We spoke with the L.A. native band Slant after their performance at the world famous Whiskey a Go Go on Oct. 30.
CC: How many shows has Slant played at the Whisky a Go Go now? What is the best part about playing there?
Fahim Zaman – Wow, that falls in the “I don’t know” category, for sure. I remember our first show as a full band was at the Whisky A Go Go on a Monday night. I’d say the best part of playing there is that it feels like home. We have been playing there since 2002.
Munir Hoque – Hmmmmm, I don’t even know what a ball park number would be. I can tell you that the place is awesome and like Fahim mentioned, it feels like home there. The management, Mpro, security, bartenders, sound guys all play a part in making that place awesome. LA lacks historic places and The Whisky is historic.
CC: For those who are not familiar with Slant, how do you describe yourselves as a band? What is the story behind the name “Slant”?
FZ – The best way I can describe what the name “Slant” means is that it is a reflection of what we are. At first, the name was just something one of our friends threw out while we were trying to come up with a name, and it stuck. But at the same time it was nothing and we were nothing at the time; we were just some band starting out. Then as time progressed and the band progressed, the name “Slant” became more of what we felt how we viewed the world as, and how we voiced it through our music (our “Slant” on music). Now, putting that in our music. Every show, every song, every new person we meet, every new opportunity we get is a step in our ongoing upward “Slant.”
CC: What message do you want your fans and fans-to-be to conceive from your music?
FZ: Wait… Conceive or perceive???… (AAAHH!! Haha). I mean they can conceive whatever. Since the primary lyrics have been an ongoing reflection of sh*t that comes up in life, I guess the overall message is : no matter what happens in life, the outlook for the future can be AWESOME.
MH: Slant allows me to funnel whatever emotion I’m feeling through the tunes we write. I would like the fans to connect to the music in their own way. Hearing from someone how one of our songs touched them or got them through a tough time or even allowed them to let loose means a lot.
CC: You guys just played a whole bunch of shows outside of Cali – tell us about that. Any interesting stories you guys want to share with us?
MH: We learned just how crucial an air freshener is to have in the van. I love playing out. The people are awesome and always is a great time.
CC: What is the best and, if any, worst part about touring/road tripping with your bandmates?
MH: Sometimes the hours of driving can be brutal, but for the most part it’s always a great experience. Cruise control becomes your best friend. As far as the guys go, we always have a great time together on the road.
CC: Are you guys in the works for releasing a new album or single in the near future?
MH: We are working with Sammer from the band Flyleaf and finishing up two new tunes right now.
CC: You guys have been playing for a long time now – how have things changed in the industry since you guys started playing? What is the best and worst part of the sudden influx of social media for the music industry?
FH: When we first started playing, the format of distribution was still physical. There were still record stores such as Sam Goody, Warehouse, and Virgin Music. And people were still buying whole albums and singles in CD format. Napster plus the internet changed all of that and it’s not necessarily a bad thing – it just meant that the industry was evolving (just like all other industries that were affected by the internet). The “pros” is that our music is available to a lot more people on a global scale which in turn means more opportunities to make fans, and the “cons” are that routing the revenue from sources like streaming and Youtube is all brand new. We love social media and it’s proven a great way to engage with our fans and create awareness about the band/music.
CC: What advice would you give to younger bands out there?
MH: Work together with other bands and create a scene.
CC: On a lighter note (not really lol), what are your thoughts on this years presidential election?
MH: With all that is going on with politics right now, my thoughts are that we all need to be better people and project peace into our worlds. We are better than all the negativity I’m seeing and I truly wish for it to stop
CC: If you had a chance to sit with Donald Trump for 15 minutes, what would you guys say to him?
MH: What are you looking forward to as the face of this country? What scares the shit out of you as the face of this country?
FH: Now that you’re president, I hope you can bring us together instead of further fuel the divide – we need that as a country.
CC: Any shows coming up in the near future that we should look out for?
MH: Finishing off the holidays with Puddle of Mudd and starting the new year with VOLTO!!!
FZ: You can find all the information and sign up for our email list through our website (Slantmusic.net), Facebook (facebook.com/slantmusic), and be sure to add us on instagram (Instagram.com/slantmusic)! Thank You!
All questions answered by Fahim Zaman and Munir Hoque.
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Post, photos and interview by Leanna Ahmed.
What are your thoughts on Slant? Comment below.
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