The Chancers were a ska band based in Prague, active between 1998 and 2018. Their line-up brought together musicians from both the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic, creating a truly international outfit. The band emerged during a period when Czech society was undergoing a dramatic transformation from a post-totalitarian state to a democratic country. At the time, Prague was still partly a post-communist relic that attracted adventurous visitors from the West while simultaneously struggling with many social issues. Subcultures that had been actively suppressed by the communist regime for decades were finally able to flourish again, challenging the state’s former vision of a uniform socialist society and its cultural norms. This revival, however, was accompanied by increasing violence from neo-Nazi groups, which in turn united many of the country’s alternative subcultures in opposition. It was within this atmosphere that ska found its place in Prague, and alongside it came The Chancers. From the very beginning, they established themselves as a dedicated ska band, showing little interest in experimenting with other styles or searching for a musical identity, unlike many of their Czech contemporaries. The Chancers also became one of the driving forces behind the city’s short-lived but influential offbeat boom, which lasted for several years. Alongside numerous ska bands that emerged during that period, the Mighty Sounds Festival remains one of its lasting legacies.
Rudeboy Polka was the band’s debut release, originally issued in 2001. I still remember the excitement of bringing the CD home—a format that, back then, was widely regarded as virtually indestructible. In 2026, Knockout Booking And Records finally released the album on vinyl for the very first time, and I didn’t hesitate for a second to add it to my collection. This time, however, with the experience of knowing that the only truly timeless and battle-tested format is vinyl.
Over the course of their career, The Chancers released five albums, yet Rudeboy Polka still holds a special place in their discography for me. Partly because of the slight sense of nostalgia I associate with its iconic green cover—something that’s actually quite unusual for me—but above all because of the music captured on it.
The album features twelve songs deeply rooted in the spirit of second-wave ska. They’re playful, effortless, incredibly enjoyable to listen to and, above all, impossible not to dance to. What I’ve always appreciated, though, is that The Chancers didn’t simply write twelve songs based around the same offbeat rhythm. Instead, they paid close attention to the arrangements, never overused the brass section, and placed rhythm, melody and atmosphere at the centre of every composition. A perfect example is the opening of Out Of Southern, which begins with a stylish James Bond-inspired intro before exploding into an irresistibly infectious ska groove.
The record offers dancefloor anthems such as Tuffer Than Tomorrow, Ska Island and Rub It Easy, energetic tracks like Rudeboy Back In Jail and Žižkov Skins, as well as slower and more adventurous songs including What You Want, Things Can Only Get Worse and Time And Place. The alternating vocalists add another layer of variety and fit the album’s overall concept perfectly, preventing it from ever becoming repetitive—Across The Ocean is a great example of this. (Glad You’re) Leaving reflects the more contemporary ska sound of its era and has always reminded me of Mr. Review, while 2 Tone Clothing stands as an unmistakable tribute to the classic two-tone movement.
I can recommend Rudeboy Polka without hesitation, and I’m genuinely pleased that it has finally received the vinyl release it deserves. Together with its follow-up, Friendly Fire, I consider it one of the defining ska records ever produced in the Czech Republic. Over two decades, The Chancers left a significant mark on the domestic scene, while their international touring and collaborations with European labels proved that their music resonated well beyond Czech borders. Rudeboy Polka is a cleverly crafted, dynamic and thoroughly entertaining record that never loses its momentum from the opening track to the closing notes. Simply put, it’s one of those albums that deserves a place in every ska collection.
TOP TRACKY: Tuffer Than Tomorrow, Rudeboy Back In Jail, (Glad You’re) Leaving
