Ripe

SLUG, aka Sunderland's Ian Black, has just announced his debut album 'RIPE', set to be released this April. Black says of the album: 'WHAT IFs play a massive part in 'RIPE'. What if we use a stoner metal riff and use it like a dub bass part or what if we combined the drumming style of John Bonham with James Brown beat and the squelch bass of Claudio Simonetti and Fabio Pignatelli.' Taking inspiration from film soundtracks, abstract and minimalist music but also the rock and funk chops of Led Zeppelin and Funkadelic, the resulting album is concise, unselfconscious, idiosyncratic and exquisitely executed. 'RIPE' was recorded at Field Music's Roker Studio with Peter and David Brewis on production duties. The Field Music brothers also return the favour for Black who toured extensively with their band as bassist. They play on the album and in the insanely fun yet precision engineered live band where they're joined by Andrew Lowther on bass and Rhys Patterson. It was playing with Field Music that gave Ian the impetus to start SLUG. 'You couldn't be on the road with them for a year and not feel inspired. Sometimes doing these things helps create a sense of self belief that you can create your own thing... however delusional that maybe.'