Victor "Vic" Ruggiero is a musician, songwriter, and producer from New York City. Ruggiero started playing piano by ear as a fifth grader and sang with the Metropolitan Opera at age 12. In 1986, while attending Ardsley High School, he played in a hardcore group called Sic & Mad. Ruggiero formed The Slackers in 1992, initially as a trio and later expanding to include additional members. Their music includes a blend of reggae, blues, ska, and rocksteady. Ruggiero released a solo demo My Own Private Apocalypse in 1998, followed by the solo album Understanding New Jersey & Living in Sin in 2001. He released albums such as Alive at the Ladybug House in 2004, and collaborated with various artists, including Rancid. Other notable solo releases include the albums Hamburguru in 2007 and Something in My Blindspot in 2008.
