I’ve been listening to a lot of the back episodes of the In Defense of Ska podcast and loving some of the influential bands the guests bring up. Today’s first song come from a band that gets mentioned a few times I’ve heard already for their influence in Chicago, on punk and ska music, and their oft alluded to “family tree”. We are indeed starting it off with Slapstick.
Slapstick “There’s a Metalhead in the Parking Lot”
That simple album art is forever recognizable because 25 Songs on Asian Man Records was how I knew this band. As it turns out, that is just a conglomeration of 2 EPs and an LP from Mike Park’s first label, Dill Records (because they put out Skankin’ Pickle albums). Either way, a classic album that even includes the cliché, yet amazing, trope of covering a 50s song in punk/ska style (The Penguin’s classic “Earth Angel”)
The Family Tree
If you want to go down this rabbit hole, might I recommend the full Slapstick band Family tree breakdown from Brandenbost’s blog in2010. The image is from his post, and clearly lays out the complicated web of amazing bands connected to Slapstick. Of course, there are a few other post 2010 Brendan Kelly projects not included (like the Wandering Birds).
You don’t have to know a lot about punk music to know that is an impressive list of bands.
Me
I was going to try and rank my favorites in a list, but geez man, it is kind of a lot. Lets go with amount of time I’ve listened to each, greatest to least:
- Alkaline Trio
- Less Than Jake
- Slapstick
- The Lawrence Arms
- The Broadways
- The Honor System/ The Falcon / Tuesday
- Duval / Colossal / Whale/Horse
This one starts with some catchy horns, on to some harder guitars/drums, and then you’ve got the unmistakable Brendan Kelly vocals kicking in.
Ozma “Domino Effect”
One the first I things I created for this website was the graphic below, a repurposed Rock and Roll Part III cover noting the Weezer sonic similarities. I still remember listening to “The Ups and Downs” on a dubbed tape in Roger’s red truck. I’m old.
As it turns out: It was Weezer, or rather Rivers Cuomo, that would go on to ripoff Ozma, and not the other way around.
Facts:
- “Domino Effect” by Ozma came out in 2001
- Ozma toured with Weezer in 2001 & 2002
- Sidenote : This show was the weekend Sles and Mark drove from Norman to Duke in 2002. Epic lineup for us at the time: Ozma, Saves the Day, and Weezer. Mark wore a brown track suit the whole weekend.
- Rivers “writes” this song in 2004, as he mentions in the liner notes
- The intros are so damn the same (like the Mario Twins)
Take a listen to “Domino Effect”, and then check out River Cuomo’s “original” intro.
Modern Baseball “Your Graduation”
This was a reverse discovery via Skatune Network. Their song is the first track on Ska Goes Emo vol. 2. I had to look up who it was a cover of, but have been pretty into the original since. This probably woulda been one of my favorite songs ever if it came out in 2003.
Facts: The video features Jim Halpert style fourth-wall staring and the drummer getting to do his own verse while soloing.
