Two things, however, caught my attention -- the performances of the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra (nicknamed Skapara) and skateboarders zipping everywhere. The band emerged during a roots boom that included Okinawan bands like Rinkenband, The Boom and Tokyo roots rockers Shang Shang Typhoon. In fact, in the early 1990s, I went on tour with Shang Shang Typhoon and Skapara on the former's Southeast Asian tour as their photographer, covering the Thai and Indonesian legs of the tour. Skapara were one of the first ska bands in Asia. Ska fans interested in Skapara's best work should check out the band's debut EP Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra and Tokyo Strut (Epic, 1006).

Source: Bangkok Post August 16, 2021 23:37 UTC