Mephiskapheles is a ska band based in New York City. Their name is a portmanteau of "ska" and "Mephistopheles", of the Faust legend. As their name suggests, their lyrics are often playfully satanic in nature.

The band began when New York hardcore band The Shaved Pigs split up, and guitarist Brendan Tween and his roommate Mikal Reich, both residents of New York City's East Village, decided to start a ska band. After recruiting several friends, including keyboardist Brian "Underpants" Martin, the band was formed under the name Skatterbrains. It was changed to Mephiskapheles once the band realized that another band had already taken the name.

On January 3, 1991, the band played its first show at Ugo's, a bar in Locust Valley, NY. After a lineup shuffle that saw Andre A. Worrell (as The Nubian Nightmare) emerge as lead singer and frontman, the band recorded its demo tape titled The DEMOn. In summer 1991, trombonist Greg Robinson joined alto saxophonist Alexander McCabe and trumpeter Osho Endo in the horn section, completing the section that would tour and record for the next six years. The band continued to play live, winning the Brooklyn Lager Band Search in the World Beat category in 1992 and building a devoted fan base throughout the Northeast by performing frequently at colleges and bars.

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