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Moon Ska Records to Shut Down
The premier independent U.S. ska label closes up shop for good.
More of this Feature
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Moon Ska Folds
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Official Moon Press Release
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"I was already thinking of changing my radio show from "PLanet Ska" to "Ska
Is Dead," but now it's really warranted. I think I need a stiff one. "
007SKARY
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In what may be seen by many as the final nail in the coffin of the American
"third wave" of ska, Moon Ska Records has officially announced their demise.
See the press release from Moon Ska.
It's officially confirmed that the American label founded by Toasters
bandleader, Rob "Bucket" Hingley, and which led the charge of the "third
wave" ska
resurgence in the 90s, will soon be shutting down. In a statement
released exclusively to this site,
Hingley cited financial pressures, lack of consumer support and "personal
and financial betrayals" as major reasons for the downfall of the
independent
ska label.
Hingley founded Moon Ska in 1983 as an outlet for underground ska bands like
The Toasters, the band he led to prominence on the college and club circuit
during the post-Two Tone 80s. His original vision for the label was that it
would operate as an artists' collective: the label would produce the albums
and the bands would take collective responsibility for marketing and
distributing each other's music and merchandise. The model worked well for
many bands
leading into the mid-90s, as bands like The Toasters, The Scofflaws, Let's
Go Bowling, and The Allstonians, hit the road on Moon Ska showcases and
helped
to light the fire for the late 90s ska explosion, along with other bands
like Bim Skala Bim and other labels like Bim and JumpUp! Records.
Moon Ska was a virtual ska music factory as ska hit the hype of '96-'97,
singing up several new bands and holding ska showcases throughout the
country.
Before the expansion of the Web and online shopping, the Moon Ska mail-order
catalog was the main source for new ska music for many fans. In addition,
Moon operated a ska storefront in NYC's East Village, first on 2nd Street,
then expanding to a larger shop on 10th Street. By that time, the label and
several of its bands were being courted by major label barracud-- (oops! I
meant "representatives"). Hingley rejected a buyout offer for the label from
Mercury Records, determined that staying independent was the only way to go.
As the "third wave" ebbed in 1999, the label made a strong attempt to
downsize and consolidate its operations. In addition to the rise and fall of
ska hype,
Moon Ska also had to deal with serious financial issues (not to mention
gossip and bickering) over the past few years. Several bands had challenged
the
label's royalty statements (only one band actually filed a legal claim,
though several bands complained about money), and in 1999, Moon Ska made
public
embezzlement charges against its Label and Store Manager, Noah Wildman, who
over the years had operated as one of ska music's most prolific and
outspoken
cheerleaders. Wildman publishing his own views in the Moon newsletter and
several zines while managing street crew promotions with an eager team of
young,
hard-working interns.
Skavoovie forever!
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
