Note from Jake: Everyone, sorry that this post is a day late. Pete had the entire month worth of these cover songs written and ready to go, before September was even over. I tried to get this thing in the queue before I went on vacation, but was having a difficult time rounding up the track. Pete forwarded it to me today, so here it is. Thanks again, Pete for the whole month worth of LMC guest posts! (end of Jake’s note)

Before reading the rest of this, please follow the link and read that article first.
La Musica Coolica #22 (OI)
Ready? Okay! Bad Town was covered on a tribute to Operation Ivy CD. I am not quite sure when the album “Take Warning: The Songs of Operation Ivy” was released. I also know that of the songs on that album I only really like less than half. I am unsure of the artists in this song… it was released as “Marshall Arts.” I think is has something to do with Marshall Goodman from the Long Beach Dub Allstars… I always imagined that they stayed kind of anonymous due to potential recording contract infringements and whatnot, but to be truthful, everything above, aside from the facts, is pure speculation. Anyway, this is their version, and I like it the same way I like the original. I enjoy the complete contrast of style between the two versions, and I hope you do too.

Marshall Arts: Bad Town, from the album Take Warning: The Songs of Operation Ivy.

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Peter Breinholt is a guest contributor for La Musica Coolica, and Jake’s brother. All of Peter’s contributions can be found here | Peter’s personal blog can be found here.

“Operation Ivy,” is one of Tim Armstrong’s projects. The same perpetually flat voiced Tim Armstrong from “Rancid.”  I guess the genre is probably called ska core. It isn’t really punk or ska. The song that I’m sharing is one of the more ska-like songs from the band. It’s called Bad Town. I love the saxophones in the song.  Actually, I love every part of this song. Check it out.

Billy Bragg is one of those guys who you can tell is pretty cool, but you can’t tell exactly why. When I first heard his music, I thought it was hilarious. The biggest reason, was the heavy re-verb, mixed with the heavy cockney accent. He was a one man show. Just him and a electric guitar, sans effects (unless you count re-rerb). Eventually, I did get into his music. Mostly because people I respected, thought his stuff was so great. C. Burt was probably the person who introduced me to Bragg. In this picture, he is performing with Johnny Marr from The Smiths, who I was a huge fan of. Bragg is also referenced in Tim Armstrong (of Operation Ivy and Rancid) lyrics. In “The War’s End” by Rancid, Armstrong sings about the father of little Sammy the punkrocker, going into Sammy’s room and smashing his Billy Bragg record, because he didn’t want Sammy to hear that “communist lecture.” Even though Bragg’s lyrics are political, it wasn’t exactly Communism that he was preaching. Interestingly enough, Bragg was actually part of a group called the “Red Wedge,” which promoted the Labour Party. Anyway, I think that this song is so great. It’s called the “The Milkman of Human Kindness.” It is the first track from his “Back to Basics” album.  Give it a listen, if you feel so inclined.