No Sports is one of the first bands playing ska in Germany at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s. The thriving scene was also created by Skaos, The Busters, The Braces, El Bosso & the Ping-Pongs and Blechreiz.
Short history of No Sports
The band was formed in 1985 in the Stuttgart area. It was founded by four members of a punk band Abenteuer unter Wasser, D.M. Dollar, Gerald, Wenne and Flupp, who wanted to play like Madness and The Selecter. Among their inspirations, they also mentioned the Dutch pop-new-wave formation, Gruppo Sportivo, which occasionally recorded songs with Jamaican influences (fun fact: Bette Bright from the art-rock band Deaf School, who is Sugg’s from Madness wife, sang sometimes with Gruppo Sportivo).
No Sports existed under this name until 2002. In the meantime, their members came and went – 27 musicians played in the band. Their sound also changed. They combined ska with elements of reggae, hip-hop and raggamuffin.
In 1987 they released a demo “Tour de France” on tape. At that time they played gigs all over the country. Two years later, the English label Unicorn Records released their debut long-play “King Ska”, with an absolute favorite of the audience, the song “King Kong”.
The “Stay Rude, Stay Rebel” EP released a year later brought another hit. The title song became an anthem for many members of the ska scene. Both albums were released as a whole on CD, which was reissued in 1993 by the German label Pork Pie. The bands’ songs also hit the cult compilations “Ska .. Ska .. Skandal!”.
In the early 90s, No Sports played several gigs with Laurel Aitken, went on foreign tours and recorded more albums. “SUCCE$$ FOOLS” in 1991, “No Rules” in 1994 and “Riddim Roots An ‘Culture” in 1998.
Three years after saying goodbye, some musicians founded the band Nu Sports, which was active until 2012. And a year later, No Sports returned to the stage. The only release of the reactivated group, for now, is the “Back To Basics” EP.
“King Ska” on vinyl
At the beginning of the year, German label Mad Butcher Records reissued “King Ska” and “Stay Rude, Stay Rebel” EP in their sublabel, Black Butcher Classics, which is dedicated to re-releases of important ska and reggae records.
In Poland, you can buy both records in black and color vinyl at Jimmy Jazz.
It all probably started because the first gig I went to as a teenager was a ska show. If I knew that it would last this long, maybe I would think twice. Or maybe not, and it was just meant to be. Now I go to gigs and record interviews with the bands I like. But if they play rock and roll in the area, there's a good chance that you will find me there.
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