The Slackers | The Star We Aim For

Hidden Track

Inspired by the energy, the soul and the message of classic ska, The Slackers have truly become legends themselves over the past 33 years.

They first came together in New York City back in the early '90s, and studied at the feet of the masters, including members of Jamaican ska originators the Skatalites, who had relocated to the States.

The Slackers rose to prominence alongside a wave of ska-oriented artists who came to fame in that decade, in what became known as "Third Wave Ska".

However, long after Third Wave hitmakers like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones had sort of faded away, The Slackers remained true to their roots, and have continued to craft vibrant, original and important music for the past 33 years and counting.

Lead singer/ lyricist/ multi-instrumentalist Vic Ruggiero and sax player David Hillyard have been doing this a long time. So, it's remarkable how much freshness and sense of purpose they perpetually bring to everything they do.

The band's now legendary series of livestream concerts from New York during the early days of the pandemic are a great example of how they continue to lead the musical charge with imagination, originality and a sense of community. That run of livestreams eventually led to the Billboard chart-topping album Don't Let the Sunlight Fool Ya, along with a series of reissues of their past discography via Pirates Press Records – also home to punk and ska luminaries like Rancid, the Aggrolites, and Subhumans.

Long after the days of those global livestreams, The Slackers continue to connect globally with fans across the world. Alberta is a shining example of this. The band is very well-loved here, and both Vic and David have plugged into the scene here for music projects of their own, performing and/or recording with Albertan luminaries like Jory Kinjo and Audrey Ochoa. But there hadn't been a proper Slackers tour through Alberta in seven years! At least, not until June of 2024, when they played sold-out shows in Edmonton and Calgary- which represented the last of the tour dates they had to postpone back in 2020.

Befor playing those shows though, they kicked off their Alberta tour with a stop at CKUA studios for this epiosde of Hidden Track Stories!

They shared an insightful, fun, heartfelt conversation about their roots, their latest record, and what drives them to create meaningful music about... stuff.

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Host: Grant Stovel | Producer: Scott Zielsdorf | Graphics: Craig Taffs | Music: Doug Hoyer