Slightly Stoopid vocalist and bass player Miles Doughty is calling from his Ocean Beach, Calif., base a few days before his band embarks on a summer-long “Tailgate 2008” tour, a traveling mini-festival that also features Hawaiian dub-rock outfit Pepper and reggae legends Sly & Robbie.
“Yeah man, we’re all super stoked to have those guys on road with us,” Doughty marvels. “They practically invented the dub reggae sound down in Jamaica, so it’s an honor. I can’t wait to get them onstage with us for some show-closing jam sessions.”
First gaining notoriety when the late Brad Nowell of the band Sublime signed them to his Skunk record label while they were still in high school, Slightly Stoopid carries on Nowell’s independent ethos. The band recently established their own inprint, Stoopid Records.
“It just always made sense to maintain complete control,” Doughty explains. “We can put out records whenever we want, and own everything we do. Thankfully, our fans have been so incredibly supportive. It’s because of them that this is what we get to do for a living.”
The band built their fan base the old-fashioned way; Slightly Stoopid is renowned for playing over 200 live shows a year. Doughty points to their tireless work ethic not only as the basis of their quiet but impressive success, but as a model for young bands that also want to live the dream.
“When you play a city twice a year, every year, and put on a hot show every time, it pays off,” he stresses. “Our concerts are more like parties where everyone is invited. When fans know they can always expect a good time, they keep coming back.”
Spending what precious free time they have surfing their hallowed Ocean Beach waves, Slightly Stoopid are also quite notorious smokers. Their new album, “Slightly Not Stoned Enough to Eat Breakfast Yet Stoopid,” features a recorded version of the long-time concert favorite “Sensimilla,” as well as a collaboration with reggae starts Inner Circle, “No Cocaine,” an ode to marijuana.
“We don’t see anything even remotely wrong with smoking herb,” Doughty says. “And in my opinion, the best bud in the world grows right here in California,” he boasts, although he does give props to Colorado for growing prime weed.
“There’s about a nine-state stretch on the east coast where it can get kind of rough,” he laughs about scoring grass on the road. “Pretty much all we’ll see out there is what we call ‘BC bud,’ real basic stuff. Our fans always bring to the shows, so maybe this time out we’ll see what they come with when we get out east!”
Slightly Stoopid will perform Friday (Aug. 22) at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park.
