The Toasters

  • New York, NY
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  • Rock
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  • 1981
    started
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About The Toasters


One of the most important American ska bands, the Toasters did much to popularize the genre on the underground scene in the mid- to late '80s, laying the groundwork for later third wave bands like the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and ska's subsequent explosion in popularity in the mid- to late '90s. British expatriate Rob "Bucket" Hingley formed the Toasters in New York City in 1982 after discovering that the 2 Tone ska he loved had made virtually no inroads into the American music scene. He gathered several employees at the comic-book store he managed to form the Toasters' first incarnation, releasing their first single, "Beat Up," in 1983. Hingley also formed his own label, Moon Ska Records, to counteract skepticism from major labels that ska would ever prove popular in the U.S.; Moon Ska has since grown into the largest independent ska label in the country.

A demo EP, Recriminations, was released in 1985 and produced by Joe Jackson, the first of several collaborations; two years later, the Toasters issued their first full-length American album, Skaboom, for Celluloid. Thrill Me Up (1988) and This Gun for Hire (1990) helped consolidate the band's following, as the New York ska scene and Moon Ska's artist roster mushroomed behind them. The Toasters' lineup continued to shift through the '90s, eventually leaving guitarist/vocalist Hingley the only original member; some of the musicians remaining fairly steady in their '90s lineups included bassist Matt Malles, saxophonist Freddie Reiter, trumpeter Brian Sledge, trombonists Rick "Chunk" Faulkner and Erick "E-Man" Storckman, keyboardist Dave Barry, drummer Johnnathan McCain, and vocalist Coolie Ranx, as well as frequent guest appearances from saxophonist Lester "Ska" Sterling.

In addition to Hingley's activities with Moon Ska, the Toasters continued to release albums throughout the decade, including New York Fever (1992), Dub 56 (1994), Hard Band for Dead (1996), and D.L.T.B.G.Y.D. (1997). The Toasters soldiered on in the new millennium with 2002's Enemy of the System; the 2003 compilation In Retrospect: The Best of the Toasters; and 2007's One More Bullet, released in celebration of the band's 25th anniversary. When not in the studio, Hingley and his ever evolving Toasters lineup can be found touring the U.S., Europe, and other ska-hungry corners of the globe. ~ Steve Huey, Rovi

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Music

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  • I Wasn't Going to Call You Anyway
    the-toasters
    Video
    I Wasn't Going to Call You Anyway
  • Don't Let the Bastards Grind You Down
    the-toasters
    Video
    Don't Let the Bastards Grind You Down
  • 7527
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    SoundStream
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    • Pool Shark
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/8/3/5/2/2/956322538.mp3
    • I'm Running Right Through The World
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/2/3/7/9/0/107809732.mp3
    • Pool Shark
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/6/4/8/0/6/107860846.mp3
    • Weekend In L.A.
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/6/5/7/8/0/107708756.mp3
    • Don't Let The Bastards Grind You Down
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/4/6/6/5/6/107465664.mp3
    • East Side Beat
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/1/1/7/0/6/107860711.mp3

Photos

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  • The Toasters
    Courtesy of Asian Man Records
  • Moon SKA
    The Toasters
    Moon SKA

News

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  • The Toasters
    Dan Deacon Went to a Toasters Show, Probably
    prefixmag.com
    .) A page at Channel 59 features 10-year-old photos of an awkward teen Deacon back in his Long Island ska days -- performing on stage, wearing a pork ...
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Tour Dates

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  • May 29 Wednesday
    Berlin, Germany SO36
    Buy Ticket
  • Jun 7 Friday
    Kingston Upon Thames, UK Kingsmeadow
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  • Jun 15 Saturday
    Brooklyn, NY, US The Grand Victory
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  • Jun 22 Saturday
    Kingston Upon Thames, UK Kingsmeadow
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  • Aug 16 Friday
    Folkstone, Kent, UK Unknown venue
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  • Dec 10 Tuesday
    Zürich, Switzerland Eldorado
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Discography

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Next Page
  • 30th Anniversary (2012)
    The Toasters
    30th Anniversary (2012)
    Phoenix City
  • En Caracas (2008)
    The Toasters
    En Caracas (2008)
    Radio Pirata
  • One More Bullet (2007)
    The Toasters
    One More Bullet (2007)
    Stomp Records
  • You're Gonna Pay (2006)
    The Toasters
    You're Gonna Pay (2006)
    Megalith Records
  • Rare as Toast (2005)
    The Toasters
    Rare as Toast (2005)
    Moon Ska Records
  • Live in Brazil (2003)
    The Toasters
    Live in Brazil (2003)
    Megalith/Jump Up
  • Enemy of the System (2002)
    The Toasters
    Enemy of the System (2002)
    Asian Man Records
  • Dub 56 Plus Live in L.A. (2000)
    The Toasters
    Dub 56 Plus Live in L.A. (2000)
    Pork Pie
  • Live in London (1998)
    The Toasters
    Live in London (1998)
    Moon Ska Records
  • D.L.T.B.G.Y.D. (Don't Let the Bastards Grind You Down) (1997)
    The Toasters
    D.L.T.B.G.Y.D. (Don't Let the Bastards Grind You Down) (1997)
    Moon
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