The Slackers

Amid New York’s early‑1990s ska scene, The Slackers formed in Manhattan around singer/keyboardist Vic Ruggiero and saxophonist Dave Hillyard, crafting a sound that blends ska, rocksteady, and roots reggae with elements of soul, rhythm and blues, and garage rock. Organized as a sextet with a horn section and a solid rhythm unit, the band aligned with the third‑wave ska movement while favoring more relaxed tempos and songwriting informed by the popular music of the 1960s and 1970s. The Slackers first made their mark in New York’s small venues and clubs before touring extensively across North America, Europe, and Latin America. Their debut studio album, "Better Late Than Never" (1996), was followed by "Redlight" (1997) and "The Question" (1998), which cemented their mix of melodic songs, reggae grooves, and distinctive horn arrangements. Subsequent releases — including "Wasted Days" (2001), "Close My Eyes" (2003), "Peculiar" (2006), "Self Medication" (2008), "The Great Rocksteady Swindle" (2010), "The Slackers" (2016), and "Don’t Let The Sunlight Fool Ya" (2022) — affirmed a consistent aesthetic centered on deep, often mid‑tempo ska, with lyrics that explore both melancholy and humor.