When it comes to ska in the United States, it is impossible not to look first to New York. It was in the Big Apple that the Toasters emerged; it was there that Moon Ska Records was established, the label that was largely responsible for the third wave of ska. And from there come the Slackers, pointed out as the best ska band of today in New York by the prestigious magazines Beat Magazine and African Beat. Active since 1991, Slackers have an innovative sound that, at the same time, draws directly from Jamaican roots.
They were influenced – and, at times, directly taught – by names like the Skatalites and the Upsetters (the original backing band of the Wailers), while adding blues, 60s soul music, rock and rhythm'n blues to the mix. It is as if the Rolling Stones or the Yardbirds had grown up with both Bob Marley and Muddy Waters.
In total, they have released 10 albums - besides EPs, compilations and appearances on other artists' records - since 1996, the year of release of "Better late than never". Over these years, they have done 11 tours across the USA and 9 across Europe, participating in renowned festivals – such as the Warped Tour in 1998 and the Montreal Jazz Festival in 2000 - and sharing the stage with people like Jimmy Cliff, Rancid, Hepcat, Joe Strummer, Pennywise and Toots & The Maytals.
The band averages 150 shows a year, invariably with a full house. With all this trajectory, they received great praise in publications such as Pulse Magazine, Kerrang!, BBC, All Music.com, The Village Voice and LA Weekly. In 2001, they even ranked eighth on Amazon.com's CD sales chart.
In 2003, they released "Close My Eyes", a dark lament and tribute to post-9/11 NY. In 2004, promoting this work, they participated with various other artists in the Deconstruction Tour across Europe, in which, according to the BBC and Kerrang!, they "stole the show". Coinciding with the tour, they released an anti-Iraq war EP called "International War Criminal", where they openly defended that "weapons of mass destruction are gasoline and oil". In 2005 alone the Slackers passed through 20 American states and 11 European countries, plus Canada, Japan and Venezuela.
After such a busy year, they arrive in Brazil at the beginning of 2006 preparing to release another album of unreleased songs. "Peculiar" is expected to arrive in American stores in February, through Epitaph Records.