Back in 2018, Dicky Barrett stormed the digital pages of Vanyaland and officially declared the oncoming “summer of ska.” We weren’t prepared then, and we’re not prepared now; but holy hell, we could really use a “winter of ska” right about meow, something to pick us all up and get back to living right. Luckily, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones have a parade all lined up and ready to go.
The Boston band dropped a new eight-minute ska banger earlier this week (January 25) titled “The Final Parade,” and it marks the Bosstones’ signing to Hellcat Records. With a hearty line-up of guest appearances, the track’s co-producer Tim Armstrong has dubbed it “The Ska Summit.” Says Barrett: “It’s a love letter to ska music and the people that make ska music and it’s a whole lot of fun.”
As you listen in below, you’ll need the eight-minute runtime just to gaze upon all the names who chipped in to make “The Final Parade” what it ended up being. Take a deep breath, hit play, and read on: Armstrong (Rancid), Aimee Interrupter & The Interrupters, Stranger Cole, Angelo Moore (Fishbone), Jake Burns (Stiff Little Fingers), Jay Navarro (Suicide Machines), Chris DeMakes, Pete Wesilewski, Roger Lima (Less Than Jake), Jimmy G (Murphy’s Law), Toby Morse, Rusty Pistachio (H2O), John Feldman (Goldfinger), Laila Khan (Sonic Boom Six), Robert Hingley (Toasters), Dan Vitale (Bim Skala Bim), Dave McWane (Big D and The Kids Table), Sirae Richardson, Erin Mackenzie, Brie McWane (The Doped Up Dollys), Jesse Wagner (Aggrolites), Karina Denike (The Dance Hall Crashers), Christian Jaccobs (The Aquabats), Jon Pebsworth (Buck O Nine), Peter Porker (The Porkers), Steve Jackson (The Pietasters), Felipe Galvan (Los Skanarles), Jet Baker (Buster Shuffle), Fumio Ito (Kemuri), Glen “The Kid” Marhevka (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy), and Roddy Radiation (The Specials).
Hot damn.