo guys—he even worked at their record shop, Cheap Guy Records, for five years! 

So yes, this is a funny episode with a hilarious comedian. But you may actually learn a few things about Voodoo Glow Skulls after you listen to this one. 

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. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.



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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

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In Defense of Ska
Podcast Episodes
In Defense of Ska Ep 171: Suggs (Madness) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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In 1976, a couple friends got together and started a band. They called themselves the North London Invaders, but after quickly rethinking the branding, changed their name to Madness, a reference to a Prince Buster song.…
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In Defense of Ska Ep 169: Save Ferris' Monique Powell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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In the ’90s, ska began to break into the mainstream. And yet, even during the great ska boom, only a handful of bands had an actual radio hit. One of the few acts to accomplish such a feat was Save Ferris, scoring big wi…
In Defense of Ska Ep 168: The Steady 45's [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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One of the best ska bands of the past decade is The Steady 45's, a trad ska group based out of Los Angeles. They are one of the few bands that have been able to call both LA’s lively trad ska and vibrant Latino ska scene…
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In Defense of Ska Ep 167: Half Past Two (Tara Hahn & Max Beckman) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:48:32
Half Past Two have been around for almost two decades, and yet they still feel like a breath of fresh air in the ska scene. On this episode of In Defense of Ska, lead vocalist Tara Hahn and guitarist Max Beckman discuss…
In Defense of Ska Ep 166: Daraka Larimore-Hall (The Adjusters) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:11
After forming in 1995, The Adjusters quickly made a name for themselves in the bustling Chicago scene for their blend of ska and soul, as well as their intensely political edge. Over time, the group has only gotten more…

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