Animix Announces Musical Guests: The Slants
Killeen, TX - August 15, 2007 - Animix is proud to present The Slants in addition to their current line of honored guests. The Slants are an Asian dance rock band hailing from Portland, OR and are scheduled to play other anime conventions around the country such as Kumoricon and Tokyo in Tulsa. Other guests at Animix 2008 include: Tiffany Grant (voice actress for ADV Films), Darrel Guilbeau (voice actor), Chris Hazelton (web comic creator), and The One Ups (band).
2008 will be Animix's inaugural year, focusing on video games and anime culture, celebrated with three days of events and activities. They are planning on kicking off the convention with a live performance by The Slants.
The Slants' first album (Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts), to be released in September 2007, represents an emotional journey of growing up as first generation Americans in an Asian family, characterized by stories of the Triad and Yakuza (Asian mafia). Taking pride in their rich cultural traditions, The Slants further distinguish themselves from other artists by layering their image and writing with references to Asian cinema; in particular, the crime genre, paying respects to directors such as John Woo, Johnny To, and Takeshi Kitano.
Like many rock artists, The Slants see their music as a melting pot of influences. They blend the sounds pioneered by Joy Division, New Order, and Depeche Mode with more contemporary writing styles. Through stories, they sing of the struggle of living with righteousness and honor in a modern and evolving world. Although they have only recently formed, the public response has been overwhelming. Not only has there been significant support through the Asian community, but throughout the United States as well. However, not everyone has agreed with their aims.
"I remember when I was advertising for a singer, I used to get hate mail, crank calls, and even physical threats because people thought that I was being a racist," cites founder Simon Young (former bassist of The Stivs). "I just told them that we wanted to share our culture with the world. Girl bands never get accused as being sexist. In fact, no one ever questions directors who want Asian actors to play Asian roles!" Such controversy has only added attention to the band, building anticipation for their first release.
More information about Animix 2008 can be found at www.Animix.org For information about The Slants, visit www.theslants.com or www.myspace.com/theslants
