THE SLOTHS – The Veterans Of Garage Rock

Interview with Michael Rummans and Tommy McLoughlin

MICHAEL RUMMANS: 
1. What was it like playing the Sunset Strip during the 1960s?

It was an absolutely amazing and unforgettable experience, especially as teenagers in our formative years. Hanging out and playing in clubs, meeting girls all the time, and being well under the drinking age limit but never being asked for ID! 

2. How easy or hard was to sign with a label back then?

Perhaps in some ways easier because it was the Wild West in the music business. Labels didn’t have a clue as to what the next big thing would be so they were actively signing bands because they didn’t want to miss out.

3. Did you ever get royalties from your single “Makin Love”?

No. Unfortunately, that wasn’t at all unusual back then. 

4. Is the original “Makin’ Love” 7″ a rarity now?

I’m told that the original 1965 pressing on Impression Records is one of the rarest 45s and a highly-sought-after collectible. In 2011, it was repressed by Ugly Things Records and in 2017 it was reissued again by Sundazed Music. 

5. What was your reaction when you were approached to appear on the compilation Back From the Grave Vol. 4 in 1984?

We were never asked and didn’t find out about its existence until 2011. 

6. Is it true that a private investigator was involved in finding the original members of the band? This sounds so exciting, please tell us the story.

One of the original founding members, guitarist Jeff Briskin, started searching for us in 2011. He hired a private investigator to track down his old bandmates from the 1960s. Then, after a feature article came out in Ugly Things Magazine, we were convinced to start playing again!

TOMMY MCLOUGHLIN: 

7. How did the members of the band decide to reunite in 2012?

Actually it was 2011. We had been contacted by a private detective hired by Jeff Briskin, the original group’s guitarist. Some music publications, including Ugly Things Magazine, wanted to interview the remaining Sloths (and band offshoot The May Wines). I made the crazy suggestion of us all getting into a garage like old times and playing songs we did back in the mid-60s. A few of us had not even played or sang in 40 years!  But we were having fun every Wednesday night playing our garage rock. Maybe six months later, Mike Stax from Ugly Things invited us to play on a bill in San Diego with his group The Loons. We thought we’d bomb, have a good laugh, and go back to the garage. But just the opposite occurred. They loved us. Suddenly job offers came in to book the Legendary Sloths! We were all shocked! 

8. What can you tell us about the recording sessions for Back From the Grave? Did it feel like vindication to finally put together an album after so many years?

We were signed to Burger Records. Lolipop Records, who were going to distribute the album, had a small recording studio. We did the entire album there. It WAS a dream come true! We had such a great time with the young producer and engineer who were big garage band fans so they kept our sound authentic. 

9. Did you ever think of making a movie about the story of the band? Especially the reunion part…

Many times!!  We really should. We had a few filmmakers start shooting a documentary on us but they never finished it. I, as a screenwriter, wrote out a part true/part fantasy version of our story but have yet to turn it into a full script. It IS a great story of redemption and getting a second chance to live out a teenage dream.

10. Tell us the story behind “Haunted” and “Lust” featured in the new movie, The Amityville Murders.

Writer/director Dan Farrands contacted me for a Sloths song to be playing on the radio during the sex scene in his film. He was also doing a homage to the sex scene in a film I directed, Friday the 13th Pt. 6: Jason Lives. “Lust” was picked for that. Then I asked about this song we have called “Haunted” which I thought might be right for the end of the film. He loved it and both appear in the film. We decided to create a music video for “Haunted” that combined newly-shot footage of the Sloths in a lonely dive bar, intercut with disturbing images from The Amityville Murders.

11. Tom, what are the similarities in shooting a film correlated with recording an album?

They are EXTREMELY different. In the album process, the first thing that happens is that songs are written and then played in rehearsals or live shows. Next, we go into a studio and begin to lay the tracks down instrument by instrument. There is, of course, the additional mixing and mastering. But the entire process is less than a month. With a movie, it sometimes takes years for the script to go through various drafts, followed by 6-8 weeks of prep, casting, finding locations, etc. Next it takes 30 to 50 days to shoot, juggling the schedules of the various 80 people involved in the shoot.  Finally, there are many months of post production before the film gets shown the first time. BIG difference.

12. Are you planning on touring Europe, or Greece!, in the future? 

There is a GREAT desire to go to Europe and particularly Greece in the near future. It all depends on getting enough bookings to make if feasible. We played at the Purple Weekend Festival in Leon, Spain a few years ago. That was a huge success. We didn’t know so many people knew of us and the “Makin’ Love” single. 

13. Which do you prefer: CD, LP or download?

Download is the most convenient and on great headphones the sound is amazing. CD is the best to have and store or send to someone. But vinyl LPs are so fun to listen to in the music old school style. But we’ve been spoiled by not ever having to turn over a record to hear the rest. I get lazy like everyone else when I’m working and listening to music.

14. Any plans for a new album or a single?

YES!!  We have a little over half a new album written and it’s being rehearsed. Two songs have been recorded. We are trying to get the entire album done by the summer of 2019.

Band info: https://www.thesloths.org/

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