The Pietasters

The Pietasters is a ska punk band that formed in Washington, D.C. in 1990 as The Slugs by students at Virginia Tech. The band eventually changed its name to The Pietasters and developed a sound by mixing ska, reggae, punk rock and R&B. While making the rounds at dive bars in the D.C. area, The Pieasters befriended a manager of a local bar who helped the band record its debut self-titled album, also known as Piestomp, in 1993. After spending the better portion of the next couple years touring, the band dropped its follow-up Oolooloo in 1995, and continued traveling the US on various tours including The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. During a stop in Los Angeles, Rancid vocalist and guitarist Tim Armstrong approached the band and asked if it would like to be part of his new label, Hellcat Records with the likes of Dropkick Murphys and The Slackers. The band signed with the label and released its 1997 album Willis, before embarking on its first European tour. Seventeen years after its inception, The Pietasters released its sixth studio album All Day, in 2007.