Then in 1991, amidst what is generally considered the impetus of “third wave ska” — the ska-punk era — Hillyard joined a New York City ska band called the Slackers. The prolific band, breaking away from the sound of the moment, chiefly rooted itself in the old Jamaican rock ‘n’ roll (à la The Skatalites and The Maytals) while also tipping a pork pie hat to the British two-tone movement, upstrokes and all.
Fronted by keyboardist and singer Vic Ruggiero, the six-piece band has released 15 studio records, several live albums, compilations, demos and singles. The Slackers are anything but.
The band recently finished up a European tour — “probably our best European tour ever,” as Hillyard put it — and will soon kick off its 2024 fall tour on Nov. 14 at Blind Bob’s. Cowpunks Viceroy Kings and intergalactic pop-rock band Turboslacker will provide local support.
Considering the Slackers are NYC ska legends, it’s curious why this upcoming tour kicks off in Dayton. But the band has a strong connection here, dating back to the late ‘90s and early aughts. Aside from making Dayton a regular stop in between bigger gigs, the band also took Captain of Industry — Turboslacker’s Nathan Peters’ band at the time — on tour.
It’s been five years since the Slackers played Dayton, so this upcoming show is a homecoming of sorts. And much like the Slackers’ music, the bill is an eclectic mix of styles.
The band’s sound can be traced back to Jamaica, but other roots include American soul and R&B, Latin boogaloo, garage rock and rock ‘n’ roll from the 1960s and ‘70s. All those influences intermingle and produce a fortified ska band that has kept dance halls at max capacity since the ‘90s.
Hillyard, through his oft-improvisational bleats on the sax, brings a jazz quality to the music — a genre that he came to by way of ska.
“When you’re given music from other people, you pick it up and turn it around and try to do your own thing with it,” Hillyard said. “Just because our influences are older doesn’t mean our music isn’t contemporary. We’re trying to keep some of the old stories going and add stories of our own.”
At a certain point in the ‘90s, American bands started playing something called ska, which was faster, heavier and punkier, therefore more distorted than its precursor. Today, much of the post-2 tone, third wave ska tends to feel obsolete. But perhaps the reason the Slackers has persisted is because “wave theory” — referring to the fluctuating popularity of the genre — was never on the band’s radar.
Ska’s big moments didn’t influence why the band doggedly pursued the music; it was simply the music itself that drew them in and kept them going.
There’s a sequence in the 2007 documentary about the Slackers where the idea of relevance comes up. An unnamed man in a recording studio said if you try to make music that sounds current, it’s going to sound dated later. But if you make music that sounds old right now, it’ll be timeless. And that, in a sense, is what the Slackers has done for over three decades.
“We want to write music that you’re going to want to listen to over and over again and have it be a part of your life,” Hillyard said. “We try to go for the big stories, for the deep stories, and try to make songs that just stand on their own and have resonance. We try to play music that can work with your heart, your body and your mind at the same time.”
In September, the ever-prolific band released two new songs, “What We Gonna Do Now?” and “Pick and Choose,” speaking truth to power with socio-politically conscious lyrics in line with the Slackers’ musical influences, which served as soundtracks to many transcontinental rebel movements.
The band’s 2003 album “Close My Eyes” was also recently reissued, contemporary to the Slackers frequent Dayton stops back in the early aughts.
Over the years, ska has had the spotlight. But elements of ska and reggae — whether with upbeat and upstroke guitars, walking bass lines, memorable horn refrains or sheer danceability — persist through radio hits and fringe tunes just the same.
“The ska spirit, the original spirit from Jamaica, is a really powerful thing,” Hillyard said, “and it’s going to keep on going, and it’s going to keep on being relevant for a long time.”
HOW TO GO
What: The Slackers w/ Turboslacker and Viceroy Kings
When: 7:30 p.m., Nov. 14
Where: Blind Bob’s, 430 E. 5th St., Dayton
Cost: $25
Tickets: CincyTicket.com/theSlackers
LOCAL MUSIC SCENE
This feature is written by Dayton Daily News contributing writer Brandon Berry. Have a story idea for him? Brandon writes about local music and culture. Email him at branberry100@gmail.com.
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