La Ruda Salska was originally a ska punk group from Saumur, France formed in 1993. The group's name was inspired by the Polish town Ruda Śląska, but also by their musical tastes (rock, ska, salsa), and the type of music they produced. In 2003, after over 10 years of performing as La Ruda Salska, four albums, one of which was live, and nearly 500 concerts, they opted to shorten their name to La Ruda. This also marked a change in their musical style as they now sound more like a rock band with a brass section.