The British punk band Slaves has changed their name because it “no longer represents who we are as individuals or what our music stands for.”
The duo, who have had three top 10 albums in the UK and been nominated for the Mercury Prize, will now be known as Soft Play.
They stated that their original name “was intended purely as a metaphor to the daily grind.”
The message continued, “We truly apologize to anyone we may have upset.”
The Fader published an article with the heading “Why Would A Band Of White Dudes Name Themselves Slaves?” after the group made its breakthrough in 2014/2015.
The Kent band defended their decision at the time, issuing a statement noting that they had been “doing grueling 9-to-5 jobs, stacking shelves and scrubbing floors, when we began playing together.”
They stated, “Our name and songs reflect our desire to be enslaved by daily life and routine. It is a figurative usage of the word…
“Cease Fire and Wishing Well are the first two songs we ever composed; they target smokers and the daily grind: ‘It doesn’t matter if they’re taken; they’ll take you.”
Now, after a three-year hiatus, they have returned and released a statement stating, “As younger men, we replied to criticism of the name out of fear and defensiveness.
“Feeling forced into a corner, we fought for a name we weren’t even sure we wanted. At times, we felt as though our band name defined us, and we feared what would occur if we changed it.
“However, we now acknowledge that our initial intention does not alter the reality that the name Slaves are problematic. In this day and age, we believe people must change and progress, regardless of how far along they are.”
