Deal's Gone Bad: Ska is not dead

Ska is not dead! Contrary to the name of the Ska is Dead tour, Deal's Gone Bad is keeping ska alive. Chi-town band Deal's Gone Bad are in town September 19. The band will be making a stop at Founders Brewing Company before setting off on the Eastern U.S. part of the tour.

Over the past six months, the band has built a new studio in Chicago. It also released an album of dub versions of its newer release titled The Ramblers (Megalith & Jump Up! Records, March 2007).

Lead vocalist Todd Hembrook says of the band, "We're definitely all like brothers in the truest sense of the word. At the end of the day that's what matters- makes better art and music."

The band's sound combines ska, reggae, American soul, and rocksteady. Its Jamaican-inspired beat mixed with early 60's & 70's American soul produces upbeat tracks like "Movin' On" and "Messin' Around" that will surely crowd the dance floor.

"[Movin' On] is definitely an autobiographical song that I had been kicking around for a couple of years," said Hembrook, who penned the song. "Writing songs that people can relate to- we're lucky when people grasp onto songs they can relate to and sing them back to you. This is affecting people- they're interpreting it in some way."

Deal's Gone Bad has been playing together for fifteen years, sharing the stage with other ska-influenced acts like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Skatalites, and Celtic punk band Flogging Molly (just to name a few). It also played the 2006 Warped tour and is currently touring with The Toasters, The Voodoo Glowskulls, and Mustard Plug on the Ska Is Dead tour.

"I don't see the point of just sitting in your chair- we're definitely more of a dance band. People seem to have a lot of fun," says Hembrook.

Make it a rocksteady weekend and catch the band at Papa Pete's September 18 or at the Founders show the next night.

Matt Wixon, of Detroit, will be the opener for the Founders show. Wixon's acoustic ska style is mixed with a humorous honesty and has developed a growing fan base.

Get a taste of Deal's Gone Bad's sound by visiting their Myspace. View the band's video for "Movin' On" here.