Talk about full circle.

More than 25 years ago, Robert "Bucket" Hingley of The Toasters, arguably one of the pioneers of the ska movement in the U.S., had to create his own recording label to get the band's music out to the masses.

The label, Moon Ska, quickly became the largest ska-only record label in the world, helping to catapult the genre into the mainstream conscience.

But after recording music for a Nickelodeon children's show and commercials hawking Coca-Cola and America Online, the label folded and the band slipped back underground, ignoring the prevailing notions of what constitutes good music to stay true to its sound and purpose.

And now Hingley's back to the pre-Moon Ska days, forced to start another indie label, Megalith Records, just to get the band's pure sound out there.

"It's quite ironic," said Hingley, laughing on his cell phone from a Mexican restaurant in Santa Cruz, Calif. "Nobody (in the music industry) is interested in ska anymore. It's like we've gone back to the early days. ... In a way it's been good. It's been an open field."

The Toasters, performing this weekend in Honolulu, has managed to remain true to its original brand of ska without selling out — and, more importantly, without disappointing the band's legions of loyal fans.

Because, despite popular belief and Billboard charts, ska still lives.

"Ska music has its own identity and kids these days want something to latch on to," Hingley said. "It's not music that's fabricated by major labels. It's real. And these days people gravitate toward things that are real."

The original incarnation of ska began in Jamaica in the late '50s, characterized by a lively blend of Caribbean calypso with American jazz and R&B.

About two decades later, the genre evolved into a new sound in England. Called 2 Tone, this brand of ska was more a fusion of Jamaican rhythms and melodies with aggressive guitar chords. The faster tempos and fuller instrumentation were combined with the kind of lyrics that would make a punk-rock band proud.

The third-wave ska movement, which took place in the U.S. around the '80s, came courtesy of Hingley and The Toasters, which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year with — of course — a studio album and tour.

They've kept their album prices low — less than $10 — and hope fans buy their music (and T-shirts and concert tickets) more to support them, the music, the message.

"The music really transcends, really goes to a social and political sphere where it's literally agitating against the machine," Hingley said. "At the same time, having this serious side, it's also fun music. It's got all different facets."

The cornerstone of ska, however, is the live show.

And there are few bands that can keep up with The Toasters.

"Putting on a good show, that's the most important thing," Hingley said. "Without that, you've got nothing. You have to engage people. You can get people in the door, but once they're in, you've gotta engage them.

"Any night of the week they can see 100 other bands. The good thing about ska music, though, the roots and culture are part of a social identity; there's an ideology that goes along with it. And the kids can identify with that. It's not just the flavor of the week."

Reach Catherine E. Toth at ctoth@honoluluadvertiser.com.