SLATER Reveal What Makes Them Tick In Our Interview Which Also Explores Their New EP 'I'd Ghost Me Too'

OSM: Who are Slater? And where are you from?
Slater are an odd bunch of musicians making indie rock and roll music, situated around the country but our real home is London.

OSM: Your EP, ‘I’d Ghost Me Too’’, is out now. What was the general songwriting process and are there any interesting stories around the recording of the songs?
The process was along the lines of actively writing about true stories. There are 3 individual songs that you can listen to alone, but they make up a general narrative which pretty much describes the internal struggles with mental health and social media while maintaining relationships. The recording was just me playing guitar, singing/ bass and Adam the drummer who literally heard the songs the same day as the session.

OSM: Of the three tracks, do you have a favourite and if so what makes it so?
Winston is absolutely my favourite track, it’s one of those rare moments where you genuinely manage to say everything you needed to in a song. Every single word meant what it was supposed to and it’s got so much energy which I feel represents me as a person right now.

OSM: From your point of view, what is EP about as a whole, what is its message?
Its message is we all hit 25 and wonder what we are actually doing with our lives. Floating through relationships, juggling work with social lives, slowly becoming “real” adults and how easy it is to get messed up by it along the way. Sometimes when you’re feeling rough you just wanna ignore the world which is when people think you are ghosting them… sometimes you’d want to ghost yourself too.

OSM: What challenges have you faced since launching your career?
I think the biggest thing is having to work full time to actually survive while earning virtually nothing from touring. I tour because I want to forge a career for myself and there is honestly nothing I love more than standing on a stage and playing my tunes, meeting good people and generally just being in this environment. But sometimes you have to wake up sometimes and face the reality that you’re getting older quicker than you are moving forward with your career which is hard.

OSM: What are the plans for the year ahead for Slater?
We’re about to announce some festivals which are the biggest I’ve been able to take part in, dead excited for that. More touring and a bunch of new songs coming out this year! Really boring generic stuff but who knows maybe I can buy a private jet next year?

OSM: If you could change anything about the industry what would it be?
 I don’t know if I have a weird complex or something but in all honesty, despite how hard it is along with the repeating weekly existential crisis, I don’t think I’d change anything. For me personally anyway I quite like the struggle as it gives you this ride or die mentality.

OSM: If you could share the stage with another band or performer who would it be?
Right now I’m big on Sam fender, I reckon we’d have some banter so that would be cool.

OSM: Who are some of the main influences of your music?
It kinda ranges from my older taste like Led Zeppelin, The Who to PUP, Sam Fender, Bring Me The Horizon… a right old mash up.

OSM: What songs are on your playlist right now, which songs are you into at the moment?
Right now I’ve got some Wallows, Hockey Dad, Arctic Monkeys, Coach Party, Middle Kids, a little Catfish and the Bottlemen and unbelievably I’ve got my own songs in there too (laughs) keeping the streams coming in. Don’t tell anybody though. I think my current fave in that is either Kids by PUP or Scrawny by Wallows -  they’re both absolute belters.