The Slants is an American dance rock band composed entirely of Asian-American musicians. The band also manages a nonprofit organization, and was founded by Simon Tam (also known as Simon Young) in 2006 in Portland, Oregon. The current members are bassist Simon Tam, lead singer Ken Shima, and guitarist Joe X. Jiang.
Influenced by 1980s bands such as Depeche Mode and New Order, as well as modern acts such as The Killers and The Bravery, the band refers to their sound as "Chinatown Dance Rock". The band is involved with Asian American community and racial justice work. This includes raising money for causes such as funding research into disparate rates of cancer for Asian American women, bridging divides, fighting bullying, and building community centers.
In addition, the band has garnered a niche fan-base of otaku as a result of their appearances at anime conventions. The band has also been featured in the shōjo manga magazine Shojo Beat, as well as partnering with the magazine, Fender guitars, and Sakura-Con for a Hello Kitty guitar contest.
In late 2019, the band officially retired from live touring in order to better focus on their nonprofit organization, The Slants Foundation. The band continues to compose music but no longer performs as a group.