Pilfers

Ska-punk outfit the Pilfers coalesced from the scattered personnel of several established New York City acts, with frontman Coolie Ranx having previously performed in the Toasters, trombonist Vinny Nobile holding tenure in Bim Skala Bim, guitarist Nick Bacon contributing to the Erratics, and bassist Anna Milat-Meyer plus drummer James Blanck having worked together in Skinnerbox. The group assembled in 1997 once Ranx left the Toasters, steadily cultivating a devoted audience through an unrelenting sequence of live dates that included opening slots for Bad Brains, the Specials, Madness, and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones while moving more than 10,000 copies of their independently issued, self-titled 1998 debut via shows and the internet. After signing with Mojo Records, the Pilfers issued Chawalaleng in 1999.