Ska Boom Interviews - Roger Apollon Jr. of Bigger Thomas

Ska Boom Interviews - Roger Apollon Jr. of Bigger Thomas

Author: Marc Wasserman September 10, 2021 Duration: 1:32:34
Welcome to Ska Boom! Stories, which is the audio companion to my new book Ska Boom: An American Ska & Reggae Oral History now available through DiWulf Publishing. Click here to order: http://www.diwulf.com/books Though my band Bigger Thomas –originally called Panic! -- is not featured in Ska Boom, our 80s American ska story contains a lot of the same trials and tribulations experienced by the 18 bands whose stories I've documented. That is to say, the human condition set to a ska a...

Marc Wasserman has been living and breathing American ska since helping to found Bigger Thomas, New Jersey's first ska band, back in 1988. That front-row perspective to the scene's growth, combined with his work as an author of books like *Ska Boom: An American Ska & Reggae Oral History*, fuels this deeply personal Ska Boom-An American Ska & Reggae Podcast. Think of it as the audio companion to those written histories, but with the volume cranked up and the stories told in real voices. Each episode is built on conversations-sometimes with musicians you know, sometimes with the crucial behind-the-scenes figures you don't-that trace the unique and often overlooked American journey of these genres. You'll hear firsthand accounts that span from the early underground clubs to the mainstream explosions, discussions on the music's cultural impact, and analysis of the sounds that defined generations. It's a mix of history, commentary, and interview, all filtered through the experience of someone who wasn't just watching from the crowd but was actively helping to build the stage. The result is a podcast that feels less like a lecture and more like a series of late-night talks with the people who made the scene happen, preserving the energy and anecdotes that might otherwise be lost.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Ska Boom - An American Ska & Reggae Podcast
Podcast Episodes
I Don't Like Reggae, I Love It: The History of "Johnny Reggae" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:29
In this episode of I Don’t Like Reggae, I Love It, a special audio series about the historical origins and impact of reggae on popular music, I focus on the 1971 UK one hit wonder “Johnny Reggae” by The Piglets that reac…
I Don't Like Reggae, I Love It: The History of Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:31
In this episode of I Don’t Like Reggae, I Love It, a special audio series on the historical origins and impact of reggae on popular music, I go back to the beginning and tell the story behind the granddaddy of all cod re…
I Don't Like Reggae, I Love It: The History of Cod Reggae [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:59
This is the first episode of I Don’t Like Reggae, I Love It, a special audio series I’m doing on the historical origins and impact of cod reggae on popular music. The series will explore the socio-political cultural and…
Ska Boom-Episode 023: Third World & 1865 (96 Degrees In The Shade) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:50
On this episode, I focus on the Jamaican band Third World and their iconic song "1865 (96 Degrees In The Shade) from their 1977 album of the same name. As a kid who loved social studies and world history and paid attenti…
Ska Boom-Episode 022: The Villains Bring Ska To Canada [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:55
In this episode I turn my ska gaze up to the Great White North and focus on the amazing story of The Villains. Never heard of them you say….well, its your lucky day. Sit back and have a listen to the story of the band of…
Ska Boom-Episode 021: Paul Simonon & Guns Of Brixton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:44
Listening to London Calling as a teen required an open mind and a willingness to follow The Clash on an existential and esoteric journey through the darkness of recent history and the darker realms of the human psyche. I…