Ska/punks OPERATION OFFBEAT mix things up with not just ska/punk but 2tone, reggae, and more punk to make a fast yet alarming sound that is truly their own. With this they have a couple of releases under their belts, with much more content underway! The band got together to talk about their music and plans ahead.
1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
It was roughly four years ago, that I left my then-band The Crooners after a disastrous gig in London and moved on to put a rather rocking band together. on to put a rather rocking band together. I was so keen on climbing up the greasy pole in the UK, that I commuted for auditions until there was a decent line-up- if it works, it isn’t crazy! ( That story has been visualized in the music videos for ‚Power and dominion‘ and ‚Me me me‘, to be released august 2020. ) Roughly two years followed, during which Operation Offbeat gigged wherever they were allowed to in the UK and Germany; doing the pubs and clubs, but also highlights such as supporting The Toasters, Roddy Radiation, Chico Trujillo
or attending the Specialized fest in Dorset. Then came Brexit and thinned the line-up of the band, which had members from all over the world, chasing one or the other back to where they came from… Then came Corona and swiped away what was left. But. Also along came The Animal Farm. There wouldn’t be gigs in the foreseeable, but there was a bunch of proper Ska’n’Roll tunes- and the will to get them out there. I had moved the band -or what was left of it- back to Hamburg at the time, went through the whole ad-audition-cry a lot-start all over again- routine one more time, and along came the current line up:
Max Beeger - Git / Voc
Eike Twesten - Git / Voc
Richard Smith - Bass
Tobi Vervoorst - Drums
Johannes Witte - Bari Sax
Carina Rieper - Alto Sax
Making use off all available technology from Zoom to Pro Tools, we managed to track down 10 new skanking and rocking tunes that you can listen to on ‚Your idea of luck‘. And whenever the gigs come back- we’ll be there!
2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?
The Operation Offbeat is basically the crazy idea of commuting between two countries, for the sake of playing in a pub band, using cheap flights and couch surfing. It’s also the spy chase we follow in the "Power and dominion"/‚Me me me‘ videos, in which I embellished my travels a bit and also quoted a few of my favorite films, as I’m a movie maniac.
3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?We’re based in Hamburg / Germany, which has a small, but fine Ska scene- new in the game are these fine people: https://www.facebook.com/sickleavemusic/. All but new, rather good old friends are https://www.facebook.com/K-MOB-107919842571140/ …and should you come here, you should check out https://www.facebook.com/monkeysclubhamburg , a great place, run by a dedicated team of people who live, eat and breathe Ska, Punk and the like!
4. How would you describe your style?
We’re mixing fast 2tone Ska with down-to-earth Rock and Roll- and add some sweet melodies here and there, plus spaghetti western soundtracks.
5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
Our first album "Prologue" and the vinyl 45’ "Fire/Ten days off" will be back on Spotify soon, meanwhile you can get them on our Facebook. Our current album "Your idea of luck" is available on all major streaming platforms!
6. Do you have any new music in the works?
Yes, we’ve got an album written that we plan on recording later this year and release in early 2021.
7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
Due to Corona regulations we do not have any shows in the diary at the moment, but we’re in touch with promoters and other bands who’d like to gig with us, to make sure we’re ready when it all starts again!
8. What plans do you have for the future as a band?
A gig in New York. Also meeting the greats and the yet unknown greats of the scene, meeting people, partying, gigging… Producing together instead of‚each on his own’, staying together as a band, travelling- getting to see a bit of the world and chasing our music ahead of us like a shrieking banshee!
9. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
Here’s ‚Your idea of luck‘ on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/5FffcmLfXH3gYkT55dhm1Y?si=c9Y4zd5FTna_lBCGkmjekA
Our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdR83EWqnXYbCrKV_cmvLxQ
Our socials:
https://www.facebook.com/londonskapunk/
https://www.instagram.com/operationoffbeat/
https://twitter.com/op_offbeat
10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?
The contrast of sarcastic lyrics and the pure joy of life within the music!
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