Sometimes people exist in a certain place and at a certain time for a reason. Slates is a punk band from Edmonton, Alberta; not punk like leather/tattoos/screaming/one minute songs and junk. Just punk. Edmonton is a cold, industrial city where money often dominates little things like art, the environment, and pride. Slates have to exist in Edmonton. They couldn’t exist without these surroundings, and the city needs somebody to document it and say when it’s right or wrong. The two go together perfectly.

Since 2008, Slates have been recording and touring. Their stinky van has taken them everywhere it physically can, and a less-stinky plane has brought them to places like Cuba, Bosnia and the Yukon Territory. Places that don’t often get to see touring bands. They’ve released three LPs and four 7-inches. Their newest full-length Taiga, which was recorded with engineer and producer Steve Albini (Nirvana, The Stooges, Jawbreaker, Neurosis) at Electric Audio, was released earlier this year on New Damage Records. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.