By Skippy Rodman
What do you think of when you hear the word “skank?”
Most people probably think of a promiscuous
individual. Not me. I think of dancing at a ska show.
Ska has been pretty much dead for the most part of the
new millennium. It is evident in our local scene. You
can probably only count the number of local ska bands
on one hand.
A few weeks ago I attended a local show that
featured a ska band from Jersey. The band had great
energy, just like every ska band should. However, I
was disappointed. I looked at the crowd and most of
the fans were just standing around. I believe there
was one or two individuals attempting to “skank.” It
looked like just a bunch of bouncing around, though,
without any clear movement or rhythm. I came to the
conclusion that the local scene just doesn’t know how
to “skank.”
How can we get the scene to start “skankin” again?
First, go to a ska show. Even though our local scene
doesn’t have real ska shows anymore, they’re still out
there. A lot of amazing ska bands are still touring.
Go to the show and observe the crowd. You’ll be sure
to pick up a move or two. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
even has a member of the band who “skanks” all around
the stage. If you can’t get out to a ska show, go on
Youtube. You can learn everything on Youtube these
days and that includes how to “skank.” Finally, we
need to rebuild our ska scene so everyone has a chance
to actually practice these crazy moves. Every kid
playing in their high scho
