Calling Mod/Ska/Reggae players

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

My rock covers band have been offered a regular gig slot.

We get one gig per month throughout 2026, but we’ve been asked to vary the set on a three month rotation.

So, January will be mod/ska/reggae, Feb will be pop and March will be rock and so on.

We’ve got the pop and rock think covered as we have 80+ songs in the bag anyway, a few of which also fall into mod/ska/reggae.

I’ve knocked up a playlist for January comprising songs we already do along with a selection that some of the band have played before along with a few new ones.

I’ve tried to avoid anything with large brass arrangements/sounds as although we have a sax/EWI for these gigs, we don’t have trumpet/trombone.

The rest of the set up is one guitar/vox, one keys, drums and me.

 

Question: What absolute bangers have I missed that are doable in this band format?

Thank you in advance.

 

Here’s my list: (* are already in our repertoire)

[I’m sure there will be a few from this list that won’t make the cut for various reasons, so would be good to have some other ideas]

 

Three Little Birds - Bob Marley *

All or Nothing - Small Faces *

That’s Entertainment - The Jam *

Geno - Dexy’s *

Night Boat to Cairo - Madness *

My Girl - Madness *

Mirror in the Bathroom - The Beat *

Food for Thought - UB40 *

On My Radio - The Selector

Special Brew - Bad Manners

Baggy Trousers - Madness

A Message to You Rudy - The Specials

Monkey Man - The Specials

Nite Klub - The Specials

The Prince - Madness

Sally Brown - Bad Manners

Tom Hark - The Piranhas

Town Called Malice - The Jam

The Eton Rifles - The Jam

Be Young Be Foolish - Madassa Soul Band

Gangsters - The Specials

Good Thing Going - Aswad

Guns of Navarone - The Specials

It Must Be Love - Madness

Lip Up Fatty - Bad Manners

One Step Beyond - Madness

You’re Wondering Now - The Specials

The Tears of a Clown - The Beat

Too Much Too Young - The Specials *

Wolly Bully - Bad Manners

54-46 Was My Number - Toots and The Maytals

10/10 - Paulo Nutini

Poison Ivy - The Lambrettas

Time For Action - Secret Affair

[miles'tone]

Great list! 

Pressure Drop - Toots and The Maytals

[Reggaebass]

Sounds great hiram, a few off the top of my head without getting too into the heavier reggae stuff ,

theres many Marley songs maybe pick your favourites ,

Buffalo soldier, Jamming, three little birds etc

Sweat - inner circle 

Jimmy Cliff - You Can Get It If You Really Want

The Melodians – Sweet Sensation, one of my faves 

 Baby I Love Your Way - big mountain 

 

I see you already do good thing going by Aswad , that’s a great song, Shine is another one 

more will come to me soon 😁

 

[Lozz196]

Can’t Explain - The Who

[Old Man Riva]

Ali Baba by John Holt would be worth considering… 

[ezbass]

A few things from my band's set lists:

 

Police & Thieves - Junior Murvin

Heatwave - The Who or Martha Reeves

Move On Up - Curtis Mayfield 

Itchycoo Park - Small Faces

Substitute - The Who

David Watts - The Kinks/The Jam

Black is Black - Los Bravos

Keep on Running - Spencer Davis

Midnight Hour - Wilson Pickett

Knock on Wood - Eddie Floyd

Do I Love You - Frank Wilson

Out On The Floor - Dobie Gray

Kingston Town - UB40

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

3 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

Sounds great hiram, a few off the top of my head without getting too into the heavier reggae stuff ,

theres many Marley songs maybe pick your favourites ,

Buffalo soldier, Jamming, three little birds etc

Sweat - inner circle 

Jimmy Cliff - You Can Get It If You Really Want

The Melodians – Sweet Sensation, one of my faves 

 Baby I Love Your Way - big mountain 

 

I see you already do good thing going by Aswad , that’s a great song, Shine is another one 

more will come to me soon 😁

 

Ooh, I do like that Inner Circle tune 👍

Baby I Love Your Way would be perfect too. Thanks.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

3 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

Can’t Explain - The Who

I don’t know why I didn’t think of that one myself 🙄.

Good shout.