Events

[PUNK] Buffalo band The Slums, comprised of Ryan Schlia (drums), Steven Floyd (guitar, vocals), Matt Zych (lead guitar) and Jake Strawser (bass) , just released their first full length, Sorry, on April 22. The group members have known each other for years and first came together two years ago when, coincidentally, all of their other bands broke up at the same time. While it took them about a year to write their first album, they’re extremely proud of what they’ve created and the evolutionary route their music has taken. The Slums play their special Album Release Party show at the Town Ballroom’s Leopard Lounge on Friday, April 29 with openers Dr. Ooo and Cooler. This week we spoke with Schlia and Floyd about the band’s new record.

Why did you decide on the band name The Slums?
SF: I wish there was a cool story. We all have very strong opinions and I don’t want to say fought, but we discussed what we would be called for so long and it was just the thing we all hated the least. It took many months of arguing about that.

How would you describe your band’s sound?
RS: It’s kind of difficult because it’s been changing so much over time, especially lately. It’s a lot less aggressive than it used to be. I think BuffaBlog wrote a thing about us not too long ago and kind of mentioned that it’s like punk but without such incredibly sharp edges to it, so it’s got an aggressiveness to it, but it’s got a listenability and pop sensibility to it as well.

Does everyone contribute to the songwriting?
RS:: Yeah. It’s the most collaborative band I’ve ever been in. Steve is the brainchild behind the original idea and then we all kind of sign in and make changes and additions and subtractions. Eventually it all just kind of works.

How long did it take the band to put together your full length, Sorry?
SF: It took us about a year to write 12 songs. It took too long. We were kind of playing shows and just in our heads writing for a long time and we only really had maybe five songs until we started writing these. We’re really slow with writing, which is good and bad, because what we come out with is always something that we like, but at a snail pace. The place where we’ve recorded everything up to this point is at Quiet Country Audio with Paul Besch. He’s super talented and he just keeps getting better.  It’s just a comfortable thing. We’ve all known each other for years.

What would you say your musical influences are as a band?
SF: I think most of us, especially when we were younger, all really liked hardcore music and we still like it for like the energy and the feeling of it, but we’re all getting too old to be in a hardcore band. We like much more polished stuff now, catchy stuff with hook. Pretty much meeting our past and our present is what we’re trying to write.

Are there any other local Buffalo bands you’re a big fan of?
RS: There are a lot of them right now. Things are looking real good. Our buddies in Made Violent just left for tour. We’re playing a show with Cooler, who is very new and very good. We wanted to play this show with The Get Money Squad, but they’re like an enigma because I can’t figure out how to contact any of them. We’re all good friends with Del Paxton. They’re amazing and extremely talented. The music scene right now is kind of bursting out. It’s really nice.

What’s your favorite music venue to play in Buffalo?
SF: We’ve been playing the Waiting Room a ton. I like the room. If Neil the sound guy is working that’s my favorite place for sound. As far as the room goes, I love the Mohawk Place. Nietzsches is a cool venue.

RS: We’re really excited for the Leopard Lounge show because it’s at a place we’ve never played. We haven’t played a basement yet though and that’s insane. The sooner we could do that the better.