Blue Meanies

The Post Wave (MCA)
by Scott Hefflon

Finally… Major labels usually create bands out of thin air and leave underground, “indie” faves to their own devices. And for the most part, that’s fine with everyone involved. Major label bands are usually starry-eyed novices who don’t know how badly they’re about to get fucked, while indie bands know if they can just keep plugging away at it year after year, it’ll get slightly easier as they get better and “build it up,” and maybe someday they’ll actually break even… But in the meantime, it’s barely worth it, but it’s better than working the shit job ya hate. So after years of being a “ska” band (actually more crazy and unconventional, but ya call it something), when anyone into the stuff already knows and respects these guys, they get signed to a major as they mellow out. With a voice often Johnny Rottenish, and even sometimes Jelloish, Billy Spunke leads the surprisingly Police-like rock band forward, only occasionally (hell, still far more than most) using a megaphone or throwing a pissy fit. But there’s horns and that annoying organ a lot of the time, so if that makes it ska to you…