An Interview with Ska Legend, Coolie Ranx
- Alex Eaves
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
Observing From The Outside and Inspiring Change from The Inside
Back in the late 1990s, I ran a street promotions company in Boston; mainly for record companies and their artists. One of our main tactics to promote albums was putting up poster boards around phone poles in high traffic areas. And one of the bands that we worked for was Pilfers, a ska/punk/reggae band from New York.
In 1999, the band came to Boston to play a show at one of the clubs near Fenway Park. I wanted to make a big splash for them, so my team and I put up a ton of posters along the entire street. When the band showed up, they were stoked. It was like a giant welcoming party with posters lining the street.
Unfortunately, though, the local authorities weren't equally as happy. They threatened to charge the band a fine for each poster and since I had gone a little crazy, it was going to be around a $20,000 fine! Fortunately, it all got sorted out by the band and venue and I think we had to take some (or all) of them down. But as the saying goes, any press is good pres. The band loved it, especially the singer, Coolie Ranx, and a friendship was born.
In the winter of 2000, I had one of those moments that I'll always remember. I was in an Ocean State Job lot shopping with my mom and luckily, I was an early adopter of cell phones. I got a call from Coolie and he asked me if I wanted to be the band's new merch guy and go on tour with them for 2 months... leaving in 2 days! Without much deliberation, I said yes. And it was one of the best decisions that I ever made. Later that day, my mom took me to a Circuit City, where I got my first laptop (one of the only new ones I've bought), and I was ready to hit the road with the band.
On that tour, Coolie took me under his wing in various ways and those experiences started a whole chain of events of me touring around the world doing merch for bands. I'm so glad that I could stay connected with him over the years. And while our worlds are seperate these days, all I need to do is put on a Pilfers song or video and be transported back to those important times in my life. Alright, let's meet Coolie.
1. So, when I was working for Pilfers, we had a few items at the merch booth that were printed on pre-owned garments; like gas station shirts and imperfect blank basketball jerseys from Champion. Why do you think these were so popular at that time in the punk and ska scene? Have they made a comeback at all?
At the time, it was accessible, comfortable clothing that we made the fabric of the scene for the simple. We carved out a fashion of the day, which hails from the rockabilly scene. The first time I ever saw these type shirts was on "Happy Days," the tv show.
In Pilfers world, basketball jerseys will always be fashionable. Sadly enough, the basketball jerseys are made overseas and the outlets we used to go to no longer exist. The gas station workman's shirts haven't made a resurgence yet, but they will for sure.
2. With your music and your online presence, you have certainly not been quiet about your beliefs and politics. Could you talk about what has inspired you to use your platform to start those conversations?
I'm a first generation illegal-turned-legal immigrant. My views have always been one of an outsider looking in; not comparing anything to anything, just being able to be objective. I loved history growing up and enjoyed the stories of civil rights told by the older folks on the block: Vietnam vets and just people I would come in contact with.
I experienced racism and injustice at an early age of 9. I saw how quickly life could be turned upside down for me in mere seconds for being the wrong shade of color. I was picked up from my stoop in front of my family home and brought to the hospital for an impromptu line up where a man was injured and paraded in front of him. He determined that I was not the person who assaulted him. The cops didn't ask or inform my parents; just took me off my stoop. Life could have been different if he decided anyone could pay for his injury. Many more incidents, but it's too long to write.
3. Since I stopped touring years ago, I haven't visited a lot of venues around the country like I used to. Have there been any positive sustainability changes that you've seen?
I would say, Alex, things haven't changed much. No healthy choices are readily available for musicians, as dietary supplements go. Although cigarette smoking isn't a thing anymore.
4. So, while I'm certainly a solutions guy, we do have to address the problems. Where do you see the most waste in your daily life?
I would just start with the food industry. The laws providing homeless people food are archaic at best. You can be arrested for giving people food, while the industry discards tons of food daily. I donated several of my coats last year to my nieces church. I have just two winter coats. Mind you, I have had most of my coats for over 15 years.
5. In your personal experience, how do you think recycling has worked and NOT worked as a solution to waste?
Well, I can tell you as a person who recycles religiously in our home, the waste can be used to make other products and not clog up and poison the earth's airs, lands and waters. Recycling is like a natural process like growing food. You plant, you eat, you plant again, you throw the remnants back into the soil. You wear, you outgrow, you recycle, you break down the material into something else and the clothes are reborn again.
6. It's funny. I always tell people that reusing is nothing new. It’s been going on long before we were here. Do you have any memories of your parents or grandparents reusing in unique ways?
Actually, my mum in England always composts, bought old bikes, fixed them up for us, and we were taught to sew holes in our clothes. The phrase, "Waste not, Want not," was common in the house.
7. Do you have any notable stories about saving money on something because you bought it used instead of new?
Ok, so I look for the open-items in Home Depot, as I know they'll throw them out. I actually make it a mission to seek out the open items. I buy my salt for the pavements, I buy cement and sand to pave the sidewalk, I buy tiles, I buy broken plaster. It's just my thing, because I know for sure it's discount time. At the end of the day, they'll discard them.
8. Have you ever taken anything out of the recycling bin or trash to reuse somehow or maybe found something on the side of the road?
Funny you say that. I dumpster-dive in my old area, it's a college town and have found tables and chairs that have followed me to my new home.
To learn more about Coolie and listen to Pilfers' music,
connect with Coolie on Instagram or check out the Pilfers Bandcamp.
To order a One of a Kind REUSE! T-Shirt like Coolie is wearing in his profile photo,
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