Stuff You Gotta Watch: Pick It Up! - Ska in the '90s
What do No Doubt, Sublime, and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones have in common? They are all part of third-wave ska, an enthusiastic '90s revival of the genre, combining traditional two-tone and Bay Area punk, that took the US (and eventually the world) by storm. "Enthusiastic" isn't a euphemism—just take a look at the excitement of Reel Big Fish, The Slackers, Save Ferris, The Impossibles, Rx Bandits, The Aquabats, and many others as they reminisce about this golden era in Pick It Up! - Ska in the '90s.
Built around numerous testimonies and loads of archive material, Taylor Morden's documentary manages to channel the insouciance that is central to ska, demonstrating how the DIY nature of the genre was fundamental to its birth and dissemination. The doc also does a terrific job in highlighting the impact ska had on social and political issues, notably those relating to race and gender. Though there's an unavoidable geographical emphasis on the Orange County ska-punk scene, Pick It Up! is comprehensive enough to trace a relatively full portrait of the rise, apex, and eventual fade out of a movement that brought new colors to mainstream pop music.
Review by Ana Leorne. Check out the full archive of the Stuff You Gotta Watch column.