The New York City ska band, The Slackers, are back from a European tour and are ready to rock the East Coast. Priding themselves on their live performance atmosphere, The Slackers want you to check your troubles at the door and dance to the rocksteady rhythm. Vocalist Qmaxx claims that those who attend the upcoming show at the Ottobar "will see the best ska show ever because it's not a show at all, it's a party. The Slackers are a party band, and no matter who you are, you will have a good time because it's all about dancing and shaking your ass."
The first time I saw The Slackers, I was a sophomore in high school, playing in my own little ska band, and I will never forget walking into a smoky Boston rock club to see this seven piece band, complete with a horn section, invigorating the audience with music that seemed too fun for record and too unbelievable to be live. They were playing jazz, but they were also playing ska that sounded like something out of 1964 Jamaica. At the same time, they fronted like a garage band. Perhaps their only fault is that their style rarely explores new frontiers. But this is because they realize that they are some of the few remaining ska traditionalists, and consistency is a requisite to hold that title.
So what exactly is "Ska"? In the "60s, young Jamaican musicians combined Jamaican folk music with American Jazz and African Rhythms to create a style that was based on instrumental improvisation, but with a rhythm section emphasizing heavy upbeats to keep the audience dancing.
Most notable of this era was the Skatalites, who was the original backing band in Bob Marley's recordings from the legendary Studio 1 in Kingston. Interestingly, the summer of1964 influenced the bands to slow down the tempo of their songs, because it was too hot to dance, and "rocksteady" was created, which later developed into reggae.
In the "70s, Jamaican migrant-workers immigrated to England and brought ska with them. The young lower working class of England identified with the new music, and ska entered its second phase of existence, known as "Two Tone," which carried heavy political messages with it, mainly pertaining to race.
Perhaps the most famous band from this era was The Specials. Ska arrived in America in the early "80s, and has had a huge influence on music since. One can hear it in bands like No Doubt and Reel Big Fish, but if you want to hear a sound that is more reminiscent of the traditional style from Jamaica, The Slackers are where it's at.
The Slackers formed 12 years ago during an era in which Ska was at its peak, with the Moon Ska record label still intact and bands like The Toasters still touring and writing prolifically. Although Ska is perhaps one of The Slackers' main influences, a band that is from New York City and tours Europe regularly cannot resist taking advantage of all the musical influences around them. Qmaxx comments, "We like it all, from jazz, punk, rock, ska, bluegrass, hip hop, soul, rock and roll, drum and bass, reggae, you name it, we like it. If the music has soul to it, no matter what style, we like it."
The Slackers' will be appearing at the Ottobar on Feb. 6.
