Voodoo Glow Skulls @ The Rhythm Room

Ska punk's come a long way since its beginnings in the late '70s with bands like The Specials and Madness. While those bands helped pioneer the 2 Tone music genre by combining elements of reggae with New Wave, the ska punk wave that hit in the '80s was a lot...

By Niki D'Andrea

May 19, 2011

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Ska punk's come a long way since its beginnings in the late '70s with bands like The Specials and Madness. While those bands helped pioneer the 2 Tone music genre by combining elements of reggae with New Wave, the ska punk wave that hit in the '80s was a lot more punk, as bands like Operation Ivy and Mighty Mighty Bosstones utilized garage rock riffs and blaring horn sections, respectively. And while the '90s saw a drop in marketability for ska punk, California band Voodoo Glow Skulls continued to carry the torch. Their 1993 debut album, Who Is, This Is? (Dr. Strange Records), featured a whirlwind of raging punk guitars making breakneck harmonies with brass, along with an audio clip of Ozzy Osbourne praising VGS's "Insubordination" (which uses the guitar riff from Ozzy's "Crazy Train") as "Ozzy to the max, man." Seven full-length albums and numerous tours later, the Skulls are still going strong. The band hasn't released a new album since Southern California Street Music in 2007 but supposedly has more than 20 new songs written and recorded. Hopefully, they'll work some of the new material into their Phoenix show, alongside old gems like "Rasta Mis Huevos" and "Shoot the Moon."

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Niki D'Andrea has covered subjects including drug culture, women's basketball, pirate radio stations, Scottsdale staycations, and fine wine. She has worked at both New Times and Phoenix Magazine, and is now a freelancer.

Contact: Niki D'Andrea