Since 1981, New York City ska band The Toasters have been lighting up clubs and festivals all over the world with their own brand of two-tone ska. Although the lineup is not the same as it was in 1981, the passion for the music remains.
The current lineup — Bucket (guitar/vocals), Jesse Hayes (drums), Sander Log (sax), Cooper Barton (trombone) and Andy Pearson (bass) — will bring its fall tour to Caf� Metropolis on Tuesday, Oct. 27.
The band’s longevity can be attributed to guitarist and vocalist Bucket, who has been with the band since its inception.
“I don’t want to have a 9-5,” said Bucket. “Plus, we all love the music and playing out live, so that’s a huge consideration.”
Bucket added that outside of being in The Toasters, none of the band member do anything that would be classified as a real job. Music is the band’s primary focus.
“Most of the guys have secondary and tertiary band projects,” said Bucket. “When I am at home I manage the band, the record company (Megalith Records) and attempt to contain my three teenage kids.”
In the near 29 years of the band’s existence, The Toasters’ refusal to change their sound for a mass audience is another reason for their staying power — both in the mainstream and in the ska community. In addition, the Toasters have the ability to keep fans for generations, as well as gain new ones.
“We didn’t follow trends, and we have our own signature sound which people seem to be able to recognize,” said Bucket. “We play our own tunes, and we were not afraid to take the show out onto the road. By establishing a wide touring footprint we were not victims to the collapse of music sales … and so we didn’t have to change our style. I think that has resonated with the public and stood us in good stead.”
Bucket added, “There is a constant influx of new young fans, and now some of the older fans are bringing their kids, so that’s good to see. I think that one of the reasons that we have been able to be around so long is that there are successive generations of new fans. That’s good to see.”
Throughout the band’s existence, The Toasters have played shows throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. That’ll be the case again Tuesday at Caf� Metropolis’ annual “Skalloween” with Am Rev II.
“I like playing in The Metro because it is lo-fi, and quite often those shows are the most rewarding in terms of crowd response,” said Bucket. “One of the great things about being in a band like the Toasters is that we can go from ‘enormodome,’ to outdoor festival, to beach gig to small and crowded club from night to night. I find that the contact with the audience is at its peak in the tiny club atmosphere, and since the audience response and participation is so important for this type of dance music, often those performances end up being the best.”
Fans of The Toasters will be in store for a “Skalloween” show filled with songs spanning the spectrum of the band’s career, including new material.
“We introduce new material slowly, as fans get upset if we don’t play their favorite songs, and so we have a module within the set where we bring in new songs and rotate older tunes,” Bucket said. “We will have a couple new songs in the set in Wilkes-Barre, as well as dusting off a couple golden oldies.”
Writing new songs is important to Bucket and The Toasters, who are constantly writing, recording and performing new material. Even with the downturn in record purchases, staying relevant and creating new music is important.
“Writing songs really has nothing to do with selling records; it’s more about expression,” said Bucket. “On the other hand, it’s less motivating to record them, as it’s more difficult now to recoup studio costs. That’s not going to hinder the artistic process, however. It’s the business model of the music industry that’s hurting, not the creative end.”
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“Skalloween,” The Toasters w/ Am Rev II, Tuesday, Oct. 27, doors 6:30, show 7 p.m., Cafe Metropolis (94 S. Main St., Wilkes-Barre). Tickets: $10 at door, all ages. Info: www.toasters.org, www.cafemetropolis.com
