In Defense of Ska Ep 202: Bandslam (Charlie Saxton, Todd Graff)

What’s the most ska film in the last 30 years? Is it Clueless (with it’s Mighty Mighty Bosstones cameo)? BASEketball (With that fun dash of Reel Big Fish) or 10 Things I Hate About You (with mucho Save Ferris)? This discussion is up for endless debate. But unfortunately, one film rarely ever brought up in the ska movie discussion is called Bandslam. Hopefully, this week’s episode changes that.

Bandslam was a teen comedy released in 2009 featuring a high school ska band that enters a local battle of the bands. Though it doesn’t contain a famous ska band cameo, the subject of ska is threaded throughout the film in unexpected ways. The film was not a major success, but it’s a great movie with a cult audience. So, we brought on the film’s director Todd Graff and one of its actors, Charlie Saxton, to discuss its many ska references. 

We talk about the film’s use of the Aggrolites’ “Free Time,” how a tune by Peter Tosh and Mick Jagger (“Walk & Don’t Look Back”) is used to explain ska, and why a ska version of “Everything I Own,” (a song written by soft-rock band Bread, that was covered by Ken Boothe) is a major plot point in the film. 

We also talk extensively about David Bowie, who was in the film (His final film performance before he passed away), Todd and Charlie’s personal ska roots and we learn how they meticulously rebuilt CBGB for a scene in the film. 

Plus, we get to hear Charlie’s embarrassing Rick Johnson story!

Listen to the conversation, and make sure to like, review, and follow the series wherever you get your podcast. Don't forget to check out all the Consequence Podcast Network series here.

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

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