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The O.N. Klub & Birth Of The L.A. SKA Boom, Grammy Museum Event, 10/23 in L.A.

DATE: OCTOBER 5, 2021

FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/ANDREA FAULK/SRO PR

TOP RANKIN’: THE O.N. KLUB & BIRTH OF THE L.A. SKA BOOM

Panel Discussion, Book Signings, Special Performances
Saturday, October 23, 2021, At 2:00 pm – GRAMMY Museum®, Los Angeles, CA

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 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 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 will gather 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 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 will be hosted by veteran radio DJ/emcee Junor Francis and DJ Chuck Wren (Jump Up Records) will spin the best in American ska and reggae.

At 1:30pm and immediately following the performances, there will be book signings with authors Howard Paar (“Top Rankin,’” a punk/ska noir novel set against the 1980 backdrop of the O.N. Klub’s first year) and Marc Wasserman (“Ska Boom! An American Ska & Reggae Oral History” detailing the beginning of ska in the US). Both books will be on sale at the GRAMMY Museum® gift shop. This event is presented in association with History of LA Ska.

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

Special Performances by
The Boxboys (1st performance in 40 years!)
The Untouchables

All Ages
1:30pm doors / 2pm start
$15 tickets

For Tickets & COVID-19 Policy: www.grammymuseum.org

For press inquiries regarding HOWARD PAAR and the book “Top Rankin,” contact SRO PR:

Mitch Schneider: mschneider@sropr.com
Andrea Faulk // afaulk@sropr.com

SRO PR Releases + Assets for Howard Paar and “Top Rankin’”:
http://sropr.com/portfolio/top-rankin/

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‘Top Rankin’: A Punk/Ska Noir Novel By Howard Paar Out May 11 Via Rare Bird Books

DATE: MARCH 18, 2021

FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/SRO PR

‘TOP RANKIN’: A PUNK/SKA NOIR NOVEL
BY HOWARD PAAR
OUT MAY 11 VIA RARE BIRD BOOKS
THE BOOK’S PAAR-CURATED SOUNDTRACK
IS NOW AT SPOTIFY

Picture 6

The worlds of punk, ska, crime, drugs and corruption in Los Angeles come together in unexpected ways in Top Rankin,’ a punk/ska novel by Howard Paar due out May 11 via Rare Bird Books. Capturing the anything-goes spirit of L.A. in 1980, with the presidential election of Ronald Reagan just around the corner, Top Rankin’ is populated with real-life characters from the music world in Los Angeles, New York, and London. The novel is available now for pre-order at booksellers everywhere.

It’s the second novel from Paar following Once Upon A Time In LA in 2015. He is a London native who relocated to L.A. in the late 70s and initially created the ON Klub–the first ska club in the U.S. at the rough and ready pre-gentrified Silver Lake end of Sunset Blvd.–before going on to become a record label executive and multiple award-winning music supervisor for film and television. Paar has curated the Top Rankin’ soundtrack, now posted at Spotify.

Paar began the ON Klub in May 1980, inspired by the racially integrated punky ska revival in England. He booked the bands and spun the vinyl at the ska, soul, and reggae venue. In this hole in the hillside dump of a joint, the dance floor was shared by young Jamaicans, sharp-dressed Asian American girls, South Central kids, London escapees, mods on scooters from Orange County, Latino kids from the neighborhood―all united by the inspiring vinyl they couldn’t hear on the radio or anywhere else in the US. The club’s success also resulted in unwelcome visits from the police and fire department.

“In numerous respects it was the literary and cinematic noir history of Los Angeles that drew and kept me here, says PAAR, “so the city and its now vanished places are a significant aspect of both novels.” He adds: “I wrote this ‘memNoir’ to give readers an authentic, fun experience of 1980, lived in the moment, feeling the power of music in fast changing and dangerous times for many.”

H.P. Photo by Christiana D’amore

 

AVAILABLE IN HARDCOVER AND E-BOOK
FICTION/NOIR MYSTERY
9781644281932 | US $20.00 | 5.5 x 8.5 in. | 224 pp.
RARE BIRD BOOKS
DISTRIBUTED WOLRDWIDE BY PUBLISHERS GROUP WEST
RAREBIRDBOOKS.COM

Publicity, Marketing, and Bulk Sales: Julia Callahan at RARE BIRD | julia@rarebirdlit.com | 831.227.8550

Independent Publicity: Mitch Schneider at SRO PR | mschneider@sropr.com

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