wishing to be pigeon-holed into any specific scene or genre, Perry at first refused to tour with ska bands, though after a highly successful and well-received tour with Fresno ska band Let's Go Bowling, he acquiesced, and the Daddies eventually carved out a lucrative niche within the national ska scene, forming regular touring partnerships with the likes of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Reel Big Fish and Less Than Jake. While the mainstream's growing focus on punk and ska by the mid-1990s presented the Daddies with further commercial opportunities, Perry still insisted foremost on maintaining complete creative control of the band. In February 1996, the Daddies released their third self-produced studio album on Space Age Bachelor Pad, Kids on the Street. Another musical departure from their previous record, Kids on the Street was mostly a reflection of the band's growing punk and ska influences, eschewing the Daddies' trademark brassy funk and swing in favor of guitar-driven rock, punk and ska, as well as stylistic detours into jazz and country. Distributed by noted indie label Caroline Records, Kids on the Street wound up becoming the Daddies' most successful release at the time, staying on The Rockets Retail Sales Top Twenty for over seven months and even working its way onto Rolling Stones Alternative Charts. Zoot Suit Riot and major label years (1997–1999) By late 1996, ska had broken through into the American mainstream as one of the most popular forms of alternative music, catapulting such major label bands as Reel Big Fish and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones into the national spotlight. The Daddies, however, without the support of a record label, were ultimately left on the fringes of commercial visibility. Although Kids on the Street had sold well for an independent release, the band had continuing difficulty securing press and distribution outside of the Northwest, while the pressure of full-time touring was inevitably becoming both a personal and financial strain on the members. The Daddies experienced at least fifteen lineup changes from 1996 to 1997, including the departure of original keyboardist Chris Azorr and co-founder Dan Schmid, leaving only Perry and trumpeter Dana Heitman as the sole remnants of the original lineup. Feeling they had finally hit a glass ceiling as an independent band, Perry said the Daddies were left with one of two options at this time: either sign to a label or break up. Despite primarily playing ska tours during