The Specials, The Selecter, The English Beat, and all the English 2-Tone bands! The Skatalites, Toots and the Maytals, and all the original Jamaican ska bands! Many many punk and mod and rock and R&B and reggae bands. The Clash! Oh, and you asked for specifics... ok, for an exhaustive list, go here!
Formed in 1981 in Berkeley, while they were still in high school. The Uptones were the first band devoted to playing Ska on the West Coast. The Uptones played to skanking crowds all over the West. Several of their recordings were regional hits, and for a time they were the most popular band in the Bay Area.
Major publications of the time raved about them:
"It is a sight to behold, The Uptones tearing up the stage and the audience tearing up the dance floor."
- San Francisco Chronicle
"The Uptones... without a doubt the best show in Berkeley."
- Berkeley Free Press
"Sitting down at an uptones show is like keeping your eyes shut at a movie."
- Rolling Stone
The Uptones "Live at Gilman Street" (SOB CD 0058) is a living proof of the raw power the band delivered every show.
"Best live Ska record ever"
- Crawdaddy Magazine
"***** Five Stars "This record rocks from beginning to end."
- Rolling Stone
Several tracks from this legendary recording are offered for free in the mp3 format at
www.uptones.com.
Members of the original band, Eric Din, Paul Jackson, and Ben Eastwood have been
playing music together since then.
The ska bug never left these lads. And now Eric, Paul, and Ben are joined by Moose Lethridge, Adam Beach, Tim Carter, Jeanne Geiger, and Scott Bertrand to form the current lineup of The Uptones.
The Uptones have completed their first CD “Skankin' Foolz Unite” for Fun Fun Fun Recordings containing new original material with producers Matthew King
Kaufman and Michael Rosen.
Check out Joel Selvin's cover story on the Uptones in the SF Chronicle Sunday pink section:
You probably thought I fell OVER the EDGE of this FLAT EARTH we live on. In reality I’ve been fighting a GORILLA WAR with MUTANT, COMPUTER ROACHES from the PLANET PLUTO. - Oh, that’s right. Pluto is no longer considered a planet… - Okay, you got me. Should be back to NORMAL on Monday. Or at the very least ONLINE regularly. WISHING YOU a great weekend, my FRIENDs, and a HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!! Love and light… - foni
Hiya! How's it going? In a world where everything has a price and we're all counting our pennies, music has become priceless. As a way of thanks to our loyal fans, we will be giving away free downloads every month to our mailing list members.
The first song is the gentle and intimate, 'Do You Think It's OK?' Sign up now to get your free download. Once you have signed up, you will automatically receive links to new exclusives as soon as they are available.
ISRAEL VIBRATION & THE ROOTS RADICS for the 1st Time in Greece! Thursday 2 July! For one and only show! Ticket Presale starts 25 May, early bird ticket price 22euro!
Ahh darn, I'm leaving on the 26th D: Well, I'll just keep on hopin' you guys come to New Orleans. That'd be incredible! Thanks again for telling me! (:
Online Now!
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