Describe your band, telling a little about it.
We are Slant 6 a rock band from Ford City, PA, which is a small town about 45 minutes northeast of Pittsburgh. We just released our second EP “Can You Save Me” which is available for sale at any of our upcoming shows and ITunes along with our first EP “No Regrets”. We are currently writing new music, playing shows, and working on expanding our brand. We are really just 5 guys who love music and love performing. We are always confident that if you aren’t a Slant 6 fan before we start playing you will be by the time it is all said and done.
What are your names? / Who plays what?
Justin Cook (lead vocals)
Brandon Payne (lead guitar/vocals)
Gene Williams (guitar/vocals)
Steve Craven (bass guitar/vocals)
Matt Ferrante (drums)
Have members played with any other bands?
We have all been in other bands and currently have other projects that we work on. We have all been playing music for the vast majority of our lives in some capacity. I think that this experience is what has helped us gel and become so close as a band but also become friends. We know kind of how to leave the ego at the door and do what it takes to write successful music and be a working band. Even though we are all involved in other projects we dedicate ourselves to the music and creating a product that is entertaining and original.
Do you write your own music or perform covers? Has it always been this way? We write a lot of music and perform our original material live. It has always been the goal to play music that we write to share our art with our audience. We take great pride in being a band that is able to write, record, and perform music that is ours. That being said because we play a lot of bar shows and other related venues we do play covers songs. I would never call us a cover band though because every song that we play we try to make it our own so we don’t really play it chalk. It is because of this and our vast variety of music that I refer to us as simply a rock band, which also comes through in the original music we write. We could go from playing Lynyrd Skynyrd to N’Sync to Tool. We like being so diverse and playing a wide variety because we feel like that helps appeal to greater audience, and it is also how we write. We have songs like No Regrets which is like a modern day country song and then we have songs like Monster Inside which can be classified as hard rock.
What year did the band form?
The current lineup has been together for about 4 years but the guys in the band have all been playing together for a lot longer. The original lineup for the band consisted of Matt and Steve who have been playing together for over 20 years and Gene has known Steve since they were in high school. Brandon and myself (Justin) have been playing together on and off since I was in college so for about the last 7 years. There is definitely a lot of great chemistry that comes out in our shows as a result of it. I never feel like I am taking the stage with my band, but instead I always feel like I am taking the stage with some of my best friends and I think that really helps in being a band.
Where is bands home? We are all pretty much local guys with the exception of Brandon who is originally from Mansfield, PA. We are based out of Ford City, PA, well technically Logansport, and we play a lot of shows in the Kittanning, Leechburg, Indiana, Apollo area as well as Pittsburgh whenever possible. We have also played shows in West Virginia, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Las Vegas, but home is definitely good ole western PA.
What's your style or genre?
We don’t really have a specific music genre or style. We are just a rock band. We really don’t limit ourselves to any one type of music which really keeps it interesting and fresh. I think the biggest contributing factor is that we all really came from different musical backgrounds and have different tastes but at the same time we can all really appreciate good music and songs. Me personally I grew up listening to country music and 3WS, when they were still playing Motown and music from that generation, in the car with my parents. Now I listen to anything from Breaking Benjamin to Boyz II Men. One of Matt’s favorite bands is Huey Lewis and the News. Brandon listens to music like the Grateful Dead and Tedeschi Trucks Band but will listen to bands like Tool as well. Steve and Gene they will listen to anything from Van Halen to Black Label Society to Foo Fighters to the Backstreet Boys, to Sugar Ray. We just all love music and all kinds of music and it comes through in how we write and the songs that we play.
What inspires your music?
I can’t really point out one single thing that inspires me to write personally. I know that every song comes from a different place, or a different time, or a different feeling. Unfortunately a lot of the time they come from a bad place or a time in life where I was far from content. Not every song can be happy and upbeat, however, I think the songs that are from a darker place are usually the easier ones to relate to. People can all relate to them on an emotional level, which I feel is human nature to want to know that someone else suffers with you. I do know that one of the biggest influences is the high that I get performing those songs for our fans and even the people we play in front of for the first time and just looking out and seeing them singing along to the song or just jamming and really getting into it. That helps to inspire me personally to keep playing and keep writing and keep performing.
How often do you rehearse? As often as possible but since we all have other bands, projects, and real jobs it can be difficult at times. Were to the point now though that were solid enough that we can go a while without getting together and not skip a beat. The chemistry that we all have helps.
What gear do you guys use?
Me- Shure Beta 58 wireless Mic, Takamine G-Series acoustic electric
Brandon- Gibson SG Standard and Egnater Combo
Gene- Line 6 Bogner combo and DBZ Bolero and Gibson Challenger guitars
Steve- Ernie Ball Stingray bass guitar and GK amp and cabs
Matt- 5 piece Pearl EX drum kit with Evans heads, Zildijan and Dream cymbals with PDP hardware, Vater sticks and DW 5000 Accelerator pedal.
Do you utilize a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that? I understand why booking agents exist and why bands use them. It is almost impossible to get booked at some venues unless you have the “In” with a production company. We have worked with them in the past to try and get on some larger bills with national acts but we don’t have any type of agreement with a booking agent or really even a manager who books shows for us. We are the type of band that is in the trenches, calling up owners and managers and booking shows. It is a group effort to book shows. If any of us hears of the possibility of playing somewhere we follow up on the lead and get our info out there. That being said Matt really is the main guy in our band that does the booking. He does a tremendous job of keeping us and his two other bands (A Common Crown and After the Fall) busy. Not only that, he also helps to run the charity organization Rock For Life where he books bands for a number of shows thru the year.
Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that? We are looking to play music. Whatever helps us do that is what we are looking to do. If the opportunity came about to sign with a label it is something that we would consider and weigh our options. Obviously anyone who has ever played music has the dream of “making it”. Signing with a label can sometimes make that dream a reality. However there are plenty of stories where the record industry has exploited young artists into basically signing a deal with the devil that is always heavily weighted in the record company’s favor. Though we would love to be a full time touring/recording band we would not rush into signing a contract that would essentially make us slave labor. The nice thing about the world that we live in today is that it is now easier than ever to get your music out there for a large audience. It kind of makes it easier to be successful as a band, however, the downside of that is that the industry is so oversaturated with artists. Fortunately for us we have the advantage of wisdom to avoid signing deals like the Goo Goo Dolls, N.W.A and some of the other artists who were exploited by people trying to bolster their bank accounts. I simply would never say never about signing a deal though. If it is the right time, then it’s the right time.
What are your songs about? Life…Each song is about experiences in life. Love, heartache, anger, deception, truth, change, self-preservation, triumph, defeat. The songs are about everything and nothing at the same time. Some of the stories are things that have actually happened. Other stories are things that could have happened or maybe wanted to happen but didn’t really pan out. Each song comes from a different experience. Some songs have a deeper meaning than others. Some songs started out about being someone else and then when I searched my soul I found that really I was writing more about me. Some songs were written solely about wanting to party and have a good time. Every one of them is a different place and time, a different feeling, altered emotions, a mind frame that was skewed with what was happening in that moment. The plain and simple answer to the question is life.
Who does the composing and writes the lyrics?
I (Justin) am the principal lyricist in the group. I will also come up with the music sometimes but in terms of riffs Brandon is pretty much the master of this category. The whole process is really carried out by the band though. Every guy in our group contributes to the final outcome of the songs. It really is a direct result of the relationship that we have built with one another and the fact that egos always get checked at the door and when they don’t we aren’t afraid to tell one another.
Do you start with the music or the lyrics?
It depends on the song. Sometimes we write a riff that will inspire a song and then other times the hook for a song comes first and I build a song around that. The rarer occasion is when I purposely sit down to write a song and they both come at the same time. I find that in these situations the song is usually forced and I don’t like the outcome of the end product. It really just depends though on the situation of the song.
Do you compose in a certain enviroment?
No. Like I said before I don’t typically like to just sit down and write a song. Inspiration needs to just come naturally. When it doesn’t I feel that the song really turns out forced and I usually end up going back changing it and re-writing it once if not several times. A lot of times lyrics come to me in moments when I find myself in some sort moral conundrum and I start to work it out in my mind. In all honesty this happens a lot in the car when I am alone and I have time to think, especially when I am tired of listening to Hello being played for the millionth time. I have written songs everywhere though at work, in my bedroom, the car, the shower, at practice, while watching television, you get the picture.
Have you done any covers live? Yeah, we play a lot of covers. We are a bar band by trade which kind of implies that it is a requirement to be allowed to set up our gear and play. Are ultimate goal would be to become a band that plays only original music. Until that day we are going to continue to play Uptown Funk, Bye Bye Bye, Simple Man, and Sober until we either A. make it big or B. go insane from playing said songs over and over again.
What are the least and most people to attend one of your gigs? I don’t really put value on a show anymore based on the number of attendants. When I was younger I definitely did and thought that the more people the better. Now as I age though I would rather have an audience of 10 people who are really interested in listening to the music and relate to the songs, then be at a place in front 100 people who are just there to drink beer and meet women/men. That being said we have played some really awesome shows over the years for as many as a thousand or so people and I have personally played for an audience that consisted of my girlfriend, the bartender and one guy that probably would have left but at the time was barely capable of sitting let alone moving to get up and leave. Sometimes those shows are the most memorable whereas the ones with a bunch of people just become blurred memories that get lost in time.
What ages are most of your concert attendants?
It varies really depending on the venue that we are at. Some places we play I would say we are lucky if the average age is 45, and then there are venues where I feel like we are playing for a middle school dance. Most of the time though we have a diverse audience of people of 21 years of age or older.
Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary? We try to switch it up as much as possible. We are always trying to write new material and learn new cover songs so we can keep it interesting for both ourselves and the fans. We do end up playing a similar set though a lot of the time when we play out at the bars. The band definitely has transformed from where we were when I first joined and before I was in it to now. The band was originally a money making cover band who played mostly classic, southern rock. Now we are closer to a top 40 style of rock band that mixes in original music who can also derive a set that is based solely on original music.
Do you have a regular place you play live often?
We have a great relationship with a lot of venues and have established ourselves enough that we stay busy. We have played venues such as the Altar Bar and Vamp’D in Las Vegas and love those places but we have also played a lot of local venues around our area that are equally as cool to play at. Probably the venue where we play at the most frequently and love it every time we do is a place called Sidebar in Kittanning. It is one of those venues that really is dedicated to being a live music venue and is always packed with people that want to listen to bands and artists. It is really an awesome venue and one that we play probably 4-5 times a year and that I also play regularly as a solo artist. Other venues include the Ironwood Grille, Leechburg Moose, the Blue Haven, Avonmore Italian Club, Hard Rock Café, Buddy’s and many more.
What was your first gig like? That is really difficult to say because I wasn’t in the band for their first show. I know for me when I did join the band it was a little frustrating for me because I was trying to find my place and where I fit into the band and what my role would be. I was pretty young at the time and definitely immature when came to being a part off a group. Over time though the frustrations subsided and I was able to put my own personal ego aside and be a part of the group and do what was best for the band as a whole. Probably our first big show as a band with the current line up as is was really exciting. We played in front of a couple hundred people at a show called Rock for Life. It was a new beginning for us as a band. I can’t say that we played the best because we had only been together for a couple of weeks, and are guitars players were still feeling each other out to find there place with one another. We definitely weren’t as tight as we are now, but it was a great experience and an awesome feeling.
What was your latest gig? We just played this past Saturday at a local venue that I listed above. It was a good time, but definitely a tiring show. We put a lot of energy into each and every performance. I feel like that is really important, to treat every show like it is the biggest show of your life and try to make every person there to love the band. Obviously there will always be people who don’t like the music that you play, but hopefully they can respect it. I think what really helps us continue to get better is that we are very hard on ourselves. We are never satisfied with the way we play and I know myself personally I reflect on every show as soon as it is over to see where I can improve or how I can bring more energy. I think that shines in our performance.
Have you had to cancel a gig?
One thing that we take pride in is that we try to never cancel a show no matter what the reason is. If we can’t play for some reason we don’t book it. We have played shows where someone in the band had the flu and was throwing up in between songs, one show where one of our members was having some heart issues and continued to perform, I personally one time had two shows booked pretty much back to back of each other on the same day and had laryngitis and I still wouldn’t cancel the show. There have been some instances where we had to cancel a show because we double booked by mistake but we try to make a point to talk to one another and make sure that we are all available to play before we book. If you are a band that cancels you might as well get used to only playing in your basement because word will spread quickly that you are unreliable and they will stop booking you.
Where have you played live this year?
The Ironwood in Indiana, Leechburg Moose for our CD release party, Blue Haven in Blawnox, Park Inn in Indiana, Sidebar in Kittanning, Avonmore Italian club, with many shows to come.
Where do you plan to gig the coming year?
We will play a lot of the venues already listed above. We will also be playing one of our favorite shows to play each year Rock for Life which we will be the Friday night headliner. This show really is awesome. It takes place in a little town called Iselin right here in Pennsylvania each year. It is a charity show that helps raise money for families of children who have debilitating diseases that need help off-setting medical costs. The organization was actually founded by two of the members of our band (Matt and Steve) and has helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for families over the past 15 plus years. We also have some new venues that we will be performing at for the first time, one of which is Jeregels in Warendale and Power Play in New Kensington. We will also be playing the Glassport Firemen’s Street fair in July which will probably become one of the biggest shows we have ever played in terms of the number of people. We have a lot of exciting things happening this year for us and we are really looking forward to what this year has to bring.
When did you start to sell merchandise, and what do you have for sale? We have been selling merch for the past couple of years. We have t-shirts and both our albums, No Regrets and Can You Save Me¸ for sale. We also have stickers that we give out to anybody who wants one.
Where can people buy your merchandise? We sell our merchandise almost primarily at our shows but you can find our albums on I tunes now and buy it online if you all can’t make it out to a show.
What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days? I think that there are definitely positives and negatives of the downloading age of music. It is easier to distribute music to the masses but makes it easier to steal. It has made it more enjoyable for the listener to not have to buy entire albums for one song and to be able to mix and match songs to create playlists, but has also made it so listeners don’t listen to an entire body of work from an artist. I know that growing up I didn’t have a lot of CD’s or cassettes because I couldn’t really afford them but I did have a bunch of my parents old records that were always really cool to listen to. It was devastating when you would play an album so much that it would stop working and always even more devastating when you would spend $12, $13, $14, $15 or more and the album being complete filler garbage except for the one single that was released. From the consumer standpoint it has made it a lot more economical to listen to music from various artists. I think one of the things that is probably most over looked though is the amount of time and effort that was put into designing album art. I don’t feel like as much emphasis is put into this portion of album production and is not noticed as much by the consumer because they don’t possess the actual record which is a result of downloading. Having the actual album is really cool and is something that you can pass on to future generations. I think it is less likely to have those iconic jacket covers like the Beatles’ Abbey Road, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, Nirvana’s Nevermind, and Rolling Stones’ Sticky Fingers. I know when we have had our albums pressed we haven’t spent a lot of time on this aspect. As for the members of our band, our drummer Matt has an entire wall dedicated to all of the music that he has purchased over the years and Brandon is a collector of vinyl, and I think that it is really awesome that vinyl is starting to make a little bit of a comeback.
How do you think the music industry have changed because of this? Well as I have said before it has made it a lot easier for artists to distribute their music nationally and independently which has been a major positive for small time artists such as ourselves. On the other hand one of the major events that has occurred because of file sharing is the emergence of organizations such ASCAP and BMI, which while they have existed since the early 20th century they have really become a major part of music over the past 10-20 years, to ensure that artists are getting paid for music that they produce. While it has definitely helped major label artists, I feel that it has hurt smaller bands trying to find a venue where they can play there music. The fees are very high and a lot of bars especially have opted out of having live music because of the threat of being fined. Our guitarist Gene has owned a bar before and our bassist Steve currently owns a bar and it is something they have had to consider each year when contemplating booking bands. It is really hard as an artist because on one hand you hate being turned away from what could be a really cool venue because of what seems like corporate greed but on the other hand being a recording artist you totally get wanting to get paid and credit for the music you have put your blood, sweat, and tears into. We are not currently members of either of these organizations but it is something that we have talked about and will have to consider doing now that we have put out music on the internet for sale.
Do you have any role models or idols?
I can’t really speak for the band as a whole but I know myself personally I really idolize all of the local musicians that I have met and shared the stage with over the years. Being a musician isn’t easy and it isn’t as glamorous as it seems. It is a lot of hard work. It takes a lot of time and you definitely aren’t going to get rich off of playing music on the local scene. It can take a lot out of you and there is very little reward other than the satisfaction of being able to share your art with your fans and sometimes are able to call those fans friends. Beyond that it takes a lot of passion to continue to do this so I truly admire all of those local artists in our scene but really all over the world who continue to play. As for well-known musicians a couple of my idols are Aaron Lewis and Ben Burnley. I really admire both of them as singer/songwriters. Lewis especially because he was a guy that really had to work hard to rise to fame. He worked the bars playing cover tunes and sprinkling in his own songs every now and then, and that is truly a representation of what bands like Slant 6 and I as a solo artist do on a regular basis to get our songs out there for the public to listen to.
Is it easier to find inspiration from older bands, or bands that are more active today? I don’t think that it really matters one way or the other. Good music is good music and really good music is inspirational no matter what generation it comes from. Each song finds a different way to touch the soul. The song Soulshine inspires me in a different way than the song Give Me a Sign but either serves as good inspiration for me as an artist and me as a person. That’s what great music can do and that is what makes me want to write great songs that people are able to connect with.
What have been your biggest obstacles? I think the biggest obstacle for us as a band is time. We all have other interests and all have “real” jobs that make it difficult to devote as much times as we want to devote towards music. At times I wish that I was able to fully devote myself to writing and performing. At the same time I wish I had more time to devote to my family and friends. Time is the biggest obstacle but it really seems like that is the case for everyone in any walk of life. There are just never enough hours in the day to get it all done and truly live. There are five very special reasons though that we are always able to overcome these obstacles and they are Julie, Sara, Lisa, Jen and Summre. Without their support there wouldn’t be a Slant 6. Our wives and girlfriends are really they unsung heroes of our band and I would venture to guess that is the case with most bands. They have to devote as much time as we do to going to shows and being away from us when we have practice, interviews, road trips, recording sessions, etc. It isn’t easy being with someone in a band but they all handle it really well and are very supportive. I don’t think they hear it enough but we are eternally grateful for all they do for us and we love them all very much.
What advice would you give other bands or artists?
“Put some treble in your bass and act like you want to be there.” Gene actually said that to a guy one time when we were in New Jersey playing a show. The guy asked him what he thought and he was honest about his opinion. I am sure he came of as a jerk but hopefully he took it as constructive criticism. So often I see guys that want to be the next Van Halen but they don’t know how to play for a crowd of 10 people. They need to realize that not every show is going to be Lollapalooza but you need to treat it like it is. Give a those 10 people a reason to want to come back, no need to come back to see you perform again. Be animated. Be exciting. Be better than a DJ playing YouTube videos. Don’t try to be anybody but yourself either. There is only one Van Halen, and you aren’t them. Be the band you are. Learn how to be in a band of cohesive musicians and not a group of individuals who sound like they are all playing a different song. Above all else learn how to tune your damned instruments! This takes hard work and dedication and if you are not willing to put in the time or effort then you are not worthy of sharing a stage with people who are and struggle to be the best. Realize that you are not going to get rich doing this that you have to do it for the love of the music and self-satisfaction and if you are able to do all of this then maybe you will be able to have some success as a musician.
How do you get psyched for a gig? There is no routine or anything that gets us psyched for a show. I am just kind of naturally always ready to go and perform and that is how most of the guys in the band are. We are all pretty much even keeled and treat every show like it is the most important we have ever played. The one thing that can really make me elevate my performance is having a good opener. Seeing someone else perform always makes me step it up a bit. When we are the opening band I try to do the same thing for the band(s) after us because let’s face it no one wants to be outshined by their opener. Beyond that though I would say we are just typically laid back. We may have a few beers and just hang out and have fun until it is time to go on stage and then when we are on stage the fun continues.
Do you have any new material? We are constantly writing and learning new music. It is a never ending process. We are currently working on some new originals in hopes that we can get back into the studio this summer and record another album. True artists though I don’t think ever stop creating and I am always looking around for inspirations to write something new and original.
What are your web sites? fuentertainmentrocks.com
How can people reach you? People can reach us through our Facebook page to book shows or to check out where we are playing next.
Social media addresses?
https://www.facebook.com/Slant-6-254870721212130/?ref=bookmarks
What are your plans for the future?
We just plan to continue to make great music and play our hearts out. I am sure we will write, record and release new albums and just gig wherever and whenever someone will book us. We are also looking to put together a small tour across the country this summer. Nothing really big just a few shows in other cities maybe hit up Nashville and cities along the way. We are just going to see where the road takes us.
What do you think of my work?
I think it is awesome that someone is willing to do this for local music. So much attention is devoted to the “big time” bands that it is nice know that someone has our backs and wants to help us out. I think often there is the tendency to become rivals with other local bands and artists but really it shouldn’t be like that. We should really all kind of band together and support each other and local music. I think that it starts with people like you because it shows us that we aren’t really all that different and that we all have the same goal in mind, and that is to make awesome music. Thanks for giving us a forum to let the world know who we are and taking the time to support all local musicians.
How do you think that this interview could help you in the local music scene and beyond? Like I said I think that it just helps connect us to all of the other locals and maybe open up some doors to hopefully play shows at other venues with other bands. Also the hope that it potentially gets our name to people outside of this area and introduces them to Slant 6.
What is one thing even your biggest fans don't know about the band? We are all closet Backstreet Boys fans, but we all undoubtedly hate Nickelback.
Do you have anything to add? Thanks again man for doing this for the local music scene and we hope that everyone will try to make it out a Slant 6 soon, check out some of our dates coming up:
March 11 @ Ironwood Grille in Indiana, PA
March 18 @ The Elks Lodge in Old Bridge, NJ
April 2 @ Power Play in New Kensington, PA
April 9 at RBG inside the Park Inn in Indiana, PA
And of course check out our website and Facebook page for any future shows.
