Welcome to the Ska Boom podcast. This episode marks the conclusion of the Soul Salvation series, which has served as the audio companion to my book Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat. Across 18 episodes, I’ve explored the legacy of the English Beat and their final album, Special Beat Service, highlighting its significance to a generation of music lovers. This final episode encapsulates the journey of celebrating a band that has profoundly influenced so many – musicians like...
Nov 06, 2024•21 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast! This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me. The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initi...
Oct 30, 2024•18 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast! This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me. The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initi...
Oct 23, 2024•15 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast! This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me. The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initi...
Oct 16, 2024•21 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast! This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me. The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initi...
Oct 09, 2024•24 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast! This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me. The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initi...
Oct 02, 2024•22 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast! This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me. The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initi...
Sep 25, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast! This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me. The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initi...
Sep 18, 2024•23 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast! This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me. The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initi...
Sep 11, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast! This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me. The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initi...
Sep 04, 2024•23 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast! This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me. The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initi...
Aug 28, 2024•24 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast! This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me. The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initi...
Aug 21, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast! This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me. The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initi...
Aug 14, 2024•19 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast! This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me. The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initi...
Aug 07, 2024•23 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast! This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me. The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initi...
Jul 31, 2024•28 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast! This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me. The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initi...
Jul 24, 2024•21 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast! This season is called Soul Salvation and its the companion to my new book “Soul Salvation – A Gen X Love Letter To The English Beat." Through the book and this podcast I’m telling the story of the Special Beat Service album which embodies both the brilliance and the bittersweet end of the English Beat whose songs served as a soundtrack for thousands of Gen Xers like me. The book and this podcast is my tribute to the band’s final, triumphant act – which initi...
Jul 17, 2024•22 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Hi! It’s Marc Wasserman! It’s been a minute. But I’m glad to be back. Welcome back to the Ska Boom podcast and welcome to Soul Salvation, a limited edition series about the English Beat and their third and final album Special Beat Service that was released in 1982. I have a question for you? Can music save your life? I believe it can. Not surprisingly, many great thinkers across the ages have considered this question. The 18th century German romantic writer Jean Paul Friedrich Richter said “ Mus...
Jul 10, 2024•14 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Welcome to 2 Tone Legacy a special 10-part audio documentary series of the Ska Boom podcast that focuses on the stories behind the songs that contribute to the enduring legacy of 2 Tone music and its ongoing impact on popular culture. When it came time for The English Beat to create a logo for their first album and for marketing posters and advertisements they called upon Hunt Emerson who is a noted British cartoonist and comic book artist. Emerson drew the Beat Girl from an original photo of a ...
Sep 10, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 6Ep. 11
In this episode, I focus on the incredibly influential and often overlooked role that Eddy Grant has played in merging the sounds of ska, reggae, pop, dance and rock music. I’ve always been a huge fan and consider Grant a musical futurist who has successfully combined the best of James Brown, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley into something completely unique. I’ll be taking a look at Grant’s diverse musical career and will also dig into his most well known American hit “Electric Avenue” which went to ...
Jun 03, 2022•24 min•Season 6Ep. 10
Welcome to 2 Tone Legacy a special 10-part audio documentary series of the Ska Boom podcast that focuses on the stories behind the songs that contribute to the enduring legacy of 2 Tone music and its ongoing impact on popular culture. In each episode, I'll be joined by Paul Williams, author of "You're Wondering Now: The Specials from Conception to Reunion" and lead singer of UK 2-Tone band The Skapones. Paul is a noted 2 Tone expert and he'll be sharing his memories and insights on all the songs...
May 26, 2022•19 min•Season 6Ep. 9
Welcome to 2 Tone Legacy a special 10-part audio documentary series of the Ska Boom podcast that focuses on the stories behind the songs that contribute to the enduring legacy of 2 Tone music and its ongoing impact on popular culture. In each episode, I'll be joined by Paul Williams, author of "You're Wondering Now: The Specials from Conception to Reunion" and lead singer of UK 2-Tone band The Skapones. Paul is a noted 2 Tone expert and he'll be sharing his memories and insights on all the songs...
May 20, 2022•15 min•Season 6Ep. 8
Welcome to 2 Tone Legacy a special 10-part audio documentary series of the Ska Boom podcast that focuses on the stories behind the songs that contribute to the enduring legacy of 2 Tone music and its ongoing impact on popular culture. In each episode, I'll be joined by Paul Williams, author of "You're Wondering Now: The Specials from Conception to Reunion" and lead singer of UK 2-Tone band The Skapones. Paul is a noted 2 Tone expert and he'll be sharing his memories and insights on all the songs...
May 13, 2022•20 min•Season 6Ep. 7
Welcome to 2 Tone Legacy a special 10-part audio documentary series of the Ska Boom podcast that focuses on the stories behind the songs that contribute to the enduring legacy of 2 Tone music and its ongoing impact on popular culture. In each episode, I'll be joined by Paul Williams, author of "You're Wondering Now: The Specials from Conception to Reunion" and lead singer of UK 2-Tone band The Skapones. Paul is a noted 2 Tone expert and he'll be sharing his memories and insights on all the songs...
May 06, 2022•27 min•Season 6Ep. 6
Welcome to 2 Tone Legacy a special 10-part audio documentary series of the Ska Boom podcast that focuses on the stories behind the songs that contribute to the enduring legacy of 2 Tone music and its ongoing impact on popular culture. In each episode, I'll be joined by Paul Williams, author of "You're Wondering Now: The Specials from Conception to Reunion" and lead singer of UK 2-Tone band The Skapones. Paul is a noted 2 Tone expert and he'll be sharing his memories and insights on all the songs...
Apr 29, 2022•38 min•Season 6Ep. 5
Welcome to 2 Tone Legacy a special 10-part audio documentary series of the Ska Boom podcast that focuses on the stories behind the songs that contribute to the enduring legacy of 2 Tone music and its ongoing impact on popular culture. In each episode, I'll be joined by Paul Williams, author of "You're Wondering Now: The Specials from Conception to Reunion" and lead singer of UK 2-Tone band The Skapones. Paul is a noted 2 Tone expert and he'll be sharing his memories and insights on all the songs...
Apr 22, 2022•26 min•Season 6Ep. 4
Welcome to 2 Tone Legacy a special 10-part audio documentary series of the Ska Boom podcast that focuses on the stories behind the songs that contribute to the enduring legacy of 2 Tone music and its ongoing impact on popular culture. In each episode, I'll be joined by Paul Williams, author of "You're Wondering Now: The Specials from Conception to Reunion" and lead singer of UK 2-Tone band The Skapones. Paul is a noted 2 Tone expert and he'll be sharing his memories and insights on all the songs...
Apr 15, 2022•23 min•Season 6Ep. 3
Welcome to 2 Tone Legacy a special 10-part audio documentary series of the Ska Boom podcast that focuses on the stories behind the songs that contribute to the enduring legacy of 2 Tone music and its ongoing impact on popular culture. In each episode, I'll be joined by Paul Williams, author of "You're Wondering Now: The Specials from Conception to Reunion" and lead singer of UK 2-Tone band The Skapones. Paul is a noted 2 Tone expert and he'll be sharing his memories and insights on all the songs...
Apr 08, 2022•22 min•Season 6Ep. 2
Welcome to 2 Tone Legacy a special 10-part audio documentary series of the Ska Boom podcast that focuses on the stories behind the songs that contribute to the enduring legacy of 2 Tone music and its ongoing impact on popular culture. In each episode, I'll be joined by Paul Williams, author of "You're Wondering Now: The Specials from Conception to Reunion" and lead singer of UK 2-Tone band The Skapones. Paul is a noted 2 Tone expert and he'll be sharing his memories and insights on all the songs...
Apr 01, 2022•17 min•Season 6Ep. 1
Welcome to Ska Boom Interviews, which is the audio companion to my book Ska Boom: An American Ska & Reggae Oral History now available from DiWulf Publishing and Amazon. The goal of this podcast is talk about ska with an emphasis on American ska history and the bands, musicians and people who have helped to create and influence a uniquely American version of ska and reggae that spans from the late 70s until today. In this episode, I’m speaking with Noah Shachtman, the editor in chief of Rolli...
Mar 25, 2022•1 hr 35 min•Season 5Ep. 17
