By Keith Walsh
From the first notes on the debut LP “Shurpadelic” by Slipping Into Darkness, it’s clear that this is a band with roots—roots in the 6os, in psychedelia and the garage sounds that inspired the punk rock movement. The ambiance is filled with fuzzed out guitars, passionate vocals, pounding drums and catchy melodies.
The secret to the band’s mastery of sounds begins with their parents. I mentioned to bassist Nigel Dettelbach that by looking at photos of the band on stage and in studio, it seems that they live the rock and roll lifestyle. “We are rock ‘n’ roll!” he exclaims. “Without sounding cheesy –Michael’s dad and my dad were full blown rockers through and through — bad ass musicians…It’s in our blood, I can’t help it!”
Dettelbach and Michael Durazo formed the band in 2007, borrowing their name — not from a song by War, as many people think — but from a concept about a state of mind — and since then have played “hundreds of shows,” including festivals and even shows in Mexico, the homeland of guitarist Adrian Carreño, an opener for Ghost BC and a very special show at Desert Daze. “We were actually support for the Original Wailers. Pretty trippy. That was in Mexicali, Mexico.”
In addition to Dettelbach on bass and Durazo on lead vocals, the band’s lineup features guitarist Adrian Carreño. rhythm guitarist Emanuel Cazares, and drummer Damien García.
Good things keep on happening for the band. “Jamie Thomas and Tony Hawk have used our music along with a handful of other awesome bands,” says Dettelbach. “It’s awesome for us because we all love skateboarding. Most recently a rad company called Creature is using one of our instrumentals from the new record in an ad. We also have two tracks coming out in an action movie featuring Val Kilmer called ‘Pay Dirt.’”
From their debut album, to the new studio work to be released this year, the band keeps growing. “The new album is different in the sense that the band truly is evolving sonically and as people,” Dettelbach tells me. “Every aspect of this album is a step forward. For instance we worked with two producers on this record, Pete Dee (The Adicts) & Eduardo Arenas (Chicano Batman) It was also engineered by Motörhead’s very own Cameron Webb! They really brought the best out of this performance wise. The recording techniques have stuck with us now we are self producing.” Included are new cover of classic Kinks song, the title of which will remain secret until it’s released on YouTube, which Dettelbach says will be soon.
During our text exchange, Dettelbach summed up the band’s attitude in a quote from the Spinal Tap mockumentary: “Have a good time, all the time.” Slipping Into Darkness live up to the the concept of a band, in the most provocative senses of the word. As Dettelbach explains: “We’ve done some funny stuff –kicked some holes in walls. beat some people up that messed with the band. But we have fun and it’s all love. I believe a band is a gang if it’s done right.”
Slipping Into Darkness On YouTube
Slipping Into Darkness on Bandcamp
Slipping Into Darkness On Spotify
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