Every several years, Saturn and Mars conjunct in just the right way to make music astrologers descend from the mountains with tears in their eyes and proclaim: “ska is back, baby.” 2021 has been one of those years. Whether through the formation of hot new bands like Catbite, or the recognition of tireless flag bearers like Skatune Network, the oft-clowned-upon genre is having a bit of a moment, and this weekend rudies can celebrate the new Year of Ska by skanking to Monkey, a Bay Area band that has carried the torch for bright brass and upstrokes for 25 years.

Monkey+The Odd Numbers
Fri, 8pm, $20
The Ritz, San Jose

Dave Baisa doesn’t mince his words. Perhaps he gets that from his job: tending bar often requires a highly direct manner of speaking. Or maybe it’s all the practice he’s gotten drawing boundaries and explaining the world to his kids. Then again, it’s probably both—plus the fact that as the frontman for The Odd Numbers, Baisa has been distilling his thoughts into punchy skate-punk songs for 30 years.

“We did a lot in the early years,” Baisa says, looking back at the time he spent touring Europe and the U.S. with The Odd Numbers back in the early ’90s. “We had a chance to make it a little bigger. But things went kinda sour for us and we missed a bunch of opportunities.”

For those unfamiliar with the veteran San Jose band’s history, Baisa is referring to the grisly motorcycle wreck that sidelined The Odd Numbers for months. It was the summer of 1995 and the band wrapped a gig in England when the band’s drummer, John Cummings, hopped on the back of a bike after far too many drinks.

“He basically lopped his leg off,” Baisa says. “They saved it, but he was in a hospital for months.”

After that, things were never really the same—especially for Cummings. “It freaked us out,” Baisa says. The band eventually picked up another drummer and kept going, but the momentum they lost on that tour was hard to make up for.

The Odd Numbers released two more records after the accident, but by the time the aughts rolled around, they were all in their early 30s, starting families and looking at dialing back the rock & roll lifestyle.

“You just can’t keep on getting into the van after a while,” he says.

For many, these details would merely serve as fodder for Uncle Rico-esque lamentations of what might have been. But in the hands of Baisa and his bandmates, Dave Miller (bass and vocals) and Dave Conrad (drums and vocals), these experiences and many more form the foundation of The Odd Numbers fifth album, The Oddyssey—the trio’s first LP in 16 years.

True to form, Baisa doesn’t waste any time getting to the point. “So through a series of events I found myself still alive,” he sings on album opener “Teach Myself,” a poppy, propulsive punk song that clocks in at just under two minutes and thirty seconds, and features a chorus that celebrates the hard lessons that only failure can teach: 

“I don’t mind falling down; I like to, I know that,” Baisa sings. “The only way I’ll ever learn is if I teach myself.”

Writing the new record, Baisa says, he and his bandmates realize that they’ve managed to teach themselves quite a bit over the course of 30 years. “This band truly has been on an odyssey,” he says. “We’ve been playing together basically all of our mature lives.”

Even over the last decade and a half, while the band hasn’t released anything new, they’ve continued to play one off shows, and Baisa says they still get inquiries from fans and interested promoters. Now that his kids—and the children of his bandmates have grown older—he says The Odd Numbers are looking at hitting the road again, albeit in a more restrained manner than when they were in their early 20s.

After they celebrate the release of The Oddyssey with a show at The Ritz this Friday, Baisa says The Odd Numbers plan to go on a series of short tours around the U.S. and aim to return to Europe; they’ve always had a following in Sweden, he notes.

“I’m super excited about it,” Baisa says of the prospect of hitting the road and getting on stage again. “Playing in front of people still totally inspires me,” he says. “That’s what it’s all about—learning to live through rock.”

Disclosure: Dave Miller also works for Metro Silicon valley.

The Odd Numbers
Sep 15, 8pm, $10
The Ritz, San Jose
theritzsanjose.com

Jonny Manak of Jonny Manak and the Depressives (full disclosure: Metro’s former in-house rock star) loves garage and punk rock with equal passion, at least that’s what his music suggests. He strings together bits of garage and surf from the 50s and 60s, early pissed-off punk rock from the late 70s and bits of well-crafted, catchy pop-punk from the 80s and 90s, blending it all together in a sort of punk-through-the-ages mixture.

Aside from the Depressive, Manak has played in the Forgotten, the Cliftons, Clay Wheels and the Odds Numbers. We asked him to give us a tour around San Jose from his distinctly punk rock perspective. There were his answers:

What part of San Jose are you from?

I grew up on the east side. There were a lot of spots to skate, the bike jumps at perk ponds to get rad on your BMX, cheap tacos and Mexican candy, the Berryessa flea market to get pocket knives, swords, ninja stars and other illegal items eight year old kids shouldn’t be able to purchase.

What’s your favorite place outside of San Jose?

The Pacific northwest! The best skateboarding in the world is up there. People are chill and the music that comes out of there is great. Whenever I’ve toured through Portland or Seattle, I’ve always wanted to stay. You could buy a huge house for what you’d get a townhouse for here. My wife and I joke that if we ever moved out of San Jose, we’d go to Seattle. But you’d have to say it with an English accent, “Sea-at-ow!”

What’s the best show you’ve seen in San Jose?

That’s a tough one. So many come to mind. The Buzzcocks at The Blank Club definitely is a standout. I was playing drums in one of the opening bands that night and I got to setup and sound check their guitars because the band was eating. I shit my pants dude! I was playing Orgasm Addict through their guitars and amps at sound check! They were on fire that night and it sounded like they sounded on their records from the 70s.

What’s your favorite local band/musician?

Damn, that’s really hard! Favorite local bands would be The Odd Numbers and Los Olvidados. Both bands rarely play these days, but when they do, look out. The dude dressed as a clown that plays trumpet in San Pedro Square has some chops. He’s got a creepy van and a cool bunny rabbit, too.

What’s your favorite place to get a drink in San Jose?

PT Liquors near my house. They have their own language. If you’ve been to my house, you know what I’m talking about, “my fren.” But the answer you’re looking for is a bar, so I’ll say The Caravan. Rachel is very talented.

Where’s a cool spot to shop?

Stevens Creek Surplus for Levi’s, Circle A for shoes, 23 Skidoo, Savers, Goodwill and Target for $10 button ups. Fun fact: you can trash dive behind Goodwill for some free fancy duds.

What’s your favorite spot for a cheap meal in SJ?

Crashing conferences at the Hilton. So good! Or go to a time-share seminar. Sometimes they feed you at those things. Also, wine mixers. Basically anywhere I’m not invited that serves food and drinks and any of the many east side $1 taco trucks are rad, too.

What’s the best thing about living in SJ?

The proximity to everything—beach, snow, SF, skate parks, it’s all so close. Herpes is running rampant in San Jose. That’s pretty cool!

Where’s the best place in San Jose to go relax for a bit?

On The Corner Music. There’s something very relaxing about digging through the $1 vinyl record bins.

Where’s the best place to see a show in SJ?

The Blank Club. My studio Cup O’ Pizza. That’s where the “Story Tellers” performances go down. Stoops.

What’s San Jose’s best kept secret?

I’m not telling, it wouldn’t be a secret… I guess I got one for you. Some of the hookers on First Street may be “packing heat” down below, if you know what I mean. It’s THEIR little secret. It’s like playing Russian roulette; you may be staring down the barrel of a “gun.” Extra equipment.