Checkered Past: The Ska'd Cast

Another year and another Holiday Special from CPSC! This year, Engineer Joey is preparing for the episode when Evil Chris interrupts to enact a plan of such malice to upend all of Ska as we know it! Joey is then thrust into an adventure across the Multiverse of Ska (re: Skaltiverse) with only his magic Vape Pen to restore order and get back to his original timeline. It's Engineer Joey in the Skalt...

Don't watch your 10... watch your back as Checkered Past digs in on highly influential Canadian Ska band, The Kingpins! In this special episode, Engineer Joey takes over hosting duties with Celine as they welcome returning guest, The Ghost of Ska Past to do some much needed Ska history! First they catch up the listener on Ska Past's Checkered Past, how he came to pass away and how he became the be...

It's the annual CPSC Year-End wrapper and this year we decided to do something different... we went to our socials and the Checkerheads to get a list of favourite random stuff of 2023 and we spin a wheel to determine which one we answer! Along the way, Celine, Rob, Engineer Joey and Editor Arianne select a few non-Ska songs that they liked in the year. Voting for our Best Of 2023 is now open! Clic...

Is Sugar Ray Ska? In order to answer this earth shattering question, CPSC welcomes back thirdtimer, and HyperSka Superstar, Eichlers! But first, Ike catches the crew up on his last year, his tour of Japan and what new music he's listening to. Then, Rob, Celine, Engineer Joey and Ike dig in on the entirety of Sugar Ray's career with a focus on the larger than life exploits of lead singer and bon vi...

It's the best fest with the number that doesn't match its year! Once again CPSC has enlisted a trusty Checkerhead to put boots on the ground at another major festival to do some patented Back Alley Interviews! Our Skacore-respondent this time is our resident talking dog, Maxi Ska Taxi who asks inane questions to both concert goers and musicians alike. Rob and Engineer Joey listen to the shenanigan...

Who do voodoo we do?! Checkered Past finally digs in on legendary Riverside Skacore band, Voodoo Glow Skulls! To help with the discussion they welcome Bex, Andy and Duck of the one and only Joystick! But first, they dig in on Duck's checkered past, how Bex and Andy joined up with Joystick! and the group's new firebrand EP, Dwell! Then, Rob, Celine, Joey and Joystick! discuss Voodoo Glow Skulls fro...

You wanted more Back Alley Interviews and you got 'em! Rob and Celine interview a bevvy of guests live from The Catbite show in Edmonton! From the studio they share stories from the show, play music from the bands that played and bumper each interview with typical CPSC nonsense. Guests include Ben from Minivandal, Nina aka Yours, Sincerely, KMoy and Chris, Brit and Tim of Catbite! Cut my life into...

This one's for the kids of the mulitculture! Checkered Past heads over to Manchester to deep dive on the genre defying discography of Sonic Boom Six! To help in the discussion they welcome back Michi and Diglo of equally genre-defying band Mega Infinity! First, they discuss their new record, the differing music style that define their music and even Pokemon! Then, the Megafriends, Rob, Celine and...

It's October again and time for another Halloween Special! To celebrate, Celine and Joey plan on surprising Rob for a birthday celebration! They have invited guests a plenty to share in the magic but unfortunately, Rob has disappeared yet again. Instead, an old friend shows up to enact his vengeance from last year but unfortunately, he gets more than he bargained for when a figure from his past sh...

Listen, Checkerhead, Listen! Checkered Past digs in on the brief but explosive history of one of East Coast Ska darlings, Skavoovie and the Epitones! To help break the band down, Rob and Joey welcome Carmela of off-kilter East Coast skasters, Sgt Scag! Carmela talks about her checkered past, trip-hop and the triumphant return of Scag with their new album. Then, the trio dig in on Skavoovie from th...

Did CP/SC make it down to the biggest Ska festival of the year? Well, no, but we did enlist our special Skacore-respondent Chipzen Zolsa to put boots on the ground for Checkered Past's patented Skanzo journalism! Rob, Celine and Joey listen back to the antics as Chip interviews festival goers, musicians and promoters at the Supernova International Ska Festival in Virginia plus listen to some tunes...

Take a little ride on Checkered Past to continue the three part exploration of legendary New York Ska institution The Toasters! Rob and Engineer Joey welcome back Ska wunderkind, KMoy to break down the early 90s era of the group. First, Kenny catches the CP/SC crew up on their last year, tell several more tour stories and talks about their evolution as a keyboardist and songwriter. Then, the trio...

Stop pretending you're a superman and start listening to Checkered Past! Rob, Celine and Joey breakdown the entire discography of Ska-sometimers, Goldfinger! They listen to tracks from their early SoCal days to their more political departure to straight punk to their modern supergroup personas. All the while they talk about the podcast frenemy, Feldy and their differing opinions. #SmashMouth2 Host...

What better way to decide the greatest NOFX song of all time then with the biggest cast of guests yet? Rob, Celine and Joey welcome 80% of Western Mass Skacore band PWRUP! Justin, Gary, Aaron and Jeff discuss their checkered pasts, the impetus of their band and their new singles and album on Ska Punk International. Then the whole cadre dig in on the Semi-Finals and Finals of Punk In Bracket to cro...

It's the Quarterfinals of Punk In Bracket: the month long tournament to determine the greatest NOFX Ska song of all time! To judge the next 4 matchups, the CP/SC crew invites along Chris Graue aka Lo(u)ser to progress the next batch of songs to the semi-finals! First, Chris catches up the CP/SC crew on his live show since his SPI Fest set, his checkered past and his various projects working with N...

After a grueling two week first round, CP/SC is ready for Round 2 of Heptember 2023: Punk In Bracket! To progress the next 8 matchups to determine the greatest NOFX Ska song, the gang welcomes back perennial second rounder, Common Sense Kid! Craig catches the crew up on his US excursion, his first live shows and what's in store for his future. Then the foursome, eliminate another 8 songs to progre...

Punk In Bracket marches along as CP/SC continues their odyssey to uncover the greatest NOFX Ska song of all time! In this second part of Round 1, Rob, Celine and Joey work to eliminate another 8 tracks to lock in the songs that will progress to Round 2. Along the way they discuss weird music videos, create the genre of "Hyperbilly" and figure out whether a certain song is cringe or not. Hosts: Cel...

It's time for another bracket and this Heptember, CP/SC is pitting 32 NOFX Ska songs against each other to determine the greatest of all time! In Round 1 Part 1, Rob, Celine and Joey blind listen to the first 16 tracks to move to Round 2. They discuss what they look for in a NOFX ska song, cultural non-appropriation and self deprecation all while making questionable choices in which songs progress...

Handds up, fists high, headphones on, volume up! Checkered Past is ready to tackle the one-and-done Ska of Toronto's The Flatliners! In this TromBonus, Rob and Engineer Joey break down the Flatliners debut Destroy to Create, their B-sides and their change in styles over the years. They also touch on the bands live show, their current stance of Ska and Joey's "history" with the band. Hosts: Rob and...

Men die as dogs die Checkerheads! CP/SC welcomes back Ska keyboard phenom, Esteban Flores to run through another batch of records by legendary Ska band, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra! Rob welcomes guest co-host, Skassociate Producer Chris Reeves to dive in to the bands late 90s fare, from the city pop of Tokyo Strut to the vocal-based Arkestra before finishing with the international hit Full Tensio...

Another year, another glorious Ska-Punk song bracket to enrage the Checkerheads over! This year, the CP/SC crew pits 32 songs by Ska-sometimesers NOFX in a head to head March Madness bracket to crown the ultimate NOFX ska song! For the pre-show, Rob, Celine and Joey go through NOFX's history from their Epitaph beginnings to their political years to the modern day on Fat all while exploring their v...

Honk honk calling all Canadian Geese! Checkered Past welcomes return guest Ben of Saskatchewan skasters Minivandal to continue their discussion on The Mad Caddies! Ben catches Rob and first time co-host Arianne on what his band has been up to, the journey through COVID in creating their new album Fuel Me Twice and how he defines his genre of "Skalternative". Then, the trio get down on Mad Caddies...

Grab your best purple, immigrant punks! Checkered Past does a shallow dive of the Skadjacent discography of Gypsy Punks, Gogol Bordello! Celine and Rob run through their catalogue from their indie roots, to their blockbuster releases on Side One Dummy to their major label years and ending on their most recent return to the indies... all while going on tangents about fiddles, accents and "wet toe"...

You get this podcast for nothin and the jokes for free! Checkered Past finishes off their trilogy of episodes on the poster children of third wave Ska, Reel Big Fish! To discuss the band's later years, Rob and co-host Engineer Joey welcome Gary of Backyard Superheroes and the On the Upbeat Podcast! First, Gary discusses his checkered past, his long history in the New Jersey Ska scene and his conne...

Hot off the heels of the band's new Ska playlist, Checkered Past sticks their middle fingers up at governments to talk about punk rockers Anti-Flag! Rob, Celine and Joey run through Anti-Flags discography from their street punk early days to their major label flirtations to their indie return all the while playing songs and picking into the group's flirtation with Ska. All the while the CP/SC crew...