Vancouver Punk Legends - Slow

1ThoughtKnown

A forgotten band in the history of the "Seattle Sound" is this band from Vancouver. They played a lot of shows with Green River in the mid-80s in the Pacific Northwest, including Seattle.
Read about their show at Expo 86 if you want a good laugh. Flame that burned bright for such a short time they have almost been forgotten.
I wonder if you brought them up to Stone and Jeff what they would say?


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1RzA0VHcsBY

1ThoughtKnown

Interesting:

I'd asked Al Campbell (aka "Ed Banger"), a promoter in Vancouver that had booked and dealt with a lot of Slow and Tankhog shows in the 80's, about their existence and influences, as well as who they'd influenced in the nearby Seattle scene in the mid '80's.

PSF: Tom Anselmi had said somewhere that Slow were influenced by Green River, but I think that Mark Arm took quite a few cues from Slow and Tankhog, and even bands like the Fluid for the Mudhoney sound. Who was influenced by who?

Al Campbell: I wouldn't say Tankhog was based on Mudhoney at all. Green River were almost glam in their approach as Mark Arm wore makeup, had really long hair and silver pants - he was really playing up the rock star thing then. The Slow guys, in contrast, always looked good - wearing flash '60’s suits with thin lapels that they bought in thrift shops. They were never a T-shirt band, and that look carried over into Tankhog too. Bruce Kane, he just roared into the mike, I don't think he was influenced by Mark Arm - more so Iggy Pop. Bruce had talent, but he just didn't want to work for it. He was more content at playing a rock star before he actually became one- he never made it.

Green River, who also had a couple of the Pearl Jam guys- the bass guy and the guitarist (the two that liked Aerosmith) had actually played in Vancouver at a memorable show around '86, where they backed up Slow at the Town Pump. I think it was their only time there and they got some outrageous amount like $500 at the time. GR broke up shortly after.

rockpants

Back in - if I remember correctly - early '98, Terry David Mulligan interviewed Stone and Shawn for Much West when Brad came up to support Interiors. TDM brought up the Seattle-Vancouver connection and Stone mentioned Slow (and was aware they'd become Copyright) was a big influence on GR. Went both ways, I guess.

1ThoughtKnown

Cool. That might be the only TDM interview I would like to dig up. One of TDM's interviews between Long John Baldry interviews?

1ThoughtKnown

Green River opening for Slow.

man I wish I’d been at that show. I would have been 13.... but I can dream

toolie

They are supposed to play Sled Island in Calgary this June.  I think they did a few shows in Van/Vic around Christmas.

ConorKavanagh

Are they all still alive and just reuniting whenever they fancy it? I've never even heard of this band before. They sound pretty good though I think.

1ThoughtKnown

toolie said:

They are supposed to play Sled Island in Calgary this June.  I think they did a few shows in Van/Vic around Christmas.

IS that right?  Being from Calgary I hope I can see that show.  We are heading to Europe on June 22nd to catch a couple PJ shows.
Would love to see them!
Edit: I checked and they play the night after we fly out to Frankfurt lol.  That is a shame
https://www.showpass.com/sled-island-presents-slow-guests/

Cool thing is they are putting out a new album so I will try to catch them next time.  I got into Slow after reading about the Expo 86 fiasco.. then they just disappeared. 

1ThoughtKnown

Oh to be at this show.  I was only 12 at the time but man oh man.  This would have been unbelievable.  Rumor has it that Green River will be playing SPF30

Ill have to wait for the next Slow tour..