….Compared to the more ska-punk-leaning Fatter Than Albert, Bad Operation is cleaner and a little more traditional, but still fresh -- I love the concept of calling it "new tone." Was that a conscious decision to tone down the punk side, or just the direction things naturally went in when the band started writing?

DR: Absolutely. Greg specifically requested no distortion and it was definitely the right call. Personally, I think I’ll always appreciate screamy, punk vocals like with FTA and The Flaming Tsunamis, but that’s not the vibe we’re going for or feeling at this time. You can still have high energy parts without making them crunchy and aggressive. New Tone seems to hit the nail on the head to describe the sound we’ve developed through our collective influences. It is a direct reference (and a rhyme) to the Two Tone movement in England with a little bit of New Orleans grit thrown in the mix. It’s got the upbeat tempo, it’s a product of the working class, and it’s politically outspoken DIY ska.

On a deeper level, my hope is that New Tone is more substantial and timeless than a fad or a wave or a bandwagon. It’s about setting a new tone in the way we occupy public space with our music. Through our upbeat joyous music, we want to create real change within people’s consciousness and actions. For me, it means being outspoken about racial injustice. It means being an active part of your community and taking part in local politics. It means committing to a lifelong fight for unity and equality for all. I’m not saying that that’s what New Tone has to be or is for anyone but me. The hope is that New Tone inspires others to explore what that looks and sounds like to them.

DM: I think Greg’s decision to stick to his guns on this record really paid off. In the process of working with Bad Operation I learned that Greg is a real student of ska music and that’s really inspiring to witness. Though it was a conscious decision to nix any punk or hardcore sections in the music, I think it was a natural inclination for the rhythm section players to just play ska because of how long they had studied and played the music. The magic of Bad Operation is equivalent to what would happen if an experienced chef opened a burger stand. All of their lived experience goes into a distilled and simple recipe. Collectively we have so many years of experience with many different genres of music and many lessons were gained through those experiences. Greg’s decision to limit the band’s sound to traditional ska gave us a clear framework to work within.

Pulled from our interview w/ Brooklyn Vegan with Andrew Sacher