Poppy ska/punk band from Cardiff, Wales. Their most popular songs include 'Like A Book', 'You Still Owe Me Twelve Pence', 'I Want To Be Canadian' and 'All Our Songs Sound The Same'.These are available on their two EP's, 'Nobody's Prefect' and 'The Wrong Arm Of The Law', out on Good Clean Fun Records (http://www.goodcleanfunrecords.co.uk).
They acknowledge the ska traditions, with the 'ska' in the name and the suits on stage (though cut off just below the knee), but they manage to stand out from the crowd at the same time.
Lineup
Biography
Adapted from http://www.thecheapskates.com
There have been over 70,000 downloads of their songs from their page at mp3.com. 'I Want To Be Canadian' won mp3.com's Punk Rock Battle of the Bands in March 2000, before going on to reach #4 in mp3.com's world-wide ska chart. Three different tracks have been chosen to be a 'Featured Song' in the ska genre by mp3.com's staff.
The band completed their first UK tour, with JesseJames and Adequate Seven, in November of 2001. The EP 'Nobody's Prefect' was released on Good Clean Fun Records to coincide with the tour. Other bands they have appeared with include Save Ferris, Link 80, Big D & The Kids Table, Caffeine, Shootin' Goon, Lubby Nugget, Mouthwash, Caeser Soze (Japan), Parasites (California), Lightyear and 4ft Fingers.
Tracks have been included on the compilation CDs 'Know Your Skalphabet' (Good Clean Fun Records, UK), 'The International Punk Rock Box Set' (Meathead Records, Canada), and 'This Are UK Ska, Vol. 2' (Do The Dog Music, UK).
Radio airplay has been provided by Steve Lamacq on BBC Radio One, as well as Xpress FM (Cardiff), Bay Radio (Aberystwyth) and Haven FM (Pembrokeshire). The Cheapskates won 'Best Local Live Act' of 2000 in The Western Telegraph, and were tipped by Wales on Sunday as a band to watch in 2001. Do The Dog Skazine describes the band as "highly impressive", while Cardiff's student newspaper Gair Rhydd says "see them now, before they're up there with the likes of Less Than Jake".
Resources
http://www.thecheapskates.com
The band's own site, maintained by Matt - actually not as up-to-date as their page on mp3.com
http://www.mp3.com/thecheapskates
Downloads, information, a picture ... cool.
http://www.goodcleanfunrecords.co.uk
The label responsible for The 'skates, The Busdrivers, Know Your Skalphabet and many more good things.