Watch Bad Operation’s (Fatter Than Albert, PEARS) video for debut single “Perilous”

Karma Oak

Bad Operation is a new ska band with some familiar faces from the New Orleans punk and ska scene: Fatter Than Albert/All People members and Community Records founders Daniel "D-Ray" Ray and Greg Rodrigue, Brian Pretus of Fat Wreck Chords-signed punks PEARS, experimental/jazz/hip hop artist Dominic Minix, and Robert Landry (who's also in All People). Their self-titled debut album comes out December 18 via Bad Time Records/Community Records (pre-order), and we're premiering the video for lead single "Perilous."

Bad Operation's members may have a punk and ska-punk pedigree, but "Perilous" takes a cleaner, more soulful approach to ska that's closer to 2 Tone or The Slackers (who have already co-signed the band). The band calls it "new tone," and that's a good way of putting it. You get that classic second wave ska vibe, but Bad Operation make it feel fresh and they don't just sound like a product of their influences. They're bringing something new to the ska table, and really pushing the genre forward, and if you dig ska or punk or any type of warm, upbeat rock music, you should give this band a listen.

"Community Records was a label that was in the trenches for DIY ska when it was hardest to do so, producing and elevating some of the best underground ska punk bands of the mid and late 2000’s - A Billion Ernies, Murphy’s Kids, Fatter Than Albert, Stuck Lucky, The Lollies, The Best of The Worst, All People," said Bad Time Records founder Mike Sosinski. "To hear that they were starting a new project, that it was SKA, that it was AWESOME, and that they wanted to work together on it… it was really a magical moment."

Of the new video, the band tells us:

Truly happy to be releasing this video and this music, thanks for helping us to share it. "Perilous" is the first out of 3 or 4 or so videos we are planning to release. We started this project in January 2020 to re-claim some joy in light of the power of music, to hopefully play a show one day, and to make ska music. We are having a blast with this band and working together. We wanted our videos to capture the joy, warmth, and amazing vibes of the ska shows we have been going to, playing, and promoting since we were teenagers. The video was directed and filmed by Zac Manuel, edited by Mitch Wells who are both exceptionally talented.

This new video does indeed capture the joy, warmth, and amazing vibes of a ska show. Like the music itself, there's a familiar, nostalgic feel to the black-and-white footage and '60s-style visual backdrop, but it never seems overly retro. It's new and exciting and you can check it out for yourself right here:

Tracklist
1. Perilous
2. Bagel Rooks
3. Brain
4. Little Man
5. BAD OPERATION
6. Kinda Together
7. Peachy
8. Siren's Call
9. Baby in Arms
10. Fish Out of Water