Here we go!

Anybody who knows me even half way decently knows that I am obsessed with a certain band from Japan...

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, is without a doubt in my mind, my favorite band, regardless of genre, regardless of country, regardless of anything! It is quite an interesting that a ska band in Japan can play in a stadium with tens of thousands of screaming fans.

And it's not like they jumped on some bandwagon and and got lucky with it...they've been doing what they do and playing what they like since the 80s, starting out on the streets, and now they're playing in stadiums...

And these guys know their roots, at least when it comes to ska music. It's so neat to hear and see them do all these little things that might not mean anything to the average listener in Japan, but is insanely cool for a Jamaican music fan like myself... don't know I'm talking about? Let me list a couple of things off the top of my head:

- Skatalites covers. They've covered a lot of Skatalites' songs...and I know many of the songs that TSPO covered from the Skatalites are also covers, but for simplicity, lets just assume they are all Skatalites tune. Here is a list of some the songs I remember: Skaravan (Caravan), Shot in the Dark, You're So Delightful, Lucky 7, Black Sunday, Bongo Tango, After the Rain...and who knows what else they've done at all their live shows?
- If you ever get the chance to watch the DVD, "Down Beat Arena," they cover The Specials' "Nite Klub"...
- Their Justa Record label looks a LOT like the Studio One record label...
- On a side album they did that was all electronica-ish (Speed King), on the song, "Speed King on the Run," they sample the intro of Symarip's "Skinhead Moonstomp"
- On the same side album, they also cover, "One Step Beyond." They do the Madness version of it (because they use Madness' intro), but I've seen clips of them playing the Prince Buster version live...
- On their "Live" album, they also go straight into a cover of Prince Buster's "Mr. Prince," right after they finish "Lucky 7"
- If you listen to them play the Roland Alphonso tune, "Bongo Tango" live, and you listen to the trombone solo, the guy almost ALWAYS plays a small tune from, "Ringo" another Skatalites tune...
- A stretch, but TSPO also use bandstands sometimes. Of course, this might just be to promote that "big band" image they have, but the Skatalites also used band stands back in the day...

And really, who knows what other little easter eggs they have? These are just some of the things that I've discovered, and I'm pretty sure there are other things that I have yet to discover....so folks, if you discover something else, I'd love to hear it!