Jun 252018
 
mad caddies nofx cover

The Mad Caddies, who first surfaced during ska’s third wave in the 1990s, are still going strong in 2018, having put out a new covers album called Punk Rocksteady. On the record, they pay tribute to their punk heroes of yesteryear with ska versions of songs by the likes of Green Day, Bad Religion, the Descendants, Operation Ivy and the Misfits. The band even pays homage to their label boss, and the album’s producer, Michael Burkett (aka Fat Mike) by covering his band NOFX.

“We obviously knew we were going to pick a NOFX song,” Mad Caddies guitarist Sascha Lazor told Riot Fest. He added that Fat Mike did not push them to include any one song, but instead, “told us what songs he didn’t want us to do.” They ultimately settled on “She’s Gone” (not to be confused with the Hall and Oates tune of the same name) a track from NOFX’s fourth album, 1992’s White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean.

The Mad Caddies take NOFX’s light-speed fast, angst-ridden original and reinvent it as a slow-grooved ska tune, with keyboards and horns. In doing so they bring out the darker, bluesy nature of the lyrics, turning the once-angry lyrics sadder and more reflective:

A blackened wick is what remains
The flame was blown out just recently
Although the candle hadn’t burned down to the stick
It won’t be lit again, the day won’t be so bright

The group is backed by Interrupters front-woman Aimee Interrupter who helps them belt out the final chorus as they add a small bit of rage to counteract the melancholia. Not a bad way to give a shout out to the boss.

Click here to listen to songs by Fat Mike’s famous cover band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes.

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