SLANTED

How an Asian American Troublemaker Took on the Supreme Court

Gripping, funny, enlightening, and ultimately uplifting, Slanted proves that no obstacle is too difficult to conquer –as long as you have a little heart and a lot of rock n’ roll. It’s an irrepressible story that is fresh, alive, and defines what it means to be American.

Available April 30, 2019

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About the Book

“Racist. Hero. Stubborn. Fighter. Chink.

I’ve been called many things on the way to this moment, but ironically, I’ve never been called ‘a slant.’”

When Simon Tam started an Asian American dance rock band called The Slants, he didn’t realize that he was starting an entire movement around freedom of expression and discussions on identity. The band flipped stereotypes with their bombastic live shows and community activism. But when Simon applied to register a trademark on the band’s name, the government dragged him all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Slanted is the story of an indomitable spirit who so believes in the idea of justice that he’s willing to risk everything along the way for the dignity of self-identity. Simon reveals a deeply personal account that will take you from anime conventions to the Supreme Court, all in the name of justice. The story provides a raw look at our legal system with unflinching honesty and offers timely insights on freedom of speech, how to connect with others we disagree with, and the power of music.

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“Dance rock band front man Simon Tam sought to trademark The Slants. His aim was to reappropriate a term long used to disparage a minority group and to render the term a badge of pride. All of us agreed.”

— Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Simon Tam

Simon Tam is an author, musician and activist.

Simon is best known as the founder and bassist of The Slants, the world’s first and only all-Asian American dance rock band. His work has been highlighted in thousands of media features across 150 countries including the New York Times, Washington Post, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, NPR, BBC, CBS, and Rolling Stone. He has appeared on the TEDx stage over a dozen times.

He helped expand freedom of speech through winning a unanimous victory at the Supreme Court of the United States for a landmark case, Matal v. Tam. He is the recipient of the Hugh M Hefner First Amendment Award and The Mark T. Banner award from the American Bar Association.

In 2018, he founded The Slants Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing scholarships and mentorship to artists combining activism and community engagement into their work.