Several of the LA ska scene's most prominent figures gathered in October 2021 for a special panel discussion at the GRAMMY Museum to reminisce about the O.N. Klub and the early days of the LA ska and mod scene: singer Jerry Miller (The Untouchables), singer Chuck Askerneese (The Untouchables), bassist Ivan Wong (The Boxboys), drummer Greg Sowders (The Boxboys), bassist Norwood Fisher (Fishbone), singer Greg Lee (Hepcat), music critic Bill Bentley (LA Weekly), O.N. Klub creator, author and award-winning music supervisor Howard Paar, ska musician, podcaster and author Marc Wasserman, writer of the upcoming book “The Making of a Rude Girl,” Karena Sundaram Marcum, and Laurence Fishburne, the award-winning actor, producer and original O. N. Klub patron, will discuss the importance of the O.N. Klub and the early days of the LA ska and mod scene. There will also be special live performances by The Boxboys (1st time in 40 years!) and The Untouchables. This afternoon affair was hosted by veteran radio DJ/emcee Junor Francis and DJ Chuck Wren (Jump Up Records) will spin the best in American ska and reggae. This event was presented in association with History of LA Ska.

Ska might be a household name these days, but it wasn't 40+ years ago when Howard Paar – newly arrived in LA from London, and inspired by British 2 Tone, Jamaican ska and reggae, and American soul music – launched one of the very first American ska scenes at a hole-in-the-wall venue in Silver Lake, CA called the O.N. Klub. Paar’s vision of a ska and soul-only club helped to give birth to a uniquely American version of ska that spawned The Boxboys – one of the earliest American ska bands –and The Untouchables, who later went on to global fame with their infectious ska/mod look and sound. The O.N. Klub and the bands that Paar booked unleashed a ska and mod frenzy across the city, that brought the look and feel of Brighton in Quadrophenia to the streets of LA. Several of the LA ska scene's most prominent figures gathered for a panel discussion at the GRAMMY Museum to reminisce about the O.N. Klub and the early days of the LA scene. They discussed the importance of the O.N. Klub and the early days of the LA ska and mod scene. There was also memorable live performances by The Boxboys (1st time in 40 years!) and The Untouchables. This afternoon affair was hosted by veteran radio host/emcee Junor Francis and DJ Chuck Wren (Jump Up Records) spun the best in American ska and reggae.
Singer Jerry Miller (The Untouchables)
Singer Chuck Askerneese (The Untouchables)
Bassist Ivan Wong (The Boxboys)
Drummer Greg Sowders (The Boxboys)
Bassist Norwood Fisher (Fishbone)
Singer Greg Lee (Hepcat)
Bill Bentley (LA Weekly music critic)
O.N. Klub creator/author/award-winning music supervisor Howard Paar (author of “Top Rankin': A Punk/Ska Noir Novel”)
Bassist/author Marc Wasserman (author of Ska Boom: “An American Ska & Reggae Oral History”)
Karena Sundaram Marcum (writer of the upcoming book “The Making of a Rude Girl”)
Laurence Fishburne (award-winning actor/producer/original O. N. Klub patron)

Panelists:

Howard Paar (O.N. Klub creator, music supervisor & Author of “Top Rankin’: A Punk/Ska Noir Novel”)

Marc Wasserman (Musician, Podcaster & Author of “Ska Boom!: An American Ska & Reggae Oral History”)

Jerry Miller (The Untouchables)

Chuck Askerneese (The Untouchables)

Ivan Wong (The Boxboys)

Greg Sowders (The Boxboys)

Norwood Fisher (Fishbone)

Greg Lee (Hepcat)

Bill Bentley (Former LA Weekly music editor & Author of “Smithsonian Rock & Roll: Live & Unseen”)

Karena Sundaram Marcum (feminist, Indian-American Writer of the upcoming book “The Making of a Rude Girl”)

Laurence Fishburne (award-winning actor, producer and original O. N. Klub patron)