History Of British Ska

British Ska, also known as Ska Punk Rock, is a fusion genre of Jamaican Ska and British Punk Rock combining the off-beat rhythm patterns found in Jamaican Ska and Reggae done in a fast paced and loud manner that is showcased in Punk Rock, with alterations to instrumentation including horns and brass instruments into their music (Yeung, 2017).

The genre was famous with the working class of England that fashioned themselves based on Jamaican Rude-boys as British Mod Skinheads. They were outfitted much like the rebellious punk rock scene with few alterations by incorporating suits, bomber jackets and properly fitted clothing in contrast to the traditional punk fashion (Godfrey, 1988).

During the 1960s, Ska immigrated to England under the name 'Bluebeat' that later evolved into 'Two Tone'. Millie Small's 'My Boy Lollipop' was the first Ska hit created in England in 1964 (Ben Dog Production, 2001). However, the genre reached mainstream through the legendary and highly influential bands of the 1970s with The Police and. The Clash. The Clash had caught wind of the ska-punk scene and incorporated elements into their 1979 album 'London's Calling' (Clash & Erlewine, 1979). The Police had incorporated the rhythmic pattern of ska music with the standard punk instrumentation as showcased in their hit song "Message In A Bottle".

The influence of these two bands can be heard through other great punk bands including Operation Ivy, Culture Shock, Citizen Fish. However, It was not until the late 1990s that Ska punk had spread to the USA mainstream and ultimately the entire world through bands such as Less than Jake, Reel Big Fish, Smashmouth, Zebrahead; all of whom's music is still played till this day and age in modern mainstream media.