Slightly Stoopid

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slightlystoopid.com | MySpace | Amazon.com | iTunes

Miles Doughty - Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Kyle McDonald - Guitar, Bass, Vocals  
    
  "Everything really starts with acoustic guitars with us," is how Kyle McDonald, one-half of the brilliant partnership known to the world as SLIGHTLY STOOPID, describes the roots of his group’s music. "I mean, that's what we're jamming on when we're sitting around smoking weed and watching TV", he quickly adds with a laugh. Reflecting on the occasion of the release of their 4th album and first with Surfdog, EVERYTHING YOU NEED, musical co-conspirator Miles Doughty adds, "What we tried to do with this album is incorporate every kind of music style that we play, into each song." They succeed, with the results a dizzying mix of influences and impressive tunes across numerous genres, yet distinctly the sound of SLIGHTLY STOOPID.

From the reggae beats and dance hall organ of "Officer" to the punk edge of "Questionable", the album covers a lot of ground. "Musically, I like everything," says Kyle. "Hip-hop, dub, blues, punk rock, acoustic music, beats, reggae and heavy metal…" he continues, "Pretty much that's what I try to give 'em on every album, but each recording always turns out different, which is kind of cool.” They've honed things to perfection for EVERYTHING YOU NEED. It's a groove-oriented sound, with infectious rhythm, dripping melody, and built on years of crowd-pleasing, standing-room-only shows.

SLIGHTLY STOOPID possesses a unique dynamic. They have a musical kinship, which is the direct result of growing up together (in the setting of one of Southern California's premiere surf towns, Ocean Beach, San Diego), and the relentless pursuit of creating the quintessential soundtrack for the lifestyle that exists there.

The story begins back in 1995, while still in high school, Miles and Kyle caught the ear of Sublime vocalist BRADLEY NOWELL, who was so impressed that he signed them to his own Skunk Records label. Bypassing the notion of a "Golden Ticket" from a major label, the band embraced the D.I.Y. ethic championed by their punk rock predecessors, and released their first 2 albums on Skunk, 1996's punk tinged SLIGHTLY STOOPID, and 1998's LONGEST BARREL RIDE. The latter disc in particular, with its mix of reggae rhythms and surf inspired sounds, clearly shows why you just can't help but think "California" when you hear SLIGHTLY STOOPID's music. As for the band’s now out-of-print first disc (recorded when they were 16 years old) – it currently fetches over $220 a copy on E-bay (if you can find it!).

In the summer of 2001, the pair performed an hour-long live acoustic set on San Diego's Clear Channel Rock 105.3. The show was such a hit with listeners that the band decided to release the set on CD, this time on their own label, Stoopid Records. The appropriately titled LIVE AND DIRECT- ACOUSTIC ROOTS, was a one-take marvel, with both players solely on acoustic guitars and vocals, recorded of course, completely live in the studio. Released "warts and all" with no overdubs, the album has become a huge fan favorite, having sold upwards of 20,000 copies, primarily at live shows.

The band built their following the old fashioned way, through manic and constant touring. SLIGHTLY STOOPID have lived on the road for years and built a solid rep as a top-notch touring act. It’s a far cry from 1998 when the band was starting out with their first van, bought through odd jobs and local shows. Five years later and the band are on their third van and at least as many extended warranties, as the road miles take their toll on the vehicles, but not the spirit of the group. To date, SLIGHTLY STOOPID has played well over 500 shows, and along the way they have supported the likes of SUBLIME and LB DUB ALL STARS, G-LOVE & SPECIAL SAUCE, BLINK-182, 311, PENNYWISE, DAMIEN "Jr. Gong" MARLEY, and performed on the VANS WARPED TOUR.

During this time, SLIGHTLY STOOPID’s sound became more heavily exposed through television, as the band became favorites at networks ESPN, Fox Sports, WB, and MTV. The group’s music has shown up in an assortment of original programming, especially in the world of action sports and reality TV (i.e. X-Games, Real World, High School Reunion, etc.).

Moving ahead to 2002, SLIGHTLY STOOPID has now achieved headliner status throughout the U.S., and routinely sells out shows from San Diego to Colorado, from Seattle to San Francisco. Notably, the band performed to SRO crowds at the Anaheim House of Blues, but from festival shows to club nights, SLIGHTLY STOOPID continues to draw a fiercely loyal audience. The group even has a "street force" of fans who help spread the word about the band. Affectionately dubbed "Ese Locos", the fans are from diverse walks of life, as befits a band with such a broad demographic. Girls and guys, jam band hippies, punk rockers, punk rock billies, skaters, surfers and hip-hoppers, it seems like you can find all walks of life at a SLIGHTLY STOOPID show.

It must be said that Miles and Kyle are perfect musical counterparts, complementing each other, from their eclectic influences to their devotion to their inspired music. As well as being the group’s dual frontmen, both are multi-instrumentalists oftentimes switching effortlessly from bass to guitar in the middle of a show, all while charming the audience with their driving vocals.

With so much activity, it wasn't long before the majors came calling, and eventually under the haze of smoke, the band found themselves courted by several record company presidents. The desire to control their own music and destinies would result in them rejecting 3 separate major label deals. After forgoing the major label route, the band signed with Southern California Independent Surfdog Records, in order to complete their fourth album on their own creative terms. This seemed to be a good fit as both Kyle and Miles grew up surfing and have been jamming most recently at major events such as The Philips Pro in Huntington Beach and the Vans Triple Crown in Oahu, Hawaii.

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