California has been the home of many musical trends over the decades. The ’60s had surf music and the ’70s saw an explosion of skinny-tie power-pop bands, while the ’80s were highlighted by ska and the American Mod scene.
Indeed, for a while, ska music was everywhere in Southland clubs. Some of the era’s groups, such as No Doubt and Fishbone, went on to bigger things, while others with names like I-Spy, Multiple Choice and The D-Fendents, all from San Diego, faded into obscurity.
Of all the groups performing, the most influential, The Untouchables, fell somewhere between those two levels of success.
The six-piece band, who perform at The House of Blues on July 20, has had many line-ups in its two decade run, the one mainstay being frontman Jerry Miller.
The group began as a bunch of friends who bonded together over a shared love of scooters, suits and ska.
Based in Los Angeles, they formed a band and began playing area clubs. Even at this early stage in their career, they were regulars in San Diego, with their first local show at the long-defunct Kings Road Café in North Park, circa 1982.
That same year, the band released two singles, signing with major indie, Enigma Records, a few months later for an E.P., “Live and Let Dance.” Fueled by soul stomper “Free Yourself” and a revved-up version of The Monkees’ “Steppin’ Stone,” the disc was a hit on Los Angeles’ influential KROQ radio.
By 1984, the band was seemingly everywhere. They toured incessantly and appeared in the movie “Surf II.”
Their most famous movie appearance took place the same year, in the cult classic “Repo Man.” The group was typecast as a “scooter gang.”
In 1985, signs seemed to point to bigger successes ahead. The band inked a deal with England’s Stiff Records, the early home of Elvis Costello, which placed them on MCA/Universal in the U.S.
At first things looked promising. Their debut album, “Wild Child,” cherry-picked the best material from their E.P. and added new songs. They shot a video for “Free Yourself,” which immediately gained MTV airplay.
Meanwhile both labels issued a large amount of 7-inch singles, remix E.P.’s, picture discs and other ephemera.
“Free Yourself” did make the lower reaches of the charts, but it was a decline in fortunes for the band as far as recording went.
At the same time, The Untouchables were a major live draw, regularly selling out clubs around the country.
Where they really excelled, however, was in outdoor shows.
Their energetic performances and fast rhythms were custom-made for music festivals, and they became perennials at any outdoor event with more than a few dozen street vendors.
Unfortunately, that live success didn’t translate into album sales. They released an album in 1989, “Agent Double O Soul,” with a live follow-up, “Decade of Dance,” the next year.
Though they would continue to tour, that was the end of their recording days. A “best of” compilation, “Genuine Stout,” was released in 2000.
With no new material in 15 years, today the band coasts on former glories, but as anyone who has seen them live can attest, there is probably no better live act in the club scene when it comes to pure energy.
Although it’s true that much modern ska can come off sounding labored, that’s not the case with The Untouchables’ manic mix of rock-steady ska and reggae beats.
While there likely won’t be a note in their set that they haven’t played hundreds of times before, you won’t find anyone in the audience complaining.
For anyone that likes their music festive and upbeat, the chance to hear these classic songs from one of the founders of California’s mod/ska hybrid sound one more time is something that shouldn’t be passed up.