[vicioustruth]

Just curious if anyone here enjoys this band as much as I do.

As far as I'm concerned, The Slackers are the absolute greatest ska band that I have ever heard (authentic ska that is, none of that bubblegum pop/rock with horns stuff that is out there today: Reel Big Fish, Less than Jake, etc..

).

I dont think there has been a day go by for the past several months that I havent listened to one of the songs (or entire albums

), and Vic Ruggiero has really just blown me away with his abilities as a songwriter and as a vocalist. Dig up pretty much any review of their albums that you can find and you're going to find high marks

You can download a few of their songs from Epitaph Records website from the following links:

http://www.epitaph.com/bands/index.php?id=325
http://www.epitaph.com/bands/index.php?id=205
http://www.epitaph.com/bands/index.php?id=203
http://www.epitaph.com/bands/index.php?id=202


Some of my favorites come out of that first link (download links on the far left beside the track listing), but they havent put out a single song yet that I dont like. Some of their albums are hard to find these days, so if you're digging their sound then you might want to jump on a chance to pick up their releases

They have amazing live shows as well from what I hear, but Ive never had the opportunity to check them out for myself.

Anyways, enjoy!

 

[Fenwik]

Yea, they're pretty good.
They used to play at the Middle East in Cambridge all the time. Havn't seen them in awhile. Too bad...

 

[-VT]

Guess they arent very popular

 

[Supsup]

I thought ska was dead

 

[-VT]

Nah, there are still a few great ska bands out there.

The Slackers are exceptional, though

 

[omegaman]

4 year bump !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just picked up there 2006 lp Peculiar and I am loving it. Always been interesed in Ska but never heard the slackers before.

Recommend my some more !!!!!!!

 

[GlendaleViper]

Ah, the Slackers - New York's premier jazz infused Ska band and still one of the best live acts I've seen after hundreds of concerts.

Omegaman, get ready for some disappointment when it comes to modern representation of the genre, as most of the third-wave bands and especially "ska-core" really dominated in line with the explosion of "pop-punk".

The Slackers are, in my opinion, the pinnacle of true urban, modern Ska. Redlight, Live at Ernesto's and The Question should be considered mandatory listening. Hepcat is another outstanding example of the genre, with their later albums evolving into a more roots-themed Rocksteady vibe and lyrics to match. Right on Time and Push and Shove should be sought out immediately.

Unfortunately, I'm not much of an authority on newer Ska, since so much of it is a bastardization of the genre in some way or another, but there are great acts out there. Thinking in particular of The Pietasters (considered ska-core), The Dave Hillyard Rocksteady Seven (Hillyard being a member of The Slackers, this project very heavily influenced by Latin Jazz rhytms) and King Django. Other legitimate third-wave Ska acts would include The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Operation Ivy (so close to second-wave they might be the originators of Third wave revival. As a piece of history, this band is the predecessor of Rancid) and Voodoo Glow Skulls (granddaddies of Skacore, with a VERY hit-and-miss catalogue).

From the second wave of Ska music, there are a number of bands, mostly English, that should be looked into, including The Specials, Madness, The Beat and The Selecter, not omitting of course contributions to this decidedly different style of Ska frequently presented by The Clash and The Police. The second wave of Ska was prompted by punks in the 80s fed up with the simple, aggressive and often negative approach of socially conscious music. This "Punk" aesthetic has carried over heavily into modern Ska, ironically conveying the sentiments found in Reggae, but utilizing the dance-friendly, upbeat mood of Ska.

With regard to Roots Reggae, Ska and Rocksteady, this is where the real meat is. Desmond Dekker, Toots and the Maytals, The Skatalites, The Ethiopians, The Wailers, Prince Buster, The Dragonaires, The Melodians, The Paragons and Lee "Scratch" Perry are all fantastic acts, just to name a few. The Ethiopians in particular were one of the first bands to represent Rastafarian religion in their music and were a big part of Ska's popularity shifting to Rocksteady and then Reggae.

There are a wealth of bands to look into. Sadly, there's also a lot of garbage. Hopefully this gives you a decent starting point. And no better than the dead of Winter to discover this wonderful music, as very little else can so effectively evoke the thoughts and feelings of warm summer nights.

 

[omegaman]

I am defiantly going to check out some more of the slackers albums.

I was brought up on the second wave of ska, The Specials, The selecter etc of the late seventies early eighties and love it.

I have to agree about the modern ska music, 95% of it is nothing like my interpretation of what ska is, but I think the slackers are one off the modern bands that are doing it well. ( I know I have only heard one album )

As for all the first generation of ska. I used to have tonnes of it when I was younger. Trojan box sets and all sorts of stuff. I would love to all that stuff back now but it went when I got out of vinyl.

20 years on I find myself back into vinyl with only a handful of my original collection left, but at least I am enjoying building another collection.

 

[Davey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlendaleViper /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Slackers are, in my opinion, the pinnacle of true urban, modern Ska. Redlight, Live at Ernesto's and The Question should be considered mandatory listening.

Nice post GV! Redlight and The Question are favorites of mine too. And who don't like some good ska on a lazy Saturday afternoon to get your weekend groove on track? I like most of those older 2 Tone era (early 80s) bands like the Specials and the [English] Beat and the rest. Picked up the Bob Marley Freedom Songs box a few years ago on the cheap and was knocked out by how good his 60s ska output was. But back to the Slackers and The Question, what a fine CD. 1998 was the year and it's filled out with 19 solid songs, not really a skipper in the bunch. And if you listen to many ska or reggae collections, you know that is not usually the case. The previous Redlight may even be a little better, but The Question was my first, so it's the one for me. I did also pick up "Close Your Eyes" from a few years ago, and it's good too. Not the classic that I think Redlight/The Question are, but still very good. Haven't heard Peculiar yet. These guys are probably the best traditional ska band out there, if they are still out there, don't know. (Just checked, and they are). They do sound an awful lot like the Beat in many ways. Not like a copy, but just in style and substance. Very nice music for an afternoon listening with some friends and a coupla beers. So I decided to type in "slackers question english beat beer" in the Google toolbar to see what would pop up, and this fun little review thing from the old Ink Blot site came up. Thought you might enjoy it because it's pretty much right on the groove about what we think about the Slackers. Think I might need to hear it today, maybe a coupla times...

Ink Blot's Cream of the Crop - The Slackers

 

[skaos]

Hehe!
Nice to see other rude boy's on the forum!

Love Slackers, actualy they're playing next month here in Portugal!
I'm a hudge 2-tone, and jamaican ska fan! Altough it's getting harder and harder to find new thing's to listen. It's like there are no new band's getting the same sound and energy ska had when it apeared!
Do you guy's know any other band's who play revival ska?

 

[Davey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by skaos /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do you guy's know any other band's who play revival ska?

Head over to cdbaby and give this one from last year a listen and report back, especially songs like the opening "Find It!" and "Evening Dub", and "Africa". Actually the whole second half is very strong. Fun and interesting stuff from a modern Cincinnati band ....

 

[SuperNothing]

Wow, I didn't think there was anyone else on here who actually listened to ska. I am a huge ska fan and it is my favorite genre of music. Mostly into 2nd Wave/2-Tone and 4th Wave stuff although some don't think we are currently in the 4th Wave of Ska I believe we are. All the Streetlight Manifesto stuff and the like is too different from 3rd Wave. I could go into a whole dissertation on my feelings on ska but I will spare you.

 

[skaos]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperNothing /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow, I didn't think there was anyone else on here who actually listened to ska. I am a huge ska fan and it is my favorite genre of music. Mostly into 2nd Wave/2-Tone and 4th Wave stuff although some don't think we are currently in the 4th Wave of Ska I believe we are. All the Streetlight Manifesto stuff and the like is too different from 3rd Wave. I could go into a whole dissertation on my feelings on ska but I will spare you.

Please don't!
Altough i wouldn't like do hijack this thread, i don't think anyone would mind!
I'd realy like to hear what you have to say about those 4th wave, since it's the first time i'm hearing about it!

As to the original form of ska, i just love it, the original Jamaican ska, or as some call it the 1st wave, artist's like Jakie Mitto, Skatalites, derick morgan, are just pure joy!
or in a more soul/Blues kind of ska, you have toot's and the maythals, not to forget Jimmy Cliff.
Basicly, everything that came out of the mythical Studio One!


The 2-Tone era is pure energy! what's there to say, i was listening mostly to punk from late 70's and early 80's, major clash fan, and then i kept finding out about british ska revival bands influenced by this same early punk wich was it self influenced by reggae, wich derived from ska!
"The Specials" , Madness, etc... what's ther not to love!

But this 3rd wave?
I can't stand it, no inovation, they'r all the same, always the high pitched voice, and none of them seem to know how to play any instrument!
Don't get me wrong, i've been to many concert's wich i loved, such as catch22, mad caddies, etc... are just great fun, but other than a few exeptions, i can't even hear it!




But lukely there are a few bands returning to the origins! with the same sonority, a difrent beat, a new life, an more recording quality!
Is this waht you call the 4th wave?

 

[SuperNothing]

^

Well I mean there are some Trad bands around, the ska band Bigger Thomas and Hepcat are sticking to a more or less trad genre, who go back to the roots of the genre but that isn't really fourth wave. There are also a few good 3rd wave bands, mostly ones that have been mentioned before, but another good one that has been left out is the band Skavoovie and the Epitones. I guess I would consider the origins of the 4th wave to be Catch-22s Keasbey Nights. Not any of their other stuff after Thomas Kalnoky left to form Streetlight Manifesto when they go back to more 3rd wave stuff. But Streetlight Manifesto is really the biggest name in 4th wave ska starting with the album Everything Goes Numb and the most recent Something in the Between. Kalnoky also started a band Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution which is a really interesting new take on the ska genre using only acoustic instruments. 4th wave is also using a lot of eastern European influences in the music. The new wave isn't that really popular at the moment but has a few good bands such as The Arrogant Sons of B**ches, Bomb the Music Industry (not really ska but more ska influenced and all of whose music is released free on the website for Quote Unquote Records), Big D & The Kids Table, Westbound Train, One Cool Guy (although they broke up and it is hard to find their music), the Flaming Tsunamis (a very different and more metal take on ska), and my friends band which is local to NJ the Mafia is doing some good things. You can find them on myspace.com/themafia. I really like Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra they are taking the genre in new directions also. Also some interesting things are going on with bands such as The New York Ska Jazz Ensemble fusing ska with jazz which in my opinion is going way back to the original precursors of ska. In the manner of which jazz influenced rock which was the basis for the Jamaican origin of ska. That is basically a run down of 4th wave. There aren't that many new ska bands out lately but the ones that are out now are a lot better than most of the 3rd wave bands in my opinion. I still love 2-Tone though and since I started on listening to ska through 3rd wave I still have a place in my heart for the earlier third wave efforts.

 

[skaos]

New York Ska Jazz Ensemble
Rotterdam Ska Jazz Ensemble
St. Petersburg Ska Jazz Ensemble
Are some of my favorites! butt i would put them in the same group has Big Bad Voodoo dady and those more grovvy jazz influenced ska!

As to keasby knights....love that song!
Tokyo ska paradise orchestra is a very heavy, energetic ska, it's a great 3rd wave band, like the Toasters, and even Pietasters.

As the street light manifesto, it's weird, i used to like catch22 on the earlier albums, when they had the old lead singer, but since he left to form streetlght manifesto, i don't like neither know, it's like everything from this new generation sounds same. i know thera are many fusions...

Ska-Core : Ex Big D
Ska-Punk: ex Catch22
sCRAP: ex Voodoo glow Skulls
etc...

But none have the same soul and energy tradicional ska had!
Where's the sould and joy of ska? that what's ska was, about joy and fun!
Where's the crytic and union wich 2-tone gave?
and the insrumentals like jackie mitto?