The Witzard

Coolie Ranx (photographer unknown / SOURCE: Facebook) Coolie Ranx (born Obi-Ajula Ugbomah) is well-known for his work within the New York City Ska scene and beyond. Starting in the very early 1990's, he was the frontman of New York City's own The Toasters, who were instrumental in getting Ska on the map in America. The Toasters, also, formed Moon Ska Records , which became the homebase for a multitude of the Ska bands that nurtured the 1990's Third Wave Ska revival. He departed The Toasters in 1997 and went on to start his own band, Pilfers. Through Pilfers, Coolie created an infectious and unique sound aptly named Raggacore, which seamlessly blended Pop, Reggae, Dub, Hardcore, Punk, and Ska in a rugged, hard-hitting energy. Coolie Ranx has continued to work within the scene as a collaborator and solo artist, well-known for his pinpoint precise chat skills, effortless genre-blending prowess, and soaring melodic vocal delivery. Coolie Ranx has appeared on releases along...

Just about a month ago, Bearded Gentlemen Music scribe and Twitter personality Dane Jackson (parody) ( @almightydanish ) alerted his oodles of trusty Followers, and I paraphrase, they "should totally check out The Pomps' "Ska-ellar" new album, Bottom of The Pomps." So, we obviously dropped everything we were doing and immediately went and checked out Bottom of The Pomps and, indeed, totally loved it! It was released on rapidly-growing Alameda, California-based Ska/Ska Punk label Bad Time Records , who has very recently issued albums and EP's from We Are The Union, CATBITE, JER, The Suicide Machines & Coquettish, DISSIDENTE, Joystick!, FOLLY & The Best of The Worst, Eichlers, and Abaskadabra. Then, one thing led to another and soon enough, we had gotten in direct contact with The Pomps' founding member, vocalist, and guitarist Alex Stern (Big D & The Kids Table, The Inevitables, The Sterns ,) via email transmission. Stern and I got a chanc...

"Strictly Covered: Big D usually writes an EP in-between writing LP's, so that you can get the gears moving and begin your creative process. This time, however, we decided to do a covers record for fun. These are a collection of songs we have been inspired by though out the years." - David "Big D" McWane (@david_mcwane1) Strictly Covered by Big D and the Kids Table 1. "Dr. D" (The Mighty Mighty Bosstones) "I believe, "Dr. D" is the best example of fast, fun, spastic Skacore. It's a blast! The Might Mighty Bosstones began to play a Swing-style [version] of this song live, so we added parts of that at the end of the original. The Doped Up Dollies joined us for the Swing bit. I love this tune and it was prefect for the first track, as it has all the elements, later, found through out the record." Strictly Covered by Big D and the Kids Table 2. "Yellin' In My Ear" (Operation Ivy) "Operation Ivy would,...

Bob "dj BC" Cronin is an Atlanta-based producer, mash-up artist, beat architect, and Ghostbusters enthusiast. BC is, likely, best know for his releases credited to "The Beastles" (The Beatles + Beastie Boys) who issued the full-length projects between 2004-2013: dj BC Presents The Beastles, Let It Beast, and ILL SUBMARINE. dj BC has released countless projects remixing and mashing up artists as varied as Wu-Tang Clan, JAY-Z vs. Brian Eno, Philip Glass, and De La Soul/Sly & Robbie, and The A.K.A.'s. dj BC's latest genre-blending release, "Ghost Cave, is an album of 12 tight songs, in the styles of Alternative Hip-Hop, Reggae, Electro-Punk, and House. It's a unique Rap album, unlike any you've heard. And the slate of guest talent is out of this world." What's being dubbed as "The Ghost Cave All-Stars" includes contributions from Edo. G/Ed O.G. Big D & The Kids Table frontman David McWane, Fahamu Pecou, Z.Dimention, Oko...