". . . Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise" James 5:13
GenkideSka (pronounced with a "hard g" as in "guy": genk-ee-des-kah), whose name is a play on the Japanese phrase "O genki desu ka" which means "Are you happy?", is a Christian mod/ska band from San Diego, California. The band started as a studio project by Ralph "Bug" Glaser, a Master of Divinity student at Bethel Seminary San Diego (and an avid Vespa rider), in 1996 and he played all the instruments (vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keys, horns, and various noises) on the original demo (his wife Lisa played additional keys on the first track). The style of GenkideSka is similar to a mix of 2Tone/English ska and English mod music. Musical influences include Madness, The Specials, The Jam, The Police, Christafari and Mr. Bean! A self-titled four song demo is currently available and the song "Encircler" is on Christian ska compilation CD release "Skanktified!" (N*Soul/Eclectica Records) which is in stores all over the USA. A new, completely mod cut, "Cosmic Love Song," will be released on a Mod Compilation (tenatively scheduled for N*Soul/Eclectica) Winter '98. Ralph also "loaned" his guitar playing to Chicago shoegazer electronica band "Xavier's Rainfall" on their sophmore release "electronicarlo" (see discography), and is the youth pastor at San Diego Japanese Christian Church. He also does acoustic work (guitar & voice), outside of GenkideSka, at various venues (churches, coffe houses, pubs, etc. - be on the look out for him!) and is working on a full length Celtic/Fingerstyle/Contemporary Folk CD that will be available Fall '99. Ralph and Lisa are sponsors of Japan International Food for the Hungry, Compassion International and Amnesty International. SOLI DEO GLORIA
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