The Slackers HHV Records 9 Items

Pirates Press Records is proud to re-release Close My Eyes, the 2002 album by NYC ska-reggae legends The Slackers - a complex and nuanced album that shows the band’s versatility and capacity for both commentary and introspection. It is often said - to the point of cliche - that New York City is a “character” in the work of the city’s most noted filmmakers. A similar statement could be made about the artistic symbiosis between the city and The Slackers. From the Bronx-born accent of lead vocalist Vic Ruggiero to the band’s embrace of cosmopolitan musical traditions from a melting pot of cultural origins, New York defines The Slackers at least as much as the band have contributed to defining the sound of New York for well over 30 years.Therefore, it bears mentioning that - aside from a 2002 collaborative album by “The Slackersand Friends” - Close My Eyesis the band’s first proper studio LP released after the traumatic terrorist attacks on their home city in 2001, and the band took enough time to reckon with the global fallout of this tragedy. “So feel free go steal and rob, revolution ain't my job,” sings Ruggiero on the title track. “And if I sing your happy song, please don't tell me I am wrong.” It is the statement of an artist searching for a way to still sing about joy and life in uncertain times of great upheaval. And ultimately the band must reckon with these times. On “Real War,” toaster Marq Lyn takes lead vocals as the band addresses the march to war that was omnipresent in those early days of the 21st century, stating in no uncertain terms that it was “Time to fight the real war… Against hunger and poverty… For racial equality.” The Slackers make it clear that while the machinations of hawkish politicians grind on, the real needs of people all over the world are left behind. This tension between a dangerous world and the struggles of one’s personal life are present throughout the record, and the band weaves stories from the whole spectrum of human emotion, war, heartbreak, joy, and everything in between. Bookended by instrumental tracks, opening with the energetic “Shankbon” and ending with moody dub reggae, these veteran virtuoso players ultimately take listeners on a masterful journey through the human experience. SIDE AShankbonOld DogAxesSIDE BBin WaitinReal WarLazy WomanMommySIDE CDon’t Wanna GoWho KnowsClose My EyesSIDE DI’ll Stay AwayDeconstruction DubLazy DubCapo Schools The Slackers Dub

“My Last Star” began as a dream that Greg Lee of Hepcat had the week before his death in March of 2024. Greg dreamed of a Slackers song. The Slackers have completed this song, and now the world can hear this truly one of a kind collaboration.In Greg’s dream, an old neighbor picked him up in a classic car, turned on the stereo, and played a Slackers song that - at the time - did not exist on our plane of reality. It sounds like the stuff of myth, but the song was so crystal clear in the dream that when he awoke around 2 or 3 in the morning, he immediately wrote down the lyrics he had heard, still humming the tune. “I hadn’t seen Greg so excited about a new song in a very long time,” says Lee’s longtime partner, Mandie Becker. “I found the lyrics when I was organizing his things. I knew he had a voice recording on his phone, too. I decided the best situation was to offer it to The Slackers so we could all hear the song on the stereo from Greg’s dream.” “I was floored when I received Greg's vocal demo with the lyrics and I vowed to finish the song and make the dream a reality,” says Slackers saxophonist Dave Hillyard. “I took the vocal demo to The Slackers, Vic [Ruggiero] harmonized it, and we wrote music around the words. With this song we came full circle. Greg had given us a gift and we needed to give it back to his family, friends, and musical community. We are the medium for his message.” The longer history behind this collaboration is a story of decades of friendship, collaboration, artistry, and mutual respect between LA's Hepcat and NYC’s The Slackers, who although from opposite coasts, have both been leading lights and creative forces in the underground ska scene since the early 1990s. Both Hepcat and The Slackers concerned themselves with timeless songwriting that paid homage to the longstanding roots of the music. It is an extraordinary final work envisioned by a beloved and thoughtful musician of the highest caliber, and completed by longtime friends and collaborators he knew from the moment of inspiration were the ones that would play it. It is literally a dream come true. “My Last Star” is available as a 12” UV Printed Vinyl Single from Pirates Press Records, with art by The Slackers’ in-house artist Catt Gould. The 12” also includes instrumental and dub versions of the song. As a matter of fact, snippets of Greg’s original vocal demo from his phone are subtly mixed in toward the end of the instrumental version, underscoring his posthumous presence on the record. Greg’s songwriting royalties, as well as a portion of the proceeds from the sales of “My Last Star,” will be passed on to his four daughters. SIDE A01. My Last Star02. My Last Star - Dub Version03. My Last Star - Instrumental Version

“New York Berlin” is commentary on friendship during changing times in center cities. Both friends and neighborhoods were treasured despite their flaws but both ended up going away. The moral of the song is to remember to love everyone around you while they are around you. Meanwhile, “Tell Them No” is a song of empowerment and finding one’s inner strength through adversity. Based on trombonist and vocalist Glen Pine and his nephew’s real-life struggles with bullying, the song encourages its listeners to rise above the fray and not to let detractors get the best of you. Stand up for yourself, fight back, then allow yourself to heal.

Pirates Press Records is unbelievably proud to announce the release of the first new Slackers full length album in seven years, and the first on Pirates! Filled front to back with true hits that could each stand alone as a single, this full length takes you on a real (musical) journey with this legendary band that so many have followed religiously for decades. “We recorded most of this album during the quarantine, we were wired up at our sound guy’s house doing livestream concerts and after we were done we would learn new tunes. These songs have the energy of our times ‘cause we were living them,” says frontman Vic Ruggiero. The New York Times dubbed the Slackers part of 'the sound of New York,’ and the Slackers just keep at it, only getting better with age and experience - writing better and better songs, and continuing to build and strengthen that global Slackers family. This album is a testament to that age and experience. These special tunes will undoubtedly travel far and wide, just like the band will, performing these songs in a club near you! Pick up a copy, join the party! …Better have those dancing shoes on!

Digitally Printed 12 Inch

Being able to capture the energy and atmosphere of these bands‘ live performances is a true art form, and is the key ingredient in making a record that can properly illustrate the magnitude and impact a band can have on its fans. The Slackers are definitely one of these bands (and this is absolutely one of those records!). An institution in New York City, and a legendary stronghold in the ska/reggae scenes globally, this unstoppable force continues to welcome new fans into the fold, very seldomly losing one along the way. A Slackers show, big or small, is an event. This album, recorded almost 20 years ago, highlights just that magic. Hailed for the better part of two decades by fans as an absolutely crucial part of any Slackers collection, this powerful set and unbelievable package has somehow evaded the world of vinyl, until now. Remixed and remastered to sound better than ever before, this re-issue is not one to pass up. If you are a fan of The Slackers, this needs to be in your collection! Hope you’ve got your dancin’ shoes on

These New Yorkers have been skilfully crafting their signature gospel of roots-reggae-ska fusion for the better part of 30 years, and in doing so rightfully earning a reputation as one of the most engaging live bands in the world. Back in 1996, the NY Times declared the Slackers to be part of “the sound of New York”, a mantle they haven’t given up since. Originally released on Hellcat in 2006, "Peculiar” has remained timeless, continuously heralded as a true testament to their energy on stage and what makes them such a treasured band by fans across the globe. Alternative Nation called it “protest music made for dim, sweaty basements - The Slackers would sound at home supporting Rancid just as well as some grizzled New Orleans electric blues trio.” While “Peculiar” isn't a proper live album, the band managed to turn a club into their studio and truly strike a balance between their incredible live show and their equally impassioned studio work. The rhythm parts of the album were laid down during a live performance at reknowned Dutch ska club Ernesto’s (in Sittard, Holland), with vocal overdubs added later in the studio. In addition to many soon to be favorites, the setlist also includes tracks from their previous War Criminal EP, reinterpreted, reframed and played quite differently from their original release. “Peculiar” ranks right up there with Redlight and The Question as one of the Slackers' best - certainly one of the most played and cherished albums in their arsenal. Pirates Press Records is proud to have teamed up with the band to bring you this incredible expanded gatefold version of “Peculiar”, including a bonus 45 carrying two additional tracks from the project not offered with the original Hellcat release. LPSIDE A1. Side A2. 86 The Mayo3. Peculiar4. Propaganda5. Crazy6. Set The Girl Free 7. In Walked CapoSIDE B7. I’d Rather Die Happy8. What Went Wrong9. Keep It Simple10. International War Criminal 5. Sauron 7" SIDE A1. RiderSIDE B2. Propaganda Dub

For over 30 years, THE Slackers have remained one of the most prolific musical combos in the game. In the course of drawing from a seemingly endless well of songwriting creativity, the band has released music on some of the biggest labels in independent music, as well as on much smaller boutique ska & reggae labels across the entire world, including NYC’s Special Potato, which has served as home to many of the band’s home-brew releases over the decades. 2008’s Self Medication LP was one of the latter releases, initially released on CD through Indication Records, and a single pressing on black vinyl from Special Potato/ Indication. The record has been out of print for the ensuing 15 years and a tragically overlooked chapter in the band’s history. In the spirit of the title, Self Medication reflects the band’s DIY roots. Recorded by a longtime friend of the band, King Django (skinnerbox, Stubborn All-stars), at New Brunswick, New Jersey’s Version City Studios, this record is primarily an in-house affair, with overdubs overseen by singer/multi-instrumentalist Vic Ruggiero & guitarist Agent Jay Nugent at their own Studio Slack & Crazy Baldhead Studios, respectively. The sound of this record is that of a band who have the talent and the confidence to chart their course. Experimenting with a diverse sonic palette including elements of ska, reggae, swing, rock, and a lot of psychedelia, that nevertheless feels distinctly and unmistakably like them. And, of course, the band’s combination of earnest humanity and wry humor shines through in the lyrics, right from the opening line, “Every day is Sunday when you’re unemployed…” Indeed, this is the sound of THE Slackers as dictated by THE Slackers.

It is rare that any band displays the combination of talent and tenacity to continue connecting with audiences three decades into their career without becoming a cabaret show, but New York City ska/reggae institution THE Slackers continue to push boldly into the future with a fresh energy that belies their 30+ years! The band were on their creative rise during the mid-late ’90s explosion in mainstream interest in ska, but never lost a step when that bubble burst, emerging as a band that continually built up their fanbase the old-fashioned way: with relentless touring across the world and consistent recordings that always brought something new to the table. THE Slackers have pushed on long enough to be regarded as elder statesmen of a new era of interest in ska, but as always, rather than rest on their considerable laurels, this band is achieving new milestones on their own terms. One such milestone was the LP Don’t Let The Sunlight Fool Ya lighting up several Billboard Charts, including hitting #1 on the Current Reggae Albums chart. The album was the band’s first full-length since joining the Pirates Press Records family, a fruitful, creative relationship which has also yielded a slew of popular singles, as well as reissues of back catalog classics such as Redlight, Wasted Days, Peculiar, and the fanfavorite live album Live at Ernesto’s.