Robert “Bucket” Hingley, guitarist and vocalist for legendary ska band “The Toasters,” spoke with The Daily’s Claire Douthitt after its concert at The Deli. Based out of New York, the band formed in 1981 and is allegedly the longest-running ska band in the U.S

The Toasters have released nine studio albums, most of them on Moon Ska Records.

Ska music originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s. The genre is characterized by a combination of elements from Caribbean calypso and jazz. A familiar trait of ska is a walking bass line, brass instruments and rhythms on the offbeat.

The Toasters still perform around the world, and in 2007 the band elebrated its 25th anniversary with a new studio album, “One More Bullet.”

Q: You guys have been around for awhile, tell me a little bit about your history as a band.

A: Yeah, well it’s a checkered past, not all of it good. This will be our 28th year making noise, and it’s all about noise.

Q: You are kicking off your tour here tonight. Have you gotten to spend any time in Norman? Have you played here before?

A: Our tour starts tomorrow, we’re here just blowing off steam, you know, our record label is here. This is our first time playing at The Deli. We’ve spent time in the area.

Q: Who are some of your musical influences? What have you been listening to lately?

A: Nothing new, most of the stuff is older. R&B, old town, rock from back in the day. I don’t know how music labels compromise these sociopaths as singers these days.

Q: You’ve seen how the music industry has changed over the years. What do you think the major problem is in the industry today?

A: It really started happening with Napster. It’s a monster. It’s hard to have sympathy. These changes really aren’t all that recent; it started in the 90s with Napster. It’s like giving someone a gun and telling them not to shoot it. Sony gave people CD burners and told them not to use it.

Q: What is your favorite song to play live?

A: “Decision at Midnight.” It’s about cultural revolution, what it’s like to live in Manhattan.

Q: Favorite venue or show you have ever played?

A: CBGBs. It’s kind of where we started. We were really disappointed when it closed. If that’s not a crime against culture then I don’t know what is.

Claire Douthitt is a english junior.