born. Silent Dave, you got any players? Even in the VR:(explosive laughter) What?! questions? oldies, Prince Buster & his DH: That’s his middle name Silent Dave: Nope. contemporaries swore, or though, he’s a lucky guy. I won’t ask about indvidual used the cultural slang of On the way here you men- songs. From your position their day. tioned the Upstate NY vibe. as musicians writing 12.13.98 DH: Prince Buster had a whole The Haunt If you could elaborate on songs, not necessarily ska X-rated album Ithaca NY those thoughts, or if you but any songs, what are VR: Lloydie & The Lowbites... In the van on don’t care to then don’t. your thoughts on vulgarity? Definitely slack. West Green St. DH: My experiences with Upstate, I We help with a ska TV DH: I don’t know though, I think have relatives that live up in show cable axs, and got a when we write lyrics we just try to an interview with victor ruggiero & ! Potsdam, so me & my cousins phone call a not too long keep them into something we’re would get shuttled back and forth ago from this caribbean feeling. If I had an idea that had VR: This is like my racing jacket couple months now. We did four doing this thing, do you want to from California and Upstate New sounding guy concerned a curse word in it, I wouldn’t have Interview with US tours and one European tour come down? And so now its York a lot during the summer. We’d because the word fuck a problem with writing it in a song take one. Please introduce within that time, so... developed into a theme, the last end up spending a couple weeks was said in a context of but I guess I’ve never really... (to yourself VR: Before that we used to do one, on the cover of The up there. It’s interesting, you know anger. He called to voice DH: I’m Dave Hillyard, I play kinda like 2 week deals, go up & Question, that one was planned. Vic) We don’t have any curses do its weird because there’s like his discontent, because saxophone down the East coast, go to like (Dave laughs) we? We’re G-rated almost. Well, college towns up here, then there’s vulgarity is not what these VR: My name’s Vic, Florida. Make a trip to Chicago or Albums are like children. you know what I mean though all the industrial towns with 50% musics are about. I under- Like actual word wise... I play keyboard, or organ. a couple gigs in Ohio, something. How did the name of your unemployment, and then there’s stand where he’s coming Talk about your first job in The past year, it’s definitely been band, The Slackers come VR: Yeah, I don’t know the guys living out in the woods. from, but today in 90s music a heavier schedule. about? Is it the ‘90s lingo DH: There’s subtext. Definitely. It’s very bizarre and yet its part of American culture, that’s DH: My first gig? In support of your latest 2 ‘being slackers’ or is it a VR: Would The Beatles have put New York State but it really has part of language, everyday Or your first job playing ska records, 1997’s Redlight reference to slack , curse words in their songs? Did nothing to do with New York City. language for some people. DH: My first gig was 1985 I think, I and now the Question. I You play slower tempo ska they? had barely been playing VR: Yeah, definitely gothic. Gothic So consequently, in much have a question, or more of music. DH: I don’t think so saxophone. My friend at the time is the word. American ska music, that’s an observation perhaps of VR: We named the band kind of VR: If it fits in, that’s okay. I mean Dave Douglas whose father was an DH: A lot of Norman Bates shit you bound to happen some- Slackers’ cover art. It accidentally. It was initially going definitely Sic & Mad [Vic’s accountant, His dad had an end of know... where. As far as The always features Chris to be called The Silencers, then it punkrock side project] has fuckin’ the tax year party.. (Vic laughs) and VR: Not gothic in the sense of Slackers go, you play a Qualiana [aka The Wix]. was going to be The Suspects, cursewords all over the place. the band was called “The Saints” Peter Murphy. (laughs) Maybe more roots-respecting Was that concept a fully the this, the that, anything that DH: I curse a lot in normal and we were a mod/ska band and around Poe. style. What’s your take as speech. we fought viciously over the songs conscious decision, or did sounded ominous and began with it just happen the whole an ‘S’ because I was into the letter VR: Actually, the old Slackers we were going to play, and... material had curse words in it, a VR: (Interrupting disbelief) Really? time? And if so, do you ‘S’ that week. And somebody had Our band gravitated naturally toward couple. DH: Yeah, we played the end of the expect it to continue? written it on our rehearsal studio the traditional, or I guess what they DH: In “Sooner or Later” do you tax year accounting party for Dave DH: Actually the first one... I think wall. It’s this big building every- Douglas’ dad. (both laugh) Chris was helping us hook up body used to write graffiti on all call “traditional”. I don’t call it that. curse in that? What about you Vic? with a photographer, and we had the walls and shit. Somebody VR: Only when I sing “I’m gonna VR: Um geez man... a totally different album cover in wrote “Luis is a slacker” Luis cut your fuckin’ head off!”(laughs) DH: First gig mind. She brought it in and we Zualaga is our drummer. Later, but that’s not in the proper lyrics. VR: First Gig..I played Dexy’s hated it, basically it was not much we’re sitting there going through That only happens when certain “Come on Eileen” at a talent show. liked. We were arguing over it all these names & someone read people are around. (more laughs) I was like eleven and someone said those pictures the wall and said, “Well, Luis is Yeah, no we don’t have any DH: Yeah? What were you playing? were taken as kind of a joke, slacker, so that means the rest of curse words, I don’t think in any VR: Bass. Upright. I got the gig right? Turns out half as a joke of you must be. So you’re the of the Slackers tunes. because I was the upright player But it’s not something that her and muck... Slackers.” It stuck. DH: You knew both strings. you’re totally conscious of, VR: Well that was when we had DH: That’s how it happened, cool. VR: Yup (nods in agreement) it’s just what happens. As shown the band the pictures at VR: Yeah cool. I think it was actu- DH: Fair enough. (We all laugh) it also kinda does in daily the photo session and everybody ally a Back to The Future refer- The Slackers started in speech. was like aw man, we said no, ence, you know, McFly! You’re a NYC, Brooklyn to be more VR: Yeah, its like I had to actually specific, and now where are don’t use those pictures. And I slacker! Chances are that’s where it came from. think through and see if there you based? protested, no this is cool. It was a DH: Names are kind of like, when were tunes that had any. VR: New York City picture of a black girl, just looking kind of real lonesome. It was sup- you’re born with your name, you DH: I don’t think we’re really You’re still NYC based, but opposed to the idea, but we the record label has posed to be better late than don’t even think about it after awhile, it’s just your name. don’t... I don’t know. A lot of changed. never. Just very dreary kind of VR: I like when people tell me that music today is very superficial to DH: Well our record label is based like whatever, and everybody they have names like, my name’s me in terms of lyrics. If the mes- out of Los Angeles, but we still live thought they didn’t know if that Audrey, after Audrey Hepburn. sage is “I’m a badass” or “Fuck in New York and its... Guys live in works. Then the photographer You know or my name’s such & you, I’m gonna fuckin’ kill you”, Brooklyn and Vic lives in New said let me just snap a couple of such after the character in this people do it cause it establishes Rochelle right now. pictures, Chris was hesitant at movie, a lot of girls tell me that some sort of an image. I just VR: It’s like a suburb. first but then agreed. It was total- ‘My mom named me after such & haven’t really needed to establish Are you on the road a lot? ly accidental. The same thing such. You know... that sort of an image in anything VR: A fair amount. We’ve been on happened with Redlight, we were DH: My uncle’s middle name is I’ve written, so... the road for the past year pretty supposed to have another girl in the window.... Donluxmoney, my dad was very VR: The Gadjits actually have a steadily, actually maybe a little over fair amount of cursewords.

DH: but the Wix was in town... into Donald Duck when he was LORD SLUGGO RUGGIERO a year. DH: Really? DH: Yeah, its been a year and a VR: So we were like hey, we’re continued4 DH: They knew the words to the newer material, but we’ve Have you ever been, or are you currently a member of the communist party? VR: Yeah, I was kind of surprised. been used to kind of playing a lot of the new record for like (Both look at each other and laugh) That’s when we were going through the past year or so and no one knowing what the hell we VR: Speaking for myself, I’ve never been a member stuff and we thought oh this sounds like were playing. We kind of got used to that, because we’ve of the communist party. My name is Vic by the way, it could actually be a radio-ready tune, always had a lot of extra material to play live that hasn’t this is Vic talking. except that it says fuck really loud. been recorded. It’s kind of funny because right now is the DH: Next question... (laughter) We contemplated should we first time where we’ve recorded more than we know how to Are you on tour with the Skatalites? Is this make a version that’s got a beep on it, play. a tour, two week deal or one time event? leaves it out, or try an alternate take? VR: “Walking On” is the only tune... DH: Now we’re just doing weekends It’s like “then don’t say fuck, say...” Use DH: (interrupts) There’s like 3 or 4 tunes that we’ve written VR: We just like to play with them like we’re playing another phrase or something. I was sur- that have’t come out on anything, and then there’s all the with them tonight, you know. When we heard them... prised because we were looking at stuff that’s on the drawing board. I guess we’re talking How is that, Obviously you’re playing with lyrics and it was like wow, these guys about working on the next album already. The Skatalites, how do you feel? curse a lot, and you don’t think of them How has the switch to Label helped you, cause obviously they have helped DH: It’s kinda gonna be weird night, this is the first as a band that would curse so heavily. HILLYARD time without Roland [Alphonso, the late Skatalites DH: No, you don’t. you get out more. They can do more than a saxophone], you know because he passed a couple VR: I dunno. The old Slacker tunes, small independent label. Just today.. weeks ago. definitely the more 2tone stuff had curs- DH: Hellcat Records IS an independent label buddy. VR: Yeah, it is going to be weird. It was strange es in it. That was just our head at the Okay. A common misconception. enough seeing them without Tommy [McCook, great time I think. It’s a lot angrier. DH: Yeah, don’t forget that. Skatalites bandleader] (Dave nods) When he was DH: The Specials had curses & shit (Vic I’m on a mailing list somewhere and today I got first getting sick it was like, Wow, Tommy’s not there. nods in agreement) “You’re going home a X-mas card from Epitaph. Just the cost involved with doing that illustrates some big He came back one night when we played with them in a fuckin’ ambulance” DAVE’ in New Jersey, remember that gig Dave? VR: Or like they say the word shit a lot resources. Hellcat’s where they got my name, DH: It was one time when he was really sick, yet he on The Specials first record. Like in Too dammit! played great! Phenomenal. much too young, you know the “try VR: (laughs) Well they’re all independent labels, even VR: He came back with a fuckin’ vengeance! We wearing a cap” song. Epitaph. Even though its a big-ass independent label, its played this gig and man, the band was smokin’, just Talk about the transition the not necessarily corporate. They have resources to pull amazing...one of the best nights I’ve ever seen them. Slackers made from 2Tone together. DH: Yeah, they kicked ass man. influenced stuff to your sound Have you seen a visible difference? VR: It’s like... of now. I know if you listen to DH: Oh yeah, definitely. Like there’s a guy at the phone

‘DISCO DH: (interrupting) They really kicked ass that night early Slackers material (Sister, between 9-5 PST that I can call up, talk to about what’s VR: Yeah, really. Tommy and Roland were totally Sister, Raygun Sally), it doesn’t going on. If we have a problem, or if I want to find out how trying to cut each other every second. It seemed like sound like roots ska... There’s a the record is doing, I usually get straight answers. (Vic you know “I might have been sick, but I’ve been bit of development, so talk snickers) There are people who can look that information DH: We still have the moment, it Our band gravitated naturally practicing!”(laughter) ...and Roland was like you’re about that progression. up on a computer and tell me instantly. Regular accounting never really has gone away. We towards the traditional, or I guess not gonna get me man, I know you’ve been practic- VR: Well basically, it’s all Dave’s fault. statements (laughter), I mean there’s all sorts of things that play it a little differently though. what they call “traditional”. I don’t ing! The band was really excited as well, so that was (pauses) What happened was we were happen, know what I mean? It’s not a mystery when things VR: But the thing is though, my own call it that. a great night. And now... Both of them are... And they all perfectly happy playing rock’n’roll are going to occur. It’s like every three months, boom! It’s orientation initially was from a punk DH: It’s not really. both died really close to each other. Kindred spirits. music. Then uh, somebody said “Hey as if the efficiency level is a lot higher, but then that’s perspective, you know, whereas the VR: It’s like... it’s ska music you (pauses) Now most of the front lineup of the original why don’t we get a saxophone?” and based on the fact that the people aren’t business people, other guys... Luis played in a punk know, it’s a real ska. Skatalites is gone forever. you know, its been downhill ever since. they’re pretty nice people who like music a lot, so its really band, but Marcus [Geard, bassist] Who does most of the song DH: You never know what’s going to happen, it’ll be (laughter) easy to deal with them alot and often. Many of our friends never did, and TJ [Scanlon, guitar] writing in your group? interesting. The rhythm section 2 Lloyds are so pow- DH: In essence, he’s saying that my are working there. never did. And Qmaxx 420 never DH: That guy (pointing to Vic) erful. Just fantastic. That’s what’s going to be inter- enlightened approach to music has VR: And we’ve made alot of new friends too. People who did. VR: I do. I do most of it, me & Dave esting to see how the band sounds without Roland. influenced the band in that direction. are just basically music enthusiasts. They may have mostly DH: I obviously never did either, write a lot together. This past record VR: The ska music will live on. (cough) punk bands on their roster list of things to do, but they hear playing in The Donkey Show and The Question has got songs from Definitely a legacy. As one Otis Reem song VR: You could see his influence on the our record and they go, oh that’s cool, I like that.So you Hepcat, until I played with Rancid our guitar player TJ, our drummer goes, “All ska bands never die” (Vic laughs) Rancid record (smirks, Dave laughs) know they keep us in line, put us places and do things like VR: So it was like 2 of us, maybe Luis, Marcus the bass player, Glen It’s absolutely true. Alright thanks alot. The new one that. It’s been very cool for us. 2.5. Mark Q might have played in a our new player even. VR: Thank you man. THE END. [Ed. note: Life Won’t Wait] band semi-punk at one point. But it There was a lot more all-around DH: It was a natural transition. wasn’t like the original Specials contribution. VR: What happened was that we had from that time who were obviously DH: We all kind of work on the www.theslackers.com been introduced to ska music by hear- very fluent in the punk genre. So arrangement of the tunes, it’s really ing bands such as the Specials, and a you see, it’s kind of hard to teach rare that everything is spelled out. lot of 2Tone stuff, and we tried to play someone at 23 years old. Mark wrote that tune with Marcus, that a lot and enjoyed playing that a lot. Either you’ve already learned it, or there’s a lot. It’s kind of like the first But later on, once we heard the older you’re not about it. If you played in one [Better Late Than Never, 1995] stuff, the real 1960s ska beats. Once I funk bands, jazz bands or fusion where everybody contributed their saw The Skatalites, and I think this bands while the punk thing was thing. holds true for the rest of the band as going on, you missed it. [laughter] How has crowd response for well, once we saw them, we stepped You know what I mean, it’s not like the new record been? back and said wow, this is THE music. “Well now I’m going to teach you DH: It’s only been out a coupla And it seemed that just the interest of how to be a little sloppy at this weeks but when we played in the band had shifted back. Oh yeah, spot”, and so you’ll never have a Boston we were really psyched that other [2Tone] stuff is really cool, band that sounds like The Specials, because everybody knew the words and it’s cool to play rock n’ roll, punk & because they were a punk band to newer songs. whatever. that played ska. VR: Did they? hpska.com4 233 S.FIRST STREET APT. #2W BROOKLYN NY 11211 USA