SONIC BOOM SIX: JUMP-UP SKA SOUNDCLASH

"Sharp of mind and socially-conscious, there's nothing about Sonic Boom Six that doesn't come from the heart. Their shiny punk reggae hip-hop sound addresses real issues with a more productive vibe than these riot-strewn streets have seen recently, and tonight, they're on fire.", this was Steve Beebee’s description in Kerrang! Magazine about this superb Ska-Punk british band. Born in the hearth of Manchester City, UK, SB6 have carved their way up in the Ska and Punk world with brilliant achievements so far.

Mixing different musical styles, such as Punk, Ska, Hip-Hop and Reggae, and all blended perfectly with a spectacular band energy and sound deepness that can take the listener into upper levels of enjoyment. The band’s lyrics carry a sharp social message with roots in the culture revolutionary movements and the clash activism which produces brilliant messages expressed with their brilliant soundtracks.

The band is formed by Laila K, vocal energy, Barney Room, bass sound deepness and rap lyrical messages, The Blade, Ska skanking trombone and guitar, Madfish, Punkly dynamic drums, and Jimmy T boom, reggae roots rhythm guitar. Edited by their own label, Rebel Alliance, SB6 have produced 3 full length albums since 2006. The first musical artcraft was named Ruff Guide to Gender Terrorism. In 2007 they have released Arcade Perfect, an album that took them into great projection upon the Ska world touring with some big names such as Streetlight Manifesto and Reel Big Fish. Lastly but by no means least SB6 released City of Thieves, a highly acclaimed piece of musical production which led them to a recent Ska stardom.

The recent singles activity at SB6 home page has put pen to paper in predicting a new record. Should a new album is released it is surely worth checking it out. Be sharp eyed for this guys.

Check the band's website here: http://sonicboomsix.co.uk/home.cfm

ANARCHY EVOLUTION: FAITH, SCIENCE AND BAD RELIGION

Here is to be presented one of the best modern Punk books written. An essay about the development of a social culture in the mid 80’s with scientific evidence of species evolutionary anarchy and all connected with the necessity of belief or religion.

Greg Graffin, the author, is best known for leading one of the best punk bands ever, Bad Religion, and few know about his relation with Cornell University where he got a PhD in Zoology and is a professor of Life Science and Paleontology. Starting by defying authority on his early years, Greg started to develop a line of thought where he was made the owner of his own behavior. He could challenge a culture or idea just because it didn’t had an unbreakable and undisputable law, which led him to initiate an evolution on that specific ideology. This could challenge almost all the worlds’ ideologies. However, he always did so in the interest of advancement and not just purely nihilism.

This concept of bringing the thought freely upon ones belief, idea or social behavior brought many advances in human evolution. Greg showed that this evolution is supported by naturalistic facts, scientific evidence of species evolution, which could corroborate the concept of evolution by thinking freely. He even got one step further, just by demonstrating that in all species, no exception, this evolution is beneficial and anarchic in all ways, and it cannot be guided and obliged to bend towards any direction. This comes in the same line of Charles Darwin work about Evolution of Species, where he postulated about the human evolution based on the species he studied. He mentioned that where there is learning, there is more to it, because learning has no boundaries.

This boat rocking piece of literature ends in the discussion about the human belief in a superior being, religion. Greg is of thought that it is dangerous for human beings to believe so intensely on any superior being as it can blur their vision on the global development and differentiate people from the general good. There is no destiny or design, there is just life and death and the human goal should be to try living rather than figure out the holistic plan the Creator has stored for us. Human beings, prepare for the 21^st century.

PEDRO BOUCHERIE MENDES É PUNK!

O título deste post é um pouco provocativo mas nunca ofensivo, bem ao jeito do autor analisado. Eu desconheço grande parte da biografia de Pedro Boucherie Mendes e nunca tive o prazer de o conhecer pessoalmente, mas dado diversas entrevistas que o mesmo deu para diversos canais de média (Rádio, Jornais e TV) bem como o seu mais recente item bibliográfico, “Cemitério de Prazeres”, levou-me a adjectiva-lo da forma acima

Qualquer entrevista ou artigo de PBM é um hino á liberdade de expressão e também á libertina e anárquica cultura Punk. PBM é um homem livre de qualquer preconceito e incompreendido por humanos mais complicados que gostam de levar a vida com paninhos quentes alimentando ideologias e tradições que deveria ser abolidas ou mudadas. Sem duvida que Pedro é dotado de uma visão que o liberta de qualquer cultura ou conceito mantendo sempre a sua linha de pensamento justificada com alguma lógica e que leva à evolução anárquica da raça humana.

Contudo, tal postura de um homem que sem dúvida deu e continuará a dar muitos frutos à evolução, tem-lhe valido o rótulo de uma pessoa complicada e que pode não ser bem recebida. Deixando-o também numa posição de duvida em relação ao futuro dos seus ideais pois não há definição para o conflito entre o certo e o errado quando o mundo nos empurra para o comum.

Pedro tem espalhado a sua opinião libertina em diversos materiais nos mais variados formatos. Mais recentemente publicou um livro de nome “cemitério dos Prazeres”, criador conjunto de um talkshow de rádio “Pedro e Inês” na Antena3, foi convidado em entrevistas nos mais diversos talkshows de rádio portugueses, e é também autor de um blogue escarnecedor altamente recomendável.

Visitem o blog do homem: http://escarnecedor.blogs.sapo.pt/

Ska-p: o incoformismo de um movimento

Aqui se expõe mais uma delícia musical do movimento Ska-Punk. Estamos apresentando a banda revolucionária espanhola formada em 1994 que dá pelo nome de Ska-p. Original do miolo da década de 90 num cenário revolucionário e separatista espanhol, esta banda surge com uma ideologia bem diferente da contrastante época em que se insere. Vincando uma onda revolucionária e inconformista, os Ska-p vieram mostrar ao mundo uma musicalidade muito bem arranjada apresentada por um grupo de jovens de expressão algo burlesca impulsionada pelas suas letras de manifestação política acutilante.

Esta banda conta já com perto de 20 anos de carreira e com uma discografia de 6 álbuns extraordinários. Aqui vimos sugerir uma visita auditiva pelo seu 4º álbum, Planeta Eskoria, que é sem dúvida um hino á expressão musical do movimento Ska. Álbum que foi lançado no ano de 2000 com uma imediata aclamação do seu público como o melhor álbum da banda. Nesta obra se encontram faixas como “A La Mierda”, “Verguenza”, e também “Mestizaje”, musicas que proclamam uma liberdade em diversos aspectos da protegida cultura espanhola.

Aparte da produção musical, a banda exprime seus ideais políticos numa maneira muito anti-materialista e anti-discriminatória que veio desenvolver e fortalecer a expressão do movimento Ska pela Península Ibérica e também através da Europa do Sul.

Site da banda: http://ska-p.com/historia

THE CLASH: LONDON CALLING !!!

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This Post is about one of the best Punk albums ever made by one of the best bands the world has witnessed. I am talking about the album “London Calling” by the super famous, exceptionally great and immortally Punk, THE CLASH.

Lead by the great singer Joe Strummer, guided by the always perfect guitar of Mick Jones, followed by Paul Simonon, and all synchronized with drummer Nicky “Topper” Headon, this British selection of performers formed a band that has surely put their name high on the global musical stardom. In a time where Punk was growing, these guys have put together a sound that stood out from rest to become world famous with great merit. The band was formed in 1976 and soon became popular with their debut album “The Clash”. In the winter of ’79 they produced this spectacular collection of songs which they called “London Calling” (the band’s third album). It later was awarded the best album of the ‘80s decade by the famously recognized magazine “Rolling Stone”.

This record features songs like the famous “London Calling”, which seems like a science fiction description of the city of London, surely a great theme for a movie. The polyglot “Spanish Bombs”, which includes some phrases in English and some in Spanish (lol). Some Ska historical references in the song “Rudie Can’t Fail” (for all the rude boys), the Ska special sound in the “Wrong ‘Em Boyo” (what the hell does it mean?!?), “Lost in the Supermarket” which relates Strummer’s vision of Jones childhood, “Hateful” (you naughty boys, what were you in to), a brutal Rock’N’roll sound in “Death or Glory” (really powerful Chorus to sing out loud), a Punk special manifest in “Revolution Rock” (this lyric gives me the shivers), the “Four Horsemen” (of the Apocalypse, I imagine),  the lovely named song “Koka Kola” (really great name for a song) and an absolute stormmer for romantic occasions “Lovers Rock”.

Don’t miss the chance to listen to the fully recorded album because this one is the ultimate Punk musical celebration.

Fuck this Silly Authority

I tend to find it harder to understand, respect and cooperate with the silly authority system that my and most countries have. In the place I live rules and laws are implemented by the governmental bodies but it is up to one special force to control the obligation of these laws to the people. It is not the abiding factor that upsets me, because I believe that the human being lives and develops better following some sensible rules. But this obligation scheme drives me mad. Why on Hocus Pocus name should a human based force apply the rule of the strongest to control the people? And why do these humans that are selected to do so, always tend to defy the rules they defend specially in the presence of the people they dominate and oppress?

This authoritarian system is old and anti-evolutionary. It has been being implemented since 10000 years ago and still accommodating the same flaws. I know there is no better scheme at hand, but has the human race grown so utterly visionless that it cannot develop a better and more peaceful approach? Physically we are treated like some sort of fucking barbarians that are about to destroy, rape or steal some village or community. And this physical oppressive abuse brings delight to the authority force because it justifies its existence with statistical results. As long as the force keeps caging people it is acceptable and even supported to keep investing in it. And we haven’t even mentioned the bureaucratic wasteful system, but that is a different issue altogether.

However well trained they are or responsible they may be, the human authoritarian special force members always seem to be conned over to the “abuse of power” error. The more outlaws they can imprison, more medals and prizes they are awarded with. These promotions are never linked with some sort of society development factor where a nominee should be evaluated and awarded according to their will and vigor to further develop and evolve society and communities.

No matter how advanced a force may be, they will just keep feeding people into prisons and courts for the sake of the authoritarian success.

Mouthwash: the fresh sound

Get that Ragga sound into your head. That is what these guys have accomplished.

Directly from London and under the label of Rebel Alliance comes to knowledge of all of you the Mouthwash. An English Ska/Ragga/Roots band on the road to present their first album, True Stories.

Emphasizing the primitive evolution of Ska, Mouthwash developed a sound that greatly mixtures a catchy rhythm with a blast of street music. Surely under the influence of the punk subculture which is well recognized in their tunes lyrics and following the magnetism of band they have supported (such as Agnostic Front, Less than Jake or even Rancid) Mouthwash have appeared with an album that empowers their sonority into upper levels of enjoyment.

Including songs like “The Sound” and “That Girl”, True Stories reveals the bands direction and future objectives which can only take them up high towards the Ska-Sky.

Pay attention to these new kids in town as their name is on the rise.

Visit the band's myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mouthwashlondon

Random Hand: breathe the energy

Behold my Ska People for this Delicatessen I am about to present to you all. Lads and Lasses I give you Random Hand.

A Scottish Ska hardcore band that has been presenting their name in the Ska industry for some time now, with excellent results so far. First Record named "Change of Plan" produced by Riot Music was very gross and brute with a more tough sound. Featuring songs like "Play some Ska" or "Scum Triumphant", this first record presentation took their name up within the Ska Hardcore genre.

Later came what can be considered as the band's primer effort: "Inhale/Exhale". Produced by Rebel Alliance this second album literally took the band into a widely recognition position. Including tunes like “Anger Management” and “I, Human” this album is surely a great chunk of entertainment.

Better mastered and produced, enhancing the band's musicality, developing the social lyrical content that show cultural and political demonstrations, this late album is a piece of mastery in terms of this musical genre.

However great they sound like, they are even better performing live. Their members carry an energy on stage that is rarely found. Bringing all their spontaneity together and mixing Heavy metal guitar solos with Ska trombone riff and fast tempo drumming, the generated result is a sonority that brings the crowd into utmost delight. What a performance this guys show on stage, I shall say to you.

Please listen to the Musical Video below and Enjoy the show.

 

Visit the band's Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/randomhand

SKAVENUE: A MOVEMENT MOVING IN MOTION MAGAZINE

This Magazine came to life by an idea of developing and showing a culture that was not thoroughly written about. In a scene somewhat branch of the ever fostering Punk culture, Ska surged not as a sub-culture but only as a musical sub-genre. But, just like any other musical genre, it has grown to create a musical movement that established to itself its own thoughts, ideas, behaviors and even principles. Coexisting tightly with the Punk culture, the Ska movement began to gain shape and form in a manner probably no one had ever predicted.

In the early years of the 80’s an original idea merged the punk music style with another totally different style, the joyful Jamaican roots/reggae mixed with a fast tempo: Ska. At the same time the punk scene was growing to a degree that was brought to light all around the world through its own cultural publications: the so-called Punkzine. They were nothing more but Cultural Magazines that disclosed the Punk events taking place, cultural principles developments and even interviews with special musician or artists.

30 years after this fluorescing movement came to public knowledge and existence, the sub-culture has grown into a status of sublimation, where its own essence is recognized but not followed, though great and good novelties are occurring within the Ska nuclei. This is why this magazine came to take presence at the online web scene. To take another step towards the disclosure of the Ska movement/genre/culture or whatever one feels should call it. It was launched with the ambition of gathering the Rude Boy community, share ideas, demonstrate the actual state of the culture worldwide, and participate in the present development of the culture itself. It shall embrace publications and articles that vary in its content: musical fresh look-ups, literature reviews, cultural reveries, and reflections upon philosophical further progressions.

In its sense of continuity, evolving and moving Magazine came the name Skavenue, a Ska Avenue: A promenade that everybody is invited to take, and I shall see you across it at some point. Have a nice walk.

INNER LONDON VIOLENCE

History tends to repeat itself, does it not? For the last couple of days it seems that youngsters across UK found it hard to express themselves in just words and initiated a wave of city violence for the sake of political improved measures for the future generation of the English workmanship. These recent violent actions are a manifest for social development considering the future generations. Does this not sound familiar or even repetitive as a déjà vu? Well, it is.

In the early 1980’s a series of skirmishes, riots and violence waves in the English city centers was the purpose of a movement in pursuit for a better authoritarian and police system. This act was associated with the punk movement because the culture was, by then, in its full ascension at that point, contrasting heavily with the English Victorian culture. The riots were focused on the battle for police excessive use of brutality and severe corrective measures. Clearly there was something wrong with the community being developed and people reacted against the not very well accepted authority that was oppressing the social development.

In the year of 1980 the English Ska band Bad Manners (2Tone label) recorded one of their best songs, which was specially related to the city violence scene taking place in several English inner cities. This song is called Inner London Violence from the album Ska’n’B. In a powerful sound richly mixed with several horns and piano solos, Bad Manners found the special lyrics that briefly describe the violence scene occurring in the inner zones of Britain’s capital, London. The reaction against oppression and excessive authority that happened in the early 1980’s were a sign of the fluorescing Ska-Punk culture being developed, a culture that rely heavily on the basis of Evolutionary and Cultural Anarchy.

And today young men and women in the UK have taken another important step towards their future development. They have clearly shown that they are up to date with the political inclination and they will stand a point in showing that they are part of the society and should be treated as it. Surely the English cities have had a taste of the forces of a unite community, because this time, just like in 1980, “Rude Boy went in handsome hats”.

SUITED PUNK

Quantas vezes temos a oportunidade de ver o punk ser expresso por alguém que veste um fato tipo smoking preto brilhante? Muito poucas vezes. Salvo a rara excepção do Sr. Nick Cave que deu entrada no passado dia 8 de Julho nos palcos do festival Optimus Alive para a actuação do seu projecto alternativo Grinderman. Esta banda tem claramente uma toada mais punk, grunge e alternativa de outros empenhos de Nick Cave. E que bem que fica a sua sonoridade. Digamos que num estilo alternative do século XXI os grinderman seguem quase à risca as palavras do compositor Sid Vicious, “Just pick a chord, go twang and you have got music”. Os acordes são básicos sem uma composição regrada mas a sonoridade é bastante intensa e expressiva. Num tom quase de spoken word, Nick Cave faz os vocals deste conjunto alucinante.

A personalidade desta banda em palco é um ícone à expressão punk visto que todos os membros gozam de uma completa anarquia de comportamento variados sendo que as personalidade de Nick Cave e Warren Ellis as que mais se destacam. São frequentes as descargas repentinas de adrenalina bem como as expressões quase loucas e gesticulação sublime de alguém que vive de forma muito intensa a sua música. Foram varias as investidas do frontman para junto do publico sempre para devaneios musicais com os seus olhos azuis a emanar uma tremenda confiança e segurança que transmite ao publico uma vibração muito boa.

Sempre com um penteado impecavelmente arranjado Nick Cave dá uma expressão enorme com a sua voz á musicalidade do grupo. A excentricidade da música combina bem com os diversos instrumentos utilizados por Warren Ellis, o ritmo de Jim Sclavunos, a profundidade do baixo de Martyn Casey e tudo isto temperado com os solos magistralmente PUNK do Senhor Nick “Phenomenal” Cave.

Definitivamente um concerto bastante mexido, com imensa expressão emocional, excentricidade e uma boa dose de música e atitude Post-punk. Em suma, um concerto excepcionalmente fantástico.