Hello, I'm Slim the Drifter. After long years of playing in four-on-the-floor bands, I started to record on my own in late "91". Low-Fi was all I could afford at the time, so that's what I did. I had a blast. The result was "Callin' Cali" (Gang of Hair 002). I toured as a one man show with my trusty boom box and sang to my own tracks without vocals. I'd put at least one mic on the box and play Mr. Microphone with the other one. I threw confetti, gave away (99 cent store) prizes in raffles from Hell... Jeez, sometimes I felt bad for having so much fun! I played a show once in my hometown of Bakersfield, California with none other than Kinky Friedman, who will hopefully be the next Gov. of Texas. He nicknamed me "The Karaoke Cowboy", A name that I still hear once in awhile. There was a small college radio hit on "Cali" about a cross dressing truck driver, it was called "The Ballad Of Bill". After a restful and restless period, I went back out on the road with a six string and I've been doing that ever since. Though there are a couple of lost efforts in between, I have a new record with my three piece band, Slim the Drifter Trio! The music is purely American. Look for "The Guilty Ten" by Slim the Drifter Trio. We hope you like it. Keep the faith, Slim
I ran out of room. The influence of Slim's art/music is a thing to be discovered. His music spans the early Bakersfield punk, to the Karaoke cowboy songwriter, working in the Genre Bend when I first met him. Then to playing in a four on the floor band with Matt Sarad and Keith Brack. After that was the Slim the Drifter Trio who wrote and recorded an album. Aand then there is every other thing in between. This music is one of a kind, as is the spirit of the man, much love and reverence.
I talked to slim last mother's day for about 3 hours or so. Played him some songs over the phone, gave him the layout to the place where I was living at the time. We talked about pretty much everything we usually did: songs, songwriters, rock stars, truth, lies, the people that tell them, the people that don't. Talked about love, we always did, because we always loved each other. He sounded pretty good. I would be planning a trip to Bakersfield right now, if this was last year. So last year around this time I went up on a weekend, no one knew except Matt. I stayed at his house on saturday, woke up sunday and drove to my dad's house to have breakfast. I left there and went to visit my friend Gene Phillips. While there, my old man calls and tells me to stop by the house before I head back downtown. SAid he had something for me. Okay with my dad that could mean anything. So I stop by the house, my dad is kicked back in the chair. He reaches over to the little table there and hands me an envelope, says "Here's your receipt". Okay what's that mean? I am opening the letter from my friend Ethan that tells me that one of my dearest friends has died. I don't think I cried until I got to the Kern County Museum, just pulled over in the parking lot, smoked a bowl and cried. I finished the bowl and the drive to Matt's house. Matt Alex and myself had been planning to call Slim that weekend to schedule a time to come out and record some more tunes. That wasn't to be. I tell them the news, they might have thought I was joking for a minute, but only for a minute. Immediately we all ran into the kitchen and grabbed four beers, one for the each of us and one for Slim. We crack the beers, Matt takes a drink, passes the Slim beer to me, I chug it, pass it to Alex, he finishes it and throws it on the ground. With tears in our eyes and on our cheeks we look down to find an empty bottle of "DEAD GUY ALE". I said all that to say this, S
Scott was a friend to many of us. As far as Im concerned he still is. Scott LIVED his life like many of us, FREE! He was a brother, a friend, a uncle, and most important a husband. A husband... What an important gift that God gave us was love. Remember to respect those he loved that were with him in the later time of his life. As we grow, we change. I watched Scott change. He grew up some, (like we tend to do as we get older) and learned to share and love more than he knew possible. His love for Debbie was so, so, so true. We talked alot before his passing (wow, this isnt easy, I miss him too!) and he told me that he and his wife Debbie were at a hotel on the Suislaw River and he said that they talked all night and it was wonderful. It changed his whole life he said. He told me "When I die I want my ashes put in the Suislaw, right there where Debbie and I had that night TOGETHER". He said that night with her changed him. He knew he loved her and he knew she loved him. Lets all respect them and wish them both nothing less than well. I love you Scotty (I know you hate me calling you Scotty but you let me do it) You are a wonderful friend I miss you Brother! Hang in there Debbie my family and I are here for you, we love you. The Truth Will Prevail. God Bless All!
For Slim and Debbie, For the love that we all shared that was a truely great gift. Slim will always be with me and in my heart. We lived together and wrote music and songs together. We talked like to bothers do. Like good friends do also. Yes I would say that Slim was a brother to me as I was one to him. He understood alot of what I had to say to him and he look up to me in other ways as I did to him. We had talked about many things him and I. Though is was a short time, about two and half years that I knew him, to short in alot of other ways as well, but in other ways it was just right. For a friend like Slim only comes along once or twice in life and I am very grateful that I was chosen by God to be one of Slim real close friends. Thanks for the laughs and the tears Slim, I know you wouldn't want it to be any other way. Ethan James Green
A beautiful guy who chose the road less-taken. An original whose voice will echo down life's canyons for a long, haunting time. Take care, my friend. Warren
Miss you good friend. I call you a good friend even though I never got to meet you in person. It was nice getting to know you over the phone. Thanks for liking my music. Your music is so good. Wish I had come to Oregon to meet you that time a few months ago. Somehow I've got a feeling that you are still here with us for a little while to help us out a bit. Catch you later Slim.
thank you slim for all the sound advice. scott taught me how to be the song writer and friend i am today. he saw more in me than i ever did. and he never pointed me in the wrong direction.
I can't believe you are gone, and it is so difficult to write how I feel. It is comforting knowing you were surrounded by love. I know you are now in the presence of other great song writers, and I can't wait to hear what you done, when we meet again...
