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 :how_interesting:

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 :rock_on:

Ill have to wait for the next Slow tour..