In Defense of Ska: Expanded 2nd Edition - Paperback

by Aaron Carnes (Author)

One of Pitchfork's 11 Best Music Books of 2021

With an additional 30,000 words of compelling stories, research, and analysis, music journalist and In Defense of Ska podcast creator/host Aaron Carnes presents the case that ska never died, by jumping headfirst into ska's "lost years," i.e., the period after the '90s third-wave ska boom.

New topics covered include LA's ongoing vibrant traditional ska scene and how young Latinos are keeping the ska torch aflame, how the devastation of Hurricane Katrina inadvertently kicked off a thriving scene focused on keeping community alive in New Orleans, a deep review of Christian ska group Five Iron Frenzy, who broke a Kickstarter record in the '10s while making progressive activists out of their fan base, a close inspection of a hipster rocksteady scene in Brooklyn that grew so popular it nearly kicked off a nationwide revival, and more secret ska past revelations with none other than Fall Out Boy lead singer Patrick Stump-who has a story that, up until recently, was carefully guarded.

Plus, the book re-explores several bands featured in the first edition, revealing new layers and more details about all the bands fans love, like Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Operation Ivy, the Slackers, Hepcat, Mephiskapheles, and Reel Big Fish. With 30,000 additional words, this is the complete ska package.

Author Biography

Aaron Carnes is a music journalist based out of Sacramento, California. His work has appeared
in Playboy, Salon, Bandcamp Daily, Sierra Club, Noisey, Sun Magazine, and Good Times. His book "In Defense of Ska" was an indie hit with strong grassroots swell without distribution. He is the host of the popular "In Defense of Ska" podcast. Guests have included Margaret Cho, Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy), John Darnielle (Mountain Goats), and Laura Jane Grace (Against Me).