The Slants
Encyclopedia
The Slants are the first Asian American
dance rock
band in the world. The band was founded by Simon Young in 2006 in Portland, Oregon
. Often compared with 80’s synth-pop bands such as Depeche Mode
, New Order
, and Joy Division
, as well as modern acts such as The Killers and The Bravery
, the band often refers to their sound as “Chinatown Dance Rock.” All four members of the current lineup are of Asian Pacific Islander descent and they are well known for their involvement with the Asian American community, often playing at large cultural festivals and anime conventions, and fighting racist ideas/stereotypes.
and locations such as Asian supermarket
s. The process took 2 years to finalize the initial line-up.
The band name, The Slants, is a reference to the perception that Asians have “slanted eyes.” Of the band name, bass player Young has said:
After multiple lineup changes with different instrumentation, the band finally settled on being a four-piece outfit featuring the members Aron Moxley as lead singer, Simon Young
on bass, guitarist Johnny Fontanilla, and Tyler Chen playing drums and laptop.
, The Cure
, Duran Duran
, The Cult
, and Joy Division
. Critics also compare The Slants with modern artists such as The Killers, VNV Nation
, and Mindless Self-Indulgence.
In 2008, The Slants competed in Bodog Music Battle of the Bands for the opportunity to be featured on the Fuse TV
reality show and win a $1 million dollar recording contract. The band consistently placed first in every round of the competition. However, when they learned that they would be required to sign a 73-page non-negotiable contract in order to continue the competition, they dropped out. The band reasoned: "This was just not the right fit for our band at this time – or any band, really."
The Slants have garnered a niche fan-base of otaku
as a result of their appearances at anime conventions. The band has also been featured in the shōjo
manga
magazine Shojo Beat
, as well as partnering with the magazine and Sakura-Con
for a Hello Kitty
guitar contest.
Their debut Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts was listed in the top 5 Asian-American albums of 2007 by AsiaXpress and has won accolades such as “Album of the Year” from the Portland Music Awards, Willamette Week
, RockWired, and others.
In 2009, the band released a collection of Dance Dance Revolution
-styled remixes of their debut album, "Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts" and donated 100% of the profits to cancer research for Asian women.
and are increasing in popularity.
Kicking off the band's career at a tiny dive bar in Portland, OR, The Slants soon found themselves on tour and in demand worldwide performing at music halls, colleges, and anime conventions. Within months, they released their debut album "Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts" winning multiple awards from the likes of Willamette Week, Rockwired, AsiaXpress, and the Portland Music Awards. Since that first iconic show in 2007, The Slants have been cited as the "Hardest Working Asian American Band" (slanteyefortheroundeye.com), toured North America ten times, rejected a million dollar recording contract, were the first and only Asian band to be a Fender Music artist, and according to U.S Congress, the first rock band to play inside a state library.
The Willamette Week, summarizes The Slants' history perfectly: "It's a great story: All-Asian synthcore troupe lands anime festival, achieves instantaneous notoriety from overpacked fireball-laden maelstrom, inspires John Woo and Dragon Ball Z fans toward aggro electro and--just months after its first practice--books gigs across the globe. As shadow-warriory as the Slants' rise has been, it's still all about the tunes, and the band's debut--floor-filling synth pop bristling with all the menace and grandeur of its oft name-checked cultural icons--is propulsive, cinematic and impossible to ignore."
By the end of 2008, the band had been featured in over 1,200 magazines, radio stations, websites, and television shows for their self-proclaimed "Chinatown Dance Rock," including a feature on NPR's "All Things Considered" that blasted across 700 FM stations across the country for months.
The following year, The Slants headlined a SXSW showcase (other acts at the festival included Katy Perry
, Metallica
, and Devo
), launched several more tours spanning North America, and released a dance remix album entitled "Slants! Slants! Revolution," while donating 100% of the proceeds to benefit cancer research affecting Asian American
women.
2010 saw the release of The Slants' third album, "Pageantry." Pageantry featured a number of local icons including Cory Gray (The Decemberists), Krista Herring, Mic Crenshaw, and Gabe Kniffin (Silversafe). The harder hitting, guitar driven songs still featured The Slants' signature dance rock flavor and again, massive touring followed.
The Slants have shared the stage with acts such as Apl.de.Ap (Black Eyed Peas), Vampire Weekend, Girl Talk, Girugamesh, M.O.V.E and Boom Boom Satellites.
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
dance rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band in the world. The band was founded by Simon Young in 2006 in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. Often compared with 80’s synth-pop bands such as Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
, New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
, and Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
, as well as modern acts such as The Killers and The Bravery
The Bravery
The Bravery is an American rock band from New York City that consists of Sam Endicott , Michael Zakarin , John Conway , Mike Hindert , and Anthony Burulcich...
, the band often refers to their sound as “Chinatown Dance Rock.” All four members of the current lineup are of Asian Pacific Islander descent and they are well known for their involvement with the Asian American community, often playing at large cultural festivals and anime conventions, and fighting racist ideas/stereotypes.
Formation
The band was formed after posting ads to local classifieds, CraigslistCraigslist
Craigslist is a centralized network of online communities featuring free online classified advertisements, with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, gigs, résumés, and discussion forums....
and locations such as Asian supermarket
Asian supermarket
An Asian supermarket, sometimes called an "Oriental supermarket", is a grocery store in non-Asian countries that stocks items imported from the many countries in East and Southeast Asia. They carry items and ingredients generally well-suited for Asian cuisines and not found in most Western...
s. The process took 2 years to finalize the initial line-up.
The band name, The Slants, is a reference to the perception that Asians have “slanted eyes.” Of the band name, bass player Young has said:
"We want to take on these stereotypes that people have about us, like the slanted eyes, and own them. We’re very proud of being Asian — we’re not going to hide that fact. The reaction from the Asian community has been overwhelmingly positive."
After multiple lineup changes with different instrumentation, the band finally settled on being a four-piece outfit featuring the members Aron Moxley as lead singer, Simon Young
Simon Young
Simon Young may refer to:* Simon Young , magistrate of the Pitcairn Islands* Simon Young , Irish radio and television presenter* Simon Young , Kerrang! journalist and podcast presenter...
on bass, guitarist Johnny Fontanilla, and Tyler Chen playing drums and laptop.
Musical Characteristics and Influence
The Slants describe themselves as "Chinatown Dance Rock," and are often compared to electro rock bands such as The Faint or early 80's synthpop groups such as Depeche ModeDepeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
, The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
, Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
, The Cult
The Cult
The Cult are a British rock band that was formed in 1983. They gained a dedicated following in Britain in the mid 1980s as a post-punk band with singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary", before breaking mainstream in the United States in the late 1980s as a hard rock band with singles such as "Love...
, and Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
. Critics also compare The Slants with modern artists such as The Killers, VNV Nation
VNV Nation
VNV Nation are a British/Irish electronic music band originally from Dublin, Ireland and Essex, United Kingdom and now based in Hamburg, Germany. They combine elements of electro-industrial, trance, synthpop and electronic body music . The members are Ronan Harris and Mark Jackson...
, and Mindless Self-Indulgence.
Notable Accomplishments
The Slants are the world’s only Fender Music spotlight artist.In 2008, The Slants competed in Bodog Music Battle of the Bands for the opportunity to be featured on the Fuse TV
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
reality show and win a $1 million dollar recording contract. The band consistently placed first in every round of the competition. However, when they learned that they would be required to sign a 73-page non-negotiable contract in order to continue the competition, they dropped out. The band reasoned: "This was just not the right fit for our band at this time – or any band, really."
The Slants have garnered a niche fan-base of otaku
Otaku
is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga or video games.- Etymology :Otaku is derived from a Japanese term for another's house or family , which is also used as an honorific second-person pronoun...
as a result of their appearances at anime conventions. The band has also been featured in the shōjo
Shojo
The term refers to manga marketed to a female audience roughly between the ages of 10-18. The name romanizes the Japanese 少女 , literally: "little female". Shōjo manga covers many subjects in a variety of narrative and graphic styles, from historical drama to science fiction — often with a strong...
manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
magazine Shojo Beat
Shojo Beat
Shojo Beat is a shōjo manga magazine formerly published in North America by Viz Media. Released in June 2005 as a sister magazine to Shonen Jump, it featured serialized chapters from six manga series, as well as articles on Japanese culture, manga, anime, fashion and beauty...
, as well as partnering with the magazine and Sakura-Con
Sakura-Con
Sakura-Con is an annual three-day anime convention held during March or April at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle, Washington.- Programming :...
for a Hello Kitty
Hello Kitty
is a fictional character produced by the Japanese company Sanrio, first designed by Yuko Shimizu. She is portrayed as a female white Japanese bobtail cat with a red bow. The character's first appearance on an item, a vinyl coin purse, was introduced in Japan in 1974 and brought to the United States...
guitar contest.
Their debut Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts was listed in the top 5 Asian-American albums of 2007 by AsiaXpress and has won accolades such as “Album of the Year” from the Portland Music Awards, Willamette Week
Willamette Week
Willamette Week is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Portland, Oregon, United States. It features reports on local news, politics, sports, business and culture....
, RockWired, and others.
In 2009, the band released a collection of Dance Dance Revolution
Dance Dance Revolution
Dance Dance Revolution, abbreviated DDR, and previously known as Dancing Stage in Europe and Australasia, is a music video game series produced by Konami. Introduced in Japan in 1998 as part of the Bemani series, and released in North America and Europe in 1999, Dance Dance Revolution is the...
-styled remixes of their debut album, "Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts" and donated 100% of the profits to cancer research for Asian women.
Official Biography
It is rare for a band to be headlining shows with 5,000-15,000 fans internationally in their first year as a band. What originated as a side project for Simon Young (of The Stivs) in 2007 proved to be one of the most energetic, contagious movements of music in our time. The Slants are the first and only all Asian synth-pop bands in North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and are increasing in popularity.
Kicking off the band's career at a tiny dive bar in Portland, OR, The Slants soon found themselves on tour and in demand worldwide performing at music halls, colleges, and anime conventions. Within months, they released their debut album "Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts" winning multiple awards from the likes of Willamette Week, Rockwired, AsiaXpress, and the Portland Music Awards. Since that first iconic show in 2007, The Slants have been cited as the "Hardest Working Asian American Band" (slanteyefortheroundeye.com), toured North America ten times, rejected a million dollar recording contract, were the first and only Asian band to be a Fender Music artist, and according to U.S Congress, the first rock band to play inside a state library.
The Willamette Week, summarizes The Slants' history perfectly: "It's a great story: All-Asian synthcore troupe lands anime festival, achieves instantaneous notoriety from overpacked fireball-laden maelstrom, inspires John Woo and Dragon Ball Z fans toward aggro electro and--just months after its first practice--books gigs across the globe. As shadow-warriory as the Slants' rise has been, it's still all about the tunes, and the band's debut--floor-filling synth pop bristling with all the menace and grandeur of its oft name-checked cultural icons--is propulsive, cinematic and impossible to ignore."
By the end of 2008, the band had been featured in over 1,200 magazines, radio stations, websites, and television shows for their self-proclaimed "Chinatown Dance Rock," including a feature on NPR's "All Things Considered" that blasted across 700 FM stations across the country for months.
The following year, The Slants headlined a SXSW showcase (other acts at the festival included Katy Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, and Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...
), launched several more tours spanning North America, and released a dance remix album entitled "Slants! Slants! Revolution," while donating 100% of the proceeds to benefit cancer research affecting Asian American
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
women.
2010 saw the release of The Slants' third album, "Pageantry." Pageantry featured a number of local icons including Cory Gray (The Decemberists), Krista Herring, Mic Crenshaw, and Gabe Kniffin (Silversafe). The harder hitting, guitar driven songs still featured The Slants' signature dance rock flavor and again, massive touring followed.
The Slants have shared the stage with acts such as Apl.de.Ap (Black Eyed Peas), Vampire Weekend, Girl Talk, Girugamesh, M.O.V.E and Boom Boom Satellites.