The Rise of 90s Ska in CA

One of music’s most positive category-ska had its third wave in the 1990’s with the rise of bands like No Doubt, Sublime and Reel Big Fish. The term ska is something that many people have no idea the meaning of. Well, the easiest classification would be a combination of reggae and rock. The music is upbeat and creates an atmosphere of carefree enjoyment even though the lyrics can often be cynical, sarcastic and filled with self-loathing. The most well-known group to break threw from the genera was No Doubt fronted by the now super famous Gwen Stephani. However, there were a few other incredible bands that were somewhat overlooked with the rise of ska in the 90’s.

Many of the outstanding ska-punk bands came from Orange County, Calif. No Doubt was from Anaheim, Sublime came out of Long Beach (near the OC), Save Ferris also claimed Anaheim as home and Reel Big Fish came from Huntington Beach.

Save Ferris and Reel Big Fish had huge success locally, as well as received some nationwide attention. The band’s both had songs on the radio across the country and videos on MTV. Female fronted, Save Ferris rehashed the 1980’s hit, “Come On Eileen,” by the Dexy’s Midnight Runners, which made for a fun and unique cover with singer, Monique Powell’s operatic voice. Reel Big Fish hit it big with a song joking about signing to a major label and getting big with “Sellout.” Both bands put out superb albums in the late 1990’s; Save Ferris with “It Means Everything” and Reel Big Fish’s “Turn the Radio Off.” Unfortunately, Save Ferris decided to part ways but Reel Big Fish is still going strong.

There are many bands that have come and gone in the ska scene. However, there are new acts emerging with fresh new ideas to elevate the sound of ska. Some other ska influenced bands worth checking out are Less Than Jake, RX Bandits, The Skeletons, Fishbone and The Mighty Mighty Bostones.