SPIll Your Guts: A Ska Punk International Fest interview with Joker’s Republic

Ska Punk International‘s SPI Fest will return for another weekend of ska and ska-punk in 2024. This year’s event taking place on 17 May and 18 May, has relocated to a new, all-ages venue known as 25 Central Street in Windsor, CT. Tickets can be purchased here. The annual festival will feature Catbite, Mutiny, Stop The Presses, PWRUP, Call Me Malcolm and our SPIll Your Guts interview guest Joker’s Republic. Check out out what the Jersey trio have to say below.

Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview! You are gearing up for SPI Fest in the coming months, what does the festival circuit mean to individual artists like yourselves? 

Pat: Thank you for having us! Being a part of a festival holds many layers of significance to us—some more obvious than others. Beyond the opportunity to perform, a festival feels like a new notch of recognition on our band belt. We don’t believe music should ever be a competition amongst artists, but we would be remiss not to acknowledge the fact that not everyone makes it onto the roster, and that our being selected is a privilege. We’re incredibly proud of our music and of the overall progress we’ve made as three dorks from New Jersey. Playing this festival feels like recognition.

I won’t call it a ska revival because ska is something that’s never gone away, but there is a massive rejuvenation of the scene with We Are The Union, The Kilograms and Catbite.  What is going on out there that has gotten so many people back on their boards to ride this latest wave of ska?

Billy: As someone who never considered themself a “ska person,” I feel uniquely qualified to answer this one. The thing that struck me most when I started playing with the band was the sheer diversity of musical choices and unique perspectives that the genre offers. Looking for a little thrash with your ska? Check. What about music written by queer or femme presenting folks? Check. Music about love and heartache? Check. Music about social issues set to a prog – ska that is miraculously still danceable? Check. I think it all comes down to all the big ska tent getting wider and more inclusive. Whoever you are and whatever you want to listen to, you can find it. You can go to shows and be accepted and dance to music that you connect to. Even many of my non ska loving friends have found new bands they love and people they relate to online and at shows billed under the ska genre.  

What does Joker’s Republic have planned for us beyond SPI Fest?

Austen: We’re currently putting all of our energy into a new full-length record! As of right now, we’re hoping to have the production process finished before the end of the year so that we can start making plans for the release (including tours to support the new music.) We’ve learned over the time we’ve been a band that sometimes we’re not the *best* with sticking to deadlines so I’m hesitant to say anything more specific than that. You will see a few new covers from us coming out in the meantime though, including the “My Own Worst Enemy” cover we’ve been doing live for a while now.

What have been some of the most memorable moments or experiences with the band so far? What’s been the most unexpected? The weirdest?

Billy: Memorable is easy. Playing at Starland Ballroom to chants of “Fuck You Denny’s” is a huge highlight for us (IYKYK). Getting to work with Roger Lima of Less than Jake on our last record is another. Sitting down and having a beer with some of our heroes and just shooting the breeze still amazes us to this day.
As for unexpected and weird – we’ve had those experiences in spades so I’ll just pick one. We played a gig in Detroit at a “community center” that turned out to be a lot dicier than we expected – tons of folks openly using in the space and squatting on torn up couches. We’re not ones to judge, and the music is for everyone to enjoy so we figured we might as well play and have a great gig. Just as we were setting up, the PA blew, the bathroom flooded, and a fight broke out to the left of the stage. With panic in our eyes, we looked around the room for someone to tell us what to do, to see Jay Navarro of the Suicide Machines roll up and say “just start playing.” So we did – slipping in piss and cheap beer the whole time. It ended up being a pretty wild and memorable tour stop, but getting to meet some cool folks and play an honest to goodness sloppy punk set totally made the night. In the chaos, Pat did leave his drum throne, so I suppose we didn’t get off completely scott free.

Speaking of live shows, what are you most excited to bring to the SPI Fest audience? What do you want those in attendance to take away from your set?

Pat: Horns are stupid. No, I jest, though I think there is something to our dynamic as a three-piece in the ska scene that both musicians and listeners pick up on. Because we are only three people we’ve catered our songwriting to reflect and emphasize the importance of each instrument. I guess you could call it overcompensating, but our live presence is also a result of our size. Anyone who’s seen us before knows that we opt for a more *3-D* experience, with Billy jumping into the pit or Austen taking his solo to the bar and back. So all of that is to say, what we’re excited to bring to the SPI audience is our authentic, unabashed selves. Music can and should be for everyone, regardless of what instrument you play, how many people are in your band, etc. Not everyone has horns, okay?

We’ve all got a few, what is your biggest regret? A gig you turned down, advice you didn’t take, what one thing do you wish you handled differently as a musician?

Austen: The last album cycle for us was a learning experience, namely that you really have to be planning things REALLY FAR in advance to make them happen. We started making plans for just our last run about 6 months in advance and that STILL led to a few shows happening “by the skin of our teeth” so to speak. Sometimes that is just the nature of touring, but in a lot of ways we were behind the 8 ball from the start with “Necessary Evil” and we’re hoping this time we’re going to be a lot more prepared and have things worked out ahead of time.

The ska scene gets a lot of flack from every genre of music (including ska itself) but is also almost always at the forefront of inclusion and diversity within the music scenes.  What is it about the scene that attracts such a welcoming fanbase?  What is it about ska that leaves itself so vulnerable to mockery in the music world?

Pat: Ska’s history (not unlike most genres of music) is motley and political. I make no claims to be an expert on the roots of the genre, but the long and short of it is that ska began in Jamaica. Eventually it made its way to the UK where it heavily influenced British pop culture, becoming commingled with punk. By the 90’s it had entered North America, giving rise to mainstream ska groups like No Doubt and Sublime. Its evolution as a genre through continents and countercultures is no small part of why it continues to represent music of inclusivity. It’s a genre that isn’t afraid to be itself. This, however, is the same reason it often comes under fire from haughty musicians everywhere. I don’t think I’d be alone in proposing that third-wave ska, namely Reel Big Fish, contributed to ska’s reputation as an unserious genre. Now, while I may not be the biggest RBF fan, I don’t think music needs to take itself deadly serious to be respected. Some genres have sticks up their butts and like to conflate being serious with being genuine. Ska’s strength is precisely its ability to change and try new things, to not be so strict with itself. These qualities are what make it such a diverse and accepting musical community. The uniqueness of the genre is embodied in the people who made and listened to it, and who continue to make and listen to it. Maybe other genres just need to loosen up?

We are living in a “just deal with COVID” world and everything about this timeline is some level of completely fucked, and the upcoming election sure as shit isn’t cooling any temperatures.  What impact, if any, does the current cultural and political landscape have on the band and the scene in general?

Billy: The Joker’s Republic motto used to be “whatever you believe, don’t be a dick and we’ll be cool.” That changed pretty significantly somewhere around 2019. Call it our own privilege (it was) or naivety to the deep resentment and division brewing across the country – but  we found ourselves calling for moderation and conversation to people who don’t even agree on the same set of facts. We wrote a song about it (Politics Belong in Punk Rock) that we don’t play anymore because it just leaves too much room to interpret our stances on social and political issues in ways we never intended. We wrote a follow up on Necessary Evil called “Politics STILL Belong in Punk Rock” that pretty loudly and proudly makes our ideals known. 
We all believe that there is space in the scene for everyone who wants to be a part of it. Regardless of your gender identity, sexuality, class, race, or creed, you are welcome at our shows. We have also found that most other bands and fans believe the same. Most folks are interested in curating inclusive and safe spaces for people to enjoy the music and make friends –  and if you aren’t, you won’t see us sharing a bill with you or making you feel welcome at our gigs.I think the scene is trending younger and more progressive for this very reason. If your values don’t include tolerance and respect for people who are different from you, or if your presence endangers or otherwise makes others feel unsafe, we don’t want you here. If you are unable or unwilling to engage with the community because of your own prejudices or hateful ideas, you don’t understand the very essence of what ska stands for. We are learning not to tolerate the intolerable, which means we have to loudly proclaim our values and make people uncomfortable with being hateful, discriminatory or otherwise disrespectful of peoples boundaries. 

Joker’s Republic is from NJ. It’s such an interesting, diverse and generally under-appreciated place that has bred so much amazing music.  Why do you think the area churns out so many brilliant musicians and songwriters?  How does the area feed into the music you are writing, if at all?

Billy: I think NJ is the perfect place to start a band. We are close to a ton of cities that breed and attract world class talent. NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, and Boston are all a short(ish) train ride away, so we have access to some of the greatest stages and artists in the world. This proximity also creates a sense of competition and urgency for a lot of up and coming artists. For better or for worse, there are so many voices shouting to be heard that only the best of the best can rise to the top. I don’t know that we’re “the best,” but it’s certainly nice to be included in the conversation with other amazing bands from NJ.

Necessary Evil, was produced with Roger Lima and featured Buddy Schaub (both of Less Than Jake), what did their presence and input bring to the album and band?

Austen: Roger had a lot of input on the arrangements of the songs and tonal decisions, but that’s exactly what we wanted to happen when we made the decision to go to Moathouse. I specifically remember getting a lot of people making comparisons of my songwriting on Anti-Social Media and Falling Behind to Less Than Jake, and we knew we’d be leaning into that very heavily when we chose to go to Moathouse. Having Buddy feature on the record was AWESOME, but an unexpected surprise. We make a point to retain the identity of a power trio/three piece band but occasionally exceptions can be made when it suits the song or it’s the right person for a feature.

There’s a karaoke machine at the SPI afterparty, what song are you performing?

Austen: “Point/Counterpoint” – Streetlight Manifesto
Billy: “Sugar We’re Going Down” – Fall Out Boy
Pat: “Twin Size Mattress” – The Front Bottoms

SPI Fest is a smorgasbord of fantastic acts. Which bands are you most excited to see?

Austen: I’ve never seen Call Me Malcolm or Runaway Ricochet before, and I always love me some Hans Gruber And The Die Hards so I’m especially stoked on those sets, but the entire lineup is wild!
Billy: I’m going to second Runaway Ricochet – Their new single rips and is exactly the brand of proggy ska-y music I like. I’m also looking forward to seeing what all of our other SPI brethren have been cooking up since we’ve seen them – even if you’ve seen a bunch of these bands before, everyone will be bringing their A game and putting on a great show.
Pat: Can’t wait to finally see Bondbreakr live, that pit is gonna go crazy. Always excited to see my pals in Take Today, and I believe they’ve been working on some new stuff… but you didn’t hear it from me. 

Was there anything I missed that you’d like to share or dive deeper into with our readers?

Austen: I don’t think anything was missed, but I think we’d wanna tell the readers thank you for listening to our music and supporting live music and independent creators as a whole. We can’t wait to show you what we have in store and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone at SPI Fest…and if everyone seems to enjoy what we have cooking up in addition to that, well…That’s Good Enough For Me. 😉