WE MOVED!

That’s right we made the big leap to a new host. Thanks to the kind help from our friend and contributor Jason Lawless we can give you a more cleaner and robust blogging experience!

We will now host Music Is Our Occupation and Pressure Drop Soundcast right at www.musicaloccupation.com. Our new host site is located on the Dancing Mood Network. A community of friends contributing to the ska and reggae community. We have been in the process of merging our sites for some time now and this is just one step closer to our ultimate goal, more on that some other time.

If you have us bookmarked with the old url www.musicaloccupation.blogspot.com please update that to www.musicaloccupation.com

We will be making this site nicer by the hour with more push and power to make you wanna take a shower! Wait…that did’nt work did it? Oh well, you get the picture.

Enjoy!

Pressure Drop Featured Artists Of The Month Feb 09

Stream|Download|Subscribe

Yes we are back with another group of outstanding Ska & Reggae music artists!
For this episode we all got together at the Pressure Drop Soundcast studio to play some tunes and talk about music.
Madness ensues and smack gets talked.

Each of us chose a band to feature, here are our picks.

Tokyo SkA Paradise Orchestra
Tokyo, Japan

1 Paradise Blue
2 STrange Bird
3 Theme From Enter the Dragon
4 CAll from Rio
5 Just a Little Bit of Your Soul

www.myspace.com/tokyoskanet

Ed Rome
United Kingdom

1 Non Relationship Rant
2 Mind

3 Some Truth
4 A Human Qaulity
5 March

www.myspace.com/edromereggae

Eastern Standard Time
Washington DC, U.S.

1 Eye Of The Storm
2 It's Alright
3 When Will Your Love Be Mine
4 Oh No
5 Can't Keep A Good Man Down (Feat. Dr. Ring Ding.

www.myspace.com/easternstandardtime

+Bonus mystery outro track!

Greg Narvas Gets Talkative & Unpublished Interview from 2003 sees the light of day

Well first there were the duel posts (HERE & HERE) detailing bits and pieces of history about NYC's early 80's punky reggae masters The Terrorists, who had the pleasure of playing with reggae legends Lee Perry and Roland Alphonso, that hit the blog-o-sphere at the same time and now there are these two competing Greg Narvas pieces! What are the odds of that happening?



Recently Kyle Hickenbottem of Ska- Au-Go-Go fame was coaxed out of semi-retirement and agreed to start posting some material from his writing days. Some of it will be old and already seen before but others such as this interview he did with Greg Narvas and Lino Trujillo of Hepcat after they had gotten back together will be all new. Bonus for us! I've said it once and I'll say it again I'm a fan of Kyle's thoughtful and insightful reviews and writing. That and we both have a hunger for good comics and a proper Los Angeles Ska History story.



The other bit of news that hit at the same time is this interview with Greg concerning his early pre-Hepcat days as drummer for the oi! band Lion’s Pride and his continuing discussion of that period in his ongoing comic "I Was A Teenage Filipino Skinhead", which is well worth picking up. This interview also includes Martin Ruane, guitar player for Lion’s Pride, as well as singer for Headstrong.

Time to get reading folks! ENJOY!

Stepper on Roots Rock Rebel!

Roots Rock Rebel

Wednesday, February 18th, 2009
10pm-12am
CKUT, 90.3FM, Montreal!

Listen to RRR 2/18 Podcast



Hello listeners,
Hope all are well! I had a bizarre run-in with world-renowned journalist
Robert Fisk tonight, and it got me thinking...  we shouldn't be occupying
anything, except the dance floor.

Speaking of the dance floor, I just got back from the Stepper cd launch!
Nice energy, nice suits, nice whisky.

Stepper were also my special guests on the show this week, and it was a
great interview, so download the podcast, and listen!

Also, have you heard the Version City podcast yet? What the fuck are you
waiting for? Go hither: www.versioncity.podomatic.com

Stay tuned next week for more "stuff".

Stay rude, stay rebel,
RRR crew

To Download the show, visit here.



Playlist - February 18th, 2009

Lord Jellicoe - Big bamboo
Lord Power - Penny reel
The Hiltonaires - Island in the sun
The Paragons - Island in the sun
John Holt and the Paragons - On the beach
Hugh Godfrey - They got to go
Hepcat - Penny reel
Root Diamoons - From Jamaica
Viking's Remedy - Go down Moses
Stepper - Turn up your soundsystem
Stepper - Ring loud
One Night Band - Larry love
Take the Boys - Closure
Arbutus Trio - Slow music
Idlers - Guns of navaronne
Westbound Train - Check your time
The Debonaires - Right hand man
Dodger - Stomp
Robb Blake - Easey come easy go
Upground - Skanking monkeys
Cartoon Violence - Cartoon violence
The Skints - Misunderstood
Against All Authority - Skate rock
Ska-P - Vals del obrero
Don Segundo - Un segundo
Trojan Sound System - World peace
Pama International - High rise

Host, "Roots Rock Rebel"
Wednesdays, 10pm-midnight
CKUT, 90.3 FM, Montreal
Ska, punk, reggae got soul!
www.ckut.ca (for online streaming and archive downloads)
www.myspace.com/ckutrootsrockrebel

Westbound Train's New Album Coming Soon

WESTBOUND TRAIN GET IT WITH NEW ALBUM

Boston Based Soul/Ska Band's Sophomore Album Come and Get It Due Out April 21st! Upcoming Performances at SXSW, Vans Warped Tour and Much More!

The best of soul, reggae and ska meld seamlessly on Boston based soul/ska septet Westbound Train’s thrilling new sophomore album, Come and Get It, out on Hellcat Records April 21.

Recorded over the span of two weeks in Brooklyn, NY with producer and Slackers saxophonist Dave Hillyard, Come and Get It features 14 brand new original songs and a reworked version of an old fan favorite that capture a classic, old-school vibe that reggae, ska and soul music fans alike will instantly fall in love with!

“This is probably the best time I’ve ever had making a record with Westbound Train,” said lead vocalist and trombonist Obi Fernandez. “Unlike “Transitions” we were able to write this record at home in Boston at our rehearsal space, and we had some pre-production rehearsals with Dave Hillyard of the Slackers that were a lot of fun. Dave had really cool ideas and brought a new approach to musicality to the table.”

Shattering musical boundaries while embracing the best of several genres, the septet has fully come into their own with Come and Get It, their second Hellcat release. The new album invites listeners on a journey, traveling through all of the band’s previous influences while creating an exciting new sound that they are eager to reveal to the world in 2009.

Compared to the band’s three previous albums, Come and Get It is the best representation of Westbound Train to be captured on record thus far. Two stand-out tracks include "So Many Things a Man Can Say," an old-school ballad that captures Fernandez’s love of the Motown sound, and the highly orchestrated second track, "Ain't Gonna Be Easy," written about Fernandez’s father. "In addition to the song being about my father, a lot of stuff was going on that was making life a little more complicated," Fernandez says.

After a relaxed yet amazing year in 2008, where the band shared the stage with the likes of Rancid, Less Than Jake, Goldfinger, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Beat Union and Bedouin Soundclash, Westbound Train is preparing to hit the road in 2009 for what is shaping up to be their biggest year yet.

Not only will the band be playing two shows at the Middle East in their hometown of Boston, MA on April 24th and 25th, but Westbound Train is also excited to announce that they will be performing on the Hurley.com stage at the 2009 Vans Warped Tour! Be sure to check out the band that was Kevin Lyman's first official choice for a spot on this year's tour.

Besides the Vans Warped Tour and the CD release dates, Westbound has some other exciting shows coming up. On February 22nd, the band will be playing at the Highline Ballroom in NYC with their good friends, The Toasters, among many others. On March 6, they are playing with State Radio at the Dwight Auditorium at Farmingham State College. And last but not least, the band has been invited to perform at South by Southwest, in Austin, TX, on March 18-21st. Stay tuned for exact date and set times!

Come And Get It Tracklisting:

1. You Don't Belong Here

2. Ain't Gonna Be Easy

3. Check Your Time

4. Why You Cry

5. Come And Get It

6. Some Things Are Meant To Be Remembered

7. Salvation

8. If Only

9. What You Need

10. The Passage

11. Lift My Voice Up Loud

12. For The Record

13. Many Things A Man Can Say

14. Critical Ska

15. Cheers! The World's Almost Over

UPCOMING SHOWS:

February 22^nd – New York, NY -Highline Ballroom W/ The Toasters

March 6^th – Framingham, MA –Dwight Auditorium W/ State Radio

March 18th -22nd Austin, TX – SXSW Music Festival

March 27th – Fairfax, VA- Fat Tuesdays

“COME AND GET IT” CD RELEASE TOUR:

April 24th – Boston, MA – Middle East

April 25th – Boston, MA – Middle East

April 30th – Washington, D.C. – DC9

May 1st - Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe Live

May 2nd – New York, NY – Knitting Factory

May 6th – Cleveland, OH – Peabody’s

May 7th – Chicago, IL – Reggie’s Rock Club

May 8th – Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock Social Club

May 9th – Des Moines, IA – Vaudeville Mews

For More Information:
www.Hell-Cat.com

www.myspace.com/westboundtrain

www.westboundtrain.net

Press Contact:
Austin Griswold
Epitaph/Hellcat Records
(213) 413-7353
Austin@Epitaph.com

Enter To Win The Orobians Anniversary Album!

"This 20 track compilation compiles 10 years of history of a band that has dedicated themselves to capturing the sound of 60's Jamaica. The Orobians come from Northern Italy but they capture the spirit and sound of a different place. Mixing in various styles with Jamaican ska such as jazz, rocksteady, mambo, etc; This is a very highly crafted collection of songs from a very skillful group." - Bobby Babylon

Enter to win a copy of The Orobians new Anniversary Album from Redstar73 Records! Win, and rub it in everyone's face! Contest ends February 27th.

ENTER NOW!

Brought to you by:
www.redstar73.com
www.dancingmood.com
www.musicaloccupation.com

Coachella 2009...come for the Aggrolites (stay for Paul McCartney?)

I realize this is plenty late after the lineup for this year's Coachella has been announced for awhile now, but...our favorite dirty reggae band (The Aggrolites for those of you who don't know...) will be playing at the world famous Coachella 2009 on Friday...with some other big names...you might have heard of some them...

Check out the line up at Coachella website..

Combination 13-Innovative & Edgy Art

[click to enlarge picture]

Every band out there needs to sound good. But in these days of Myspace, MP3s and the downfall of the traditional record industry as we know it, bands need to look good too. That's why guys like Combination13 are so important! It's rare that you can find a industry standard artist who's in it for the love of music and to help great bands get noticed.

It seems many bands need to be working bands to stay afloat these days & good merchandise is a key piece to that puzzle.

I've personally worked with Combination13 many times and not only are the prices great for the product produced but they're quick and most importantly creative to the highest degree. As big Ska music fans, those guys offer out their service to such bands at discounted rates. Take a look the picture above! They've created artwork for big guns such as The Offspring, Bowling For Soup & Reel Big Fish, but I know from experience that they treat all jobs with the same level of care & attention despite the bands profile or size.

Should you be looking to get a a great poster for a show, a new logo for your band, some tasty album artwork or some band t-shirt designs you could do alot worse than to get in touch with www.combination13.com

Version City Podcast 3

VERSION CITY PODCAST Episode 3

"Version City History"
hosted by King Django and Steady Rocker
with special guest Victor Ruggiero of the Slackers

Listen to Version City Podcast 3

1. Version City Time - Westbound Train - Searching for a Melody (Megalith/Stubborn)
2. Sugar - Version City Rollers - Version City Sessions (Asian Man/Stubborn)
3. SNEAK PREVIEW - Shopping for More - Sic & Mad - Songs for the Revolution (Stubborn)
4. Shtiklakh - King Django - Roots & Culture (Stubborn)
5. Cocaine - Victor Ruggiero - Version City (Stubborn)
6. Damage - Victor Rice - Version City (Stubborn)
7. Boss Deejay - Rocker T & Version City Rockers - Nicer by the Hour (Stubborn)
8. Straight to Hell - Skinnerbox - Demonstration (Triple Crown/Stubborn)
9. Patience - Victor Rice - at Version City (Stubborn)
10. Motel Room - Victor Ruggiero - Version City (Stubborn)

Buy the music you heard at www.stubbornrecords.com

Subscribe at versioncity.podomatic.com

Cartoon Violence

CD Review: 
"Whatever Happened To The Likely Lad"
by Cartoon Violence


1 Vauxhall Nova@3:04
2 Attic@3:38
3 Teresa@3:32
4 Cartoon Violence@2:58
5 Easy Tiger@3:05
6 Do Something About It@3:51
7 Rattlesnake@3:38
8 Kite@3:05
9 Johnny Come Lately@5:54

I knew I would like this CD in the first ten seconds. It isn't ska-punk. It isn't trad-ska or skinhead-reggae. It is what I think of as classic UK pop ska. Piano is featured prominently in the mix and it sounds great. That coupled with the vocals made me think of Madness right away. They aren't copying the sound, but they are mining the same vein only without horns.

There are nine tracks on the CD. Four are outstanding. Three are good. Only two are clunkers in my opinion. Oddly, one of the tracks I don't like (#7) was featured on the recent Do The Dog Chooses episode on Pressure Drop Soundcast. Not everyone likes the same stuff.

The lyrics are clever and very catchy. I found myself singing along, even if I had no idea what the lyrics meant. The sound quality and musicianship are first rate. The tempo varies within many of the songs along with the loudness and I like this device. It helps to build tension. My two favorite tracks are "Attic" and "Johnny Come Lately". There is an odd 45 second intro to "Johnny Come Lately", but then the piano starts and you get pulled right in. It seems "Johnny" has ED, and the spelling of "Come" in the title has been sanitized. Poor lad.

Cartoon Violence are on the Do The Dog record label out of the UK. They have several tracks up on their myspace page. The label says: 

"Superb debut album by Welsh 4 piece crew. Cartoon Violence are the new side project formed by 3 Minute Warning keyboardist Chuzz & their sound is an insanely catchy affair that mixes super bouncy 2 tone ska with distinctly British sounding pop & indie stylings. The 9 track album looks set to garner the band many instant fans with its endless soaring energy, great sing-a-long choruses & wonderful piano melodies!"

I agree! The CD isn't on iTunes. You can order it from Do the Dog. You won't be sorry. There a bunch of other good artists on the label to check out as well.