Hey gang, Scott Klopfenstein here from The Scholars,
The Littlest Man Band, Real Big Fish, Most Likely
is what you know. My parents also, they had a
wild night at one point, and then in 1977, nine
months later, I was born. So I'm originally from
there. And you're listening to my weekly mixtape
with Brian Colburn. And this is part one. I'm
expecting part two and three. Welcome to My Weekly
Mixtape, a podcast that takes the classic mixtape
approach to building a modern playlist. I'm your
host, Brian Colburn. Joining me tonight as guest
curator is Scott Kloppenstein, an amazing musician
whose resume includes The Scholars, Real Big
Fish, and The Littlest Man Band. Scott, thank
you so much for joining me on the show, man.
Oh, my pleasure. I'm super glad to be here. This
is going to be fun. I can't wait. Now, I want
to start by asking you the same question I ask
all my guests. Sure, sure. Scott, what does the
word mixtape mean to you? I mean, it's how I
discovered most of the music that I discovered
when I was a kid. It's how you show a girl you
like her. It's how you make friends. It kind
of was, you know, I mean, we always had it as
it was an art form. And you had to have a dual
tape deck, obviously. And then you get to write
and create the J card that went inside. Call
the J card because it was in the shape of a J.
Yes, sir. And I mean, it took days sometimes
to really put together a proper mixtape, depending
on who it was for. So it was a really fun, creative
process. And I don't know if there was ever a
greater compliment than getting a mixtape. not
for me there wasn't you know what i mean it was
like like if somebody gave you a mixtape you
felt like you really meant something to that
person so with friends it was like whoa this
person's really cool and you could roll the dice
i mean like and really turn somebody off too
they'd be like oh i don't know if we're mixtapes
it's like oh i mean it's just a friend mixtape
you know yeah there you go massage just it's
like you know it means something well tonight
You and I are going to work together to craft
the ultimate ska punk mixtape. And given your
years on the scene touring and recording with
the bands I mentioned earlier, we're probably
going to talk about some of those tonight as
well. I'm very curious to know, what were you
looking for in the songs that you're bringing
to the conversation tonight? I don't know. I
mean, that's a great question. I think more will
be revealed as we go. You know what I mean? Yeah,
we'll see. I feel like I'm a little I'm going
to be grasping in the dark, although I know where
I want to start. Because it's kind of where I
started as a kid to like kind of get into music
that wasn't pop music, especially. But yeah,
that kind of like floated my boat. And then I
mean, it kind of depends on what you pick next.
And then I'll go from, you know. I have no plans.
I'm open to the experience and we'll try not
to make it a real boring podcast of me going.
I have a friend I did a podcast for and her advertisement
for it was me doing a lot of those. It's like
talking with Scott Kloppenstein is always riveting.
And then it was me going, you know, you know,
you know, I was like, thanks, Jen. But she's
an old dear friend. So it was a good start. Well,
I will make sure we don't do that tonight. So
let's get down to business. As I mentioned, Scott
and I are going to be curating the ultimate ska
punk mixtape, and we're going to use that old
cassette deck approach. Beautiful. Scott, as
my special guest, will begin side A with his
first song choice, and then I'll add a song that
I feel best follows up that choice. We'll then
flip -flop choosing songs until we've mapped
out 10 songs for side A. We'll then give our
mixtape a proverbial flip and we'll map out side
B, only this time I'll kick things off with Scott
choosing second. Our overall goal for this episode
is to craft the best ska -punk mixtape possible.
through only 20 songs. And at the end of the
show, you can take our conversation to the next
level by visiting the episode page at myweeklymixtape
.com and giving our final mixtape a listen via
the embedded playlist. And if you like what you're
hearing on the show, please consider becoming
a Patreon mixtaper at patreon .com forward slash
myweeklymixtape. And a few of our Patreon members
chimed in with what they feel would best kick
off. a ska punk mixtape. And I want to shout
out a few of those. Ben from the too vague podcast
chimed in with the mighty, mighty boss tones.
Where'd you go? Mally Hart chimed in with less
than Jake's great American sharpshooter. Cactus
Pete chimed in with the mighty boss tones. The
impression I get. And Kevin seeker chimed in
by saying he wanted to kick things off with something
early. So he went with madness one step beyond.
Yeah. Also, some of the fellow mixtapers who
follow me on social media have chimed in with
their ideal opening tracks for a ska punk mixtape.
And just to give a small sample of what some
of those picks included, we're talking about
Goldfingers' Here in Your Bedroom, Catch -22's
Dear Sergio, Bully Rag's Jump Up in a Fashion,
Five Iron Frenzy's O 'Canada, Less Than Jake's
Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellouts, MC Lars'
This Gigantic Robot Kills, The Planet Smasher's
Blind, Ruts staring at the rude boys, the skints
mindless, the specials little bitch, sponge kicking
pigeons, streetlight manifestos point and counterpoint,
and sublimes Santa Ria. And remember, you can
always connect with me at all the social media
haunts at My weekly mixtape. So, Scott, with
all that musical food for thought out in the
atmosphere, I'm officially pressing the record
button on our mixtape. The floor is yours. Why
don't you dive into the song that you are choosing
to kick off side A? For me, it's got to start
with Three Minute Hero by The Selector. I feel
like this may have been the first Scott tune
I ever heard. I actually heard it outside of
my. friend tyler jacobs's it was the first time
i heard a song that i knew like i was like well
like i'd heard english beat on the ferris bueller's
day off soundtrack you know but it's like when
you hear it in a soundtrack you kind of i don't
know why it sits in a different world it's you
know it helps tell the story or what have you
but i was sitting on the stairs waiting for my
friend tyler jacobs's older brother christian
who actually winds up being christian jacobs
who is the bat commander from the aquabats nice
to take us to go to Toilet Paper, our friend's
house. And he said, he came home from skating
and he's like, all right, I'll take you guys
in a minute. And we sat on the stairs where we
could see into his room and he sat there and
he put on, I think it was a mixtape actually,
but he put on a tape and the first thing I heard
was Three Minute Hero by The Selector. He then
proceeded to listen to a whole A -side of a mixtape
and just sat on his bed and stared. while we
sat there and waiting for him it was the weirdest
thing i've ever one of the weirdest things i've
ever seen anybody do but i heard three minute
hero and i was like what is this like what is
happening here which it just like lit me up you
know i mean it's like and then not long after
we'll get into that but three minute hero it's
just a great chorus it's a great energy song
three minute hero i love the selector I love
the way you're starting things off. We're kind
of going a little bit old school here to kick
things off before you get into that 90s style.
And I think what I'm going to do is follow you
up using that same mindset. I'm going to go with
a band that I've seen perform with Real Big Fish
in the past and a song that Real Big Fish has
covered by this band and this exact song on your
2009 album, Fame, Fortune, and Fornication. I'm
going to go with the original, the English beat.
Twist and Crawl. I feel like that groove is truly
that two -tone ska sound that really gets you
moving. It gets you dancing. It gets you grooving.
But there's still a heft to that song. There's
still a rock element. And you can hear when you
get into that third wave of ska where the influence
came from. And I feel like the English beat,
even though they veered a little bit into the
new wave sound when they did Save It For Later,
When you listen to 1980s, I Just Can't Stop,
you truly hear that ska vibe throughout the whole
album. And I feel like this is a very influential
album. So what I'd like to ask you is, because
you guys recorded a cover of this song, obviously
it meant something to you guys musically to create
your own version of it. So I'd love to hear what
you think about this one. English be amazing.
Again, we're talking about Cheris Bueller's Day
Off and Save It For Later. I mean, the interesting
thing is it's like I'm going to most likely throughout
this list. It's going to be like when I got to
me because we toured with Dave a bunch. And the
first time I met Dave was when Dave Wakeland.
Sorry. Yes. Was when he was doing some re -recording
of stuff. And or maybe we did play a show together.
I can't recall. Oh, no. They opened for us at
a place called the Galaxy Theater. here in southern
california for something and i was like what
is the english beat doing opening for us this
is insanity like this doesn't make any sense
which is my feeling for every time one of these
incredibly important seminal ska bands opened
for us was just stupid didn't make any sense
uh still doesn't but uh meeting dave and like
he's such a nice dude and then he was like hey
i'm re -recording some stuff would you guys want
to come play horns on it we were like yeah so
we went to his home and we you know met his wife
and like hung out at his house and joked around
and learned these tunes and worked and like then
we started this real friendship with dave and
like and his band and like just the nicest and
most incredible person one of the things i think
was always important to us and real big fish
was we were students as much as we could be without
the internet Oscar music and the best way we
got exposed to like who they were influenced
by and what they knew about it was yeah getting
to meet Selector and getting to meet Dave and
the English beat you know and Neville Staple
from the specials and talk about what that two
-tone era that second wave that that whole thing
was like and it was not only humbling but it
was also i mean they appreciated what we were
doing and so a lot of these bands they not only
hold a special place in lighting up my mind creatively
but also in then like sort of passing a torch
in a way to this incredible culture and musical
style which i mean i don't know if there's anything
more valuable than having the people who like
who were the early custodians of this beautiful
form of music to then say, hey, we see you, we
appreciate you, and we give you the nod. So it's
a deep, deep love and admiration in my heart
for the English beat as well as the selector,
for sure. All right. And now we toss it back
to you to follow up with track three. So, I mean,
I feel like I'm doing this chronologically in
my mind because I think it's important. It's
also just any kind of structure I think is going
to help. Party at Ground Zero by Fishbone. Nice.
Because once I had said, oh my gosh, that music
is amazing. My friend Tyler, who was then like,
well, let me get you some Fishbone. And I was
like, okay. And so he got me Fishbone. And then
all of a sudden, like Fishbone does, my mind
was blown even further. Because not only was
it incredible ska music, but it was soul and
funk and unmistakably. just unbelievable musicianship
with energy. That was incredible. And they were
from LA, which was like everybody that I had
listened to before was all from the UK. I was
like, Oh, Scott happens here. And so it's like,
you know, it was like, Oh, all of a sudden. And
that was actually my introduction to sort of
to the fact that the Scott scene was something
that was happening locally as well. But that
party, that energy, the fun of where. You know,
I listened to a lot of Weird Al Yankovic when
I was a kid. Of course. And the tongue in cheek,
the darkness and the light that Weird Al plays
with. I was like, oh, it's in ska music too.
You know, where you've got this thing and you're
dancing and it's great, but you're talking about
politics and inequality and just all sorts of
stuff. So it was, yeah, Party at Ground Zero.
What a great tune. It's funny you mentioned Weird
Al Yankovic because that was something I always
felt like I heard. that sense of humor coming
through in Real Big Fish's music. And that's
probably a reason I gravitated to it, because
I, being the same age as you, grew up with Weird
Al as well. Yeah, absolutely love it. I love
the fact that we're going chronologically here,
but now I want to throw a bomb into this. Sure,
sure, sure. Jump way ahead, completely leapfrog
the 90s third wave ska scene, and I want to go
all the way to 2012. Okay. And I want to give
love to a band that was originally from Boston,
but now they're based out of Amsterdam because
I feel like this song coming out of Fishbone
musically just works really well. And I'm going
to go with Jaya the Cat. Here comes the drums
from 2012's New International Sound of Hedonism.
I feel like bringing in that. newer vibe with
that extra reggae feel is a little bit of a left
turn but it still definitely holds that attitude
that fishbone brought to the table so yes i totally
leapfrogged the entire 90s third wave but i know
we're going to come back to it i'm not worried
at all but i feel like this song definitely has
that vibe that pays homage to the 80s sound that
we're talking about here that second wave ska
sound but also takes us into the future because
there are a lot of bands that have come out in
the last 15 years that are carrying the torch
for ska music now. And I feel like being able
to bounce back and forth between the two, there's
still a musical conversation at play here. For
sure. Yeah, absolutely. So that makes me want
to move to sort of that same thing with this
great band called Frighteners. And their song,
Always. It's the title track off of their 2022
release. Unbelievable. Unbelievable band. I'd
have yet to meet these cats. I discovered them.
I was putting on a slant. And I always have my
music on continue. So it's like after I finish
an album, it just goes into shuffle of whatever
stuff that I'm not listening to. And the next
thing that came on was Frighteners. and i was
like what am i listening to right now like what
is this and it was soulful and it was kind of
throwback and yet at the same time like still
like yeah it was just great and i think this
band they're so groovy i mean i listen to a lot
more like reggae style soul these days because
i'm a 46 year old man you and me both right well
it's like i mean like i still love my stop punk
and my like more upbeat stuff but uh while i'm
dusting or cleaning the kitchen or you know sitting
and staring out a window it's like you know it's
a lot more of the yeah the frighteners are they're
on regular rotation in our house all right well
then i'm gonna follow that up with something
that's been on regular rotation in my house for
a few years now because it's my youngest daughter's
favorite band now while most fathers who have
10 and 14 year old daughters, you would think
that it would be the Taylor Swift's of the world.
That would be consuming the music in a household.
But in my house, it's Amy interrupter and the
interrupters playing all the time. My 10 year
old knows every word to every interrupter song.
And one of her favorites is she's kerosene. I
got to take both of my girls to the stone pony
in New Jersey and Asbury park. And during she's
kerosene, we're up in front. And they blow the
confetti into the crowd. My daughter's sitting
on my wife's shoulder, screaming along to every
word. It was that first moment where I got to
look at my daughter at a concert, totally engulfed
in the music. And I kid you not, the hair on
my arm is standing up as I'm telling you this
story. And I'm getting like a little choked up
because seeing my kids love music the way I do
is a beautiful thing. And the fact that we get
to share love for a band together. where it's
not just like my 14 year old she brings me a
lot of stuff that she listens to which is regular
top 40 and i'm fine with it because we are finding
some common ground but when there's something
where i bring it to them and they're like yeah
dad this ain't that bad you actually know what
you're talking about here it really warms my
heart so i'm going to follow up frighteners with
the interrupters she's kerosene from 2018's fight
the good fight all right all right that's a good
one that's a good one Let's see. Oh, man. And
now I'm like, I feel like I should add certain
things, memorize it a little better. Because
for me, it is very, I do do that thing where
I'm like, I'm always trying to find that space
between what I'm digging and then what my kids
dig, right? And oh, God, what song is it? Hold
on. This is where I got to like, well, so I like
Major Lazer because of like. the bringing in
of the reggae and my kids dig it because it's
also got a modern thing to it so i would say
the 2009 major laser can't stop now and that's
definitely leaning into that reggae sound a little
bit too yeah yeah and it's strange because we've
been talking now we're almost through side a
and we've been living kind of in the reggae second
wave sound for a lot of this mix which is very
interesting because a lot of people when you
talk ska because of the explosion of the third
wave i assumed most people because when they
chimed in a lot of people chimed in third wave
third wave third wave totally and the fact that
we're going outside of that a little bit i think
it's amazing because there is a lot more than
the third wave and that's zero disrespect to
the third wave Yeah, yeah, yeah. So what I think
I'm going to do is bring in some third wave here
with one of the bands that was a label mate with
you on Mojo Records. And it's a band that I'm
a huge fan of. One of the best producers in punk
rock music. I'll say it hands down. I'm going
to go with Goldfinger and I'm going to go off
of the album Hang Ups and I'm going to go with
Superman. Because to me, that song is just a
ska punk anthem. And I love the fact that Mike
Herrera, who's from MXPX but also plays bass
now in Goldfinger, has recorded an acoustic version
of the song. And what I find fascinating is that
you don't hear the ballad in it until you heard
him reimagine it. And it's like, wow, this song
works both ways and it's perfect. Yeah. Oh, John
is such a great songwriter and he's such a great
craftsman as far as producing and writing. I
mean, I learned so much from that guy. I mean,
not only do I owe him my career, because he was
the one that helped get Real Big Fish signed.
Oh, really? Yeah. So we were playing this show
at a place called The Barn in Riverside, Southern
California. And John came to the show. And I
remember, like, I don't know where anybody else
was, but I was sitting at the merch table and
he was selling merch at my turn and signing stuff.
And this dude comes up to me, he goes, hey, man,
you guys are really good. I was wondering if
I could get your phone number to like, you know,
and I'm like a 17 year old kid. And he's like
a grown man. And I'm like, I'll give you my manager's
number. Like, I don't know you. And so he's like,
oh, yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I was like,
yeah, cool. So, yeah, he was the one he was like,
you guys are great. Like, you need to be signed.
You need to be like doing this. Like, you're
great. And it was just like. John was our champion
and got us signed on Mojo and got us connect.
Yeah, John. And so, I mean, I talked to John
relatively a few times a year and, you know,
see him around the holidays and stuff like that.
He's a, he's a good friend and we have a lot
of similar friends and stuff like that. And he's
just down for the cause. He's down to help people.
He loves ska music. He loves punk music and he
loves music. Like he just, he wants to like participate
in a positive and useful way. And, um, He never
stops. I mean, he's always sounds a little out
of breath. He's like, Hey Scott, it's John. And
that's how we, because he's so full of like exuberance
that you're like, wow, it's exciting. Being around
John is a very, it's very exciting. I can imagine
that because every album, when I see an album
that's coming out that he's produced, I will
buy it sight unheard because I know what he brings
to his productions. And my daughter. recently
discovered i'm using quote marks when i say discovered
but about a year and change ago she's like dad
i just discovered this new artist avril lavigne
and i chuckled because i'm like sweetie avril
lavigne was around 20 years ago and she goes
no no new song so i looked it up and i'm like
john fellman produced this i went to the store
i said let's go buy it for you and you knew it
was going to be great because what he brings
to the table he really no he has an ear for what
the songs need and it was easily avril lavigne's
best album since her first one i loved it yeah
john's been working with avril for a while and
like yeah they have a really great relationship
she knows how to embody his writing and like
he knows how to write for her that kind of thing
is always like incredible well you've got one
last song for side a one last song for side a
um well then i mean let's keep the energy going
And I got to go with the Boston's. It was brought
up, but going kind of like 93. Don't know how
to party Boston's, which is where I discovered
the Boston's with Sunday, I suppose. All right.
Yeah, you know, because it was also like, I don't
know that I had ever heard ska like that. You
know what I mean? Like the Boston's were something
else, you know, was that someday. you know, it
was almost like the closest thing I could think
that was like, that would be like rocket from
the crit. Yeah. You know what I mean? And rocket
has horns, but they're not by any stretch of
the imagination of ska band, but it was just
like this, like, and it wasn't boy, you know
what I mean? It wasn't all by the, it wasn't
that kind of thing. Yeah. I mean, I, I will always,
again, Boston special place in my heart. Just.
groundbreaking and like eye opening and melodically
unmistakable like knew how to work melody and
rhythm in a way that was just their own thing
you know and that comes a lot from like Nate
the guitar player at the time and Dennis the
trombone I mean like Hollywood all those cats
were like Joe Kittle just what a great band what
a great band and Dickie just the funnest front
man you ever saw and What a vocal style. So gravelly.
Oh, yeah. And then Ben just dancing. I mean,
like, that's the funny thing is I was like, I
remember the first time seeing the Blastones
and being like, oh, what is that guy's deal?
And I was like, wait a second. And then I rewatched
the video and I was like, oh, he's not playing.
Okay. Yeah. And it was Ben, their tour manager.
Really? And he just became kind of the dancing.
Ben started as their tour manager. Yeah. That's
a great legacy to have, though. What did you
what did you do for the last 30 years? I danced
rock and roll, dance and tour managed. You know,
I mean, he had people work in front of house
and, you know, all the sound and everything.
And he's like, oh, I guess I can just dance.
And I mean, eventually. Yeah, but it's pretty
funny. Well, you scooped me on the band. I had.
Two songs that I was bouncing back and forth
with. Obviously, the impression I get because
that was the one that really exploded on the
scene. And the Rascal King, which I also loved,
both from 1997's Let's Face It. Great album.
And then when my cover song, Itch, gets into
me, I could have even used their cover of Detroit
Rock City from the Kiss My Ass album that came
out, the Kiss Tribute. Because they just slayed
that one as well. Because those guys could rock
on top of the punk, on top of the ska. I mean,
you even could have gone, where did you go? Yep.
I mean, any of these bands, you can put a million
stinking songs on this thing. I feel like I'm
like, oh, God, what am I thinking now? Well,
I have the distinct pleasure of getting to close
out side A. You're going to be closing out the
night with closing out side B. But I promise
you. I'm not picking this song to kiss your ass.
I promise you I'm picking this song because it
is truly one of my favorites. And I am going
to go off of Real Big Fish's 1996 Turn the Radio
Off album. Oh, wow. And I am going with Beer.
All right. This song is everything I love about
ska. I will tell you the story. We were down.
My buddies and I decided to take a road trip
down to Wildwood, New Jersey to go to the boardwalks
for the day. Jersey Shore. Drove two and a half
hours down to the Jersey Shore. We spent the
whole day on the beach, spent the night on the
boardwalk. And at the end of the night, about
10 minutes before we're going to leave, we go
up to one of these spin the wheel booths. Sure,
sure. Threw a dollar down. I placed my quarters.
They spun the wheel and I won and I got to pick
out. It was a CD. Any CD I wanted. And I picked
out, turned the radio off, and we listened to
it six times in a row, driving back home that
night. And I instantly fell in love with the
band and the music. And this song was the one
that jumped out at me immediately. And then it
even got more amplified when I saw it in basketball
in the late 90s, the Trey Parker, Matt Stone
movie. So I would love to hear. what this song
meant for you guys as a band and how it, I don't
want to say defined a career, but I know sellout
was the big radio hit, but beer was always felt
like to me, the fan favorite seeing real big
fish at least a dozen times over the years. This
to me always felt like the song of the night.
Well, yeah. And it's funny too. I was just talking
with somebody about it as I'm like scrolling
through, I'm trying to think, um, I'm like, Oh,
what else is there? You know, that song was never
a single. Yeah. We never put it out on the I
mean, like arguably like our most popular song
ever. And like somehow it just I mean, it's just
nobody. It's baffling to me. I don't understand
how that worked out, but it just did. And I was
actually talking with Aaron about we've both
said this to each other. And I think we've maybe
said it publicly as well. It's a weird thing.
to have anything you've done considered a hit.
It's just weird. I mean, I think Aaron and I
both play this game, and we were actually talking
to Chris from Less Than Jake about this whole
thing, too, where it's like, people just say
hit, and then in your mind, you compare it to
hits. You know, and you're like, that's a hit.
This is not a hit. And it's like, we could go
on to Spotify and see what the streaming numbers
are, and it's a hit. By most stretches of the
imagination. By no stretch of the imagination
is it a hit. But it's a weird thing to see a
song that you wrote with your friends and played
in front of 50 people. And we're so stoked. We're
just like, I'll do 50 people. And then watch
that number go. It's humbling. It's exciting.
It's terrifying. There's a little bit of a. And
I mean, I think this isn't news to anybody when
it comes to like bands and like if they have
a couple songs that are like their big thing.
And we're lucky that most of our fans have a
pretty decent love and respect for a majority
of our catalog, you know, and they want to hear
a lot more. But let's face it, like the crowd
that never screams the loudest is the one that
they scream for beer or maybe take on me or maybe
sell out. But it's like. It was one of those
things where there would be times where that's
all people wanted to hear. And so we would, because
we don't play by anyone's rules, play it nine
times in a row. And nobody got tired of it. And
it became funny and tragic all at the same time.
And it's like you're trying to screw with people,
but then you can't because they just love the
song so much. And you're like, come on. But what
an honor for anybody to say anything we do or
did. Or, you know, it means as much as some of
our songs and beer in particular has meant to
people. Yeah, that's a rare gift because it's
I don't think it's just that the song is good.
I think for some reason we wrote it and it hit
people at the right time in the right way. We
were so fortunate to be, you know, some of what
is luck. It's like preparation meets timing or
something like that. Yeah, we were just it was
it was right. And what a blessing. What an honor.
Like something to just be like eternally grateful
for and like constantly like try never to take
it for granted, which is, of course, like impossible
because we're all egomaniacal sociopaths. But
it's rad. It's great. I'm just rattling now.
But it's yeah, it's what an absolute honor and
pleasure to have made something that meant so
much to so many people. It truly does. And that,
mixtapers, concludes side A of our ska punk mixtape,
which kicked off with The Selectors, Three Minute
Hero, The English Beat, Twist and Crawl, Fishbone,
Party at Ground Zero, Jaya the Cat, Here Comes
the Drums, Frighteners, Always, The Interrupters,
She's Kerosene, Major Lasers, Can't Stop Now.
Goldfinger's Superman, the Mighty Mighty Boston,
Someday I Suppose, and Real Big Fish Beer. Head
over to myweeklymixtape .com to hear all the
songs we've discussed in this mix through the
playlist embedded on the episode page. Now, before
we flip our proverbial mixtape over to Side B,
Scott, I'd like to take a minute to talk about
the Littlest Man Band. Oh, okay. Yeah. In 2022,
you remastered and re -released your 2004 album,
Better Bookends. I'd like to go back to when
you were recording that album, because at the
time you were in between Real Big Fish's Cheer
Up and We're Not Happy Until You're Not Happy.
And musically, this was a really big departure
from what you were doing with Real Big Fish.
So what I love about the album. is the jazzy
contemporary pop sounds that you kind of fused
with the hints of rock punk and the brass elements
that you were used to hearing in real big fish.
When you were writing this music, was there a
mindset that you were in when you were saying,
you know what, this isn't real big fish, but
this is definitely me and I need to make this
happen. How did that all come together? Really
organically. I mean, I don't force anything.
like i just don't believe in it i have so many
different sounds that go around in my head and
influences and stuff like that as many musicians
do but yeah i feel like i just heard this thing
and kind of followed it and then when i got my
friends together to do it it started to kind
of take this other shape i mean i picked people
in particular for what i knew they were capable
of and once We had like four tunes or five tunes
to start with. And then like once I heard the
band play those, then all of a sudden my wheels
started really turning. And it was like just
everything else wrote itself so quickly that
I just hear things really big. And I hear things
generally all done in my head. And it's just
kind of the way it's always been. But that was
just how it sounded in my head. None of it was
really intentional. There were times in Real
Big Fish where I would want to take certain chances
or try certain things. And Aaron was like, yeah,
I don't think so. And I was like, okay, no, it's
no problem. And I was lucky enough to get drunk
again and Average Man recorded. And I kind of
felt like those two kind of told me that I was
heading in the direction where there was a little
more. yeah just a different thing than like real
big fish was was focused on and i mean i didn't
really expect anybody to care i kind of i operate
from that perspective most of the time is it's
like i gotta do what i gotta do i can't be worried
if anybody cares and we were very fortunate that
people cared and still do i mean i you know we
didn't know if anybody would care if we remastered
and re -released better bookends And it's amazing
that people have, I mean, we've sold a ton of
the vinyl and like, you know, the numbers on
all Spotify and all the streaming services shot
up and all sorts of stuff. It's been, I don't
know. I get it. Cause I come back to this thing
where it's like, I always keep this thing in
the back of my mind. It's not how many it's that
anyone at all cares. Like I got to do this thing
because if I don't, I go nuts. And so if it connects
or means something to one or a couple people,
then. great then I've done my job but I have
some for some unbeknownst reason been lucky enough
to create things that more than just a couple
people like I mean I'm not going to stop I don't
know how I tried I tried for a little while I
stopped making music for about three years when
I had kids at first and my wife begged me to
get back to work She was like, please, you're
a miserable human being. I was like, I think
what it winds up being to make a really short
story long. I'm just trying to make the music
I want to hear that I don't yet. It's like I
would love to sound like so many bands that I
do enjoy. Oh, my gosh. But they're already doing
that. I'm a huge Queens of the Stone Age fan.
Love Queens. Love just. Yeah. Great band. Great
band. And I'm always like, oh, I just feel like
none of like I'm never write anything like that.
And then I had somebody point out recently that
like their songs, their melodies and stuff. There
are times where it's really Queens of the Stone
Age. And I was like, yeah, I was like, good,
great, because I always feel like I don't get
it there. And now I hear it a lot in a lot of
the things I'm doing. But yeah, I'm just trying
to make something that I don't hear because I
don't want to recreate something that already
has been. I'm trying to surprise myself more
than anything. and see if I can like really bear,
figure out how I expose the deeper human parts
of myself in order to make other people feel
comfortable to expose the deeper human parts
of themselves to create more catharsis and community.
Your mindset to music is the exact same mindset
I have with this podcast. I'm doing this podcast
because I love it and I'm not happy when I don't
do it but if people are listening that is a bonus
and that just puts a bigger smile on my face
each and every week and I'll also agree with
you that I don't know if I could hear the song
always same on a real big fish album I feel like
it works perfectly as a littlest man band song
because it is a departure from real big fish
but I can understand why this album needed to
happen the only critique I will give is that
Being a person who owns 4 ,500 CDs and has been
searching for better bookends on CD for the better
part of two decades, I was really hoping that
there would have been a CD pressing with the
latest remaster. That's a very small quibble
on my part. Very, very small. I understand. Yeah,
it's not there. You know, we haven't seen the
demand for CD yet. I understand. I may have a
box or two somewhere. that i'll look for that
would be amazing that has been a bucket list
checkoff that i've been looking to do for now
two decades and it's literally i have the album
digitally but it's not the same because i have
a full cd stereo setup that i like to it's my
listening area and that's kind of like yeah i'm
a guy from the 90s as much as i love vinyl and
i had cassettes and mixtapes growing up CDs is
where I fell into my element. But more importantly,
back to the Littlest Man Band. The band is back
in action now. Yeah. And I'd like to talk about
some of the new tunes that you've released over
the most recent time period. The first being
a song called Just Like You, which is a jazzy
rocker that has, and I mean this as an absolute
compliment, a touch of the 90s swing revival
and almost a... contemporary pop sound to it
fall in love again she's gotta be just like you
graceful and delicate cause nothing less will
do a certain something hidden behind bright eye
the sweetest tenderness that never dies and now
It just works so damn well. It's, dare I say
it, it's my favorite Littlest Man Band song ever,
and it's your newest single. Oh, wow. Thank you
so kindly. I only have weeks to digest this song,
and it instantly rocketed to the top. It's just
such a powerful, powerful tune. Oh, thank you
so much. Yeah, I mean, I wrote that with the
original Littlest Man Band, and we never got
around to recording it. So it was like... When
we were like, what are we recording next? I was
like, well, let's do one of the newer ones and
let's do one of the older ones. And I kind of
feel like there's some stuff that we never got
to release back then that I think I really want
to get to. But there's a song actually I wrote
about my wife before we were even dating. Wow.
And it actually, she came to see me at a show.
She came to see one of those man band play at
a show in Long Island. And she saw the side.
And then my drummer went up to her afterwards.
He's like, you know, that last song we played.
Yeah. That's about you, you know? And she was
like, oh. And so she went home actually that
night and broke up with her boyfriend. Wow. That's
the way to do it, man. That's epic style right
there. Yeah. You know, it was, I mean, I feel
bad for her ex. I didn't mean to write it that
good. Yeah. And so it was like, for my wife,
I also wanted to record it. And we had such fantastic
musicians on those recordings. I mean, we had.
Tony Austin, who plays in Kamasi Washington's
band. Dennis Hamm, who plays with Thundercat.
Ed Campworth, who plays in the Long Beach Dub
All -Stars. And then the littlest man band horn
section, which is a cat named Edgar Guadiana.
He's also in a band called Twin Temple, which
is a satanic doo -wop band. And then Tavis Wertz
from Real Big Fish. And then a guy named Adam
Leverick Johnson, who is one of my front bone
players. And then John Avila. From Oingo Boingo
and the first two Relic Fish albums produced
it. Amazing. Amazing. And with that track, you
also had a single, Sidle Up, which has that balance
of that contemporary pop delivery with a modern
energy across the whole song. Is that kind of
the style you go for in the Littlest Man Band?
Or is that just a coincidence? Because these
songs, like I said, and when I say contemporary
pop, it's weird to say Frank Sinatra, but it's
that element of cool with the delivery. It's
a suave delivery over this music that is a little
heavier and a little more weighty. So it's a
really cool balance. It's just the way it comes
out. Yeah. I don't know. I try not to overthink
this stuff because if I do, I'll never get anything
done. You know, I mean, like right now we're
in the midst of demoing another song to record
and I've been overthinking it because I've had
it for a while. I'm not even done with the lyrics
yet. We've already demoed it like seven times.
And it's like this final time we're like, OK,
I think this is probably it. But I mean, we had
to play with a bunch of tempos and weirdness.
I was like, I think I'm overthinking it. And
Vince Walker, who's my like my right hand, he
was just kind of he's there to keep me from going
insane and also just unbelievably talented. And
he goes, you know, I, I, I think this is it.
And I'm like, are you sure? He's like, I think
we're good. And I go, okay. Cause I need someone
to bit there that tell me to stop sometimes.
Cause this is, this is an idea machine that never
turns off. So, I mean, we've got a good, probably
16 tunes to record. Nice. Um, just finding the
time and energy and money. Most of the problem.
Uh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, leave the overthinking
to the podcasters like me, because that's what
I do. I sit around and think about this stuff
all the time. You just keep cranking out great
music. Now, along with the Littlest Man Band,
you've been keeping busy in other avenues as
well. You re -recorded as a solo the song that
you did, Average Man, with Real Big Fish. You
re -recorded that. I just became a member of
a club known as the Bumbling Fools. Watching
the game and the best things in life is the motto
and the rule. You can open up your heart and
hear me out just for tonight. Baby, I've got
something to prove to you. I gotta show you I
can do it right. Get out. Don't wanna see you.
You also reunited with Real Big Fish members
Aaron Bennett, Rylan Steen, and Dan Regan on
a song No Hope by Loser. Can you talk about how
that track came together? Well, Chris Grau is
a friend of mine and a dear friend, actually.
And so when he asked, I just said, yes. Well,
and I sang on a few of his tunes. And one of
them is the one that is it No Hope that's in
the Clerks 3? Yes. yeah it's uh he's just i i
love chris's stuff and we he kind of he tour
managed me and babysat me when i did some stuff
going out i need a lot of holding um and uh yeah
he's just i think he's a great songwriter and
he's just got this fun approach to things so
when he asked me i was like absolutely i mean
my manager was obviously like what was there
a contract and i said no and he's like do you
want me to fail Um, so, you know, um, but Chris
is great and he's toured with real big fish.
He toured with real big fish before in a band,
the maxis. Oh yeah. Yeah. He's just one of those
guys. He's been around. He shoots like every
music video in the Scott scene lately. And, uh,
yeah, it's just a mensch, just a mensch. Awesome.
Well, I'm going to ask one question because of
your connection that you've stayed in touch with
Aaron over the years. I know he's come on one
of your live streams that you do on Twitch. I
know you haven't been in the band for a long
time, but the band has been quiet since the Life
Sucks, Let's Dance album and tour that happened
in 2018. Has there been any movement? Is Real
Big Fish still active? Are they working on new
stuff? Do you know anything that, again, I'm
not trying to be TMZ here. I'm just a fan who
loves the band. I know. I mean, I talk with Aaron.
He's like a brother to me. All I know is that
it's like that guy hasn't taken a break for himself.
since we started and like he's been on the road
or in the studio or working every single day
since he was 19 years old and you know and he's
26 now and and it's like he's taking a well -deserved
like time to do some things slowly and i mean
every time i see him we you know we hang out
we get lunch we you know we i'll go down you
know where he is he comes up where i am we hang
out like he's just He's as happy as can be. And,
you know, he and his girl and his dog. And it's
like the future of that situation. I don't know.
I don't know if he knows. I don't know if anybody
knows. But I know Aaron and he is one of the
most creative people I've ever known in my entire
life. And there will probably be a spark at some
time. And, you know, I mean, and he and I have
spoken about. many things. So there's no promises.
I can't say anything. Yes or no. In any direction.
All I know is that Aaron and I enjoy each other's
company. And I know that he's in his heart of
hearts, a creative person. Awesome. Well, with
that, let's jump into side B cause we have been
talking a lot now and I'm going to kick off.
I get the joy of kicking off side B and being
from New Jersey. I want to show some New Jersey
love to start off. And I'm going to go to East
Brunswick, New Jersey. And that's right down
the street from me, about 35 minutes down the
road with a band at the time in 1998 was known
as Catch -22, who then became Streetlight Manifesto.
This song was recorded by both bands, but I'm
going to go with the original 1998 title track,
Keys B. Nights, to kick off Side B. Just a fun,
upbeat. Dark lyrically, but fun sing -along.
When you listen to the lyrics, you're like, what
am I singing? And what am I so upbeat and happy
about? It's just one of those great, fun, third
-wave ska songs. And I love the fact, because
everyone talked about the ska scene being Orange
County, Orange County. And that was the bulk
of it. But New Jersey had some say in this matter,
and I love the fact. Oh, yeah, absolutely. So
represent Catch -22, Keys B. Knights. Nice. Well,
that actually kind of works with what I was thinking
next, which was keeping it East Coast, even though
he now lives on the West Coast, is going with
the reworking of his album No Dream to Ska Dream,
the Jeff Rosenstock song Ska Dream from Ska Dream.
I love Jeff. Jeff is what a prolific. and talented
songwriter and performer. I've seen Jeff Rosenthal
play a few times and I saw him play just him
and an acoustic guitar in front of like 700 people.
And it was just as good as if when he played
in front of 700 people with the band. Like he's
just phenomenal. And I love Jeff's work all over
the place. He's been, I mean, you know, like
he's important to the Scott scene from the late
90s to now too. It's like with, you know. on
the music industry and Bruce Lee. I mean, you
know, it's like he's been doing it. Love the
fact that you're going with an influential name
here because my next pick is going to jump on
that. And I'm going to follow your influential
because this is a band that was influential because
of where they came from already, which was Op
Ivy. But then Rancid. I feel like you can't talk
about punk and ska together without bringing
up Rancid. So I'm going to go to 1995, my senior
year in high school, and out come the wolves.
I'm going with Time Bomb. A song that literally
every time I hear it, I am brought right back
to senior year in high school. The song has such
strong memories for me. It's such a catchy, infectious
tune. And it's a little different than the third
wave ska because Rancid kind of went on their
own path. They were definitely leaning more towards
the punk side of things. But when they went ska,
they brought that second wave. sound into the
mix and it worked really, really well. And it
still does their new albums. Absolutely incredible.
Tomorrow never comes. If you haven't heard it,
check it out. But for now, 1995 and outcome,
the wolves, I'm going to follow it up with time
bomb. Yeah. Okay. Shoot. That changes what I
wanted to do. Cause I just got it in my head
and I was like, Oh yeah. And I was like, Oh,
I know how, cause now I know how I want to end
this one. which is going to blow your mind. But,
you know, I always got I don't know why I can't
help it. I go I go back to the old souls and
maybe because we we lost him in the last year
or so. And he was so he's been such a great for
me, such an important like member of the Scott
community. But Funky Kingston by Toots and the
Maytals. Mm hmm. Like that tune just deck deck
deck. Just like, you can't help. And then that
bass line. And then there's like the drum. What
a darn great song. Unbelievable song. Love it.
All right. Well, following that up, I had a band
I wanted to include in this list, and I'm going
to get to include them now, but I'm actually
changing the song to fit more of the Funky Kingston
vibe. So it's the same band, but a different
song. same album i was gonna go with 2003's anthem
and i originally had picked less than jake's
the ghost of me and you which is one of my favorite
heavier fast cop but coming out of toots that
doesn't work well so i'm gonna go with the science
of selling yourself short yeah because that song
is absolutely fantastic. I have seen real big
fish and less than Jake on the same bill. So
many times in the nineties, I feel like you guys
were synonymous with each other touring all the
time. It felt like, even though I'm sure there
were breaks in the, but it always felt like you
guys were just perfect tour mates, always fun
shows, always great music and a little bit of
levity in life, which not a lot of people have.
So the science of selling yourself short, you
know, I love those dudes. They're so great. It's
so funny because when we started out, there was
and I don't know how this stuff happens, but
there was this thing that was like West Coast,
East Coast. Yes. And like we had heard people
told us all the Jake doesn't like real big fish.
And we were like. Well, that's weird because
we love that band. And then we were like, oh,
wow, maybe they think we're stupid. I mean, like
that was kind of our thought process anyway.
We just figured everybody thought we were stupid.
And there were a lot of people that were very
vocal about thinking we were stupid. So we were
like, oh, I bet they're the majority, not the
minority there. You know, but then you meet certain
people and they're like, I love your band. And
you're like, oh, wow, that's amazing. Maybe they
don't mean it. You know, so yeah, less than Jake
when people like, ah, guys are like, and we're
like, we are. And then we played some festival
together for the first time. Like, I think Aaron
had gone to see them play, but I know the rest
of us hadn't seen them. And like, we met the
guys and we were like, these are great guys.
These are great people. Like, and they seem nice.
And we, they seem to like us. Like what? And
so we, we joked about it. And you were like,
oh. Are we supposed to fist fight? I was like,
so stupid. And I was like, let's go have a beer.
And like, we watched their show and we're like,
what a band. And they walked stars and like,
what a band. And it was like, yeah, kind of like
this great relationship. I mean, like I was so
honored to be able to play on one of their records.
Like the fact that they, yeah, they called me
up and they were like, come play on, on state
of Florida. Like it's, I don't know. It just,
you know, it's not the name of the record or
is it, it's gonna flop. Yeah, gonna fly, GNA,
FLA, whatever you want to call it. Yeah, yeah,
yeah. Because I have it listed as actually both.
I think the original demo was called State of
Florida. Because I had the demos. Oh, okay. And
then the unmastered versions that I put into
my, like, music library. But, yeah, it was so
fun. And then to just, like, hear my Warren in
less than Jake song was just, like, amazing.
They're just great. I love them. All right. Well,
we're back to you to follow up the science of
selling yourself short. I want to go with this
band that I love, Bad Operation, and go with
the first song on that record, Perilous. Love
it. Absolutely love it. Bad Operation. They're
so great. I haven't had a chance to meet those
cats yet, but that record's so good. It makes
me so happy. I wish I had a great story for those
cats. We haven't met yet. Yeah. I mean, I did
this show in 2019, actually. where goldfinger
was playing a show and i was still living on
the east coast and john called me to come and
play horns for him and it's where i first met
jer in scott to network and we are the union
and that connecting like i met reed from we are
the union then and i met john graber who works
a lot who produced would we are the union and
works with like no effects and also john feldman
and all those bands and that's where i really
got into like i i met Reed there, Catbite was
playing that, Kill Lincoln was playing that.
I met all of those younger, great, just like
super fun ska bands. And then, you know, so those
bad time record bands that I met, and then it
opened up to Bad Operation. That's not an interesting
story, but that's how I found Bad Operation.
Awesome. Well, I think I'm going to get an interesting
story out of my next pick because this is the
band that I'd like to, I always like to throw
in. bands that I think are deeper cuts in every
episode, which to you, this won't be a deep cut
because it's very familiar to you, but to people
that are, I don't want to say they're not massive
into the sky scene, but they know enough. This
is a song that they may have been introduced
to by real big fish on 2009 fame, fortune, and
fornication. However, I knew the song from a
decade earlier from their album, 1999's The Elements
of Transition. I want to go with Edna's Goldfish,
Veronica Sawyer. Yeah. Love the song. This was
one of those songs that I was shocked that this
band did not get bigger. I was shocked that they
did not become one of the mainstays because it
was such a fantastic album. And then the band
kind of broke up after that. I'd love to know.
What made you guys decide to cover that song
for the album? Because that's not, again, a household
song, but it's definitely an amazing and, dare
I say, underrated ska punk tune. Yeah, I mean,
I think that was why we decided to cover it.
It was like, this band was so fun and we played
so many times with them and they're such great
people. We just wanted to bring some attention.
And that was kind of always our way. It was like,
we want to bring attention to the people who
keep us excited. and come up after us and during
us. And it was always about participating in
the scene. Like it was the scene, you know, and
it's like, and the internet was helpful in a
lot of ways of spreading the scene and connecting
the scene. And we felt an obligation being somehow
blessed and picked to be ambassadors to a degree
of the music. As I said before, that we would
have done a disservice to ska music and everything
that had gotten us to where we were if we didn't
try to shine light in other places. I mean, you
know, we always tried to take certain ska bands
with us. And yeah, that's why. I'm like, is there
more? No, there's not. I'm still trying to find
the next song. But yeah, it's so... interesting
to participate in something this beautiful and
this storied and rich but it's a responsibility
or and i don't like the word responsibility is
it's a glorious opportunity something that we
are grateful for 100 like we know it didn't have
to be us it could have been many other bands
and we didn't deserve it more than anybody else
deserved it we were just lucky And so with that
luck needs to come gratitude. And then with that
gratitude needs to come action. Love the mindset,
man. Absolutely love it. Well, you have two songs
left and I've got one. So I'm struggling for
my track nine, but I got to wait to hear what
you come up with for track eight, which will
swing which way I go. I mean, I'm like, do I?
Huh? ish it's so hard because there's so many
to pick from and i'm like okay it's like think
about your friends and then uh you know that's
the pressure too is it's like i don't want to
let any of my friends down and it's like but
i have so many well okay so i would be remiss
in my duties if i did not pick a we are the union
song uh let's see i'm trying to think I think,
yeah, let's do Ordinary Life because I think
that's the one that I played on. It is the one
I played on. I don't think I know. So Ordinary
Life off of Ordinary Life by We Are The Union.
I love those people. I had Reed play on the remake
of Average Man. Just great friends, great band.
You know, I've been in a handful of their videos.
But yeah, I really love that band. I think Reed
is a great songwriter. and such a talent. They're
just great all around people too. All right.
And they're of that younger guard, but they're
keeping things moving. Yes, they certainly are.
And that's now where I struggle because I only
have one song left, as do you now. My problem
is there's a lot of bands we haven't touched
on. And this is the bane of my existence with
this show because after every episode, I do get
messages on social media. as well as email saying,
wait a minute, how did you do an episode and
not include blank? So here I am, but I've got
two bands that are floating in my head that I
feel like if we don't talk about both of them,
we're going to do a disservice. However, I would
rather talk about the band that is more connected
to this discussion in this playlist. And I don't
feel, and I'll say both names because I don't
want to insult either one. I actually love both
bands. No doubt, which was a huge part of the
ska punk scene. There's no denying it. They were
kind of the torchbearers. And then bringing the
female perspective into it, it just opened the
doors for other female artists in the ska scene,
which I loved. Then you had groups like, say,
Ferris, which were amazing. They're still out
doing their thing. But I'm going to go back to
the beginning because you mentioned this person
all the way at the beginning of our conversation.
Oh, my gosh. I cannot believe I just forgot.
Oh my God. Now I feel terrible. You brought up
MC back commander. So I got to go with the Aquabats
super rad. It's tough because I want to include
no doubt. I feel like I'm doing, I want to include
say Ferris, but I'd love to hear some stories
about real big fish in the Aquabats. Cause that's
another pairing I've seen multiple times on tour.
Yeah. I mean, Christian from the Aquabat is he's
like a big brother to me. Because his youngest
brother was my best friend for many years. And
still like one of my good friends today. And
so I learned a lot from Christian. I mean, I
remember seeing the Aquabats when they were like,
it was kind of two different bands. And it was
a show in someone's house, this girl named Michaela.
And they played in the like Solarium. It was
just like a weird show. And it was just like
a bunch of kids sitting on the floor in this
house. And they made T -shirts, these really
weird T -shirts. I still have it to this day.
I mean, I was 13, maybe. And it says Space Monster
M with Fresh Curd. And those were the two bands,
Space Monster M and Fresh Curd. And actually,
if you watch the Aquabats Super Show at the end
of the first season. the big bad guy is space
monster m huh yeah and so like they've always
been like the greatest funnest band of all i
mean they're amazing and like again like how
could i have not talked about the aquabats and
of course it comes down to the end and all the
bands start flooding into my head i'm like oy
vey uh but yeah i mean and and to be it really
meant a lot to me actually that My last tour
with Real Big Fish was in Australia with the
Aquabats. Awesome. Yeah. And so they were there
and it was like kind of telling because we all
kind of started together and like and they were
there for me. And it was like, I love all those
cats. Truth be told, like I want to try to get,
you know, like Eagle Bones Falcon Hawk to play
on something soon for some of the new stuff.
But, you know, maybe you get Ricky Fitness. And
I just I like bringing my friends into the littlest
man band. I mean, the littlest man band can be
whatever I want it to be, for God's sake. And
I don't have a permanent band right now. I have
like four people that are always generally around.
But yeah, what a band. What a creative fun. I
mean, like and they're always so surprising when
they put out high five suit. Yep. I remember
we were in Australia and Christian was like,
hey, can you listen to this? I want to know what
you think. And so we were backstage somewhere
in Australia. We were just sitting there doing
nothing. And I listened to the whole album and
I said, I think this is some of your best work
to date. Like your voice sounds amazing. Like
it's like this stuff sound is so good. And I
feel like I do that every time they put out a
record. I feel like I'm like, this is your best
work to date. So I love that band. And there
are two sides to a ska scene. And we some of
it and we got it. We kind of got shit for this
every now and then about not talking politics
and social justice. But there were bands doing
that. And it wasn't what came naturally to us
until later in life. You know, I mean, and so
we were more of this like the party, which is
OK. We needed both. And so the Aquabats are very
much that like. But they're like. There's a certain
amount of self -reflection and awareness and
light -hearted self -deprecation that comes in.
It's like we all need to take things seriously,
and sometimes we just got to laugh at stuff.
Because if we take it too serious, it'll put
us in the ground. 100%. My 14 -year -old's favorite
Real Big Fish song, which I probably played slightly
earlier than I should have for her, is another
F .U. song. Sure. Because, again, she just heard
it for the first time and started snickering.
And as soon as it was over, she goes, can you
play that one again? And that's her favorite
to this day. And now that she's older, I'm like,
yeah, that's fine. Whatever. You know, it's cool.
But when she first heard it, it didn't dawn on
me until halfway through the song that she was
in the car. And I'm like, I ripped that bandaid
off. So I do want to point out, though, one of
my close friends, Drew, who is my ska punk friend.
We were in a punk band together in the 2000s.
we are always texting each other when we hear
a new ska song or a new punk song that we think
the other person would like. And he texted me
this past weekend and he said, how many people
do you think realize that Travis Barker played
in the Aquabats? Oh, yeah. It's amazing how many
people don't know that little tidbit. Yeah. The
Aquabats were very influential. They did so much
for the scene and so much for the industry. And
I love the fact that it, because their music
is family friendly, to a certain extent, you
know, with the show and everything else, there's
an element to that that is introducing younger
audiences to this amazing music. So I feel like
it's, dare I use the word gateway drug, musically
speaking, of course, for younger people to kind
of get into the scene. And I think it's fantastic.
That's why I ended up going with the Aquabats
for my close of the evening. But now, Scott,
you get the tough. daunting decision of closing
out the entire night here. Okay. I had two perfect
ending that I was torn between, but I wasn't
going to sweat it because either one. And then
I like realized everyone that I completely forgot
to put on this list. I mean, it's like, I worried
at the beginning of the thing that I was like,
I'm not going to know. I'm not going to remember
everything. I mean, of course it's like when
I have one left, I'm like, Oh, my gosh, because
I want to show, you know, I want to show I'm
eclectic, but I also have friends that are just
a great band. So, OK, I'm going to say what I
was going to do. They're not on the list, but
check them out anyway. The first thing I was
going to do is there is a version of Stairway
to Heaven. OK, and you're like, what? By Frank
Zappa. That is a ska and reggae version. of Stairway
to Heaven. It is amazing. That's not the one
I want to do. I just wanted to say it. Then I
was like, you know what? We'll finish it up with
one of my all -time favorite reggae artists.
It's a good feeling one. This is not the one
I want to do either, but I'm going to say it
anyway. It's Till I'm Laid to Rest by Buju Bantam.
You can't not feel good, but that's not what
I'm going to do. What I am going to do. is go
to my dear friends. They've been friends of mine
forever. I played in a band called the Knuckle
Brothers with their trombone player, toured and
played a bunch of shows with a band called My
Superhero that their keyboard player is from,
the guitar player is from Save Ferris, who are
dear friends as well. And it's also led by a
female singer who actually was on one of my favorite
shows of all time, Parks and Rec. So I got to
go with Bite Me Bambi, Let Me Love You. I feel
like I would be a bad friend if I didn't because
I don't know Buju and I'm a huge Frank Zappa
fan. But explore Frank Zappa. He uses a lot of
ska and reggae all over the place. Oh, God. All
over the place. One of the things that I love
about ska and reggae music is finding where its
influences are that you wouldn't expect. I mean,
we didn't talk about the police. We didn't. You
know, there's a bunch of bands that we did not
talk about. But Bite Me Bambi, I love this band
and I love they're such dear friends of mine.
I mean, we did so many bands we didn't talk about.
Oh, my God. We didn't talk to so many people
we didn't talk about. I'm telling you, Scott,
there's a reason why there's volume two for mixtapes.
So we might have to consider having you back
to do a volume two. I would love to do it. I
would love to do it. Oh, my gosh. I would. Oh,
man. Yeah. I'd be down to do, yeah. Unfortunately,
I'm unreliable or else I would do this podcast.
We need no other guests ever again. But yeah.
So, but Bite Me Bambi, I mean, like there are
veterans in that band. They care about it. They're
great. My sax player, Edgar Guadiana, who is
also in the band. I still say he's my sax player,
even though he probably belongs to Twink Temple
and the Littlest Man Band and Bite Me Bambi are
just borrowing him. Yeah. Anyway, so that's that's
what I got to go. And correct me if I'm wrong,
but are there members of Suburban Legends that
also weave in and out of the Littlest Man band
as well? Yeah. So Vince Walker and Chris Luca
are both from Suburban Legend. And so, yes. Well,
before I. Continue with a couple of more questions.
I do want to say that mixtapers, that does conclude
side B of our ska punk mixtape, which kicked
off with Catch -22's Keys B. Nights, Jeff Rosenstock's
Ska Dream, Rancid's Time Bomb, Toots and the
Mytals' Funky Kingston, Less Than Jake's The
Science of Selling Yourself Short, Bad Operations
Perilous, Edna's Goldfish, Veronica Sawyer, We
Are the Union's Ordinary Life, The Aquabats,
Super Rad, and Bite Me Bambi, Let Me Love You.
Head over to myweeklymixtape .com to hear all
the songs we've discussed tonight in this mix
through the playlist embedded on the episode
page. Now, Scott, I know you alluded to this
earlier when we were talking, but what do you
have in store moving forward for the rest of
the year with the Littlest Man Band as well as
in your music and professional life? So Littlest
Man Band has two shows coming up. One, we're
doing the Summer Sizzler in Southern California
at the Garden Amphitheater in Garden Grove, California
with Bite Me Bambi, the third annual. It's a
big get to do. It's a lot of fun. We're very
excited. This is our second time being back.
And then we also have a show in Modesto, California
called the Maximum Ska and P -Fest, which is
a big festival. And it's going to be bands like
Littlest Man Band. Loser actually is going to
be there. Some other great ska bands like The
Odd Advantage, Monkey, The Bracers, Hella. Not
Hella. It's a very different band. The Hellas.
I like Hella too, but 1335, Always Bet on Red.
Just a slew of bands. So that's going on. I stream
on Twitch actually every Tuesday and Friday at
9 p .m. Pacific Standard Time and then Wednesdays
and Thursdays at 9 a .m. Pacific Standard Time.
And go for about two hours, two and a half hours,
sometimes three. And then, yeah, we're just releasing
more music. And I've been doing this creative
consulting where, yeah, I help people with their
creative lives or their artistic individuation
and stuff like that. You know, I mean, I've had
some incredible mentors. And so the opportunity
to turn around and be someone's mentor is really
fulfilling. And I've had some really great success
with people that are like their lives are transformed.
which is weird. I just expected to help people
with creativity. And like, I just got a message
today that we're like, people are starting to
understand their own lives and their partners
and their relationships and all sorts of stuff.
The decision to dive into creativity is we get
into our subconscious, start to see ourselves
differently and we're gentler with ourselves
and we start to understand ourselves and then
others a little easier. So it's really more about
learning to like embrace humanity through creative
forms than to like try to psychoanalyze. ourselves
and diagnose something that's just part of the
human condition. Well, I love it. And I just
want to thank you so, so much for coming on the
show. I've been such a huge fan of your music
for so many decades. It's been an absolute honor
talking music with you tonight. I thank you for
all the wonderful concerts I've seen over the
years and all the great music that's a soundtrack
to my life. And most importantly, thank you so
much. for joining me on My Weekly Mixtape tonight,
man. Yeah, thank you so much. This has been an
absolute hoot. Don't forget to connect with My
Weekly Mixtape on your favorite social media
sites at My Weekly Mixtape. You can also head
to myweeklymixtape .com to hear the full catalog
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myweeklymixtape. That's all for this week. Thanks
again for listening. Until next time. Enjoy the
tunes.