Interview with Mad in Ska
Here’s our chat with French Ska-punk band Mad in Ska
Just a few days before their return to Italy for two dates of the “Birthday Tour”, which celebrates the French band’s ten years of activity, we asked Mad in Ska some questions. Let’s see what they told us!
Mad in Ska will perform on Friday, May 10th at Eterotopia in San Giuliano Milanese and Saturday, May 11th at CSOA Pinelli in Genoa.
RP: Hello and welcome to Radio Punk. How would you introduce yourselves to our readers?
MiS: Hello and thank you! We are a group from Eastern France. We are 8 on stage and propose Ska/punk/rock music. We mix both engaged and festive songs, and we always try to transmit our energy in each of our concerts. And the audience gives it back to us too.
RP: Why did you choose the name Mad in Ska? How did it come about and what does it mean to you?
MiS: From the beginning, we knew that Ska was what we wanted to do. Being unconditional fans of Ska-P, it was inconceivable to do anything else. As for the name, we wanted to include the word “Ska” and show that we were “mad” about it. On second thought, we thought Mad In Ska sounded pretty good!
RP: With your “Birthday Tour” you celebrate the tenth birthday of the group. Can you take stock of these 10 years?
MiS: There is a lot to be said. Many encounters and beautiful encounters, contacts with exceptional people, great artists with whom we were able to play and share the stage, sublime venues where we had the chance to play, incredible festivals and the ultimate, this opening act of Ska-P at Paris Zénith. It was magical!
After that there are also negative points and that’s normal! The life of a group is marked by ups and downs. The line up has changed quite a bit since the beginning but the group’s backbone (namely the 2 brothers, Arnaud and Ben, the founders) is still intact!
There were also 2 albums and a single that were released during these 10 years. It’s not so bad!
RP: You have played in very different contexts, from small clubs to big festivals, in which kind of context do you feel most comfortable?
MiS: It is not easy to answer because there are both qualities and defects in each place. In small clubs, you are close to the audience and there can be a great and beautiful communion. The room quickly smells of sweat and you can mix with the audience, there is a warmth that comes out of it, it’s great!
Then it’s true that in a big festival or a big venue, it’s more serious, more focused and you sometimes face thousands of spectators. It’s creepy but so good. We have seen everything and we generally liked it all. The worst is a large room with 4 people. We all feel lonely very quickly!
RP: What is the situation of the ska/punk scene in France and what are the differences with other countries?
MiS: Punk is gradually disappearing in France. And Ska is not very widespread either. We are quite few French Ska bands after all. Fortunately, there are still a few festivals and venues that still offer this kind of concert!
RP: In several of your lyrics the theme of ecology recurs. In your opinion, what are the main causes of the disastrous environmental situation that afflicts the planet and what are the concrete actions to take to repair it?
MiS: The cause is simple: who is responsible for this disaster? It is man himself! It seems urgent that man should become aware of the situation and take action. Of course, you have to act at your own level! Throw packaging in the garbage, avoid throwing cigarette butts everywhere, small everyday gestures, which, if done by everyone, can have a real positive impact. After that, we will never be able to fight against the steel monsters who throw their shit into the atmosphere, it’s politics and there’s so much at stake. Money is the lifeblood of the war and unfortunately it is not about to stop. You have to act yourself, with small gestures. That’s a good start.
RP: In May you will return to Italy for two dates: what is your relationship with our country? Are you happy to come back?
MiS: In 10 years, we have crossed Europe to play in Germany, Switzerland, England, Spain… Italy is the 3rd or 4th time we come back and it is always with great pleasure. Italy is really a beautiful country, the Italian culture is amazing. We are always very well welcomed and we have a great time. Mad In Ska has 2 managers, one in France, and one in Italy, Elvira Cuomo, whom we thank for all her work and dedication. So it’s no surprise that we come back to Italy so often!
RP: And after this important goal of 10 years, let’s look to the future, do you have projects or some dreams that you would like to fulfil as a group?
MiS: It’s complicated to project yourself. The desire is still there, but as in many groups, there are questions. After 10 years, life changes and new (and excellent) groups are born. You always have to work hard to stay on top. But families are growing and time is running out. That being said, we are still standing and we keep working.
What more would we like to achieve? Why not another album, but it’s above all the scene that gives us our adrenaline boost. So concerts and more concerts, and why not a tour throughout Italy, from North to South!
RP: We’re at the end of our conversation. Thank you and as usual it’s time for free space, what would you like to say to our readers?
To go out and see concerts! It is thanks to the audience that the bands tour and can play their music. CDs are good, but live shows are different! And then that people don’t turn their backs on each other, that they share things, talk, exchange, feel emotions. It’s the basis of life!