Welcome to Season 5 of In Defense of Ska! After a quick break for the holidays, hosts Aaron Carnes and Adam Davis are back for even more ska-tastic interviews, conversations, and analysis. To kick off the new season, the crew invites music critic Rob Harvilla (of the 60 Songs That Explain the ’90s podcast) to chat about '90s music, ska erasure, and the songs that defined the 2000s. Listen now.

As the host of 60 Songs That Explain the ’90s, Harvilla explored quite a few tunes that defined one of pop-culture's most beloved decades. And yet, despite re-upping to make the total number of songs discussed 120, there wasn't one proper ska song (not even, to the hosts dismay, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones' hit “The Impression That I Get!"). Well, In Defense of Ska wants answers.

In addition to Harvilla's thoughts on the project and the influence of ska, he reveals his history of playing bass in the ska band Skantily Plaid. He also touches on his latest venture, which takes a look at the songs that explain the 2000s.

If you’d like to support us and listen to early access, ad-free episodes with bonus content, check out our Patreon! 

If you like our theme song, go download the EP Lives by Slow Gherkin. They wrote the opening and closing songs for our podcast. You can get both tunes from their Lives EP. Also, check out Dan P and the Bricks two LPs. They provided the mid-roll ad transition music. 

Support the In Defense host Aaron Carnes by purchasing a copy of his book, In Defense of Ska. The 2nd, expanded edition of In Defense of Ska will release in Oct 2024. 

Co-host Adam Davis has a band called Omnigone. Their latest record, Against The Rest released on March 31, 2023. 

The In Defense of Ska editor Chris Reeves runs a record label called Ska Punk International. They have new releases coming out all the time.

Sign up for the Patreon to support the podcast and get access to our extended conversation with Rob Harvilla.

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