Welcome to “Punky Reggae Party” a special audio documentary series of the Ska Boom podcast that focuses on the historical origins and impact of reggae on popular music that will explore the phenomenon of punk and post-punk bands adopting the sounds of reggae. On February 27, 1986, the Cosby Show, then the most popular TV show in America aired an episode that featured the music of Black Uhuru. Let that sink in for a moment. How often did you hear roots reggae on American network television in the 80s? Though just a few minutes and part of a comedic bit it really is an extraordinary moment when a Black Uhuru song was broadcast into the American heartland. More than any other reggae artists, Black Uhuru have successfully and consistently transcended stylistic barriers tapping rock and other musical influences, yet they have done so without compromising either the genre or the philosophy that propels it. And after the death of Bob Marley in 1981, the mantle of bringing the sound of reggae to America and the rest of the world was taken up by Black Uhuru. They covered a song by Little Steven Van Zandt, licensed their music for use on TV and toured with the The Rolling Stones and The Police. They also played a memorable show at Soledad Prison. Ska Boom is hosted/co-produced by Marc Wasserman & co-produced/engineered by Rob George. Please note: The music clips included in this podcast fall under the “Fair Use Doctrine” as defined by Section 107 of the Copyright Act. The law allows for use of music clips for purposes of criticism, comment, and news reporting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices