Niels - lead vocals, guitar
Hans - Bass
Theodoor - lead guitar, backing vocals
Lucas - drums
Maarten - Tenor sax
Rutger - Trombone
Robert - Trumpet and backing vocals (and the one giving this interview)

Average Age: about 27, but the difference is big, the drummer is 18 while the bass player is 34!!

Year band formed: 2002

Home town: Utrecht, though I'll need to say that only two of us live there!

Homepage: www.shenanigans.nl
(2 languages, dutch and english, no German yet, i am sorry :-)!

CD's (Year of release):
(Demo) Ashes to Ashes, Ska to ska (2002)
(Demo) Sharpening the Horns (2003)
(Live demo) Live to the Bone (2004)
(1st album, not yet released) Loud & clear (2005)

DerDUDE:
How did you come up with your band name? Does it have a background??
The Shenanigans:
Well, when we looked for a name, we all came up with some names and voted democraticly for the best one.
It went to Shenanigans. We found "Shenanigans" in a Dutch-English dictionary.
Shenanigans means something like: a decietfull confidence trick, or mischief causing discomfort or annoyance.
Soon after, we made it into "The Shenanigans" like it's a family or clan name, like "The Ramones".
That's how we came up to it, actually.

DerDUDE:
How would you specify your style as a ska band?
The Shenanigans:
We are proud to say that we have a pretty "unique" sound and style in our music, but if you need to compare it to something, compare it with 2-tone, Madness. But our sound is somewhat heavier than that style, we have a powerfull rythm section and a big role for the horns.

DerDUDE:
Which song would you suggest someone to listen to in order to get to know your music best?
The Shenanigans:
Our songs know a wide variety. I'd suggest "Nothing Left to Say", Waiting" and "Waste", but each song is different.

DerDUDE:
Which ska band/personality influenced you the most?
The Shenanigans:
Good question. I'd say Madness, our songs have that popmusic-like flavor to it.

DerDUDE:
Apart from ska, what music style influenced you the most?
The Shenanigans:
That really depends on who wrote the song and the song itself. Sometimes it's Rock, sometimes Punk, sometimes Big-band, sometimes the popscene from Belgium. Quite a few as you can see.

DerDUDE:
What message are you trying to get across to people with your music?
The Shenanigans:
"Dance, wether you like it or not!", that's our motto!

DerDUDE:
Does ska have a political meaning for you, and if so what is it?
The Shenanigans:
Actually we don't worry very much about political statements in our music. It's meant for fun and to dance, and we like to stick to that!

DerDUDE:
What were the best and worst venues you've played?
The Shenanigans:
Best:
Good memories we have is about the Melkweg, Ruigoord, de Kelder and Ekko, but the best was the Kabaal am Gemaal festival in Wageningen. It was all there: we played good, good sound, huge stage, huge enthusiastic crowd.

Worst:
We had some problems when our singer got ill for a longer period. In this period we continued doing gigs, and I think we shouldn't have done that. The gigs were not great, and it was very bad for our own motivation. It almost led to the band's demise.

DerDUDE:
How would you describe your audience?
The Shenanigans:
That really depends on the gig we're playing at. I find that the punks like our music the best, they move the most, that is.

DerDUDE:
Which song do you usually play as an encore?
The Shenanigans:
Mostly we play the first song that comes to mind if we play encores. Most of the time that will be an instrumental song.ces.

DerDUDE:
Have you got any weird touring experiences worth a mention?
The Shenanigans:
Our bass player has the reputation of always coming late. Two times he managed to walk in at the moment we needed to go on stage. Luckily, we can heartily laugh at such things, but we never let him go to a gig on his own from that moment!!

DerDUDE:
Which band would you most like to play with?
The Shenanigans:
Personaly, I'd love to play with Toots and the Maytals, but that's a personal favorite.
The rest of the band probably has their own personal favorites!

DerDUDE:
I've always been interested to know how you deal with Nazi-Skins at your gigs.
The Shenanigans:
Fortunatly, we never had that during one of our own gigs. But we've discussed it what we'd do if it would happen.
We promptly stop playing, telling to stop that behaviour and if that doesn't stop the misbehaviour, we go offstage untill the radicals are removed. In the worst case we'd cancel the gig at all, if all that doesn't help. We don't play for nazi skins! Same thing for fighting
during gigs, by the way!

DerDUDE:
There's a lot of talk about 3 ska waves. How far can you identify yourselves with those? What do you think is going to come after the 3rd wave? What's the future of ska?
The Shenanigans:
I think we have most in common with the 2nd wave ska. What we do is a 2-tone, Madness type of playing, like I said earlier.
I dont know what will come after the 3rd wave. I even wonder if the term "ska" is still applyable when it's changed more. i think Ska is destined to stay an underground scene.

DerDUDE:
Why do you think it is that most young bands either play traditional ska or ska-punk?
The Shenanigans:
I think it is because the ska people like these ones the most. And as young bands like to go extreme, and these styles are opposite of each other (in the ska context) i think you'll have your answer.

DerDUDE:
Why do you think it's so difficult for ska to establish itself? Do you think ska is doomed to continue to play a minor role in the music scene?
The Shenanigans:
Yeah, I am afraid so. Ska is from a commercial view not interesting. Therefore, no great labels will invest and promote ska bands. Pretty a shame, because most people (including the ones outside the ska scene) like ska when they hear it, because it's quite easy listening.

DerDUDE:
Which band or ska CD do you recommend (apart from your own) to the people out there?
The Shenanigans:
My personal: "True love advance" from Toots and the Maytals. It's a sort of "Toots and Friends". And "Aangenaam" by Def P and the Beatbusters, which i find the best dutch spoken ska album since a long time, but I think that album is not quite so interesting for the German people!

DerDUDE:
Who, in your eyes is the "Godfather of Ska"?
The Shenanigans:
I'd say Toots, but i am a fan ofcourse!

DerDUDE:
Which ska site do you particularly recommend? What are your favourites?
The Shenanigans:
www.skapeople.nl, a nice dutch ska site, including an active forum. Everything related to the dutch ska scene can be found here.

DerDUDE:
What's going to be coming up in terms of gigs or any other projects? Is there a new CD coming out?
The Shenanigans:
We have just recorded a new CD called "Loud & Clear" and are working hard in bringing it out soon!

DerDUDE:
When is it going to be out and what should we be expecting?
The Shenanigans:
Soon we hope, it's our first real album, and it has worked out real nice.
It gives a good image of our band and we are proud of it!

DerDUDE:
A bit of space for your own comments and anything else you want to add!!!...
The Shenanigans:
Well, we hope that our first gigs in Germany (which are coming!!) will be a succes, we certainly look forward to them!

DerDUDE:
Thanks Robert for the interesting interview!