The following story was part of the Day in Rock Report for 5/14/08 - (HER) For over a decade now, Slightly Stoopid has been supplying its fans with tunes that have served as the perfect summer soundtrack and ultimate live party. So it should be fitting that the group, that has been led from the beginning by Kyle McDonald and Miles Doughty (who share vocal/guitar/bass duties), take it to the stage this dog day season for "Tailgate 2008 Summer Tour," kicking off in Las Vegas on August 1 and playing some two dozen cities across the country before they wrap up on September 6 in their hometown of San Diego, CA.This will be the band's first-ever sole headlining trek of amphitheatres and will feature Pepper and reggae legends Sly & Robbie. And let's not forget the arrival of the group's tenth release overall - the odds and ends collection "Slightly Not Stoned Enough to Eat Breakfast Yet Stoopid" - which is the latest release for the group's newly formed label, Stoopid Records.
"We did an album called 'Closer to the Sun,' and we had a bunch of songs - we went in and recorded 50 or 60 songs because we were having so much fun," explains Kyle. "We had way too much for that album - we put out "Not Stoned Enough' originally as a six-song bonus CD, only available in a limited pressing, with the pre-sale of the original album. People ended up liking it but not being able to get it. We went in and recorded some more songs in a session with the Inner Circle guys at their Circle House Studios in Miami, added a couple of songs from here and there, and just wrapped it up."
But "Slightly Not Stoned Enough to Eat Breakfast Yet Stoopid" is not your average oddities collection, as it keeps the chain intact of Slightly Stoopid releases that are incredibly stylistically varied, as evidenced by such standouts as an impeccably deep and dubby cover of UB40's "I Would Do For You," the irresistible acoustic jive of "Train 1" and "Train 2," into the classic "Know You Rider" awash a mishmash of dub instrumental outtakes. But what's bound to catch the eye of many longtime fans is the inclusion of such longtime live favorites as "False Rhythms" and "Sensimilla," both of which are featured as studio renditions for the first time ever, amid new jams such as "No Cocaine" and "Supernatural" which will no doubt keep the band's hardest core fans very happy.
"Those songs, we've been jamming them for years," points out Miles. "'Sensimilla' is a chant-along song with the whole crowd - it's a fun song for all of us to play. When we were down there [in Miami's Circle House Studios], we had a nice little open jam session. Making 'False Rhythms' and 'Sensimilla' in the studio was cool, because it only took a few takes of playing live, and the songs were done. We got to keep the flavor of the live show in it. That whole vibe in South Florida, we were able to capture it and put it into those jams."
And the party vibe is sure to carry over to Slightly Stoopid's upcoming tour, according to Miles. "Every time we go out with Pepper, it's pretty insane. We've done three national tours together and we've been friends for ten years. The 'Tailgate tour' is going to be a party tour, y'know what I mean? It's going to be a good time. I'm looking forward to the arsenal jams with us, Pepper, and Sly & Robbie all together. You can party every day of the the week, but getting those jams together is where it's going to be insane!"
Leading up to the "Tailgate 2008 Summer Tour" dates, Slightly Stoopid with play a handful of U.S. summer festivals. Those dates, as well as the confirmed "Tailgate" dates (with more to be added), are as follows:
MAY
31 Monterey Music Summit/Laguna Seca Rec Arena, Monterey, CA
JULY
4 Summerfest, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
5 Rothbury Festival, Rothbury, Michigan
6 Carifest Cares 2008, USTA Nat'l Tennis Center, Flushing, New York
25 10,000 Lakes Festival, Detroit Lakes, Minnesota
"Tailgate 2008 Tour" Starts Here:
AUGUST
1 The Joint, Las Vegas, NV
2 Pacific Amphitheatre, Costa Mesa, CA
3 County Bown, Santa Barbara, CA
6 Idaho Center Amphitheatre, Boise, ID
7 Marymoor Amphitheatre, Seattle, WA
8 Cuthbert Amphitheatre, Eugene, OR
9 Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA
10 Regional Park Amphitheatre, Truckee, CA
13 Butte Amphitheatre, Butte, MT
14 TBA
15 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO
16 Ogden Theatre, Denver, CO
20 TBA
21 Bank of America Pavilion, Boston, MA
22 Stone Pony Lot, Asbury Park, NJ
23 Penn's Landing, Philadelphia, PA
24 Pier Six Concert Series, Baltimore, MD
27 House of Blues, Myrtle Beach, SC
28 Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary, NC
29 Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
30 Mizner Park Amphitheatre, Boca Raton, FL
31 St. Augustine Amphitheatre, St. Augustine, FL
SEPTEMBER
5 Mesa Amphitheatre, Phoenix, AZ
6 Open Air Theatre, San Diego, CA