The Toasters

Formed in the early 1980s in New York around British singer‑guitarist Robert “Bucket” Hingley, The Toasters quickly established themselves as a key band on the local ska scene, at the crossroads of English 2 Tone, rock and reggae. Having grown up in London and settled in the United States, Hingley organized The Toasters as a collective with a changing lineup, centered on a brass section and a rhythm marked by the Jamaican shuffle, call‑and‑response backing vocals and sharp guitars. The group first played New York clubs before touring extensively across North America and Europe, following the rise of the ska “third wave.” The Toasters released their debut album Skaboom! in 1987, followed by Thrill Me Up (1988), This Gun for Hire (1990), New York Fever (1992), Dub 56 (1994), Hard Band for Dead (1996), Enemy of the System (2002) and One More Bullet (2007) — a body of work that defined a sound blending fast tempos, soul influences and passages closer to rocksteady. At the same time Robert Hingley developed the Moon Ska Records label, which supported the emergence of many American ska bands, while The Toasters remained active on stage with frequently renewed lineups.