San Francisco’s
Richmond Sluts play a blend of New York Dolls style glam, Question Mark and The
Mysterians garage with a cut of mid ‘70’s Jagger/Richards strut stirred up and
served flawlessly on a shiny silver platter by someone wearing a feather boa. What
I like most about this band is they can crank out some wildly catchy party
anthems as well as songs that delve deep into the darkness of human emotion. I’m
glad some bands realize the importance of not only having great music for when the
party’s in high gear but for the mornings after as well.
Interview by Jay
Castro
Please introduce yourselves and how you
contribute to the Richmond Sluts.
SHEA
ROBERTS - vocal / guitar
CHRIS
BELTRAN - bass
JUSTIN
LYNN - organ / vocal
KC
KOZAK- skins
JESSE
NICHOLS - guitar
Where are you all from originally and how
did you all meet and decide to play music together?
SR: I’m
from SF and Chris was from southern California, but going to school in SF when
we met. We never really decided to play, I didn’t even play guitar at the time.
We met at a party and things just kinda went from there.
CB:
Shea wanted to sing, but I made him play guitar at the time.
So you guys released a few records in the
late ‘90’s and early 2000’s including a full length on Disaster, then you guys
took a break for a long time and did other projects like Big Midnight. What led
to the decision to regroup The Sluts?
SR: It
had been talked about over the years but I guess the cosmos just finally lined
up or something.
CB: Shea
and I had talked about it over the years, but it never really felt right, but
something just clicked over the last year and once Justin signed on and we got
in a room together it was magic.
Many moons ago, you played Tempe, Arizona
in a tiny venue to about (me and
the other guy that does Audio Ammunition were two of them). Despite the lack of
venue size and attendance, you guys tore the roof off that joint! I was really impressed! Most bands
would have given a half ass performance. Do you make it a point to put on the
great show despite conditions like that?
SR: We
do our best to get things going, but no you probably just caught us on a good
night, ha-ha.
JN: When
you’re seeing triple, the room is packed.
CB: Most
shows I see triple so whether it was packed or not we thought it was! That show
was off the map though, I think that was with the Daggers, I drank piss that
night.
As a kid, what band or
musician made you want to pick up an instrument and play music?
SR: No
one in particular; it was more of a driving force. What are you supposed to do
if you’re not playing music and fucking around with your friends?
I was reading this interview
with Keith Richards and he said that anyone that buys digital music is getting
short changed. Do you agree with
that?
JN: Generally
speaking “yes”, mp3s sound worse than CD’s, which sound like shit compared to
vinyl. Buy vinyl or hi-res digital (if possible). Oh yeah, and pay for it,
records are expensive to make.
SR: Agreed
CB:
Do yourself a favor, buy it on vinyl!!!!
What is your favorite record
to listen to from start to finish?
JN: Right
at this moment we’re jammin’ some ‘70’s Turkish Muff Gods called Erkin Koray.
SR: Dude
from Q65 his solo record, Rainman
CB: Sesame
Street’s, “Rub a dub dub.”
Other than music, what kinds
of things do you guys like doing: hobbies, Civil War reenactments, etc?
SR/JN:
Choppers, guns, cool cars, awesome girls, kilos, and full time jobs.
CB: Drunken
record shopping after Sunday brunch, walking the dogs, and sword fighting.
Where are the best places for
people to hear or buy your music?
ALL:
At the merch table or steal it online.
https://www.reverbnation.com/therichmondsluts
What does the band have in
store for us in the near or not so near future?
SR: We
are in Los Angeles playing shows as we type this, recording at some point, breakup
again.
https://www.reverbnation.com/therichmondsluts
https://www.facebook.com/richmondsluts
