Juliana: Are you guys working on some new material for a new album right now, before Summer Sessions
starts?
RyMO: We are working on some new material. We
started working on some new stuff at the end of last year.
We’ve found some time in the earlier part of this year to
keep recording and keep the juices flowing. And we’re trying to get something out at the end of this year, into early
next year; have a whole new album of material, and maybe a bonus record as well!
We’re working hard. Between touring, time’s pretty
precious with our family now, so we take a week or so off
after tour before we get to recording.
Juliana: I see that you can get a pre-released new single with some VIP ticket purchases, which is pretty cool.
RyMO: We try to do that to just create some hype and
get a vibe going, and it seems to resonate with fans, so
we’re going to keep doing that for sure!
Juliana: Slightly Stoopid has an extremely dedicated
fan base and there seems to be a lot of interaction with
the fans. How does that work?
RyMO: We all kinda monitor the Instagram and
Facebook. We try to do as many interviews as we can, so
we’re interacting, and doing meet-and-greets and have a
chance to shake people’s hands and say thank you. We do
as much as we can on that side of things, because that’s
what really got us where we are. We’ve never really had
tons of media support, in terms of having a PR department. We’re pretty much grassroots in that way, and we
do a lot on that underground level, where we get a chance
to hang out and keep it totally casual have a beer with
people and get to know our fans.
Juliana: Do you enjoy that part?
RyMO: I do, I really do actually! It’s one of my favorite
parts, because its easy to become separated from your fan
base. You’re with 12 guys, touring around in basically a
shoebox, traveling the country, and it starts to become
sorta isolated; being either trapped on the tour bus or on
stage. And you never get a chance to hang out and be social. Those meet-and-greets are really great, and we meet
everyday people, and we want people to know that we’re
just everyday people. For us its about connecting on that
level. So, we definitely interact digitally, but more importantly hand to hand and eye to eye. And get a chance to
hang with people who have supported the band for a long
time.
Juliana: I think you guys do a great job at that and
it shows, because Stoopid continually sells-out big rooms
and amphitheaters around the country, even though you
still have an underground scene, because you don’t hide
July• 2014
behind mask or makeup, or the radio. Do you have any
music videos on cable television?
RyMo: We do have a video that we did Live at Roberto’s TRI Studios with Bob Weir, that’s on Palladia, which
has kind of tak