How Old Is Wunderhorse’s Jacob Slater?

Okay, let’s cut to the chase. If you’ve stumbled down the rabbit hole of Wunderhorse’s grungy, raw rock anthems, you’ve probably asked the burning question: How old is Jacob Slater, the band’s frontman? Is he a jaded 45-year-old who’s seen it all, or a fresh-faced 20-something still figuring out how to do laundry? Spoiler alert: the truth is weirder and more surprising than you think.

The Official Answer (Buckle Up)

Jacob Slater was born on March 17, 1998. That makes him 27 years old as of 2025. Yes, you read that right: the dude who sings about existential dread and lost weekends with the gravelly voice of a chain-smoking philosopher is technically a Millennial-Zoomer cusp baby.

He was born in the same year Google was founded. The same year Titanic was in theaters. Let that sink in: Jacob Slater is younger than the movie where Leonardo DiCaprio freezes to death. Mind blown.

But He Sounds Like He’s 50 (And That’s the Magic)

Here’s the thing: if you close your eyes and listen to Wunderhorse’s album Cub, you’d swear you’re hearing a guy who spent 30 years drinking whiskey in a smoky bar. His voice is weathered, cracked, and full of stories—like a leather jacket that’s been through a tornado. But nope. Jacob was just a teenager writing those songs, probably still living on cereal and bad decisions.

It’s like finding out your grumpy, wise neighbor is actually a 12-year-old in a trench coat. How does he do it? Some say his voice aged faster because he screamed into a microphone too many times. Others believe he was born with the soul of a 60-year-old biker. I’m betting on a deal with a folk-rock demon.

Wait, He Was in a Teenage Punk Band?

Before Wunderhorse, Jacob was the drummer for Thee MVPs, a punk band that burst onto the scene when he was just 16. Yes, sixteen. That’s the age when most of us are worrying about acne and algebra, and Jacob was already smashing drum kits and writing angry anthems about authority.

Fun fact: Thee MVPs opened for the legendary Iggy Pop in 2015. Jacob was 17. Iggy Pop is basically eternal, but at the time he was 68. So Jacob Slater—at 17—shared a stage with a man who’d been punk since before Jacob’s parents met. That’s wilder than finding a UFO in your backyard.

Glasgow, Großbritannien. Juli 2024. Jacob Slater, Jamie Staples, Pete

The “Midas” Video and the “He’s a Baby” Illusion

Now, check out the music video for Wunderhorse’s Midas. Jacob’s got a full beard, looks like he’s about to chop wood or wrestle a bear, and sings about “chasing shadows.” You’d guess he’s pushing 40. But then you see him in an interview, and he’s got the enthusiasm of a golden retriever, cracking jokes about forgetting to eat breakfast.

It’s a paradox. He’s a baby-faced oracle who writes lyrics like “I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders” but probably still gets carded buying energy drinks. Honestly, it’s a superpower. Most 27-year-olds are panicking about their 401(k); Jacob’s out here sounding like a blues legend who’s been haunting train stations since 1920.

Surprising Fact #1: He’s Actually an Old Soul (Literally)

Let’s get weird for a second. Jacob’s stage name in Thee MVPs was “Jacuzzi”—because of his love for hot tubs. A 16-year-old who calls himself “Jacuzzi” because he likes hot tubs? That’s either pure genius or a sign he was born in the wrong decade. Most teens want to be “Shadow Death” or something. Not Jacob. He chose a bubbly appliance.

Also, he once said in an interview that his favorite hobby is reading philosophy. At 20. While his peers were binge-watching reality TV, Jacob was knee-deep in Nietzsche and Sartre. No wonder he sounds ancient. He spent his youth thinking about the meaning of life instead of Snapchat.

Rock band drops out of Outside Lands, citing tooth surgery

Surprising Fact #2: He’s Younger Than the Internet (Kind of)

Okay, this is bonkers: Jacob Slater was born in 1998, which means he’s younger than the world wide web (the public internet launched in 1991). He’s also younger than the PlayStation, GPS, and Jurassic Park. So while he sings about digital-age angst, he technically grew up in a world where the internet was already a weird toddler. He’s a human bridge between the 90s and now.

And yet, his music sounds like it crawled out of a 1970s dive bar. I’d bet my last dollar that Jacob Slater can’t name a single TikTok dance, but he can tell you the exact feeling of watching a sunset through a cracked windshield.

The Bottom Line: Why It Doesn’t Matter (But We Love It Anyway)

Here’s the truth: Jacob Slater is 27 years old, but his age is just a number that makes his music more magical. He’s young enough to have raw, reckless energy, but old enough in spirit to write songs that feel timeless. He’s a paradox in a flannel shirt.

So, next time you hear “Purple” or “Teal” and think, “Who hurt this man?”—remember: it’s a guy born the same year as the iMac G3. And he’s just getting started. If he’s this good at 27, imagine him at 50. He might start sounding like a sentient mountain.

Now go listen to Wunderhorse. And don’t stress about his age. Just marvel that a human who legally can’t rent a car in some states makes you feel like you’re falling through the cracks of the earth. That’s talent, my friends.