In Defense of Ska Ep 184: Jordan Steele (Lo Cash Ninjas)

This week, we focus on the Native Nations punk and ska scenes in the southwest (Tuba City, AZ; Shiprock, NM; Chinle, AZ; etc). To do so, we bring on Jordan Steele of the band Lo Cash Ninjas. Touring punk and ska bands have been playing DIY venues in Native Nations cities as long as DIY touring has been a thing. Plus, a homegrown scene has sprouted up in many of these cities. We look at both histories. They involve wild shows at abandoned homes, trailer parks and a computer repair shop. 

Jordan’s band, Lo Cash Ninjas, is one of the biggest ska-punk bands from this scene. They formed in 2008 and have released a handful of records that lean into the crack rocksteady side of ska-punk. We discuss such DIY venues as The Dojo, Danny’s Pad, The Mod and Crack Shack. Plus we get a full history of Lo Cash Ninjas and the other bands from the scene. 

We also talk about the popularity of metal on the rez, Vic Ruggiero enjoying Navajo tacos in Tuba City, Hans Gruber and the Diehards connection to this scene, Mac DeMarco playing with Lo Cash Nijas and we learn all about a band called Obama Loves Mutton. 

Plus, Jordan tells us about a high school talent show where his teachers put together a band to play “Raining Blood” by Slayer. 

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If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

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