New York City’s The Slackers ready to bring ska-revival sound to ArtsQuest
The Slackers formed in the early ‘90s in New York City just prior to a ska-revival that briefly swept through the mainstream with bands like Rancid, No Doubt, Less Than Jake, and Goldfinger.
But unlike many of their contemporaries, The Slackers approached ska in a more traditional style while incorporating elements of jazz, garage rock, and soul that’s earned them a steady fanbase, and longevity many other bands of the era haven’t enjoyed.
In 1997 they signed to Tim Armstrong’s (Rancid) Hellcat Records, and have since toured continuously.
On April 15 they’ll be releasing their first album in six years, “Don’t Let the Sunlight Fool Ya,” and on April 1 they’ll be previewing some of these songs live at Musikfest Cafe.
We chatted with band members Marcus Geard, David Hillyard, Vic Ruggiero and Glen Pine about the new album, the pandemic, dreams, songwriting, and a little bit about that popular Beatles documentary.
Jay Honstetter for The Morning Call: You guys are a band that is constantly on the road. What was it like having to lock down and stay home for a stretch? Marcus Geard of The Slackers:
Personally, I loved having a break from touring. Being at home with my family is great and so is having time for my own projects. I really missed doing the shows, but being on the road kind of sucks for the other 22 hours a day. David Hillyard: I love being on the road. It was nice to see my family every day, but living in a New York apartment that is doubling as a law office, recording studio, high school classroom, live streaming stage, and college classroom is claustrophobic.
Q: During the ’90s there was a ska-revival of sorts, with many of the bands incorporating elements of punk rock. During that time, and beyond, you’ve managed to stay true to a more traditional approach to Ska, even incorporating other influences other bands weren’t doing. Do you think your music reaches a wider audience because of the other influences
you incorporate into your songs?
Geard: The Slackers have always been a very organic project, we did what felt natural. Back in the day, we were more two-tone influenced, but our evolving tastes led us towards slowing down and trying to embrace the traditional ska, rocksteady, and reggae we all loved. To answer your second question, I think the main reason we reached a wider audience had a lot more to do with Tim Armstrong than our myriad musical influences.
Q: Can you tell me a little bit about your upcoming album, “Don’t Let the Sunlight Fool Ya?” How has the pandemic influenced the music and songwriting? Does any of it seep into the songs lyrically? Vic Ruggiero:
The whole album was recorded during it, so that’s where our heads were at. With all the news going on, if there wasn’t a song written about what
was happening, I just dipped back into my tunes and found something that felt right. Like that song “Statehouse,” which I wrote for Rancid many years back … it was about exactly what happened last year — knocking down Confederate statues and getting that flag off the South Carolina statehouse. As for the title track, I wrote that right when I got back from the European tour and we all went into lockdown in New York.
Glen Pine: “Don’t Let The Sunlight Fool Ya” is an album of reflection and an individual/collective catharsis expressed in song. As we wrote in our individual bunkers, aka apartments and houses, we took inventory and stock in our lives, what we have as a band together, and the world we live in. Politics, heartbreak, redemption, and dreams.
Q: On that note, what’s your songwriting process like? You’ve been a band
for a long time, has the way songs take shape changed over the years, or maybe you have different methods of writing?
Ruggiero: You know, I’ve been hearing all about this Beatles documentary, everybody’s like it’s amazing they come in with this little sketch of the song, and then everybody cooperates and writes their part and somebody says “oh I like that”, or “I don’t like that” … And then you see this legendary song form and they were all working together!
Well, that’s the way the good songs happen … no surprise to me!
When somebody comes in and they want it their way, and they’re not willing to bargain, or change any of the lyrics, or even be willing to let it go completely, that’s when you get some wackass tune on the record.
The good ones come when you throw it out into the abyss of The Slackers, and trust that those weirdos
are going to do something cool. And if it’s something that’s really too weird, well maybe you should say something. But it’s like William Burroughs said,
“If you think it’s a little too weird to put out there, don’t throw it away, save it. That’s usually the good stuff.”
Or like the Mighty Boosh said, “perhaps that is better saved for your solo project.” Pine: I often write every day in bits and pieces. Humming a melody into my phone or a rhythm part. Scratch out a lyric in a notebook or on the back of an envelope. It’s a process that is often undefined and sprawling. Sometimes those melodies keep coming back to you during the day, or months later. That’s when I sort of sit down to write them out at my piano and bring them to life. The songs then go through the “Slacker collective process” of interpretation and augmentation — aka becoming a Slackers song.
Q: You’ve got a new album coming out, and a long tour ahead. Do you have any plans for what you’ll be doing after the tour? Hillyard:
Our main plan is to put out this record, do some shows, and hopefully convince more people that The Slackers are a worthwhile thing to listen to. There are so many things that could sideline us and keep us from doing our shows. I think my main focus is really to make sure that things happen this year. I’ll worry about next year when next year comes around.
THE SLACKERS When: 7:30 p.m. April 1 Where: 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem
Tickets and info: $20-$25 610-297-7100 www.steelstacks.org