Issue 54 Aurora Magazine January 2023

perform
treat it as a privilege and enjoy every minute of it. There have been some nerves, but in
general we just have a good time and love it when the crowd and music gel and we get
people up dancing.
You’ve played a variety of gigs over the years from golf courses to wine festivals to
bars and family restaurants, what’s been the highlight for you so far as part of The
Skanksters?
We’ve had a few very exciting and packed gigs where everyone’s had loads of fun.
I think I prefer the more intimate setting of the pub gigs. For the first year or so we
played The White Star and had some laughs, particularly when someone from the
audience came up during a break and raved about how excited they were to find a Ska
band in Albany. She even joined us on stage for one song. Six Degrees have also been
great with the band and we’d played the Gold Room several times. I think the highlight
for me was our very first gig when the audience actually liked it and danced.
Your band also has an amazing tradition of former members being accepted into the
state’s most prestigious music program in WAAPA, this must be a proud moment for
the band as a whole, does being in the band make them great or were they pretty
good to begin with?
Our first Bass player Kaila went on to WAAPA to study cello, she was followed by
our keyboard player Tully and now finally our last drummer Alex has headed to the
big smoke to start his musical education at the Fame Academy. The older members
definitely get a buzz from working with the youngsters and seeing them progress and
actually enjoying what they are doing. I think being in the band is more about building
confidence and having fun rather than improving skills.
The Skanksters are a big outfit with six members making up the rhythm, horns and
vocal sections, what’s the biggest challenge for keeping a band together with so many
members?
with his partner Pia and decided to stay there. He’s been missed on stage (and off) but
I think he’ll return one day. The main issue is scheduling practice. There are several
obstacles including golfing commitments, horses, exams, homework, and a singer that
works away often. We’re all flexible though and get together mostly once a week.
It’s been a long hard road out of Covid for most working musicians, has the tide finally
turned, what was your Covid experience like and what’s on the horizon for the band
in 2023?
I know it was very difficult for the full timers as their income pretty much dried up
overnight. We’re all working full time jobs in other areas so the whole pandemic
left us gig-less but otherwise OK. Where possible we still practiced but there were
patches where several months passed without any interaction. It’s really great to be
back gigging again and we’ve also noticed that there’s more new bands and artists
appearing each week. 2023 will see us getting our new drummer up to speed and to
also introduce some new songs into our repertoire. Every now and then the oldies ask
the young’uns to suggest some new tunes and we’ve had some great ideas. I think the
best and most popular on the dance floor was when Julia (keys) suggested Rasputin by
Boney M. How we ever ska’ified that is beyond me. But Eddy Orzel (guitar) worked it
out and handed us the transcription and the crowd love it.
You’re being sent into space to colonise Mars by yourself and your only allowed to
bring your five favourite Ska albums, who are you bringing along?
The Specials by The Specials
Ska ‘n’ B by Bad Manners
Too Much Pressure by The Selecter
One Step Beyond by Madness
We were a seven piece but we lost Desman and his trumpet when he eloped to Chile
Loonee Tunes! by Bad Manners
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