Two-thirds of The Slims sat across from me, in matching Dickies trousers, in their Newtown sharehouse. They were still recovering from a Halloween party the night before, where they were the red and yellow Wiggles.
My chat with Jake, lead vocals and rhythm guitar, and Max, bass, began with how they became The Slims. Initially called ‘Supa Slims’ after a cigarette packet found in a UNSW recording studio in 2018, they soon found it to be “too complicated to explain to people”.So, they made the executive decision to call themselves simply ‘The Slims.’ Even then, Jake joked that “there are like ten other fucking Slims out there.”
Jake is the unwavering nucleus of ‘The Slims’ — constantly pushing the band’s creativity. Before they were Supa Slims, they were Everlong. This was pre-Max, with a high school band “that would play covers at variety nights and wrote one or two original songs.” After leaving school, Jake said to their drummer friend, Briar, “We should fucking record some tunes,” because he was “always playing, and his dad is a musician, and he was down for it. We went into that uni studio and made some tracks.” They went on to release two songs in 2018. After exposure on Triple J Unearthed, they were noticed by a group holding an art showcase in Campsie who needed a musician. The band soon realised they would need a bassist. Enter Max, an old school friend. Max remembered, “We were having a beer and you [Jake] just said to me: You gotta learn bass.” Max learnt how to play the bass proficiently within two months and officially became a member of Supa Slims.
The gig in Campsie became a formative experience for the group. They had to quickly write two extra songs for their 20-minute set, so, “we went into Max’s garage and fucked around. I remember, as it always is the case with The Slims, writing the lyrics the day of the gig.” Max recalled, “You wouldn’t believe the number of times we have played a gig and there aren’t lyrics in the song and Jake just sings the melody and no one notices.” Immense and innate creativity are second nature to The Slims.
Jackson joined later in 2022, after meeting Max and Jake through their producer Nick. Initially, Jackson’s involvement was rather relaxed and unserious, whilst the duo recorded ‘Mirrors Image’ and ‘Crooks.’ He recalled that he “would pop down there [their studio] in my undies, coffee in hand, and make off-hand comments about what they should add, or how something should sound. Sometimes even bringing down musical equipment from my room to record with.” Soon after those two songs were finished, Max and Jake asked him to become their lead guitarist for a gig supporting Sweetie that August. Over time, his role transitioned from a session musician-esque position to something more concrete and central. Jackson’s finishing line in his email truly represented this shift in dynamic, “it was pretty casual until it was serious.”
Jake, Jackson, and Max’s long-seeded friendship has allowed their unique artistry to flourish into a thrilling, vibrant stage presence and musical catalogue. Jake explained that “we generally talk about going for a spaghetti western futuristic cowboy vibe.” Max clarified Spaghetti Western as “a whole era in Hollywood where they filmed so many cowboy movies in Southern Europe because it was cheaper than the US. And they’re spaghetti because it’s in Italy.” Jake clarified further, “They also couldn’t do big scores like older westerns, so they just got a bloke to play on the guitar and that was it.” However, this doesn’t mean The Slims make country music. They define themselves instead as “indie kind of alternative music.” This photographic superimposition of styles combines modern mundanity and Western flare — and creates a point of distinction in the contemporary music market.
Their most streamed song, ‘Street Dog,’ completely defines this cross-genre and century conflation of sounds. The menacing bass grounds and guides the rasping guitar riffs, which are oiled by Jake’s treacly voice. The lyrics are something out of a cartoon saloon, with lines such as “I’m a dealer in an uptown world taking favours off a stolen one” punctuated by a unique clash of percussion and guitars. The Western is transformed into an element that is fresh and new. Jackson, over email, simply described their sound as “Quentin Tarantino playing Red Dead Redemption 2 at home after a James Bond-themed party in Enmore. That’s the soundtrack.”
There is something special in Jake’s lead vocals which brings their sound together. Jake’s subtle lilt allows their fluid lyrics to completely congeal into Jackson’s scratchy riffs. It’s not surprising considering music and singing were a staple part of his childhood. Jake remembered: “It’s funny because there was always music in my house. We would just play these old CDs of whatever was on at the time like Jett and Thirsty Mirk and I would just sing along. It wasn’t like ‘Oh now it’s time to sing’ like in Dance Moms, but we would just always sing, Dad had a guitar, and we’d sing. When I got interested in it, he was like ‘Do you want to get some guitar lessons?’ And I was like ‘Yeah I guess’. And then I just started playing.” This inherent love and adoration for music bleeds into their work.
The melody guides the artist, whilst the lyrics guide the listeners. For us, the lyrics are a GPS to reflect the artist’s story — we are alerted to certain destinations, of sadness, anger, or love, and disappear amongst the emotion. The melody makes the footsteps in the sand for the lyrics to follow. For The Slims, their song-writing process is immensely collaborative, with the melody taking precedence. The process, according to Max, is “usually Jake has hummed some sort of melody. Then, we just sit down together and translate what words fit into that music number, and then we just start with one really nice line…you just work backwards to try and interpret…then you accidentally stumble across the theme of the song.”
The Slims are not above difficulty, despite the routine and vibe they have cultivated, with ‘Mienteme’ being particularly hard for the group to compose. Max reflected that “It was the most difficult to write because it had the most sections…writing it at the time we were kind of playing it as a four in a rehearsal space and having to make sure that everyone remembered when to change over, when to stop, and how many different sequences there were.” Jake also noted that it was “the most difficult lyrically.” Jake’s vocals and Jackson’s lead riffs play a game of catch that keeps the lyrical narrative engaging and alive. Max’s bass creeps below the surface until it spins into a laudatory solo — swirling the rest of the band into a cyclone of an instrumental section — soon marked by a slow and rattling strike of Jake’s rhythm guitar.
There is palpable inspiration from the staple musicians of 2014 Tumblr: Arctic Monkey, Lorde, and the 1975. Online communities are desperate for a band to bring this back. The Slims have filled this long-desired gap in the market. There is a natural affinity for this sound, with Jake emphasising that “we [don’t] try and necessarily chase whatever trend that is happening. A trend will be over before you even finish a song.” Their song ‘Sirens’ acutely functions within that indie sleaze genre. In the chorus, Jake’s voice is consumed by the harrowing drawl of the backing vocal — staunchly reminiscent of the Arctic Monkeys’ AM’. Even the lyrics transport you back to a gig from 2014; “I’ve been waiting for your call for days”.
The most striking thing about the Slims’ discography is that it features a prominent bass line as its secure underbelly. Max’s bass is the mechanical component within the scaffolding of each song, like the suspension of a car. The malleable movement of his bass allows Jake and Jackson’s guitar to comfortably wander and glide. Jake echoed this sentiment, “We always say that we like to have if the bass are just doing their thing and they’ve got a song down pat and the guitar should just be a flavour on top. I hate music that is just the guitar playing the time and just strumming chords.” Max continued, “It’s just like Aussie Indie Surf Rock that is just *insert guitar impression* and it just doesn’t stop the whole time and they just keep playing the same chords, and you don’t hear the bass, you don’t hear anything.” The centrality of the bass is a subconscious result of their writing process in the early days of the band as Max revealed that “basically I would have to stand on the bass and Jake would have to alternate between the drums and then go over to the guitar and so a lot the time we knew a song was going to be good if the bass and the drum part was right because then the guitar could just be added on top and it would be fine.” Max’s bass underpins the whole orchestration in ‘Faces.’
Each richly deep note is a pulling thread, knitting their distinct parts together. This metastatic groove is juxtaposed with Jackson’s guitar solo, a piece of brutalist architecture, painted with rough concrete and sharp edges. The creaminess of Jake’s voice floats above the curdle, where he sings relatively self-conscious lyrics that delve into feelings of perception and personal conflict.
It’s not surprising a song like ‘Faces’ exists in their repertoire, with all three of The Slims having full-time, rather corporate, day jobs. Max’s approach was rather pragmatic and neoteric, “I think it’s so old-fashioned to think that you have to give up one to do the other as well. I think so many people think that’s the narrative that’s in front of you, but it’s not necessarily a rule of life. I think you can go to work and do that stuff, and we enjoy writing music. They don’t compete with each other. We handle them both in a way.” Jackson’s response resonated with a similar ethos; “We’re a band who prioritises quality over quantity, and only try to play shows that will benefit us moving forward.” Moments like these truly illuminate the appeal of the Slims, though this goes beyond their music; it lies in their sense of humour and personality. These ‘bits’ scattered throughout our conversation, whether their attempts at impressions of various rock stars or their plan to buy a second-hand private jet, make the band magic.
Though The Slims are firmly established within the Sydney scene’s cultural zeitgeist, they intend to “stretch” themselves beyond the four walls of the Inner West. Almost like a blurb of The Slims’ manifesto, Max stated, “We really want to create something that is giant, that is really like a powerful piece that is the band’s statement in a way and doing that through an album is so impactful, we want to create something that lasts.” The steady steps The Slims have taken to push their skill set and career forward, whether that be releasing their EP or playing at Woodford, foreshadow a sublime album to come.
The anatomy of Sydney’s music scene is supported by the familiarity and affability of The Slims, so I was curious to hear their thoughts on its current health. Jake’s insight was beautifully compelling and earnest, “See what the Lord Gladstone does, that is like a vanguard holding up. Those places literally hold up the scene, because if it’s not the Gladdy with that little room upstairs that will let anyone play, and have a booker to do it. But if they wanted to they could fucking gut it and fill it out with more pokies. But they keep it that way so that bands can go there. I didn’t realise the importance of someone doing that and just having the kind of moral fortitude to hold up against what must be really hard in this business. ” The Sydney scene truly has become a flourishing and hidden jungle that is matted with ‘festival level’ musicians and impassioned artists — it is a magnificent thing to behold.
Unpacking the current state of the scene turned into an advice column from the seventies after I asked these two seasoned professionals: “What are the lessons you’ve learnt from being in The Slims for the past six years?” In a lightning round, Max and Jake strongly suggested:
- Always ask for someone to confirm exactly what you’re going to be paid for something. Upfront.
- Also, show up to other people’s gigs and go and just meet people and introduce yourself, people love a chat, people love to talk just as much as we do
- Get things in writing”
- Be easy to work with, be a nice person and you’ll get so much further than a person who isn’t
- Chat with the support band because you were a support band once
As usual with The Slims, like a calling card, their answer ended with an impression. This time, Jake attempted Jar Jar Binks. If their music career ever shockingly ends, I am sure ‘Australia’s Got Talent’ will be calling to get Jake on to do a round of impressions with Jackson and Max as backups.
The Slims’ new single Pleasure Club will be released on February 28th, and their sophomore EP will be released in late April.
