Many of the 90s ska bands signed to major labels were based out of sunny California. Then there was Detroit ska band The Suicide Machines, the only band in their area to ink a big deal. And there is nothing sunny about The Suicide Machines. Taking influence from the city’s gutter punk and lawless hardcore scene, while also pulling elements from local chaotic ska legends Gangster Fun, Suicide Machines were the most punk rock band of the ska major label feeding frenzy. And their debut Hollywood Records album Destruction By Definition is a timeless masterpiece. 

Our guest today is Suicide Machines lead singer Jason Navarro, who joined the band shortly after its inception and remains its only consistent member. Jason gives us the history of the band signing to Hollywood Records and the recording of Destruction By Definition. We talk about the band’s 2020 release Revolution Spring. We also get into the time he met Kelsey Grammer, and discuss how Nick Offerman worked on a 90s Suicide Machines video. Jason doesn’t even know who Nick Offerman is because he doesn’t watch TV. 

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.

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