Ska Boom-Episode 008: The Max's Kansas City Ska & Reggae Story

On this episode of the Ska Boom podcast, I tell the untold story of how a band of reggae obsessed kids from New Jersey  --The Terrorists -- backed a Jamaican ex-pat saxophonist who had helped found The Skatalites  -- Roland Alphonso. Together they helped create a short-lived but important ska and reggae scene at Max’s Kansas City, which for a time was the punk rock club rival to CBGBs located less than a mile away.While Max's Kansas City was known as one of the birth places of American punk, its musical director Peter Crowley also had a passion for ska and reggae and began booking Sunday night reggae parties at the club beginning in 1976. His efforts helped to create a small scene and led him to discover The Terrorists, who along with The Shakers from Berkeley, CA and the Blue Riddim Band from Kansas City, MO are among the earliest American reggae bands.When members of the band discovered Roland Alphonso living in Brooklyn and convinced him to play with them, Crowley booked them as a double bill at Max's and based on the positive reception they received quickly took them into the studio to record albums he planned to release on the Max's Kansas City record label.  Sadly it was not be. Those recording were finally released last year as "Max's SKAnsas City" on the Jungle Records label in the UK and I was honored to be asked to write the liner notes for the album.The Terrorists and Crowley don't get the credit they deserve for their contribution to a uniquely American version of ska and reggae. Hopefully this audio documentary will help more people to hear their story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices