NASHVILLE (Suburban Roads Magazine) — The members of reggae/punk fusion band Slightly Stoopid took some time out of their busy summer touring schedule to answer a few questions posed by Cathy Wagner and Nathan Zucker of Suburban Roads Magazine.
Cathy: We’ll start this off with a fun one. You know how they made you do name
poem things in elementary school, where each letter of your name is a different
descriptive word? Describe Slightly Stoopid in a name poem. If you’re feeling
lazy/uninspired, just “Stoopid” works too.
Rymo:
S-stony
T-true
O-open
O-obvious
P-party
I-international
D-driven
Nathan: Don Carlos and Karl Denson are playing some of the Seedless Summer tour
dates this year. How did you get to know these guys and what’s it like playing
with musical legends?
R: It’s a dream and a reality for us to jam with true professionals. We are
stoked to have them on board with us. We grew up listening to them and it’s
humbling for them to want to jam with us and be on tour together.
N: What cities &/or venues are you most looking forward to playing in on this
tour? Other than your hometown, that is. That one’s a given.
R: The home town shows are enjoyable, but often hectic due to the hundreds of
family and friends that call us for last minute spots on the guest list… haha.
But seriously, there are tons of places that we are looking forward to. I was
born in San Francisco and raised in San Rafael, so to play at the Greek Theater
is huge for me. I went to shows there through high school and to be playing
there as a headlining act is great. Red Rocks in Colorado is another one; some
really influential groups have played there, and it’s nice to be added to that
list. We have friends all over the country these days, so most places we play
here in the US we have some people to hang with.
C: If you had to choose one, do you prefer touring or recording more? Why?
R: Touring. Touring has always been the livelihood and preferred musical
delivery for us. You can’t fake it onstage. It’s true and expressive, and we
thrive off of the energy transfer between us and the crowd.
N: Your last album came out in 2008. What are your plans for recording in the
future? What can fans expect from a new release?
R: We released four albums in a row… ‘05 was “Closer To The Sun,” ‘06 “Live in
SD” double disc, ‘07 “Chronchitis,” ‘08 “Slightly Not Stoned Enough To Eat
Breakfast Yet Stoopid.” So, we decided to take our time on this one. We built
our own studio in San Diego, and several of the guys have had kids. For this
album, we felt it would be better to develop and write and record, re-write and
develop, etc. We have had one producer, and he has helped us shape a consistent
sounding record. The new record is gonna be niiice.
N: What have been some of the benefits and disadvantages of having your own
label?
R: The most important benefit has been creative control. We decide what music
gets put out and when. We decide which songs get chosen and why. I’d say there
are no disadvantages. At this time, many major record labels are disappearing.
With the uprising of internet file sharing via limewire, napster, and instantly
available itunes, has changed the way in which fans experience music. As owners
of Stoopid Records we choose acts we like, and acts that make good music and
tour.
C: Slightly Stoopid has been a band for over 15 years and, in that time, come
out with 8 albums. Having accomplished so much in your musical career thus far,
what are some of your future goals as a band?
R: We are just going to keep doing what we have been doing, because it has
worked. We tour about 6 months a year, and have created a solid following.
We’ve modeled ourselves after bands that have longevity.
N: I’ve heard that it’s easier to become successful if you stick to one genre.
However, Slightly Stoopid seems to be doing quite well with a mix of reggae,
blues, punk, and acoustic. Do you believe this ‘sticking to one genre’ thing is
true? Why or why not? And why do you think you have been able to make it with
all these different genres?
R: I think that is a more dated way of thinking. These days, kids have instant
and easy access to different styles of music coming from so many fronts. It’s
common for younger kids to like Metallica, RHCP, Kanye West, Justin Timberlake,
and Alicia Keys. Obviously, a broad difference in styles… from metal to funk to
hiphop to pop to soul etc. I think when people were buying whole albums it made
sense to create a ‘type’ of music to categorize the album, but these days much
has changed. If the music is good, people will like it…
C: Hypothetical question time: you are stuck on a deserted island and have the
opportunity to bring 3 things with you. What would those 3 things be?
R: A stereo, a fishing pole, drum sticks…
C: Thanks for taking the time to do this! Do you have any closing statements?
R: Yeah, come see us on this tour!!! – By Cathy Wagner & Nathan Zucker
Slightly Stoopid
Availability: Call for
Availability
http://www.slightlystoopid.com
Agency
Paradigm Talent & Literary Agency
Agency Relationship: Exclusive
404 West Franklin Street
Monterey, CA 93940 United States
Phone: 831-375-4889
Fax: 831-375-2623
http://www.paradigmagency.com
Responsible Agent: Aaron Pinkus
Direct Phone: 831-375-4889
Fax: 831-375-2623
E-Mail: apinkus@paradigmagency.com
Management
Silverback Professional Artist Management
9469 Jefferson Blvd. Suite 101
Santa Monica, CA 90405 United States
Phone: 310-559-8990
Fax: 310-559-8993
http://www.silverbackmusic.net
Responsible Manager: Matt Phillips
Direct Phone: 310-559-8990
Fax: 310-559-8993
E-Mail: matt@silverbackmusic.net
Responsible Manager: Jon Philips
Direct Phone: 310-559-8990
Fax: 310-559-8993
E-Mail: jon@silverbackmusic.net
Publicity
Madison House Publicity
771 Santa Fe Drive Suite 204
Denver, CO 80204 United States
Phone: 303-413-8308
Fax: 303-413-8314
http://www.madisonhousepublicity.com
Responsible Publicist: Carrie Lombardi
Direct Phone: 303-413-8308
Fax: 303-413-8314
E-Mail: carrie@madisonhousepublicity.com
Record Label
Controlled Substance Sound Lab
1013 North Orange Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90038 United States
Phone: 323-462-6252
Fax: 323-467-5267
http://controlledsubstancesoundlabs.mp
