The Return Of Mephiskapheles!: Band Members Reunite For Acoustic Show In New York

Well not exactly (but it was close as we could get to a reunion of one the most popular ska bands to ever come out of New York City). Last night at the Underground Lounge on Manhattan's Upper West Side, members of the original band calling themselves "Doomsday: The Ultimate Mephiskapheles Tribute Show" played an acoustic ska show.

The sound of Mephiskapheles was unprecedented -- even today there really is nothing that compares to their unique take on ska. Along with The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Mephiskapheles was the look and sound of 90's American ska. Eschewing the 2-Tone foundation of 80's ska, the original band line-up (Brendog Tween, Mikal Reich, Brian Martin, Alexander McCabe, Nubian Nightmare, Rick Sanford, Osho Endo, Dave Doris, Gina Latessa, Mike Berger and Vattel Cherry) took a devil worship concept and built it on top of traditional ska with liberal doses of punk, jazz, oi, alternative rock and metal. Visually the band's image and look were just as startling (it certainly didn't hurt that a few band members worked for a cutting edge New York ad agency), featuring a singer with the voice of a death metal screamer, trained jazz horn players and a motley crew of punk rockers who quickly took the 90's New York and American ska scenes by storm. (Read more about the band in an interview I did with Tween last year).

So, without further ado, enjoy the band's popular song"Saba." And leave it to Brendog to sum up the reunion and the inevitable passing of time: "Ten years ago you guys would have been kicking the shit out of each other. Now you all have iPhones."