INTERVIEW: Punk rockers Sleave will floor expectations, but ‘Don’t Expect Anything’
Photo: Breaking news from Sleave: The trio from Richmond, Virginia, is now a quartet. Photo courtesy of the band / Provided by Earshot Media with permission.
Sleave, the rocking band from Richmond, Virginia, recently signed with UK label Engineer Records and are nearing the release of their first full-length album, Don’t Expect Anything, due out later this year. The first single from their recording effort, “Homebound,” is now available to stream.
The band consists of Julien Robert and drums, Daniel Salinas on guitar, Charlie Bowen on guitar and new member Seth Toney on bass. Several of the members share vocals.
Defining Sleave’s sound takes some effort, and that’s what makes them both interesting and unique. They are certainly grounded in punk rock, but there are flavors of alternative rock and American hardcore within their songs. Richmond fans probably know best what this band can offer; Sleave have been playing gigs around that city for the last couple of years. One can only assume they are looking to branch out geographically and musically.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Bowen about the new album. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
This obviously sounds like a joke, but … what can fans expect from your first album, Don’t Expect Anything?
A little bit of everything! Our roots are grounded in punk music, but the record has moments that are much louder … and softer than that as well. There are a few ballads in there, as well as a few songs that are hardcore inspired. As far as subject matter — a lot about mental health, emotional conflict and what it’s like to grow up in a quiet part of the U.S.
How would you define the sound of Sleave?
A lot of people tell us we sound like a lot of the skate punk bands that were big in the ’90s. I think that’s true to an extent. On the new record there’s a bit more ambiguity though. We’re kind of trying to blur the lines between hardcore, skate punk and heartland rock. We want to play like the bands we grew up listening to. Many of those just happened to be in the ’90s and early 2000s.
Are there any limitations with being a trio rather than having a fourth member?
Definitely. We kind of have two versions of every song — the recorded version, where we can experiment and fill out the tracks (we wrote two to three guitar parts for example), and the live version, where we have to compromise a bit. I can only play one guitar part, and Danny can only sing one backup part at any given time. We have to pick and choose what core parts of each song we want to play live.
But we actually just added a fourth member! Seth Toney recently joined the band on bass. Danny will be moving to lead guitar, and I’ll be switching from lead guitar to rhythm. Our goal is to reproduce the record as much as possible when performing; we’re now one step closer to doing that.
What inspired the song ‘Homebound’?
I wrote that song really quickly, and it actually wasn’t even going to be on the record at first. But our drummer, Julien, really liked the opening riff, and so we built upon it while we were already tracking in the studio. It’s about where I grew up and about the complicated ways in which many of us view our hometown.
I just kept thinking about people I knew who got stuck in a rut or grew up too quickly. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate where I grew up (there’s a song on the record called ‘Charlton’ that is a total love letter to my hometown), but it’s just to say that the relationship is complicated. I know a lot of people can relate to that.
What’s the music scene like in Richmond, Virginia?
It’s incredible. It’s the main reason many of us in the band still choose to live here. There are shows happening pretty much any night of the week — clubs, bars, house shows, etc. But our main scene is the house show. Places like Jungle House and Yellow House are pop punk institutions in our eyes, but there’s a ton of others, too. There’s a great hardcore scene, hip-hop scene, country scene. You name it, and it’s here — as long as you’re OK playing in people’s living rooms.
What’s the future hold for the band?
First thing’s first is to put out this record! We started recording it a year and half ago, so we’re really trying to focus on the release. Signing on to Engineer Records was a big step, too, and they’ve been awesome in supporting us and letting us do what we want. Aside from that, we just want to keep grinding. Tour, play shows and write a second record. We’re hungry.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Sleave’s first full-length album will be called Don’t Expect Anything. Click here for more information on the band.
