Clydesdale Hall of Fame

Desmond Dekker- King of Ska-R.I.P.

Ska music pioneer, Desmond Dekker, is hereby nominated to the Clydesdale Hall of Fame for his giant contribution to the 10th Avenue wardrobe. If Mr. Dekker had not created the funky, pre-reggae, ska sound many of the 10th Ave boys would be absolutely shirtless, forced to display their gleaming white torsos to the world. Without Desmond Dekker there would be no Toasters, no Specials, no Slackers, no Sublime, and poor Rudy would never have known when, or where, to run.

Ska music remains the soundtrack of the intelligent drop-out, the anarchist, the individualists. It is what they play at counter-culture recess. Ska music is white boys with black Chuck Taylors doing the Peanuts dance on a packed and sweltering beer-slick dance floor. I raise a pint to all of the skaheads today, who have said goodbye to an icon.

Skankin' but not skanky-

Juancho