Slightly Stoopid

Founding, early releases

In 1994 Slightly Stoopid was formed in Ocean Beach, California by Miles Doughty and Kyle McDonald, both childhood friends, as well as high school friend and drummer Adam Bausch. Soon after, Sublime frontman Bradley Nowell discovered the band, asking them to perform in Long Beach, California at the Foot Hill Tavern. Nowell shortly after signed them to his label Skunk Records while the members were still attending high school. In 1996 the band released their first studio album, the punk-tinged Slightly $toopid (featuring a guest appearance by Nowell on the song “Prophet” – later covered by Sublime and released on their box set, Everything Under the Sun) and 1998's surf-inspired The Longest Barrel Ride.

The group self-released 2001’s Acoustic Roots: Live & Direct (a 40-minute acoustic set, captured live at San Diego 's Rock 105.3 radio station) – the first for their own label, Stoopid Records, before issuing 2003's Everything You Need on Surfdog Records (a musical departure for the band, that sold more than 185,000 copies).

After solidifying a new line-up with the additions of Ryan ‘RyMo’ Moran (drums), Oguer 'OG' Ocon (congas, percussion, harp, vocals) from the B Side Players, and C-Money (trumpet, keyboard) and Dela (saxophone) from John Brown's Body, the band began to mix even more different musical styles on 2005’s Closer to the Sun. The album featured collaborations with well-known reggae names such as Barrington Levy and Scientist. Closer to the Sun impressively debuted in the Billboard Top 200 and sold nearly 25,000 copies in its first two months of release.

A year later, Slightly Stoopid issued their first-ever electric live album, Winter Tour '05-'06 Live CD/DVD, as well as their first-ever DVD, ‘'Live in San Diego’', while 2007 saw the release of the group’s fifth studio effort, Chronchitis, which debuted at No. 55 on the Billboard 200, and No. 2 on the indie charts.

Live touring

The group has toured frequently since its inception, including appearances at arts festivals such as Coachella, Harmony, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, and New Orleans Jazz Fest. Additionally, the group has played sold-out shows in Australia, Japan, Guam, Portugal, Denmark, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, and the Dominican Republic. “Without [the fans], we’d just be playing at the bar,” admits Kyle. “They make it worth our while – when we go out and people are having that good of a time, the energy goes back and forth. Just a good time – we rely on each other’s energy.”

Slightly Stoopid has played with the Dave Matthews Band, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and the Marley Brothers, Sublime, the Roots, The Expendables, Snoop Dogg, G. Love & Special Sauce, Ozomatli, Toots and the Maytals, Helva, and Pennywise, among others, as well as their first-ever sole headlining tour of amphitheaters in 2008, joined by their friends Pepper and Sly & Robbie featuring Cherine Anderson. The band teamed up with Snoop Dogg in 2009 for the co-headlining "Blazed & Confused Tour" across North America.

Stoopid Records, live albums

2008 saw the band issuing their first-ever ‘odds and ends’ collection, Slightly Not Stoned Enough to Eat Breakfast Yet Stoopid – the group’s newest release for their growing label, Stoopid Records (which will also feature releases by other groups, including the label’s first signed act, The Expendables from Santa Cruz, California). Included on Slightly Not Stoned Enough to Eat Breakfast Yet Stoopid are outtakes from both the Closer to the Sun (including tracks that were previously issued as a limited edition bonus CD) and Chronchitis sessions, as well as a bevy of new material recorded at the famed Circle House Studios in Miami, Florida, and such cover tunes as UB40’s “I Would Do For You” and the traditional “I Know You Rider” (most notably covered by The Grateful Dead). Also making their first appearance on a Slightly Stoopid studio album are newly recorded renditions of the long-time live standards “False Rhythms” and “Sinsemilla.”

On September 13, 2011, the band was invited by the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir into his state-of-the-art TRI Studios for a live webcast and in-studio performance. Utilizing the technology of their studio's Constellation sound system, Slightly Stoopid had the privilege to invite some of their close friends and family down to record Live at Roberto's TRI Studios, performing alongside Weir as well as Karl Denson, Don Carlos (musician), Ivan Neville, Ian Neville, and host Tommy Chong.

Top of the World and Meanwhile...Back At The Lab (2012-Present)

The band's seventh studio album, Top of the World, was released on August 14, 2012. The seven-piece band continues to explore a variety of styles on Top of the World, with help from some of their biggest influences and heroes including: reggae legends Barrington Levy and Don Carlos (musician) of Black Uhuru; “unofficial 8th member” Karl Denson of Greyboy Allstars; longtime band friend and touring partner G. Love; Fishbone frontman Angelo Moore; ex-Jurassic 5 emcee extraordinaire Chali 2na; Dumpstaphunk’s Ian Neville; and hit-making singer/songwriter Angela Hunte. The album entered the Billboard 200 at a career high No. 13 as well as on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart at No. 3. Top of the World also debuted on Billboard’s Rock Albums and Alternative Albums charts with a final position of No. 4. Following the album release, the band performed on the “Red Bull Sound Space at KROQ” (www.kroq.com/soundspace and www.redbullusa.com/soundspace) on August 23, followed by appearances on tastemaker indie music website Daytrotter and SiriusXM. The group also appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on September 12 to play their current single, “Top of the World.”

Slightly Stoopid continues to tour extensively playing 38 dates in 2014 in cities all across the US. There summer 2014 featured G. Love and also Bob Marley's son, Steven Marley.

On April 20, 2015, Slightly Stoopid announced via their social media pages and website that they intend to release a new album, entitled Meanwhile...Back At The Lab, the album was released on June 30, 2015. The album is open for pre-order on iTunes, and pre-ordering buyers will receive the track "Life Rolls On" for pre-release download. The album's track list was subsequently published on iTunes.

Musical influences

The group is noted for their eclectic mix of rock, reggae, blues, hip-hop, metal and funk in their works. When the group first started out, they drew numerous influences from the likes of punk rock groups such as Sublime, Operation Ivy, Rancid, and Streetwise. Slightly Stoopid's self-titled album was released months after Brad Nowell's death in 1996 under Skunk Records. Their reggae influences stem from artists such as Yellowman, Don Carlos (musician) and Buju Banton.

The band has also experimented with hip-hop on their more recent albums. The song "The Otherside" off the album Chronchitis features the late rapper Guru. They note hip hop influences NWA and Eazy-E, Wu-Tang Clan, and Gang Starr.

Miles Doughty's vocal style in particular references reggae legends Eek a Mouse, Pinchers, and Tenor Saw quite often.

Band members

Live albums/DVDs

EPs