Inspector defends Mexican ska: “It is in very good health”

Mexican ska “is in very good health,” according to Inspector, even if the genre no longer enjoys the explosive expansion it experienced in the late 1990s.

That earlier boom put bands such as Panteón Rococó, Los Estrambóticos, La Tremenda Korte and Inspector on major festival bills and popularity charts. Inspector vocalist Big Javi said ska had become a way of life for the group because it shaped much of what its members are.

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Ska has practically become a way of life for us because it has given us, if not everything, a large part of who we are. Imagine the place it has in our lives.

The scene now operates under different conditions. Ska once benefited from the backing of major record companies, while today much of its activity runs through an independent circuit. Saxophonist Chuy Arriaga said bands continue to develop across Mexico and that a strong national community remains in place.

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There is a circuit throughout the country of bands developing. There is still a long road ahead for them, but there is an interesting community across the country.

Mexico nevertheless remains the genre’s most important stage, the band says. Festivals such as Xochiska are dedicated exclusively to ska, while groups from abroad continue to seek opportunities to play in the country. Inspector sees that interest, along with the presence of younger bands, as evidence of a generational handoff.

The group is celebrating 30 years in 2026. As part of the anniversary events, Inspector will perform at the Pepsi Center WTC on Sept. 12.

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It is the country where the biggest festivals are held, with groups connected to this genre. All the bands in the world want to set foot in Mexico, which means there has been a kind of generational handoff.