About

Hey, I’m JB — a lifelong genre explorer chasing the sound that feels like home. I grew up on oldies and the Beach Boys thanks to my parents, fell into punk through my stepsister’s Green Day tapes, and somewhere in that noisy adolescence, I stumbled into ska for the first time.

It hit me through bands like Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, and Goldfinger — high-energy, horn-blasted chaos that felt like a celebration and rebellion all at once. I didn’t know it at the time, but those horns were planting seeds. Even when I moved on to heavier music, that brassy joy stuck with me — maybe that’s why Jonathan Davis pulling out bagpipes in Korn hit so hard.

For years, Korn and the likes defined my playlists — heavy, emotional, cathartic. But when streaming came along, I spiraled into full exploration mode which eventually led me deep into electronic bass music for nearly a decade, almost forgetting rock and punk entirely… almost.

It wasn’t until I started collecting vinyl again that ska knocked back on the door. I picked up a couple of Reel Big Fish records I had to have — and suddenly, I was diving deep. Ska didn’t just return; it lit something up. I found a new scene, one that felt fun, genuine, and welcoming again. It reminded me why I ever fell in love with music in the first place.

Ska Basically is where I follow that spark — through reviews, deep dives, reflections, and whatever rabbit holes this journey takes me down. It’s not just about ska, but right now, ska is what’s calling me the loudest.

If you’ve ever felt music help you find yourself again, you’re in the right place.

Let’s talk music. Let’s talk ska. Basically.