Mark Foggo's Skasters
Encyclopedia
Mark Foggo is an English
-born ska
musician currently based in Antwerp, Belgium
.
Beginning his music career in Amsterdam
in 1979, Foggo became a prominent figure in Europe's post-2-Tone ska scene, most notably with his band Mark Foggo's Skasters, formed in 1987. Foggo's music, which he describes as "modern, bizarre, non-influenced, up tempo ska", is characterized by his observational
and darkly comic
lyricism, as well as his manic and boisterous stage personality.
Foggo's most recent studio album, Mad, was released in 2010 on V2 Records
, and his band continues to tour Europe extensively. In addition, Foggo has also operated his own all-ska record label and booking agency Skanky'Lil Music since 1990, leading him to be called "the hardest working man in ska" and "a ska missionary" on a "never ending quest of playing and supporting ska music where ever he goes".
in 1950, Mark Foggo began playing music at age fourteen, inspired by British rhythm and blues
groups such as The Animals
, whose singer Eric Burdon
Foggo cites as an influence. Several years later, Foggo moved to London
in hopes of finding work as a guitarist, playing the London pub circuit with a number of different rhythm and blues and punk rock
bands for most of the late 1970s.
. Around this time, he had discovered ska music through the popularity of 2-Tone bands such as The Specials
and The Beat
, inspiring him to start his own punk/ska band, The Secret Meeting. After independently releasing a single entitled "New Shoes", the band was promptly signed to Polydor Records
in 1980, re-releasing "New Shoes" to moderate success in the Netherlands and followed up with an LP, Speeding My Life Away, and extensive European touring. Foggo's passion for ska eventually grew larger until he omitted the punk and New Wave elements from his music entirely, focusing exclusively on ska for his first solo album, 1983's A State of Mind, released on Boni Records. The album proved successful enough that EMI Records
approached Foggo shortly afterwards to record an album for their label under the condition that the music wasn't ska, as the genre was at its commercial nadir at the time. According to Foggo, he "recorded a shit rock album [1985's Weapons and Guitars] and went on holiday with [the] money. Afterwards it was straight back to ska".
Foggo formed his most notable band, Mark Foggo's Skasters, in 1987, naming themselves such to make it clearer to audiences what type of music the band played. Their 1989 debut, Ska Pig, was a big success in the Netherlands and Germany, is often cited as a classic of the ska genre. The Skasters continued to tour exhaustively across Europe and record prolifically on several labels until Foggo founded his own label Skanky'Lil in 1990 in order to release his own music, as well as promote new up-and-coming ska bands and distribute material from established European ska bands like The Hotknives
and Skarface
.
In 2000, Foggo formed The Babyshakers, a side project which mixed ska with rock and roll
and rockabilly
. The group recorded one album, Shake the Baby, featuring several tracks which would later become part of the Skasters' repertoire.
to release the album Mad later that year. As of 2011, Foggo still continues to tour regularly and exhaustively, featuring a rotating roster of backing musicians. Alongside Foggo, saxophonist Paul Berding remains as the last original member of the Skasters and the sole constant member of Foggo's group. Although his band has occasionally toured in Japan (releasing a Japanese-only compilation in 2006), Foggo almost exclusively tours within Europe, most frequently throughout Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland.
As Mark Foggo
With The Babyshakers
As Mark Foggo's Skasters
As Mark Foggo
As Mark Foggo's Skasters
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
musician currently based in Antwerp, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Beginning his music career in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in 1979, Foggo became a prominent figure in Europe's post-2-Tone ska scene, most notably with his band Mark Foggo's Skasters, formed in 1987. Foggo's music, which he describes as "modern, bizarre, non-influenced, up tempo ska", is characterized by his observational
Observational comedy
Observational comedy is a style of humor based on making remarks about commonplace aspects of everyday life. It is the most common type of humor used in stand up comedy.The humor is based on the premise of "It's funny because it's true."-External links:* *...
and darkly comic
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
lyricism, as well as his manic and boisterous stage personality.
Foggo's most recent studio album, Mad, was released in 2010 on V2 Records
V2 Records
V2 Records is a record label that is owned by Universal Music Group as of October 2007. The label was founded in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI....
, and his band continues to tour Europe extensively. In addition, Foggo has also operated his own all-ska record label and booking agency Skanky'Lil Music since 1990, leading him to be called "the hardest working man in ska" and "a ska missionary" on a "never ending quest of playing and supporting ska music where ever he goes".
Biography
Born in LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
in 1950, Mark Foggo began playing music at age fourteen, inspired by British rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
groups such as The Animals
The Animals
The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during the early part of the decade, and later relocated to London...
, whose singer Eric Burdon
Eric Burdon
Eric Victor Burdon is an English singer-songwriter best known as a founding member and vocalist of rock band The Animals, and the funk rock band War and for his aggressive stage performance...
Foggo cites as an influence. Several years later, Foggo moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in hopes of finding work as a guitarist, playing the London pub circuit with a number of different rhythm and blues and punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
bands for most of the late 1970s.
Professional career
In 1979, Foggo relocated to AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. Around this time, he had discovered ska music through the popularity of 2-Tone bands such as The Specials
The Specials
The Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...
and The Beat
The Beat
- Film and television :* The Beat , an American drama starring William McNamara* The Beat , an American drama starring Jazsmin Lewis* The Beat a 2000s American drama series...
, inspiring him to start his own punk/ska band, The Secret Meeting. After independently releasing a single entitled "New Shoes", the band was promptly signed to Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
in 1980, re-releasing "New Shoes" to moderate success in the Netherlands and followed up with an LP, Speeding My Life Away, and extensive European touring. Foggo's passion for ska eventually grew larger until he omitted the punk and New Wave elements from his music entirely, focusing exclusively on ska for his first solo album, 1983's A State of Mind, released on Boni Records. The album proved successful enough that EMI Records
EMI Records
EMI Records is the flagship record label founded by the EMI company in 1972 and launched in January 1973 as the successor to its Columbia label. The EMI label was launched worldwide...
approached Foggo shortly afterwards to record an album for their label under the condition that the music wasn't ska, as the genre was at its commercial nadir at the time. According to Foggo, he "recorded a shit rock album [1985's Weapons and Guitars] and went on holiday with [the] money. Afterwards it was straight back to ska".
Foggo formed his most notable band, Mark Foggo's Skasters, in 1987, naming themselves such to make it clearer to audiences what type of music the band played. Their 1989 debut, Ska Pig, was a big success in the Netherlands and Germany, is often cited as a classic of the ska genre. The Skasters continued to tour exhaustively across Europe and record prolifically on several labels until Foggo founded his own label Skanky'Lil in 1990 in order to release his own music, as well as promote new up-and-coming ska bands and distribute material from established European ska bands like The Hotknives
The Hotknives
- Band history :The Hotknives originally formed in 1982. They recorded two live albums, "Live at the Boatman" and "Live and Skanking" before recording their first studio album, "The Way Things Are" in 1989. The band regularly toured Europe and from 1994 the line-up consisted of original members...
and Skarface
Skarface
Skarface is a third wave ska band from France that started in 1991.Their music includes influences from ska, punk rock and other genres. They have produced one CD almost every year of their existence...
.
In 2000, Foggo formed The Babyshakers, a side project which mixed ska with rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
and rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
. The group recorded one album, Shake the Baby, featuring several tracks which would later become part of the Skasters' repertoire.
Current work
In 2010, Foggo's band signed to V2 RecordsV2 Records
V2 Records is a record label that is owned by Universal Music Group as of October 2007. The label was founded in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI....
to release the album Mad later that year. As of 2011, Foggo still continues to tour regularly and exhaustively, featuring a rotating roster of backing musicians. Alongside Foggo, saxophonist Paul Berding remains as the last original member of the Skasters and the sole constant member of Foggo's group. Although his band has occasionally toured in Japan (releasing a Japanese-only compilation in 2006), Foggo almost exclusively tours within Europe, most frequently throughout Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland.
Albums
As Mark Foggo & the Secret Meeting- Speeding My Life Away (1980, Polydor)
As Mark Foggo
- A State Of Mind (1983, Boni)
- Weapons + Guitars (1985, EMIEMI RecordsEMI Records is the flagship record label founded by the EMI company in 1972 and launched in January 1973 as the successor to its Columbia label. The EMI label was launched worldwide...
-Bovema Holland) - Haircut (1995, Skanky'Lil)
- It's Only a Game (2006, Skanky'Lil)
- Mad (2010, V2 RecordsV2 RecordsV2 Records is a record label that is owned by Universal Music Group as of October 2007. The label was founded in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI....
)
With The Babyshakers
- Shake the Baby (2001, Skanky'Lil)
As Mark Foggo's Skasters
- Ska Pig (1989, Skank) (1993, Universe; 1996, Skanky'Lil)
- Couldn't Play Ska (1992, Universe) (1996, Skanky'Lil)
- St. Valentines Day Massacre (1998, Skanky'Lil)
- The Missionaries of Ska (2002, Skanky'Lil)
- You Shot Me (2005, Skanky'Lil)
- Compilations
- Lucky to be Alive (1994, Universe)
- Best of... (2001, Skanky'Lil)
- Hello Ska People (2006, Phantom) (Japanese release)
- Live albums
- Captain Skarlet (live) (1990, Skank) (1996, Skanky'Lil)
Singles
As Mark Foggo & the Secret Meeting- "New Shoes" / "It Gets You Down" (1979, Top Hole; 1980, Polydor)
- "New Shoes" / "Out of Place" (1980, Polydor)
- "New Shoes" / "Ace of Spades" (1981, Polydor)
As Mark Foggo
- "Advertising" / "Human Error" (1982)
- "The Innocence of Youth" / "You Never Asked" (1983, Boni)
- "Miss Understanding" / "Hold On to Your Hat" (1983, Boni)
- "Caribbean Island" / "Seems Like Years" (1983, Boni)
- "Weapons and Guitars" / "Human Error" (1985, EMI)
- "I Never Promised You Anything" / "Posers" (1985, EMI)
- "Taking Things too Far" / "Oops I Did it Again" (1985, EMI)
As Mark Foggo's Skasters
- "Hashish Uit Amsterdam" (1997, Skanky'Lil)
- "The Day I Met Muhammad Ali" (2010, Skanky'Lil)
External links
- The Official Mark Foggo Website
- Skanky'Lil Music
- Mark Foggo on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Mark Foggo's Skasters on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....