The Question is a crucial cornerstone in the history of NYC ska/reggae legends, The Slackers, and an essential album in the collection of any fan of the band or the multiple genres they effortlessly fuse together. Originally released in 1998, The Question marked the third LP in three years for the band, and the immediate follow-up to their breakthrough album, Redlight, from the previous year. The album was written and recorded amidst a nonstop schedule of touring and live performances. Recording took place at Coyote Studios in Brooklyn and at Tim Armstrong's Bloodclot Studio in Los Angeles. Vic Ruggiero was also working as a keyboard player and writer on Rancid's Life Wont Wait album which was also released in 1998. All of the above contributed to cementing The Slackers' place at the forefront of the 90s ska revival in the US & worldwide, as well as their reputation for being one of the most authentic bands paying respect to the roots of the genre (one of the album's dedications is to the late Skatalites founding member, Tommy McCook). With so many more eyes and ears tuned in, the band rose to the occasion and delivered on the high expectations. Selections from this record, including Have the Time, Keep Him Away, and Face in My Crowd, became staples in the band's live set and fan-favorites, with Have the Time still often receiving honored placement as a set-closer or encore nearly 25 years later. Unavailable to retail for the last fifteen years, Pirates Press Records is thrilled to re-present The Question, for it's twenty-fifth anniversary, an album whose place among The Slackers' early classic albums is truly without question!
