What happens when two teens start a band and then set out to name their group? In the case of Slightly Stoopid, Miles Doughty and Kyle McDonald bantered back and forth until they settled on the unique and unusual name. The band is still going strong 23 years later and the name is one that is not easily forgotten.
Aug. 4 | 5 p.m. | Starting at $37.50
Harvey’s Outdoor Arena | Stateline, Nev.
The band is on the sixth leg of their 11-week summer tour, and Doughty was getting ready for a show in Boise, Idaho, where it was 103 degrees F when he talked to Tahoe Weekly.
“It’s been fun jamming together with the bands that are touring with us,” said Doughty, who plays guitar, bass and lends vocals.
The San Diego-based band fuses many genres with a heavy reggae beat. It has produced 12 albums and is currently working a new album with a spring release. The surf-rock culture in Southern California is their sound. The group plays a cross-genre blend of reggae, rock, folk and blues with other elements.
Watch the video for “One Bright Day”
The seven musicians in the group all write songs, individually and collaboratively.
“We each bring our input and different influences to our songwriting. And we respect each other musically,” says Doughty.
The band has it’s own recording studio back home in Ocean Beach and when they get off the road they spend time with their families and record new music.
“The band has been together for more than half of my life,” says Doughty. “I’ve grown a lot as an individual and being on the road that long. There’s a lot of sacrifice, including giving up time with family and friends. Most people look at the glam side of being a musician but there is a lot one gives up. We put our heart and soul into our music. We started as kids and now we all have kids. But I am blessed and grateful and appreciate my life. I get to be a maniac for half the year and then a normal guy for the other half.”
According to Doughty, the band has performed in Tahoe many times and he says, “Tahoe is always a good time. We love the outdoors, being by the water and the vibes. People go intense there.”
“We are having fun and making music. What you see is what you get with Slightly Stoopid. How we are in life is how we roll on stage.” – Miles Doughty
Doughty emphasizes his appreciation for the band’s fan base during the interview, saying that without them the band wouldn’t exist.
“It’s so special how they treat us,” he says. “Thanks to all the fans and everybody who supports us. Slightly Stoopid fans are called Stoopid Heads and are a lot like Dead Heads that support the band.”
Doughty honors his life as a musician and his fellow band mates.
“We are a well-oiled machine. We are having fun and making music. What you see is what you get with Slightly Stoopid. How we are in life is how we roll on stage. We are just a bunch of beach kids,” he says “I am living the dream. I get to play music with my best friends.”
The band has toured with some of musical greats, and Karl Denson is an honorary member of the band.
Slightly Stoopid performs the Sounds of Summer tour with Iration, J. Boog and The Movement at Harvey’s Outdoor Amphitheater in South Lake Tahoe.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit harveystahoe.com.
