I first got hipped to them about 10 years ago, mainly due to their association with Rancid. In fact if it wasn't for the Slackers ska horn infusion and Vic's great Hammond B-3 work on Rancid's Out Come The Wolves, that rough & tumble band likely would have never crossed over as huge via those early radio hits like Ruby Soho and Time Bomb.
Well years have passed and those Brooklyn based Slackers never managed to break like the boys outta Berkeley. They still tour relentlessly, know how to leave a crowd sweaty, and make a helluva fine racket.
I'm tossing in some bonus mp3 tracks for those who wade through the post, the pics and tour dates, so stay alert folks.
These first couple tracks here are from CDs I picked up at recent shows ( see the pics below)
The first track is a Bob Dylan cover, but one that's given the Slacker shakedown, tossing away the original's lopey 70's country twang for a more upbeat traetment that goes here there and everywhere. I imagine that ol' Mr. Zimmerman never imagined this particular Ruggiero scenario...
The Slackers - Wanted Man
taken from From The Boss Harmony Sessions...
This next track is from a recently released Vic Ruggiero solo album, and he when he took a second from busily paying respects to his female fans, and handed it to me at Bender's Bar in da Mission, there was no cover or title on the disc.
Fortunately through the internet connected magic of the Gracenote CDDB system I discovered that this baby is entitled "Something In My Blindspot". According to i-Tunes, it just came out this spring and is a fine example of an eclectic indie record with splashes of ska, folk and rock sprinkled throughout.
Here's the title track from this Moanin'' records release, another song that briefly quotes Dylan as well at the start...
Vic Ruggiero - Always Something My Blindspot
The Slackers are busy touring in support of their new album Self Medication which just came out as well recently. Here's a preview of that disc if yer interested.
The Slackers are out and about as usual, but by the looks of these dates, unless you are in NYC, Japan or Glastonbury you might need awhile longer before they hit your neighborhood.
But be sure to make time when you get a chance to catch these guys, I doubt you'll regret it...
| Irving Plaza | New York, New York | ||
| Daikanyama UNIT | Tokyo, Tokyo | ||
| Droom | Sendai, Miyagi | ||
| Mescalin Drive | Hammamatsu, Hokkaido | ||
| Sunsui | Osaka, Osaka | ||
| Club Upset | 1-4-23 Ikeshita,Chikusa-ku, Niigata | ||
| Shelter | Tokyo, Tokyo | ||
| Glastonbury Festival- Worthy Farm | Pilton, Shepton Mallet, Somerset | ||
| The Park | Leicester | ||
| Corporation | Sheffield | ||
| Soundhaus | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Liquid Room | Edinburgh | ||
| Carling Academy | Newcastle | ||
| Robin 2 | Bilston | ||
| Bierkeller | Bristol | ||
| ULU | London, London and South East | ||
| The Junction | Cambridge |
hey you made it all the way down here!
congrats... here's a bonus cut, The Slackers from the 2006 release Peculiar, in which they are unafraid to express their disapproval of the current lame duck presidential administration and it's myopic vision.
The Slackers - International War Criminal
and here's one from the Peculiar release,their last for Hell Cat/Epitaph, it's perfect for your weekend whatnot, another classic associated with Mr. Bob Dylan ...
The Slackers - I Shall Be Released
Anyhow...
I'm off to go see Mark Mothersbaugh at an art thang in Berkeley...
toodles
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