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A Record Collector's Guide


Moon Records/Moon Ska Albums to MR050

The Toasters!/Recriminations

Moon Records - Toast 5/Toast 6 12", released 1985 (U.S.)

Unicorn PHZA-18 12", released 1988 (UK)

Moon Records MR005 12", released 1989 (U.S.)

Black Butcher Classics BBC 002 12", released 2013 (Germany)

This EP was initially released as a self-titled Toasters EP, limited to 3,000 copies. Unicorn Records re-released it as Recriminations in 1988 with different artwork. Moon then re-released it domestically in 1989, using the artwork from the Unicorn version, but with a black base color, where the Unicorn one was green. The Moon re-release was actually the first record to carry an "MR" catalogue number. Of course, they used MR005 as the number for the Urban Blight Playgrounds N Glass album (distributed, not released by Moon). The early MR catalogue numbers got pretty screwy. Supposedly, the first several numbers were supposed to correspond to the earlier records with Toast catalogue numbers...but they don't work. Don't try to match them up. It's a futile exercise.

All versions have become easy to find. The Unicorn one is the easiest. The Moon re-press used to be the toughest to find, but it's not bad now. All versions were on black vinyl.

Black Butcher Classics re-pressed Recriminations again in 2013 - they used the Unicorn version of the artwork for that one. Black vinyl, common.

Version Approximate value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon Ska Toast 5/6 Black 12-15 4 Stable
Unicorn PHZR-18 Black (UK) 5-8 1 Down
Moon Ska MR005 Black 8-12 4 Stable
Black Butcher BBC 002 Black 4-6 1 Stable
Moon Toast 5/Toast 6
Unicorn PHZA-18
Moon MR005

This page was last updated on February 29, 2020.

Moon Records - Toast 7/Toast 8 LP, released 1985 (U.S.)

Assigned "MR003" number in later Moon catalogues

This is an odd album. It can be quite difficult to find, but I am convinced it is mainly because it is nearly impossible to search for on the internet. All you have to go on is "Kill Me". It has Moon Records labels, but nothing listed on the sleeve. Limited to 2,000 copies, all on black vinyl.

Version Approximate value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon Ska Toast 7/8 Black 20-25 6 Stable

This page was last updated on February 29, 2020.

     

NY Beat: Hit and Run

Moon Records Toast 9/Toast 10 LP/Cassette, released 1986 (U.S.)

Assigned "MR010" number in later Moon catalogues


Ska-Ville USA

Ska' Records SKAR-001 LP (UK)

The NY Beat compilation was one of the most important ska compilations of the whole third wave. This one really got things going. There were quite a few pressed (reportedly 10,000), so it is generally not that expensive a record to find. So go get one. Black vinyl.

The original release had white Toast labels. This one also came in a sleeve that had this random extra orange strip at the top of the sleeve. There was another version that came with red Moon Records labels. On that one, the orange strip was missing from the sleeve. Both listed the Toast 9/Toast 10 catalogue numbers.

A version of this comp came out in the UK as well - that one was on SKA' Records. The title and artwork were completely different - it was called "Ska-ville USA" and came in the black sleeve above. Same tracks, though.

Track Listing:

  • The Toasters - Matt Davis
  • Beat Brigade - Armageddon Beat
  • The A-Kings - 7529
  • Cryin' Out Loud - The Distance
  • City Beat - It's Not up to You
  • The Daybreakers - Preying Man
  • The Scene - Walking
  • The Press - Just Another Warning
  • Urban Blight - Escape from Reality
  • Second Step - Opportunity
  • The Toasters - Shocker!
  • The Boilers - Brighter Days
  • Too True - Free S. Africa
  • Floor Kiss - Why Is the Boat So Small

Version Approximate value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Toast 9/10 Black (White labels) 12-15 3 Stable
Toast 9/10 Black (Red labels) 15-20 4 Stable
SKAR-001 Black 8-12 2 Stable
Moon - White Labels
Moon - Red Labels
SKAR-001
Rumors Cassette version - I have never seen one.

This page was last updated on April 2, 2020.

East of Eden

Moon Records - Toast 11/Toast 12 LP, released 1986 (U.S.)

Assigned "MR008" number in later Moon catalogues

This record was once pretty scarce, but not anymore. It's never been particularly valuable, and it's even less so now. Black vinyl.

Version Approximate value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon Ska Toast 11/12 Black 3-5 3 Down

This page was last updated on March 18, 2020.

Playgrounds 'N Glass

Stickman Records ST.UB-05-2/ST.UB-05-4 CD/Cassette, released 1992 (U.S.)

Distributed by Moon Records as MR005

Urban Blight was...somethin'. I am told they were a lot of fun live. I never saw them - I can neither confirm nor deny this. Their recorded material is about the most '80s sounding ska music in history. Even more so than 2-Tone era stuff. This album was supposedly available on vinyl, but I am now 99% sure that never happened. I have never seen a copy. The CD surfaces on occasion. I have read that this was catalogued with the MR005 number when it was distributed through Moon, but have never seen anything directly from Moon that said this. If true, of course, it screws up the whole numbering system, as MR005 went to the re-press of the Toasters' Recriminations EP. These are the things that keep record collectors up at night.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Stickman ST.UB-05-2 CD 5-8 4 Stable
Stickman ST.UB-05-4 Cassette 8-12 6 Stable

This page was last updated on March 18, 2020.

     

Skaboom!

Moving Target MT 011 LP/Cassette, released 1987 (U.S.)

Moving Target MTCD-011 CD, released 1987 (U.S./Canada)

Moon Records MR013 CD/CS, released 1994 (U.S.)

Moon Ska Europe MOON CD 002, released 1999 (UK)

V.O.R. LP 213, released 2000 (Germany)

Megalith MEGA 002 CD, released 2003 (U.S.)

Megalith ME 021 CD, released 2008 (Spain)

Jump Up! JUMP129LP / Megalith MEV012 LP, released 2016 (U.S.)

Jump Up! JUMP129TAPE Cassette, released 2016 (U.S.)

The Toasters' first full-length exploded onto the scene in 1987 (not onto The Scene - that would have been messy). It was actually originally released on Moving Target Records. In 2000, an additional vinyl version was released by V.O.R. in Germany. Megalith Records re-pressed the CD in 2003, including the Pool Shark and Recriminations EPs, along with some additional bonus tracks. 2016 brought yet another round of re-presses, courtesy of Jump Up! and Megalith. There was a blue vinyl version, which was limited to 300 copies, yet is pretty easy to find. The black vinyl one is less limited and even easier to get. Jump Up! also did a cassette for Cassette Store Day 2016.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moving Target MT11 Black 25-30 5 Stable
V.O.R. LP 213 Black 15-18 4 Stable
Moon MR013 CD 2-4 3 Down
Moon Ska Europe MOON CD 002 CD 10-15 6 Stable
Megalith MEGA 002 CD 5-8 4 Stable
Megalith ME 021 CD 6-10 5 Stable
Jump Up! JUMP129LP / Megalith MEV012 LP Blue 15-18 7 Stable
Jump Up! JUMP129LP / Megalith MEV012 LP Black 12-15 3 Stable
Jump Up! JUMP129TAPE Cassette 6-10 5 Stable
Moving Target MT11

This page was last updated on March 18, 2020.

 

On the Move

Moon Ska MR017 LP, released 1988 (U.S.)


Pounding the Pavement

SKA' Records SKAR 004 LP, released 1988 (UK)

...And the NY Citizens descend upon you. A few years ago, there seemed to be a fair amount of renewed interest in this band. This was their first album, released in two completely different forms. The On the Move LP was the U.S. version, and the same set of tracks came out as Pounding the Pavement on SKA' records in the UK. This is exactly the same record, aside from the artwork and titles. The UK version used to be a lot harder to find, but that has flipped in recent years. The prices of NY Citizens records vary quite a bit with who happens to be looking at a given time. Sometimes, they are auctioned at bargain basement prices, and at other points, they can be fairly expensive. Both were on black vinyl.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon MR017 Black 15-20 5 Stable
SKAR 004 Black 10-15 4 Down
On the Move
Pounding the Pavement

This page was last updated on March 18, 2020.

Rockin' Steady

SKA' Records SKAR 005 LP, released 1988 (UK)

Planned for release as Moon Records MR018 with the title "Tap It"

The Boilers were the first real King Django-led ska band. This album was slated for release on Moon, but it just never happened. The SKA' Records version did come out in the UK, albeit with one of the least-inspired album covers of all time ("It's like, how much more black could this possibly be? And the answer is none. None more black."). As it never actually came out stateside, it goes through stretches of being fairly difficult to find. It used to command a sizable price tag, but has come way down. It has never been re-released.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
SKA' SKAR 005 Black 12-15 5 Stable

This page was last updated on March 18, 2020.

 

Skaface: An All American Ska Compilation

Moon Records MR019 LP, released 1988 (U.S.)


Ska-Ville USA (Vol' 3) - An All American Ska Compilation

SKA' Records SKAR 006 LP, released 1988 (UK)

Skank Records SKANK CD 3, released 1995 (UK)

Skaface was a great comp. It was a landmark comp. Most of the best ska bands that existed at that time contributed in some way. This one happens to carry the distinction of containing the first appearance of No Doubt...back when they mixed some ska in with everything else. It usually carries a reasonable price tag these days. It is worth tracking down.

It was released in the UK as well under a different name and with different artwork. Both the U.S. and UK versions were on black vinyl. Several years later, there was a UK CD version as well, which is actually harder to find than the vinyl.
Track Listing:

  • The Toasters - Ska Killers
  • Bim Skala Bim - Shoes
  • Rhyth-o-matics - Skatalation
  • The Scofflaws - Rudy's Back
  • The Donkey Show - Feeling Nice
  • Let's Go Bowling - Bitch
  • The N.Y. Citizens - D.A.N.C.E.
  • Crucial DBC - Don't Run Away
  • No Doubt - Everything's Wrong
  • The Boilers - Bal'man Jump
  • Skankhead - Circus Skank
  • Thick as Thieves - 12th Street
  • Exterminators - Big Talker

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon MR019 Black 15-18 5 Stable
SKA' SKAR 006 Black 12-15 3 Stable
SKANK CD 3 12-15 5 Stable

This page was last updated on March 18, 2020.

 

Stranger Things Have Happened

Moon Records Europe MRE020 LP / MR020 Cassette, released 1990 (U.S.)

The NY Citizens' second full-length came out as MR020. The vinyl was manufactured in Europe (but released in the U.S.), so it carried the "MRE" catalogue number prefix. This one can be a tough find at times, but not terrible. The cassette version is difficult to find.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon MRE020 LP Black 15-20 4 Stable
Moon MR020 Cassette 15-20 7 Stable
Credits John Vaccaro: cassette insert image

This page was last updated on March 19, 2020.

     

Thrill Me Up

Skaloid SKL8001 LP / SKLC 8001 Cassette / SKLD 8001 CD, released 1988 (U.S.)

Skaloid SKLC 8001 Cassette / SKLD 8001 CD, released 1988 (Netherlands)

Moon Records Europe MRE021 LP / MR021 Cassette, released 1990 (U.S.)

Moon Records MR021CD, released 1995 (U.S.)

Black Butcher Classics BBC006 LP, released 2013 (Germany)

The Toasters' Thrill Me Up album, much like Skaboom!, did not initially come out on Moon. The first run of these was on Skaloid Records (the ska arm of Celluloid). A couple of years later, a vinyl version appeared with different artwork. This version was produced in Europe and released in the States. Both records are fairly easy to find. The Skaloid cassette came in two versions: one with a grey cassette shell (the U.S. version) and one with a black shell (the Dutch version). There were also subtle differences between the two inserts: the Dutch one had a barcode, while the U.S. one did not. The black shell version is reportedly very rare.

Thrill Me Up was later re-released on CD on Moon, in 1995. I had heard that there was a Moon Ska Europe version of this one (carrying the MOON CD 004 catalogue number) - I have not ever seen this one, though. I don't think it actually happened. Plus, that Moon Ska Europe catalogue number went to This Gun for Hire.

In 2013, the German label, Black Butcher Classics, re-pressed the album on vinyl for the first time in many years. It had artwork that was very similar to the original release. That one's readily available. All of the vinyl versions were black.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Skaloid SKL8001 Black 8-12 3 Stable
Moon MRE021 Black 6-10 3 Down
Black Butcher Classics BBC006 Black 8-12 1 Stable
Skaloid SKL8001
Moon MRE021
Credits Charlie Leonard: Cassette information.
Discogs: Black Butcher image
Rumors Moon Ska Europe version

This page was last updated on March 19, 2020.

NYC Ska Live

Moon Records MR022 LP/Cassette, released 1990 (U.S.)

The NYC Ska Live compilation has an inferiority complex about its older brothers, the NY Beat! and Skaface compilations. This one is also of monumental importance...just not quite as much as NY Beat. It is what it appears to be...a compilation of live recordings of the era's finest New York ska bands. There were three comps released by Moon around this time that were of the utmost importance to the scene. This was the last of the three. The vinyl shows up for sale with some regularity. The cassette is a bit rarer.

Track Listing:

  • NYC Ska Craze Intro
  • Bigger Thomas - Moving
  • Bigger Thomas - Ska in My Pocket
  • Skadanks - Dancehall
  • Skadanks - Just Ska
  • The Steadys - Just Reflections
  • The Steadys - All You Can Stand
  • Skininerbox - Promise
  • Skininerbox - Move Like You're Gone
  • The Scofflaws - Going Back To Kingston
  • The Scofflaws - Aliskaba
  • N.Y. Citizens - Sticky Situation
  • N.Y. Citizens - National Front
  • The Toasters - Don't Say Forever
  • The Toasters - Worry
  • NYC Ska Allstars - Matt Davis

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon MR022 Black 3-5 2 Down
Moon MR022 Cassette 8-12 5 Stable

This page was last updated on March 19, 2020.

   

This Gun For Hire

Moon Records MR023 LP/Cassette, released 1990 (U.S.)

Moon Records 468319 2 CD, released 1990 (U.S.)

Moon Records 88561-5035-2 CD, released 1990 (U.S.)

Moon Records MR023 CD/Cassette, released 1993 (U.S.)

Moon Ska Europe MOON CD 04, released 1993 (UK)


T-Time

Pork Pie EFA 04239-08 LP / EFA 04239-26 CD, released 1990 (Germany)

This Gun for Hire is a much more straightforward story than the previous Toasters albums. Well, kind of. It was on Moon from the start, and did not go through TOO many iterations. The vinyl was black, and can be had for a relatively low price. There were two versions of the CD that came out in or around 1990. They were on Moon, but distributed by Sony, and that screwed up the catalogue numbers. One had the 468319 2 number on the spine, which is a straight-up Sony catalogue number from that period. The other reportedly had 88561-5035-2 on the spine - this was just the number of the barcode. I have never seen that one to confirm. Later, the CD came out in 1993 in the U.S. and UK with more standard catalogue numbers. OK, fine, this one was just as convoluted as the others. The cassette that came out in 1993 had different barcode info from previous releases.

No, of course it couldn't be quite that simple. This album was also released in Germany, but it was call T-Time there. It had totally different artwork. Otherwise, though, it was the same as the U.S. album. Black vinyl. Also on CD. Both are easy to find.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon MR023 Black 12-15 4 Stable
Pork Pie EFA 04239-08 LP Black 5-8 3 Stable
Moon 468319 2 CD 4-6 3 Stable
Moon 88561-5035-2 CD 10-12 6 Stable
Moon MR023 CD 2-4 3 Stable
Moon Ska Europe MOON CD 04 6-8 4 Stable
Moon MR023 LP
Pork Pie LP
Moon MR023 CD Variants
Credits Charlie Leonard: Cassette information.
John Vaccaro: CD variants image and info

This page was last updated on April 2, 2020.

   

Dance Hall Crashers

Moon Records MRE024 LP / MR024 Cassette, released 1991 (U.S.)


1989-1992

Moon Records MR024 CD, released 1993 (U.S)


The Old Record

Honest Don's Records DON 002-1 LP / DON 002-2 CD / DON 002-4 Cassette, released 1996 (U.S.)

Here we go. This one is mildly complicated. The inaugural Dance Hall Crashers album has classically been extremely difficult to find on vinyl. It took me a year to confirm that the vinyl even existed. Like some of the other vinyl on Moon at this time, it was produced in Europe and sold in the U.S. Most of the records that fit that description are difficult to find, but this one is by far the toughest. It's gotten a bit easier to find, but it has retained its value. Domestically, it was pressed as a cassette. There were a couple of variants of the cassette - one with a clear shell and one with a yellow shell. I've also heard there were two different artwork variations for the cassette version, but I've only seen the one.

The version of the DHC theme song that is on this release was exclusive to this version. The later, more common one was a different recording entirely.

Now...a couple of years went by, and Moon released the "1989-1992" CD. This was different from the original self-titled release - it was an anthology of the first few years of Dance Hall Crashers. They changed the cover from yellow to green and added several tracks (most of which came from compilation releases). The CD had a production flaw in it - there was a gap in the middle of the DHC theme song. This disc actually became one of the more sought after early-ish Moon releases during the height of the third wave. It went out of print right around when the band's popularity took off. I had to pay a hefty sum for my copy when I did successfully track it down. The CD has become easier to find as time has gone on and online shopping outlets have become more prevalent. It is still pretty scarce, but no longer expensive. There were also two variants of the CD case inserts: one with songwriting credits and one without. There was also a subtle different in colors between the two.

But wait, there's more! Honest Don's Records came out with a new vinyl version in 1996. Titled "The Old Record," this release recreated the track listing from the 1989-1992 CD, not that of the original release. The arrival of this version is what first reduced the demand for the Moon CD. It is still very easy to procure, and is on black vinyl. It also came out on CD and cassette.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon MRE024 LP Black 30-40 6 Stable
Moon MR024 Cassette 12-15 6 Stable
Moon MR024 CD 6-10 5 Down
Honest Don's DON 002-1 Black 15-20 3 Stable
Moon MRE-024
Honest Don's DON 002-1
CD Variants
Credits Charlie Leonard: info on the CD variants
John Vaccaro: CD variants image

This page was last updated on April 2, 2020.

   

Exclamation Point ELP LP / ELI Cassette, released 1989 (U.S.)

Exclamation Point CD/DVD, released 2005 (U.S.)

Cassette distributed by Moon as MR025CS

The Bigger Thomas album was self-released in 1989, but the cassette was distributed by Moon. The band later included these tracks on an anthology CD (along with a DVD of mostly live footage). The vinyl is not too hard to find. The cassette is scarce. The CD/DVD set is no longer the easiest to get, but all of the tracks available on Bandcamp for a very reasonable price (along with the rest of the band's catalogue).

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Exclamation Point ELP Black 10-12 4 Stable
Exclamation Point ELI Cassette 12-15 7 Stable
Exclamation Point CD 8-12 5 Stable
Credits Discogs: LP sleeve image
The band's Bandcamp page: CD cover image

This page was last updated on March 19, 2020.

   

Somebody Scream!

Self-released Cassette PS9001, released 1989 (U.S.)

Distributed by Moon as MR026CS

Public Service?! Rampant abuse of punctuation in this band name. I am not amused. This band makes grammar checkers twitch. While the band was ever-present during the third wave, this cassette was the only album of theirs that had anything to do with Moon (and, even in this case, it was distribution). Not an easy find. If it shows up, it tends to sell quickly. Two versions of the cassette exist: one with "Distributed by Moon" on it and one without.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
PS9001/MR026 Cassette 20-25 7 Stable
Credits Charlie Leonard: info on the variants

This page was last updated on April 2, 2020.

 

Music To Bowl By

Moon Records MR027 CD/Cassette, released 1991 (U.S.)

Asian Man AM-308, released 2017 (U.S.)

I will never forget that night...a close friend of mine bought a ska compilation that contained the Let's Go Bowling Theme Song. It was the first I'd heard of them. I found it ridiculously silly. I basically declared that evening that ska was not my thing. Look how that worked out. Oops. Remarkably, Let's Go Bowling is still rolling (ha ha). They still play peridically. Crazy. This was their first album - it was available on CD and cassette. Asian Man finally gave it a vinyl release in 2017 - 550 copies were pressed on random color vinyl. Not too hard to find.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
MR027 CD 1-3 2 Down
MR027 Cassette 4-6 5 Stable
AM-308 LP Random Color 15-20 5 Stable

This page was last updated on March 29, 2020.

 

Moon Records MR028 CD / Cassette, released 1991 (U.S.)

The Scofflaws invariably had more energy than I did. I was always completely spent by the end of one of their shows. Of course, they did tend to go on for 2-3 hours. They never failed to impress, though. This was their first album, and there was some excellent material on this one. I always found "Rudy's Back" to be one of the more energizing songs of this era. There were two versions of the CD: one with a bar code and one without. There was also a cassette version.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
MR028 CD (no bar code) 6-10 5 Stable
MR028 CD (with bar code) 3-5 2 Stable
Credits Charlie Leonard: CD variant information.

This page was last updated on April 2, 2020.

 

Raw Energy CD RER 01 / CS1 Cassette, released 1991 (Canada)

Cargo Records CARD 1024 CD, released 1991 (Canada)

Asian Man ASM-051 CD, released 2000

Raw Energy CD distributed by Moon as MR029

King Apparatus was the original home to Chris Murray, subsequently and formerly known as Venice Shoreline Chris. As soon as Chris went on a murderous rampage and took out the rest of his band, he went out on his own. What? No. Canadians don't do those sorts of things. There were two distinct original CD pressings - one on Raw Energy and one on Cargo. There was a Raw Energy cassette as well. All of those can be relatively hard to find. There may be multiple versions of the cassette (with and without bar code) - that's unconfirmed. It was later re-released on CD on Asian Man. That version is an easy find.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Raw Energy CD RER 01 2-4 4 Stable
Raw Energy CS1 Cassette 6-10 5 Stable
Cargo CARD 1024 CD 5-8 5 Stable
Asian Man ASM-051 CD 2-4 2 Stable

This page was last updated on March 19, 2020.

Couch Potatoes

Weserlabel 2449 LP/CD, released 1990 (Germany)

Moon Records Europe MRE030 LP, released 1990 (U.S.)

Moon Records MR030 Cassette, released 1991 (U.S.)

The Busters. Germany's answer to...everything. That's why Europe's banks are failing...Germany hasn't sent in The Busters to work on the monetary policy. As soon as we start hearing more from the Busters again, everything will be alright. The Couch Potatoes album features a few Laurel Aitken appearances. This is a good thing. It was released on the German Weserlabel, but a version with a Moon catalogue number also came out (the vinyl was only produced in Europe and released in the U.S.). The Weserlabel version is much easier to find than the Moon one. Both were on black vinyl. There were two versions of the Moon cassette: one with a clear shell and another with a green shell. The CD was definitely released on Weserlabel. I thought there was a Moon CD as well, but I haven't been able to confirm that lately.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Weserlabel 2449 LP Black 4-6 2 Stable
Moon MRE030 LP Black 12-15 5 Stable
Moon MR030 Cassette 8-12 4 Stable
Weserlabel 2449
Moon MRE030
Credits Charlie Leonard: Cassette information

This page was last updated on March 19, 2020.

California Ska-Quake

Moon Records MR031 CD/Cassette, released 1992

Contains the Hepcat track "Ooh Ooh A-Hi Hi"

This earlier Moon Records compilation was the first good collection to give a snapshot of the burgeoning California ska scene. There were several important New York comps on the market by this point, but this was the first good California one. It contained an exclusive Hepcat track (a great one...which eventually became not exclusive to this release, as it ended up as a hidden track at the end of the remastered version of their Out of Nowhere album). The comp also provided an interesting look at early No Doubt. Jump With Joey, Dance Hall Crashers, and Let's Go Bowling all made appearances. It was released on CD and cassette.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon MR031 CD 6-10 3 Stable
Moon MR031 Cassette 6-10 5 Stable

This page was last updated on April 2, 2020.

Out of Nowhere

Moon Records/Moon Ska MR032 CD/Cassette, released 1993/1995 (U.S.)

Quattro QTCY-2050 CD, released 1994 (Japan)

Hellcat 80425-2 CD, released 2004 (U.S.)

Hellcat 0425-2 CD, released 2004 (Europe)

Hellcat HEP-027 2xLP, released 2018 (U.S.)

Hepcat sprang forth from the L.A. ska scene and quickly became one of the third wave bands with the greatest depth of sound, not to mention one of the most entertaining live shows. Out of Nowhere was a great debut. The production could have been better, but the songs shine through. Prior to 2018, it was only ever released on CD and cassette, though it did come out several times. The first pressing CD can be identified by the earlier Moon Records logo on the front cover. This was later replaced by the Moon Ska logo on the 1995 pressing. The cassette version also exists with each of the two Moon logos. Hellcat later put out a remastered version with different artwork. That version contained some bonus tracks: first, the two songs from the Nigel 7". Then, there were also two hidden tracks at the end of "Club Mediation." One of those was "Doo Wop Heaven at Midnight", which basically sounds like Hepcat screwing around in the studio. The other is "Ooh Ooh A-Hi Hi" from the California Ska-Quake compilation. That was always one of my favorite early Hepcat tracks.

In 2018, we finally got our first ever vinyl version of Out of Nowhere. Hepcat put it out themselves (licensed from Hellcat). It was limited to 1,000 numbeed copies. This was a double LP release, though: the second disc was a dub version of the album (labeled "Dub Outta Nowhere"). The first disc was on black vinyl and the second was on a light blue marble vinyl, and came in an inner sleeve with cool, custom artwork. This one got really expensive really quickly. The price has fluctuated wildly this year, though.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon Ska MR032 CD (1st) 8-12 5 Down
Moon Ska MR032 CD (2nd) 3-5 3 Down
Hellcat 80425-2 CD 5-8 5 Stable
Hellcat 0425-2 CD 5-8 4 Stable
Hellcat HEP-027 2xLP 1xBlack/1xBlue Marble 45-90 3 Volatile
Out of Nowhere LP
Dub Outta Nowhere Inner Sleeve
Dub Outta Nowhere LP
Credits Charlie Leonard: Cassette information.

This page was last updated on April 2, 2020.

   

New York Fever

Moon Records MR033 CD / MR033C Cassette, released 1992 (U.S.)

Pork Pie Records EFA 04090-08 LP/EFA 04090-26 CD, released 1992 (Germany)

Raw Energy/Moon/A&M 742421010-2 CD, released 1992 (Canada)

Moon Ska Europe MOON CD 005 CD, released 1999 (UK)

Jump Up! JUMP084LP / Megalith MEV 003 LP, released 2013 (U.S.)

Megalith MEGA055 CD, released 2016 (U.S.)

New York Fever was initially released as a Moon CD and cassette. This one contained a particularly useful Moon catalogue (namely, the one in which they tried to assign MR numbers to all of the releases with Toast numbers). The vinyl appeared on Germany's Pork Pie Records with different artwork. Black vinyl - readily available. There was also a Canadian CD on Raw Energy.

The album was re-pressed several times. First, the CD was re-released on Moon Ska Europe in 1999. Then, in 2013, Jump Up! and Megalith got together to do a new vinyl pressing. This one was on blue vinyl, and came with another reimagining of the artwork and the download included some bonus tracks. Still easy to find. Megalith did a CD of this version in 2016.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon MR033 CD 5-8 2 Stable
Pork Pie EFA 04090-08 LP Black 10-12 3 Stable
Raw Energy 742421010-2 CD 5-8 5 Stable
Moon Ska Europe MOON CD 005 8-12 6 Stable
Jump Up! JUMP084LP / Megalith MEV 003 LP Blue 10-12 3 Stable
Megalith MEGA055 CD 6-10 4 Stable
Credits Charlie Leonard: info on the co-branded version of the CD
Jump Up!/Megalith Re-press image: Discogs

This page was last updated on March 22, 2020.

 

Chaos in Skaville

Moon Records MR034 Cassette, released 1991 (U.S.)

This was a cassette-only release. Seems to be pretty hard to find and semi-expensive.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon MR034CS 20-30 6 Up

This page was last updated on March 22, 2020.

 

Self-released CD/Cassette, released 1992 (U.S.)

APB Digital Album, released 2003 (U.S.)

Distributed by Moon as MR035

Regatta 69 self-released its first album, which was distributed by Moon. disc. It was re-released digitally in 2003. The original release is not commonly available, and can be moderately expensive.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Self-released CD 20-25 6 Stable
Credits CD insert image: Discogs

This page was last updated on March 23, 2020.

 

Dead or Alive

Moon Records MR 0036 CD/ MR 0036 CT Cassette, released 1991 (U.S.)

Weserlabel 2457 CD/LP/Cassette, released 1991 (Germany)

Revenge of the Busters. This was released on both Moon and Weser Label, but Weser Label was the only one to release it on vinyl.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon MR036 CD 1-3 2 Stable
Weser Label 2457 CD 3-5 1 Stable
Weser Label 2457 LP 5-8 1 Stable
Weserlabel and Moon CDs
Credits John Vaccaro: CD image

This page was last updated on April 1, 2020.

 

Happy Happy Happy

Athabaska STU001 LP, released 1991 (Australia)

Distributed by Moon as MR037

I hear the same thing over and over about the Allsorts: "one of the most underrated bands of the third wave." This album is fairly hard to find, mainly because it was an Australian release, and only distributed by Moon.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Athabaska STU001 LP Black 20-25 5 Stable

This page was last updated on March 23, 2020.

 

Big Step

Foo-Foo FOOFOO1 CD/Cassette, released 1992 (U.S.)

Distributed by Moon Records as MR038

Moon Ska Europe MOON 006 CD (UK)

Ruder than You. Big Step. Cassette and CD. Distributed by Moon. There were two versions of the U.S. CD: one with "FOOFOO1" on the spine, the other with "FOO FOO RECORDS-FOOFOO1" on the spine. A Moon Ska Europe CD version came out later. The CDs all seem easy to procure.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
FOOFOO1 CD 2-4 3 Stable
FOOFOO1 Cassette 3-5 5 Stable
Moon MR038 CD 3-5 3 Stable
Credits Charlie Leonard: info on the multiple versions of the CD

This page was last updated on April 2, 2020.

   

Comply CD

Slug Tone! ST-009, released 1996

This disc came out on the Tasters' Slug Tone! Records, distributed by Moon. It came out after Oolooloo and Strapped Live!, and the material within was a good representation of the period between Oolooloo and their jump to Hellcat. It was the first time that The Pietasters really moved toward the soul sound and away from ska. This was a great first step in that direction. I thought they kept building on the soul sound until they nailed it on Turbo.

Also, there were multiple versions. The original CD was limited to 2,000 copies, hand-numbered, and signed by the whole band. It was also sold with a t-shirt. The Comply title only appeared on the spine of the CD case. The artwork was printed on plain paper and folded up to create the insert. This version listed both Moon Ska and Slug Tone! on the back of the case.

A couple of years later, The Pietasters found more copies, and started offering them for sale. These new ones did have the Comply title on the covers and were not signed or numbered. This version also made no mention of Moon Ska in the credits - they were exclusively Slug Tone! The insert for this one was much more professionally done that the initial version. I always thought that the band must have had more CDs produced. However, I compared the discs for the two different versions, and all of the production markings were identical. The band may have just redone the artwork for the re-release. Both versions are now quite scarce. The material from this one was released on the 1992-1996 Pietasters anthology.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Slug Tone ST-009 CD (1st - numbered, autographed) 15-20 3 Down
Slug Tone ST-009 CD (2nd) 15-20 2 Down

This page was last updated on January 21, 2020.

 

Mixed Nuts

Moon Ska MR040 CD, released 1994 (U.S.)

This was right around the time that legal issues got in the way of the Moon Records name, and the label had to become Moon Ska. I do not know the exact release for which the change happened, but it was right around this time. This one was only available on CD, and is easy to find.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon MR040 CD 3-5 2 Stable

This page was last updated on March 23, 2020.

Skarmageddon

Moon Ska MR041 2xCD, released 1994 (U.S.)

Moon Ska Europe MOON DCD 501 2xCD (UK)

Contains the Slackers track "Sister Sister"

The Slackers track that appears on the Skarmageddon compilation was also on their original demo tape. It was a song from their pre-Slackers days as The Nods (The Nods CD, released years after the fact, is well worth finding). This marked the Slackers' first appearance on Moon. CD only.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon MR041 2xCD 3-5 2 Stable

This page was last updated on February 20, 2020.

 

Big Daddy Multitude

Moon Records MR042/MP 42 CD, released 1993, re-pressed 1996 (U.S.)

Moon Ska Europe MOON 007 CD, released 1996 (UK)

Hopeless HR657-2 CD, released 2001 (U.S.)

Asbestos Records ASB040 LP/7", released 2008 (U.S.)

Jump Up! JUMPTAPE020 Cassette, released 2019 (U.S.)


Mr. Smiley

Tachyon International TR・C-321 CD, released 1997 (Japan)

I interviewed a good number of bands in the late 90's, and few people were as genuinely cool to me as Dave from Mustard Plug. Mustard Plug is a fun band. I've always enjoyed seeing them play. Big Daddy Multitude was their first full album. The original Moon Ska release had an "MP 42" catalogue number along the spine, which I assume was just them playing with the "MR" number and using "MP" for Mustard Plug. There were a few other CD versions - first, a Moon Ska re-press in 1996 (with the Moon Ska logo and address on the back of the case, along with a 1996 copyright date), then a Moon Ska Europe CD in 1997, a Japanese version in 1997 (with a different title and artwork), and a version on Hopeless in 2001.

Years later (2008), Asbestos Records decided to issue the album on vinyl for the first time. There were some very limited versions of it released: black LP w/ yellow 7" (100 copies), clear LP w/ black 7" (125 copies), white LP w/ black 7" (250 copies), and yellow LP w/ black 7" (500 copies). The white LP version was a band exclusive, and seems to be the hardest one to find, despite being the third rarest.

A couple of years after that, the band released a digital version of the album, which came with four bonus tracks. Jump Up! got in on the fun in 2019 with a cassette version.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon MP042/MR042 CD 2-4 2 Down
Moon Ska Europe MOON CD 007 3-5 5 Stable
Tachyon International ‎TR・C-321 CD 10-15 6 Stable
Hopeless HR657-2 CD 4-6 3 Stable
Asbestos ASB040 Black LP/Yellow 7" (100) 20-30 9 Stable
Asbestos ASB040 Clear LP/Black 7" (125) 25-35 8 Stable
Asbestos ASB040 White LP/White 7" (250) 25-35 7 Stable
Asbestos ASB040 Yellow LP/Black 7" (500) 20-25 5 Stable
Black LP
Clear LP
Yellow LP
Yellow 7"
Black 7"

This page was last updated on March 26, 2020.

   
     

Dub 56

Moon Ska MR043 CD/MR043C Cassette, released 1994 (U.S.)

Pork Pie Records EFA 04608-02 CD, released 1994 (Germany)

Dojo Records DOJO CD 214, released 1995 (UK)

Jimco Records JICK-89601, released 1995 (Japan)

Pork Pie Records EFA 05638-02 CD, released 2000 (Germany)

Rock'n'Roller RNR 094 Cassette, released 2001 (Poland)

Jamback JBR 26167 043, released 2001 (Malaysia)

Megalith Europe ME002 2xCD, released 2005

Megalith MEGA 020 2xCD, released 2006

Jump Up! JUMP098LP/Megalith MEV009 LP, released 2011/2017

Jump Up! JUMP098TAPE Cassette, released 2017

Dub 56 is one of the most famous Toasters albums. It has a long, winding, screwy story behind it. The first, 14-track version that was released contained some tracks that were written/sung by Coolie Ranx, later of Pilfers fame. However, he left the band shortly after the album came out, and Moon decided to repackage the album minus Coolie's contributions, but with some bonus tracks (from the Live in L.A. CD...which we will get to later). The resulting 19-track CD ended up being the most commonly available version (but the 14-track one is cheaper). The disc has now been re-released many times over, in many different forms, with all kinds of bonus tracks along the way. The Megalith versions contained the tracks from the Recrimintations EP and the Live! In L.A. EP, among other things.

In 2011, Jump Up! and Megalith got together to press this one on vinyl for the first time. They did 300 on white marble vinyl and 200 on clear vinyl and it came in a poster sleeve. The artwork was different for this one as well. The sleeve goes into great detail about which tracks were on which version - very useful. They also did a grey marble follow-up pressing in 2017. At that point, Jump Up! did a limited cassette release as well.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon MR043 CD (14-track) 1-3 3 Stable
Moon MR043 CD (19-track) 4-6 3 Stable
Moon MR043C Cassette 15-20 6 Stable
Pork Pie EFA 04608-02 CD (Germany) 3-5 5 Stable
DOJO CD 214 (UK) 3-5 5 Stable
Jimco JICK-89601 CD (Japan) 15-20 3 Stable
Pork Pie EFA 05638-02 CD (Germany) 6-10 5 Stable
Megalith Europe ME002 2xCD 5-8 4 Stable
Megalith MEGA 020 2xCD 6-10 3 Stable
Jump Up! JUMP098LP/Megalith MEV009 LP White Marble 15-20 7 Stable
Jump Up! JUMP098LP/Megalith MEV009 LP Clear 15-20 7 Stable
Jump Up! JUMP098LP/Megalith MEV009 LP Grey Marble 12-15 5 Stable
Jump Up! JUMP098TAPE Cassette 6-10 3 Stable
White Marble LP
Clear LP
Credits Three of the CD sleeve images: Discogs

This page was last updated on March 28, 2020.

 

Stomp

Moon Ska MR044 CD, released 1995 (U.S.)

CD-only mid-90s Moon Ska release. There was a demo cassette version floating around the prior year.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon MR045 CD 4-6 3 Stable

This page was last updated on March 29, 2020.

 

Live! in L.A.

Moon Ska MR045 CD, released 1994 (U.S.)

Pork Pie EFA 04607-2 CD, released 1994 (Germany)

This is a pretty rare piece. The Live! in L.A. disc was pretty limited, and can be very difficult to come by these days. The tracks were recorded on the Skavoovee 1993 tour. They were also included on several version of the Dub 56 album. A few records notwithstanding, this is one of the rarest Toasters pieces out there now. No artwork for the U.S. release - just the disc for this one. When Pork Pie packaged it in Germany, they made a case for it.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon Ska MR045 CD 10-15 6 Down
Pork Pie EFA 04607-2 CD 10-15 6 Stable

This page was last updated on March 29, 2020.

     

Press

No Record Co. MU01 CD/Cassette, released 1994 (U.S.)

Distributed by Moon Ska as MR046


Asian Man AM007 LP/CD, released 1997 (U.S.)

MU330 was one of the more popular ska-punk bands that never appeared on the commercialized side of things. In the late 90s, a few ska-punk type bands broke through and were on the radio every hour or so. MU330 has had a solid following over the years, but never made that jump. This album was initially released as a CD (distributed by Moon Ska), and was later re-pressed by Asian Man. There were two versions of the original CD - one had the MU01 catalogue number on the spine, and the other had the MR046 number. There were also two covers to the Asian Man CD - one with red lettering (like the Moon Ska predecessor) and one with yellow. Asian Man also put it out on (black) vinyl for the first time. It is still relatively easy to get.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
No Record Co. MU01/MR046 CD 4-6 4 Stable
No Record Co. MU01 Cassette 4-6 5 Stable
Asian Man AM007 LP 15-20 4 Stable
Asian Man AM007 CD (yellow lettering) 3-5 2 Stable
Asian Man AM007 CD (red lettering) 2-4 4 Stable
Credits Charlie Leonard: info about the original CD variants
Discogs: sleeve images

This page was last updated on April 2, 2020.

 

Crackin' Porcelain

One Wipe 90001-2 CD/Cassette, released 1994 (U.S.)

Distributed by Moon Ska as MR047

The Mudsharks were pretty loud. They had a couple of good moments. This album was actually not released on Moon Ska, but they distributed it as MR047. The cassette insert had a couple of subtle variants.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
One Wipe 90001-2 CD 2-4 3 Stable
One Wipe Cassette 5-10 5 Stable

This page was last updated on March 29, 2020.

   

Go You!

Moon Ska MR048 CD, released 1994 (U.S.)

Moon Ska Europe Moon CD 008 (UK)

The Allstonians made some serious rounds during the third wave. They always seemed to be touring. They gave you your money's worth, too...I don't think I ever saw a show of theirs that lasted less than two and a half hours. There was a big running joke with them...their classic song, "B-Train to Allston", which actually only appeared on a compilation, was a fan favorite. The band would never really play it, though. I remember seeing the band's newsletter or something, in which they actually kept statistics on how often they played the song (which was very infrequent). Go You! was their first album, only available in CD form (U.S. and UK). They supposedly modeled this one after the Skatalites' seminal Stretching Out reunion effort.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon Ska MR048 CD 3-5 3 Stable
Moon Ska Europe Moon CD 008 3-5 3 Stable
Credits Discogs: Moon Ska Europe image

This page was last updated on April 1, 2020.

 

Skanktastic

Moon Ska MR050 CD, released 1994 (U.S.)

This was a pretty limited release, brought to us by Neville Staple of the Specials. No artwork - just the CD. It is fairly scarces.

Version Value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
Moon Ska MR050 CD 10-15 5 Stable

This page was last updated on March 23, 2020.

Moon Ska Album Index
Moon Ska Single Index
All Moon Ska Albums MR050 to MR100
All Moon Ska Albums MR101 and up
All Ska Satellite Albums
All Moon Ska Singles
Home

Scarcity Score Definition
10 Near impossible: Fewer than 50 copies or publicly sold every few years
8-9 Very rare: 50-199 copies or publicly sold 1-2 times per year
6-7 Rare: 200-499 copies or publicly sold a few times a year
4-5 Medium: 500-999 copies or publicly sold ~10 times a year
1-3 Common: 1000+ copies, readily available, or publicly sold 20+ times a year

Estimated values are based on recent auction results or online sales. Commercial use of images on this site is not permitted. Non-commercial use of images permitted, with attribution to Pette Discographies. All images copyright their respective owners.