The Richmond Sluts - 60 Cycles Of Love

Hailing from the Richmond District of San Francisco, The Richmond Sluts are a revved up rock n roll band guaranteed to make you move, sweat, dance, and shake. The band was started in 1997 by founding members Chris Beltran (bass) and Shea Roberts (guitar/ vocals) and is currently featuring Justin Lynn on keys as well as new additions Jesse Nichols (guitar) & John Tyree (drums).

The Richmond Sluts recently released their new album, the long awaited "60 Cycles Of Love", on their very own label ROCK BOX RECORDS. Shea Roberts reveals everything you ever wanted to know about The Richmond Sluts but were afraid to ask: 

1) We would like you to tell the viewers of this blog the full story of The Richmond Sluts. The origins of the band, your first release in 2001; the Big Midnight episode that you formed in 2003 with Chris Beltran; how the Richmond Slut got back together again and finally the release of "60 Cycles Of Love". We want to hear it all from you!

Chris and I met in the mid to late 90's we were both into the same shit and quickly became friends. He said he was starting a band and he needed a guitar player (I only played drums at the time) so I said what are you looking at me for ? He said you would be perfect, I then reminded him that I don't know how to play the guitar and he said it doesn't matter you'll figure it out, so he showed me a few chords. After playing for a couple years and adding Justin on keys we finally had our own distinct sound.

First Album Remastered with bonus song (Sweet Somethin')

I knew Duane Peters since I was a kid so I sent him some demos. He said "kid this is great and I have my own label through Alive/Bomp records now (Disaster Records), I want to put it out". So that was that. We played constantly for the next few years. I think people got burnt out and that's why things fell apart, we were always burning the candle at both ends if ya know what I mean. Chris and I didn't stop playing music together though. We started writing new songs and I was working at a recording studio so we had the opportunity to start recording again. A music attorney by the name of Jeff Saltzman had an office across the hall from the studio and we became friends cause he was interested in what I was doing and had the money to help back us. He said he was retired and was getting into music production so we started working together on those recordings. Within 6 months we had a new record done, now the problem was what do we call it? Chris said it wasn't the sluts without Justin and Jeff didn't like the name, I didn't give a shit either way so I said how about Big Midnight? and that was it.

We tried to do the major label thing (Jeff's idea) we played for Warner Brothers, Capital.... blah, blah, blah. Doing that just bummed me out and I wasn't doing very well mentally or physically at the time. We ended up putting it out on Alive records and started playing. It was fun for awhile but my drug use destroyed my friendship with Chris and when he left the band I got someone else but it just wasn't fun anymore, so that ended. (I consider it the second sluts record, musically that's where we were headed anyway. I poured my guts out on that thing).

When I got my shit together I made amends with my old friend probably around 2008? Chris, Justin and I started talking about getting together to play some music and rehash the old days. After about five minutes of playing together we were having a blast so we booked a show at a tiny place in SF thinking maybe 50 people would show up and we would have a laugh and move on. About 200 people showed up from all over the west coast and the place only holds 100 max! The people there were all in their early 20's so we were like what the fuck, how do you know about us? Thanks to our songs being used in skateboard videos and the Internet we have more fans now than we ever did without playing for 12 years, so here we are, what's in store for us next?



2) In 2001, at the release of the first album you were often seen as a garagey punk rock'n'roll band and the true heirs of the New York Dolls. Your new release is -in my opinion- closer to the "Beggars Banquet" era Rolling stones. Do you agree to both of this statements and is this a conscious choice?

Ya we have always just called ourselves a garage rock n roll band. We have never tried to be anything but ourselves. We all listen to so many different types of music I couldn't put my finger on any one thing and say "that's what our next record is going to sound like". Yes the new album has a different vibe but it is unmistakably the Sluts !

3) About the new record "60 Cycles Of Love", is this the record of the big come back? can you explain the choice of the title and the very "biker tribute" artwork? 

There weren't any real plans to make another record, I had some new songs I was messing with so we recorded them and a few covers and it just kinda went from there. Jesse (guitar) came up with the title. Do you know what a 60 cycle hum is ?(well it's 50 in EU cause of voltage differences) but  It's the sound of electricity buzzing, letting you know it's there and can sting you at any time ! That's the 60 cycles of love, to respect that power and use it !

I've always loved motorcycles since I was a kid. I also love old movies, the first time I saw "the wild angels" with Peter Fonda and Nancy Sinatra it blew my mind ! The Harley choppers, the style and the sound track of that movie are amazing ! I don't know I just wanted to do something along those lines, and it kinda plays into the title "cycles". Ha ! there honestly wasn't that much thought put into it.



4) To what kind of music did you listen to as a teenager and does it still influence your today work? What was your favorite band as a teenager? Name 3 bands that you consider still have a influence on your own work today.

I don't even know where to begin. I listened to metal, punk rock, rock n roll, garage rock. new or old it didn't matter, whatever I could get my hands on from the older guys I hung out with.
Man I could never choose only 3 bands that influence me now, I'm influenced by more music now than ever !

5) Are you the main composer in the band or is everybody involved in one way or another?

On the first record Chris B and I wrote most of the songs together. The new album I wrote the songs Except for two I had some help on, Justin (keys) contributed and my friend Rob Easson also helped out on another.

6) Who directed the very Psychedelic clip of "MOTEL BOOGIE" and the very Russ Meyer like "Don't Need You" clip? 

Our friend Alberto Mendoza, he is very talented with video editing and really knows how to translate the songs visually. When he asked me what I wanted, I just said "60's biker freak out" and he took care of the rest. https://www.facebook.com/ alberto.mendoza.31508

7) What can concert goers expect at a The Richmond Sluts? Are you playing any famous cover songs? 

Honestly you can never know what to expect. The only thing you can count on is, it won't be boring haha ! Ya we've been doing "don't need no doctor" by Ray Charles the last few years. We recently started doing a Gene Clark song too "so you say you lost you're baby".

8) Are you still playing live songs from the first record?

Ya we always play some older songs, even some off the Big Midnight record once in a while.

9) Is ROCK BOX RECORDS your very own record label?

Ya I started it this year, I've had my production company (rockbox productions) for over a decade. I decided to start the label to release whatever I want, wether it's my music or a band that I have recorded / produced.

10) Anything you wanna add?

Just hope people dig the new record and we aren't going to disappear again for 12 years. You will be hearing much more from us! See you on our 2017 EU tour.

BRILLIANT FROM START TO FINISH!
PURCHASE IT HERE : http://www.rockboxrecordssf.com/

https://richmondsluts.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/richmondsluts/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPGqQuyMnLFQ0Z-mS1bSWsw

BREAKING NEWS: There is a French release coming out on colored vinyl with a slightly different cover. It is a joint release with mauvaise foi records / beast records it will be out this month.

http://shop.mauvaisefoirecords.com/product/the-richmond-sluts-colored-lp
http://beastrecords.free.fr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=232&Itemid=47