While most fans know The Specials, Madness, and The Selecter, the ska revival ran far deeper than the iconic headliners. This mix dives into the underground of the 2 Tone era—bands from Canada, the US, and the UK who embraced identical sharp suits, offbeat grooves, and social bite.
From The Bodysnatchers' soulful swagger to SLK's spooky Michigan ska and Canadian oddities like Silent Q and Pushkins, this is a crate-digger’s dream. Some were one-off singles, others regional scenes that briefly caught the 2 Tone wave. Many were recorded with shoestring budgets, DIY ethics, and punk spirit—capturing a moment before it faded.
Expect raw horns, off-kilter grooves, post-punk edges, and dancefloor-friendly riddims from unexpected places. A global view of ska's second wave through the lens of rare 7”s, B-sides, and Peel Sessions.
Big thanks to these two sites for some of these rare cuts
Tone and Wave Website
And Reddit - Ska board
And SKAVILLE CITY Youtube Channel
PLAYLIST
The Ammonites - Blue Lagoon
The Apollinaires - The Feeling's Gone
The Bodysnatchers - Easy Life
The Higsons - Conspiracy 7" Version
The Swinging Cats - Away
The Deltones - Running Around (No More Doggin')
The Skadows - Apache
Elvis Costello & The Attractions - I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down
The Specials - Why? (Dub)
Pushkins - I Dig A Hole (Canada 1982)
Rude Boys - Someone Else's Car (Canada 1982)
The Uptown Rulers- Tell Me Where You're At (Illinois, USA 1982)
Heavy Manners - Hometown Ska - (Chicago, USA 1981)
SLK - Walk of the Mummy (Michigan, USA 1982)
The Coventry Automatics - Rock And Roll Nightmare (John Peel Recordings)
The Insteps - Dancing (Cardiff, UK 1982)
Paul PK - Jumped the Gun 7" (1982)
Felons - Love N' Skank 1981
The Mob - Mobbed (Coventry, 1980)
Silent Q - Logical Patterns (Canada 1983)
Pushkins - Just Dancing (Canada 1983)
The Akrylykz - Spyderman (1980)
There are many more great bands and tracks from this era, so if you’d like to share your picks, please use the comments section.
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