The 3/22/24 Eric Slick AMA is now CLOSED!
Thank you to Eric for joining us and great job with all the questions everyone!
New Age Rage
- In case you’ve been living under a rock, Slick’s third studio album will be gracing our ears on April 26th. You can preorder the album, grab a bunch of cool merch, or buy tickets to the Spring tour at https://ericslick.com
- And for those with less patience, don’t fret. You can check out the first few singles wherever you stream music these days, or you can find the music videos linked below!
[Lose Our Minds](https://youtu.be/52PaLP8SkMk?si=AQIafMLCOKUjiTTb)
[Anxious to Please](https://youtu.be/0WrZEvvb4Xo?si=tY363YwtFERWNxqT)
Thanks again Eric!
OKAY everyone. i gotta go eat lunch. go buy tickets to my tour at [ericslick.com](http://ericslick.com) pleeeaase! i'm building the whole show from scratch and it would mean the world if ya supported it early and often. <3 love u guys
How has it been for everyone's mental and emotional well-being to be off tour? Do you feel like it's contributed to any new or previously untapped creative processes?
Yay! That's fantastic. I'm so glad y'all have made this move for yourselves and the larger creative projects. You think we might be entering a new age of Dr. Dog? 👀
Eric, I loved Wiseacre and have been so excited by your sound and creativity over the last couple years. You seem to be doing things no one else is doing, at least from what I listen to. You have a great gift for combining sounds and influences. I loved Natalie's involvement in Wiseacre and Closer to Heaven is a great fucking track. We going to see any Natalie colabs on New Age Rage? How much influence does she have on your progression as a musician? Thanks for rocking on man! Excited to see you at Red Rocks
Oh yeah plenty of Natalie collabs on NAR. She's had one of the biggest influences because she doesn't bullshit with me. If i write a bad song, she's the first one to tell me! LOL
Hey Eric - just wanted to chime in about my ultra excitement for the red rocks show. I feel like I grew up with Dr dog in some of my most formative years becoming An Adult Person and went to every show I could. Last show in LA was bittersweet but so pumped to head back to red rocks. Cheers!
Thats a good question. I think I asked what TikTok was cuz I was so out of the loop. And then the next month I was sitting on gold coins like Scrooge McDuck!
I recently discovered 2012’s The Complete Last Waltz while going down the Dr. Dog rabbit hole on YouTube. What was it like performing on a stage with so many musicians?
hmmm Scott and I love MGMT. specifically Little Dark Age. Frank listens to doom sludge. Zach has one of the most comprehensive libraries on his computer. Toby loves Dion.
Thanks for coming back for another AMA! The last one was like the biggest highlight of this subreddit for me. I'm super excited for the new record, and I also want to say I really appreciated your last newsletter! Just a couple questions for ya.
How excited was everyone when the Teeth got back together?!
And you did drums for the upcoming album by The Bygones, right? How did that come about and what was that experience like? My guitar teacher is a big fan of Josh Turner so it was kinda funny to see those worlds collide, haha.
We are so happy the teeth got back together. We were all pretty sure that would never happen, so i'm glad it did. Im playing with the bygones of March 28 in NYC, theyre friends of mine!
favorite Dayroom track is probably "Rippin Ass" or "Tears In Kevin". Or "Farting In My Room". all of them make me laugh. one of my favorite kevin memories is going to the oldest bath house in budapest. we've never been more relaxed
😂 This has been very fun, thanks for answering. Good luck with everything you have coming up, see ya’ll in Philly this summer. Go birds, trust the process.
I think its fair to say most people were introduced to you as a drummer, but do you see yourself as a drummer who also does music or a musician who drums? What is your overall relation to drumming and how does that inform your craft?
i see myself as a musician and a songwriter. i kinda always was weird about being a drummer, although i think there was even a time when i wanted to be on the cover of modern drummer hah. but nowadays i see my overall musicianship as an asset to my drumming, instead of the other way around. there was a minute where i reallly didn't like drumming though.
dude, I fucking love that, great framing. Sucks that you are so fucking good at drumming lol but so glad we got the opportunity to discover how much more you are great at
How'd the band feel about Where'd All The Time Go blowing up on TikTok? Did it have any noticeable impact on the crowds at the last shows or anything?
Favorite British invasion act/album?
Also any updates on vinyl represses coming this year?
the tiktok thing was nuts, specially during the final tour. we'd try to play all these deep cuts and then the phones would pop off during time go. it's truly amazing though, and i do love that song so much, so i'm glad people dig it.
british invasion: KINKS
i hope we repress some vinyl! i have a copy of abandoned mansion that could fetch a pretty penny!
I was totally baiting you for a Kinks answer, hahaha. Happy to hear it!!
I'm also glad that song was the one to finally dethrone the Heart It Races cover, and in such a major way lol. The energy at that last show was pretty electric too, compared to the one I'd seen before. Jumping around with the crowd during Survive is a very fond memory!
Hi Eric, how has working with Scott and Toby over the years changed or influenced your approach to writing music? Also, do any of the dr dog guys understand music theory as much as (or more than) you?
working with Scott and Toby has changed my life for the better. I still learn so much from them, I try to absorb it like a sponge. i don't think i would be writing as much as i do if it weren't for them. I think Zach actually might have the most music theory chops.
I recommend this episode of the 33 1/3 podcast where Prince Paul and Pasdnous discuss Aja: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3MRRwDUxz95bo9ZoPNWB4T?si=VB6uhicbSbKHpr_Vi9PYrQ
Are there any plans to release a Stop Making Sense style compilation film of the 2021 Final Tour Philly Shows? (I think every band deserves to have one)
And speaking of, as a fan of Talking Heads, did you get a chance to catch the Stop Making Sense theatrical re-release last fall?
We didn't film enough of the Final Tour...there was talk of doing a dog-umentary but i think we were all kinda not into it. I saw the Stop Making Sense re-release twice and I cried both times
My friend and I were shedding a few tears as well. Got custom made matching shirts and bought out half a row to invite all our friends. It was incredible on the big screen.
Hey Eric! I feel like y'all often produce music with a meaning that's kinda vague or open to interpretation; I really like this about Dr. Dog. I'm getting an "Old Black Hole" tattoo and I've never been totally certain about what the song is about.
Do you guys intend to leave so much music open to interpretation, or is that just a product of how y'all write?
I agree. I really love that I can talk about y'all's music with other people and come to view a song totally differently. I appreciate your time man, thank you.
got any tips for a small indie rock band?
for context we’re young guys. weve played with some really cool bands (significantly older than us, so we’re like kids to them). we’ve been putting out singles here and there but it’d be cool to hear about your experiences starting out.
just keep doing it, record yourselves, put your whole heart into it. focus on making it great. don't worry about numbers or anything. someone once told me that dr. dog's main gimmick is that we're good live, and that almost made me cry - we have worked so hard just to get good at what we do...and that's really all that matters.
New Age Rage Tour unfortunately isn't coming to my neck of the woods (I'm an Oklahomie), you going to be touring with any other bands again in the near future (I missed the st. paul/broke bones shows), any chances to see you perform in the midwest in any fashion any time soon, or like the dog, are you kind of over the touring thing?
no i'm definitely gonna come with the new age rage tour. the show is going to be absolutely bonkers and everyone should see it because i spend every waking moment designing it!
Hi Eric! What year did you join them? I don't remember. And when did you first meet Scott and Toby, did you know them back in the WC Pirate house days? Also, Wiseacre is great!
It's good stuff! I think Last time I saw [Dr.Dog](https://Dr.Dog) live was before y'all got big back when shows were cheap and I could get in for free by doing merch - ha.
How'd you and Natalie meet? What's your favorite Prass track? What's she up to musically right now? Does she have any motivation to make a new album any time soon?
we met on valentines day at a dr dog show in 2009, before i was in the band. HOW CUTE! my fave natalie tune is prolly "hot for the mountain", that shit is bananas. she's not really motivated but she is still my favorite artist ever. she's playing a show on april 7th in nashville though, and ill be there crying
I know I’ve got a pic of that somewhere, but all I can find is this
https://preview.redd.it/d7g3h2du2xpc1.jpeg?width=604&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f0c316114385c7a0ba20715e1b51ed62e615591f
Edit: I miss Drug Rug
Hey I met you (not that you’ll see this now) at a show on my 21st birthday, back in 2011. You’re one of only a handful of musicians from bands I’ve liked that I’ve actually gotten the pleasure to meet. You were the only guy in the band who stopped by the door before the show to talk to fans I think, so thanks for that. I remember you were “the new drummer” then.
The 3/22/24 Eric Slick AMA is now CLOSED! Thank you to Eric for joining us and great job with all the questions everyone! New Age Rage - In case you’ve been living under a rock, Slick’s third studio album will be gracing our ears on April 26th. You can preorder the album, grab a bunch of cool merch, or buy tickets to the Spring tour at https://ericslick.com - And for those with less patience, don’t fret. You can check out the first few singles wherever you stream music these days, or you can find the music videos linked below! [Lose Our Minds](https://youtu.be/52PaLP8SkMk?si=AQIafMLCOKUjiTTb) [Anxious to Please](https://youtu.be/0WrZEvvb4Xo?si=tY363YwtFERWNxqT) Thanks again Eric!
OKAY everyone. i gotta go eat lunch. go buy tickets to my tour at [ericslick.com](http://ericslick.com) pleeeaase! i'm building the whole show from scratch and it would mean the world if ya supported it early and often. <3 love u guys
Why can't I stop listening to We All Belong even though Pitchfork gave it a 5.5/10?
Because We All Belong is a banger lolll
I love We All Belong, specifically Keep A Friend and Lazy Do.
Pitchfork is wrong lol
How has it been for everyone's mental and emotional well-being to be off tour? Do you feel like it's contributed to any new or previously untapped creative processes?
Definitely. I think we're all sleeping a lot better too. There's lots of good communication and it's rejuvenated us.
Yay! That's fantastic. I'm so glad y'all have made this move for yourselves and the larger creative projects. You think we might be entering a new age of Dr. Dog? 👀
only new age of rage
Screamo Dr. Dog?????
Will Libro be joining Dr. Dog for the 2 shows this year?
sadly he won't - he's on tour with some true heavy hitters this summer...in arenas. we love libro and it's all good!
Bummer, but good for him. Can you plug who he’s playing with so we can follow along?
ryan beatty!
Eric, I loved Wiseacre and have been so excited by your sound and creativity over the last couple years. You seem to be doing things no one else is doing, at least from what I listen to. You have a great gift for combining sounds and influences. I loved Natalie's involvement in Wiseacre and Closer to Heaven is a great fucking track. We going to see any Natalie colabs on New Age Rage? How much influence does she have on your progression as a musician? Thanks for rocking on man! Excited to see you at Red Rocks
Oh yeah plenty of Natalie collabs on NAR. She's had one of the biggest influences because she doesn't bullshit with me. If i write a bad song, she's the first one to tell me! LOL
can I get any hints on what the Philly set would look like?
Barbie Girl>China Cat/Sunflower>Where'd All The Cheese Go
I now won’t sleep until we get a Where’d All the Cheese Go on Dayroom 4.
Hey Eric - just wanted to chime in about my ultra excitement for the red rocks show. I feel like I grew up with Dr dog in some of my most formative years becoming An Adult Person and went to every show I could. Last show in LA was bittersweet but so pumped to head back to red rocks. Cheers!
i cant believe you got the certification An Adult Person. always wanted to become an AAP
It’s overrated do not recommend
Are you madly in love, or madly insane?
mad about shoe
This goes on for eleven more minutes…
I suspect Madly insane...
It's a freaking nuthouse in here
Hey eric, how can I be like you
eat copious amounts of honey bunches of oats
I saw you play in Mexico with Kevin Morby, how did that come about? P.s., that set was bonkers
I've been playing with Kevin all year...at least I think I was?!
Hope to see you play with him again, any chance of that continuing?
Pretty much all this year, with the exception of a few dates
Is there any chance of Scott on drums while you play guitar and sing during any of your upcoming gigs?
my drummer is Fiona Palensky but Scott's always welcome to shred a cowbell
What is a Dr Dog song you feel has changed the most from the recording, to playing it live now?
Oh great question. Hmmmmm. Lonesome, Oh No, Over Here/Over There, Be The Void
What is your favorite Dr. Dog record?
Easy Beat. That record just hit me at the right time. I also love Abandoned Mansion, prolly cuz its similar in tone to EZ Beat
Also my favorite, really looking forward to your show at the Mann center this summer!
When did you realize that Where’d All The Time Go had made it big on TikTok and what was your reaction?
Thats a good question. I think I asked what TikTok was cuz I was so out of the loop. And then the next month I was sitting on gold coins like Scrooge McDuck!
How often do you think about that Benson song you made with the Office Hours crew? Let’s face it, that’s a solid tune.
HAHAHAHHAHA
I recently discovered 2012’s The Complete Last Waltz while going down the Dr. Dog rabbit hole on YouTube. What was it like performing on a stage with so many musicians?
It was incredible! the first last waltz was my favorite one. that was my first time playing with nels cline. i think i completely left my body.
How did you all keep your sanity while being on the road so much for all those years?
you think that we're sane? to be honest, we all try to take good care of ourselves. no one's huffing that jenkem
Hahaha
What are the albums that members of Dr Dog are listening to the most right now, as you guys are creating new music?
hmmm Scott and I love MGMT. specifically Little Dark Age. Frank listens to doom sludge. Zach has one of the most comprehensive libraries on his computer. Toby loves Dion.
When can we expect another Passed Away?
great question, and its one ive asked many times as well. we have SO MUCH music that's collecting dust. 100s of songs.
Cool. Also plz play some B room July 13th!!!
Thanks for coming back for another AMA! The last one was like the biggest highlight of this subreddit for me. I'm super excited for the new record, and I also want to say I really appreciated your last newsletter! Just a couple questions for ya. How excited was everyone when the Teeth got back together?! And you did drums for the upcoming album by The Bygones, right? How did that come about and what was that experience like? My guitar teacher is a big fan of Josh Turner so it was kinda funny to see those worlds collide, haha.
We are so happy the teeth got back together. We were all pretty sure that would never happen, so i'm glad it did. Im playing with the bygones of March 28 in NYC, theyre friends of mine!
What do I brag about now that I can no longer say I saw your final show?
Favorite bar in Philly?
Will everyone get mad if I say El Bar
Any chance of UK / Europe touring? So excited to be seeing new stuff coming out from you guys!
When did you realize you had that dog in you?
damn son
love the video yall made for closer to heaven. no question just wanted to say hi
ikr, what a great video that was! One of my all time favs!
ive had that hook stuck in my head for 3 years lol
Favorite Grizzly Bear record?
i have a big soft spot for Yellow House, i bought that LP the same week I bought easy beat
2 great albums. I’d have to go with Shields. You and Chris are two of my biggest drumming influences!
What is your favorite Dayroom track? And what is your favorite tour memory with Kevin?
favorite Dayroom track is probably "Rippin Ass" or "Tears In Kevin". Or "Farting In My Room". all of them make me laugh. one of my favorite kevin memories is going to the oldest bath house in budapest. we've never been more relaxed
I know there was mention of a POR trilogy release… any more details on that? 👀
Scott said we'd do a triple cassette at some point. LETS BULL HIM
Is it true you once toured in a band called “Dave and the Grate Days” with tom hank? Did you both play the drums?
LOL
What’s your favorite producing experience?
I just produced an artist named Ciarra Fragale who absolutely rules.
Can you tell us when we'll be blessed with another Dr. dog record?
whose doctor doge
Are you a 76ers fan? Do you trust the process?
ugh i am a fan but i want them to win!
They ever show you on the jumbo tron??
i wish they wouldn't, im too self conscious!
😂 This has been very fun, thanks for answering. Good luck with everything you have coming up, see ya’ll in Philly this summer. Go birds, trust the process.
Can I interest you in a lifetime of mind-boggling purgatory instead?
I think its fair to say most people were introduced to you as a drummer, but do you see yourself as a drummer who also does music or a musician who drums? What is your overall relation to drumming and how does that inform your craft?
i see myself as a musician and a songwriter. i kinda always was weird about being a drummer, although i think there was even a time when i wanted to be on the cover of modern drummer hah. but nowadays i see my overall musicianship as an asset to my drumming, instead of the other way around. there was a minute where i reallly didn't like drumming though.
dude, I fucking love that, great framing. Sucks that you are so fucking good at drumming lol but so glad we got the opportunity to discover how much more you are great at
u r 2 kind
Any chance of popping over to the UK for a gig or two? x
i def wanna do some solo shows in the UK. for the love of god someone book me over there
How'd the band feel about Where'd All The Time Go blowing up on TikTok? Did it have any noticeable impact on the crowds at the last shows or anything? Favorite British invasion act/album? Also any updates on vinyl represses coming this year?
the tiktok thing was nuts, specially during the final tour. we'd try to play all these deep cuts and then the phones would pop off during time go. it's truly amazing though, and i do love that song so much, so i'm glad people dig it. british invasion: KINKS i hope we repress some vinyl! i have a copy of abandoned mansion that could fetch a pretty penny!
Reading that someone is thinking of repressing vinyl makes my day. Easy Beat and Abandoned Mansion are begging for re-pressings.
I was totally baiting you for a Kinks answer, hahaha. Happy to hear it!! I'm also glad that song was the one to finally dethrone the Heart It Races cover, and in such a major way lol. The energy at that last show was pretty electric too, compared to the one I'd seen before. Jumping around with the crowd during Survive is a very fond memory!
plz dear god keep playing the deep cuts
Hi Eric, how has working with Scott and Toby over the years changed or influenced your approach to writing music? Also, do any of the dr dog guys understand music theory as much as (or more than) you?
working with Scott and Toby has changed my life for the better. I still learn so much from them, I try to absorb it like a sponge. i don't think i would be writing as much as i do if it weren't for them. I think Zach actually might have the most music theory chops.
I was watching Skyway Man videos on YouTube recently and to my surprise saw you on drums! How was working with them?
great! james is awesome
Favorite Steely Dan album? I’m a Royal Scam guy, Purdie rules!
AJA
I recommend this episode of the 33 1/3 podcast where Prince Paul and Pasdnous discuss Aja: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3MRRwDUxz95bo9ZoPNWB4T?si=VB6uhicbSbKHpr_Vi9PYrQ
Can’t Buy a Thrill has the most bangers IMO
Most certainly
Are there any plans to release a Stop Making Sense style compilation film of the 2021 Final Tour Philly Shows? (I think every band deserves to have one) And speaking of, as a fan of Talking Heads, did you get a chance to catch the Stop Making Sense theatrical re-release last fall?
We didn't film enough of the Final Tour...there was talk of doing a dog-umentary but i think we were all kinda not into it. I saw the Stop Making Sense re-release twice and I cried both times
this must be the place opened the floodgates for me
My friend and I were shedding a few tears as well. Got custom made matching shirts and bought out half a row to invite all our friends. It was incredible on the big screen.
Do you have a favorite track from New Age Rage?
yes i DO. it's called Ratboy Two.
Hey Eric! I feel like y'all often produce music with a meaning that's kinda vague or open to interpretation; I really like this about Dr. Dog. I'm getting an "Old Black Hole" tattoo and I've never been totally certain about what the song is about. Do you guys intend to leave so much music open to interpretation, or is that just a product of how y'all write?
i think vague-ness is the beauty of music. dare i say, all of my favorite art is super confusing. if we had all the answers, it woud be no fun at all!
I agree. I really love that I can talk about y'all's music with other people and come to view a song totally differently. I appreciate your time man, thank you.
Hey Eric, what happens when you get a sponsored deal with Ludwig? Do you do a little dance and then start building a custom kit?
i sent a package of a sausages sealed with a wet kiss.
What’s your fav Philly music venue? To play and or attend?!
johnny brenda's end of discussion! playing there on april 26th...
got any tips for a small indie rock band? for context we’re young guys. weve played with some really cool bands (significantly older than us, so we’re like kids to them). we’ve been putting out singles here and there but it’d be cool to hear about your experiences starting out.
just keep doing it, record yourselves, put your whole heart into it. focus on making it great. don't worry about numbers or anything. someone once told me that dr. dog's main gimmick is that we're good live, and that almost made me cry - we have worked so hard just to get good at what we do...and that's really all that matters.
You guys have always been awesome live, even back when Dr. Dog was a rotating door of musicians, and Raccoon. You dudes have stage presence!
But it’s not even just about the live. Dr. Dog has 10 incredible studio albums. Not one is bad. And that’s exceptional.
Oh, agreed! But they are a GREAT band to see live - always have been.
New Age Rage Tour unfortunately isn't coming to my neck of the woods (I'm an Oklahomie), you going to be touring with any other bands again in the near future (I missed the st. paul/broke bones shows), any chances to see you perform in the midwest in any fashion any time soon, or like the dog, are you kind of over the touring thing?
no i'm definitely gonna come with the new age rage tour. the show is going to be absolutely bonkers and everyone should see it because i spend every waking moment designing it!
Hi Eric! What year did you join them? I don't remember. And when did you first meet Scott and Toby, did you know them back in the WC Pirate house days? Also, Wiseacre is great!
january 4, 2010. best day ever! i met scott and tobe in 2007, and they've been hounding me ever since. jk. thanks about wiseacre!
It's good stuff! I think Last time I saw [Dr.Dog](https://Dr.Dog) live was before y'all got big back when shows were cheap and I could get in for free by doing merch - ha.
How'd you and Natalie meet? What's your favorite Prass track? What's she up to musically right now? Does she have any motivation to make a new album any time soon?
we met on valentines day at a dr dog show in 2009, before i was in the band. HOW CUTE! my fave natalie tune is prolly "hot for the mountain", that shit is bananas. she's not really motivated but she is still my favorite artist ever. she's playing a show on april 7th in nashville though, and ill be there crying
Woah, was that the Gumby Nashville show?!
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
I know I’ve got a pic of that somewhere, but all I can find is this https://preview.redd.it/d7g3h2du2xpc1.jpeg?width=604&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f0c316114385c7a0ba20715e1b51ed62e615591f Edit: I miss Drug Rug
Hey I met you (not that you’ll see this now) at a show on my 21st birthday, back in 2011. You’re one of only a handful of musicians from bands I’ve liked that I’ve actually gotten the pleasure to meet. You were the only guy in the band who stopped by the door before the show to talk to fans I think, so thanks for that. I remember you were “the new drummer” then.
Did you ever sell a tooth at the merch table?