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Slick Shoes

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Slick Shoes
Slick Shoes performing in 2016
Slick Shoes performing in 2016
Background information
OriginAntelope Valley, California, United States[1]
GenresPunk rock, pop punk, skate punk
Years active1994–2004, 2007–2008, 2011–2012, 2015–present
LabelsSideOneDummy, Tooth & Nail, Fueled by Ramen
Members
  • Ryan Kepke
  • Joe Nixon
  • Jackson Mould
  • Jeremiah Brown
  • Jonah Peterson
Past members
  • Dale Yob
  • Andrew Tremblay
  • Greg Togawa
  • David Stoltenberg
  • Adam Stiletto
  • Kevin Clark
  • Josh Kleven
  • Bill Lanz
  • Jordan Mould

Slick Shoes is an American punk rock band from Antelope Valley, California, United States. The band formed in 1994 and made their first release as a self-titled EP in 1996.[2] In 2022, Loudwire magazine named the "Wake Up Screaming" album one of the 50 greatest pop-punk albums of all time.[3]

Slick Shoes released six full-length CDs, four of them on Seattle-based Tooth & Nail Records. They also released an EP, a split with Autopilot Off and a greatest hits CD entitled The Biggest & The Best, featuring three previously unreleased songs.

The band had gone through numerous line-up changes over the years, but singer Ryan Kepke and Joe Nixon (drums) performed on every release, while Jeremiah Brown (bass) played on all except their final album, Far From Nowhere (2003), released by SideOneDummy Records instead of the Tooth & Nail.

The third album, Wake Up Screaming (2000) got production from Bill Stevenson of Black Flag fame.[4]

The band's success rode the back of the mid-to-late '90s Christian punk popularity wave that spurred churched teens around the nation to embrace the genre and even start rock clubs, such as the 9th Hour in Richmond and The New Union in Minneapolis.[5][6] They toured alongside both secular and Christian acts (most notably bands such as Face to Face and MxPx, respectively).[7] In 2002, they toured with Mighty Mighty Bosstones;[8] in 2003, they played the Vans Warped Tour and were featured in Warped Tour DVD in 2004.[9][10] The Jonas Brothers, when teens, were fans and traveled to their shows.[11]

2004–2008

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Since touring in 2003 and early 2004 in support of Far From Nowhere, Slick Shoes was very inactive (even their website was taken down), and on October 7, 2006, the band issued a statement through their MySpace page saying that they had begun a side project called Sigmund, and that Slick Shoes was on an "indefinite hiatus". Then, 15 months later on January 3, 2008, the band announced through MySpace that they had reunited:[12]

"Slick Shoes is back together with original members Ryan Kepke, Jackson Mould, Joe Nixon, and Jeremiah Brown. We also added guitarist Jordan Mould . Although we will not be touring extensively we will be playing shows and hope to record a new record in the near future. Don't forget to tell your friends."[13]

Post-2017

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Their first show back together took place at Schooner's in Lancaster, CA in December, 2007, with their last show at the Key Club in Hollywood, CA on April 10, 2008.

The band has been inactive since early 2008, but in October 2011, the band created an official Facebook page. On December 11, 2011, the band announced a comeback show on March 17, 2012, at Chain Reaction in Anaheim, California.

On February 17–18, Slick Shoes did a two night stand in Dallas Texas at the legendary Tree's Venue.

As of early 2017 Slick Shoes is back in action with original "Rusty" line up (as well as Jonah from the Far from Nowhere Era). They are playing select shows through the year and are currently writing and rehearsing new material.

On August 18, 2018, Slick Shoes headlined a show at the House of Blues Anaheim Parish Room. They announced that the show was being recorded for their first live album.

October 24, 2019, Slick Shoes Announced they were rejoining Tooth and Nail Records with "Broadcasting Live" and a new album, "Rotation & Frequency", released in September 2020.[14]

Style and influences

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Slick Shoes has been described as punk rock,[15][6][16] pop punk,[15][17][18] and skate punk in the vein of Blink-182[15] and Green Day.[19] The band's influences include Germs, Descendents, Lagwagon, Angelic Upstarts and Circle Jerks.[20][21]

The name comes from the 1985 movie The Goonies. In the film, Richard "Data" Wang (played by Jonathan Ke Huy Quan) says, "I got a great idea you guys: Slick shoes." They reply, in unison, "Slick shoes? Are you crazy?" The clip is the intro to the first song on the first Slick Shoes album.[22]

Band members

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Discography

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  • Rusty (1997)
  • Burn Out (1998)
  • Wake Up Screaming (2000)
  • Slick Shoes (2002)
  • Far from Nowhere (2003)
  • Broadcasting Live (2019)
  • Rotation & Frequency (2020)

References

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  1. ^ "Slick Shoes". Archived from the original on 2009-04-29. Retrieved 2009-04-29.
  2. ^ Ebel, Brandon (2009). "Slick Shoes". Tooth & Nail. Seattle, Washington. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  3. ^ "50 Greatest Pop Punk Albums of All Time". Loudwire. Purchase, New York. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  4. ^ Haworth, Graham (18 May 2001). "Punks Play For God". Music. The Tribune. San Luis Obispo, California. p. 11.
  5. ^ Holmberg, Mark (20 June 1997). "Strong Music for Strong Beliefs: Church Gambles on Rock Club". Flair. The Times Dispatch. Richmond, Virginia. p. C1.
  6. ^ a b Sarachik, Justin (30 June 2014). "5 Punk Rock Bands Every Christian Music Fan Should Know". Breathecast News. Nashville, Tennessee. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  7. ^ "MXPX". Calendar. LA Weekly. Los Angeles, California. 13 February 1997. p. 104.
  8. ^ Guerra, Dan (24 July 2003). "Punk Rock's Warped Tour Begs the Adventurous". Entertainment. The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. p. E4.
  9. ^ Escalante, Joe and Kris Martinez (directors) (2004). Vans Warped Tour '03 (DVD) (documentary). Costa Mesa, California: Kung Fu Records and Image Entertainment. Event occurs at 47:55. OCLC 56124571. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  10. ^ Dorsey, Brian (2 July 2004). "Punk Rock's 'Endless Summer?'". Arts. The Star-News. Chula Vista, California. p. 12.
  11. ^ Campbell, Rachel (3 June 2019). "Jonas Brothers talk MxPx gigs, "punching people in the face" in mosh pits". Alternative Press. Los Angeles, California. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  12. ^ Slick Shoes Reunion blog post Archived 2009-02-07 at the Wayback Machine at MySpace
  13. ^ Paul, Aubin (January 3, 2008). "Slick Shoes back together". Punknews.org. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
  14. ^ Limbert, Alex (11 July 2020). "Slick Shoes Announce First Album in 17 Years". mxdwn.com. Los Angeles, California. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  15. ^ a b c "Slick Shoes - Far From Nowhere". Punknews.org.
  16. ^ "Slick Shoes [EP] - Slick Shoes | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 September 2020 – via www.allmusic.com.
  17. ^ "The Definitive Ranking of Bands From Christian Pop Punk's Glory Days". Relevant. 30 June 2021.
  18. ^ "Slick Shoes | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  19. ^ Losey, Steve. Slick Shoes at AllMusic
  20. ^ "Fast God Stuff - Christian Podcast". Fastgodstuff.com. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  21. ^ "Slick Shoes biography by 1 Cubed". 1cubed.com. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  22. ^ Bickerstaff, Rick (9 January 2022). "Bands You've Never Heard Of, But Are Worth Your Time: Slick Shoes". The Drill Online Magazine. Los Angeles, California. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
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