New ska collective The Family Business Ltd have today announced their debut self-titled album on Hellcat Records.
The band consists of Jordan Cardy (aka Rat Boy), Preston (The Ordinary Boys), and Antonee First Class (The English Beat), with Operation Ivy’s Tim Armstrong and Jesse Michaels as creative collaborators.
Bringing together several generations of artists, the collective combines Cardy’s genre-blurring energy, Preston’s 2000s UK ska revivalist spirit, and Antonee’s legendary two-tone lineage.
They will release their debut album on Hellcat Records on September 25, with lead single Floor Burner released today as the first taste of their explosive sound.
Packed with grooving drumbeats and the infectious energy of 2 Tone, Floor Burner is the blueprint for The Family Business Ltd.
It was pieced together from three separate ideas and evolved into this pure party-starter. Its point is simple: “Get on the floor and dance.”
Cardy and Preston first met in Essex in 2014, and ended up in Los Angeles writing together with Tim Armstrong in 2023.
“Everything clicked straight away in the studio, and the songs came together so naturally,” says Cardy. “Tim suggested bringing in Antonee, and before we knew it, the album was written and recorded in two weeks.”
Labelmates The Calamatix, who released their excellent self-titled debut album on Hellcat in 2024, were also brought in as backing musicians.
Adds Cardy: “They really made everything feel like a proper band. They brought so much energy to the record, especially through the rhythm section and bass lines, helping round out the sound in a way that elevated every song.”
To the collective, ska remains one of music’s most enduring cultures. Antonee says: “Ska and two-tone doesn’t discriminate. The message of peace, love, unity, and standing together is just as relevant today as it was decades ago. The weather might have changed, but the struggles people are singing about haven’t.”
