Connect with us

Entertainment

Top Shelf

Slightly Stoopid kick out the jams for the band’s latest worldwide takeover
 

Few other independent acts have had nearly the same amount of success or made the same level of musical transition than reggae-rock fusion act Slightly Stoopid has had in its nearly two decades as a band. Formed in 1995 and signed to Bradley Nowell’s record label, Skunk Records, shortly before the frontman’s death, Slightly Stoopid has moved on from walking

Published

on

Slightly Stoopid kick out the jams for the band’s latest worldwide takeover

 

Few other independent acts have had nearly the same amount of success or made the same level of musical transition than reggae-rock fusion act Slightly Stoopid has had in its nearly two decades as a band. Formed in 1995 and signed to Bradley Nowell’s record label, Skunk Records, shortly before the frontman’s death, Slightly Stoopid has moved on from walking the ska/punk trail—blazed by bands like Operation Ivy and Sublime— to cutting its own path into musical territory. Throughout its journey, the band has found time to record and release five studio albums, two live records (one of which is acoustic), a compilation of rarities and studio outtakes, and the group has garnered legions of fans all over the world.

Most recently, the band released fifth studio album Top of the World (plus a live DVD, Slightly Stoopid & Friends: Live at Roberto’s TRI Studios), which continues Slightly Stoopid’s journey of expanding its style and exploring more musical ground. Most notably, the record includes a number of collaborations with everyone from raucous Fishbone frontman Angelo Moore, to legendary reggae and dancehall singer Barrington Levy. Never one to rest on its laurels, Slightly Stoopid hit the road this summer to headline its very own Kickin‘ Up Dust Summer Tour. The cross-country trek will see the band being supported by the likes of Minneapolis hip-hop legend Atmosphere, New York classic funk/soul master The Budos Band, roots rock /reggae group Tribal Seeds and former Living Legends members Eligh & The Grouch.

CULTURE recently caught with Slightly Stoopid—right after a blistering set at the Boulevard Pool at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas—and spoke with band co-founder and guitarist/vocalist Kyle McDonald for some insight into the life of this legendary band.

So you guys just started up the Kickin‘ Up Dust Summer Tour. How did the first couple shows go? Are you hoping that with Atmosphere in tow that you guys are going to attract an even wider array of people out to your shows?

They went good; it was a packed house, killer crowds—it’s just nice to be back out with the boys. We were talking to them about it and that’s exactly what we were saying; we’re obviously two different types of music but it’s kind of like, just a big melting pot at the show because everyone is there to have a good time, and that’s what everyone’s main objective is to come out and have a good time; you know. It’s just definitely a wider variety of people. Atmosphere fans get a taste of the Slightly Stoopid, and the Slightly Stoopid fans get a taste of Atmosphere, so it’s just good all the way around, you know? . . . It’s just definitely nice to, you know . . . have different styles of music in the same concert. A lot of people don’t really do that.

You guys reference cannabis a lot in both your music and your imagery. How do you feel about the medical marijuana movement that’s going on these days?

It’s going in a good direction, I mean, there’s a kind of just singling out all of the people that are living in the past, you know? I mean, it’s 2013 if anyone didn’t get the f*#kin‘ memo already! It’s 2013, you know what I mean?! It’s like, anyone that’s anti “herb” is either, just has a stick up their butt or they’re just old. Or, I can’t really say old but . . . they’ll eventually get singled out through time because the next generation is coming up and I don’t think too many in this day and age—too many people, don’t think of it as a bad thing or even think of it as a drug.

And it helps so many people these days with so many different ailments, no matter how big or small. Whether you have an illness or diseases or just even if it’s asthma or stress or you can’t sleep or you’ve had a bad day . . . it’s there for the people and it’s really, you know, good. It’s a really good thing to have, you know? I don’t know, it’s not necessarily for everyone but I know when I’m having a tough day it definitely helps me relax.

Do you think that legalization is near or right around the corner?

There are some states that it probably will be a while or it might not even happen for a long time just because they’re kind of stuck in the ’80s and they’re just, I don’t know, I don’t want to say nothing bad, I don’t want to be negative but I will say there are people that are kind of stuck in the past in certain zero-tolerance states, but I think those will probably be the last states to legalize it. But every other one seems to be kind of in a mutual agreement where, it’s like, it can help us get out of recession first of all and it’s like, there’s so many ways the herb can help society in all ways. But then when it comes down to it, people rely on it, you know? And it’s like I was saying; if you have some trouble sleeping, if you want to get some sleep, puff it before you go to bed. There are so many things that doctors prescribe that kill people, you know? I’ve had friends that have passed away from prescription drugs, and friends that have just gone off the deep end or turned into a totally different person because of prescription pills that these doctors are prescribing. But now-a-days we’re in a time where, a day in age where, doctors will actually [recommend] marijuana as the last straw because they’re like well “You know we’ve tried this, that, and the other thing, A,B,C and D and now we’re just going to [recommend] you marijuana when actually that’s what they should have [recommended] them in the first place.”

So to kind of tie back around to the band again, On Top Of The World is obviously your most recent release, did you have any specific goals for the record when you guys set out for it?

When we do records, we kind of just are in the studio and we record two to three albums’ worth of songs and then we just kind of pick and choose. So it’s more of like a just kind of like a “hanging with the homies,” “hanging with the boys” process, and sometimes we’ll go in there and we’ll just skate, play Xbox, and hang out with the boys and get some, you know, grinds, eat and hang out and play music. So it’s not like a thing where we set out—I don’t ever try to set out and make a record or make a song because it seems when we try to do anything these days it just doesn’t work. But, when you’re having a good time and you’re surrounded by good people and your friends and people you love, just having fun, that’s where all the good stuff comes from and people can definitely hear it in the music.

It sounds like a kind of organic energy and atmosphere you guys have going on when you record.

Yeah, yeah, the best kind of music is just. It comes from just, not even trying, you know? Like my favorite kind of music is just the feel-good jam kind of music where it’s just like a groove, a nice groove, and, you know, it’s not too much thinking, but that’s where our heads are at.

And is that the approach that you guys have always taken to your records, just kind of going into it, building the right energy and seeing what comes out?

Well overtime, definitely, everybody matures you know? And back when we were kids we’d always play punk rock. All we did when we first started this band in high school was play punk songs, like, the same beat, “1-2-3, 1-2-3-4!” fast, fast punk. And then as we get older, you know, we started playing, you know, acoustic—playing our acoustic guitars, watching TV on the couch, playing ska, you know, the Skatalites and Buck-O-Nine—when we were in high school, and Rancid, NOFX, you know, and it just transcends into the punk, ska, and then The Roots. Obviously we like The Roots, too, and just everything roots, Afro-Cuban, jazz, blues, hip-hop, some speed metal, thrash, acoustic—there’s not really too many music that we don’t like—outside of pop, country or techno—that I can really say I don’t want to hear.

I fully agree with you! I notice that you guys did a Bruce Springsteen cover on your most recent record, too. How did that come about?
{::PAGEBREAK::}

[Band co-founder and guitarist/vocalist] Miles [Doughty] did that one. Like I said, he turned that one into a jam. [T]here are a few songs [Miles] does where, I almost think that if he doesn’t do it as the artist he’s doing he does it better. Like I’ve heard him do Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead Or Alive” and . . . what else have I heard him do . . . Dire Straits! I’ve heard him do some Dire Straits, there [are] just certain songs that Miles does that, like, he does them so good. Like, he does them justice and that was definitely one of them where I think he would make Bruce proud.

Just to round things off, do you see the band heading any place in particular in the next five years? Do you guys have any type of long-term goals?
{::PAGEBREAK::}
I don’t think too far into the future about things, I kind of just live in the now and take it as it comes, but, you know, it’s definitely nice to do stuff for different causes and we’re doing stuff for different things. Music is an outlet that gives you the opportunity to help people and, you know, uplift them through music as well as, you know, do certain things for different people that need help. So it’s, you know, it’s an opportunity that you have to take, that you have to use, and it’s there to help people so we feel like we’re, like, almost—I don’t want to say “obligated”—but you are kind of obligated to, you know, when you have an opportunity to help people, to do that—so that’s my favorite reason to play music; is to be able to do it for different causes and help, you know? It’s always nice to play music but when you’re doing it to make a difference for something it is definitely the best feeling.

 


Going the Right Way

“We’re going to do the United States for this run with Atmosphere, Tribal Seeds and Eli & The Grouch and then I think we’re gonna go to Hawaii and do some island hopping in October with Danny Way, the skateboarder,” Slightly Stoopid guitarist/vocalist Kyle McDonald tells CULTURE about the band’s future plans. “He’s putting together skate parks in Kauai and he’s doing all these cool skate parks because they don’t really have many skate parks . . . and maybe do a show to help raise money for the skate parks, and then do some island hopping throughout Maui, Kona, Oahu and Kauai.” Way is a professional skateboarder and skateboarding company Plan B co-owner, who has been awarded Thrasher magazine’s Skater of the Year award twice, has won numerous X Games gold medals, multiple world record holder and he was the first person to jump the Great Wall of China (non-motorized jump). Way was also featured in a documentary film about his life, released in 2012 called Waiting for Lightning.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *