A long time, I apologize

Not to make excuses, but things got really busy?

Hello Substackers,

Woof! Eric Slick here. But you know this, uh, if you’re looking at this.

The last time I wrote to you, I was promoting a tour with Toby Leaman with Macie Stewart and VV Lightbody. It was a rousing success, spiritually and emotionally. Maybe even a little bit on the fiscal side, too. Thanks to everyone for showing up and encouraging us to play our songs acoustically. Thanks for enduring our on-stage hijinks as well.

What’s been going on? I’m not even sure where to begin. As the country mudslides into fascism, I’m trying to keep my focus on the small things I can control. How can I be better to my family and friends? How can I do something without somebody asking me to do it? Are there ways that I can help out in the neighborhood? These things feel important to me right now. They help me cope whenever I check in on whatever horror awaits me on the news websites.

The beginning of my years used to be slammed with playing concerts. In 2010, when I joined Dr. Dog, we began a steady stream of touring in the winter. We did it every single year. It was like clockwork. We’d pack our bags for 3 months and hit the coldest places in the continental U.S. of A. Occasionally, we’d play Canada. I love Canada, but not when the venue door is frozen and I’m running on 4 hours of rocky sleep. To be honest, I took it for granted. There were times when it was brutal, but there were also beautiful moments of transcendence and laughter.

This year, I’ve been mostly home for the first time since 2006, which is when I started touring professionally. It feels strange to settle into some resemblance of civilian life. I’ve been filling my days with running errands, cleaning, reorganizing, selling old music gear, cooking, taking my lil’ chihuahua Herbie for long walks, running, and generally trying to keep my head straight.

I am about 95% done recording a new album. I am so deeply proud of it. I think it’s the best thing I’ve ever made. Will I put it out?Well, on the good days, I just want to share it with everyone and frolic in a big open field. On the bad days, I think about Stephen Sondheim’s song “Finishing The Hat” from his masterwork Sunday In The Park With George. Natalie and I talk about this one a lot. The song touches on the creative experience, a look into the obsessive minds who let the world pass by and disappoint those around them because the art comes first. An excerpt:

There's a part of you always standing by
Mapping out the sky
Finishing the hat
Starting on a hat
Finishing the hat
Look, I made a hat
Where there never was a hat

What I’m saying is, it can feel insignificant to be a creative person in 2025. The constant stream of slop enters the trough and AI soft rockers collect cash from a streaming machine that funds militaristic brutalism.

Last week, I went to the aquarium and spent the day marveling at stingrays, turtles, and zebra sharks. We are truly specks of dust on lint compared to aquatic life. I guess I look to animals for inspiration. There’s a whole community and ecosystem that’s constantly moving. It gave me some solace to watch an old ass gigantic tortoise swimming in slow motion.

I started a gratitude journal at the behest of my friend Ajay. He works in D.C. in a government firm that focuses on zero-emission public transportation that’s getting royally plooked by the current administration. If he can find daily gratitude considering what he’s going through, I probably can too.

What’s the point of all this detritus?

I’m having a good few weeks. Dr. Dog picked back up again, and I couldn’t be happier with how our two shows went. We played Forest Hills Stadium and then Red Rocks. I cried onstage multiple times. I’d say this shot sums it up. I don’t take this for granted, at least not anymore. The connection I feel to this crew is a bottomless wellspring of love.

Coming up next is a round of shows that I’m extremely excited about. I booked a Krautrock tribute show on July 23 at Brooklyn Bowl in NYC. Here’s an excerpt from today’s write-up by Relix’s Mike Greenhaus:

“Billed as Unlimited Edition, the two-set show will celebrate the music of CAN, Kraftwerk, Faust and many others, featuring Slick on drums and a core band consisting of Spencer Tweedy (Waxhatachee, Tweedy), Brian Betancourt (Benjamin Booker, Kevin Morby) and Frank Locrasto (Fruit Bats). Staying true to the club’s ethos and jamband spirit, a cross-genre mix of big-name players are slated to join in during the night as well, including Kevin Morby, Cass McCombs, Nels Cline, Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak, Flock Of Dimes), Jessica Dobson (Deep Sea Diver), Sinkane, Skyler Skjelset (Fleet Floxes) and Andy Molholt (Speedy Ortiz).”

Will ya look at the line-up? How the fuck did that come together? I’ll tell you, lots of espresso.

Buying tickets ahead of time is realllllly important these days. It’s been a bit of a butt clencher for every artist I’ve talked to lately. I understand it, though. There’s trepidation going around. You’re going to want to buy tickets to this one. I promise it’ll be good. So...TICKETS.

The next day, I head up to Newport Folk Festival with my number one g’pear, Kevin Morby. Then we fly to Chicago and do a fun ripper with The Decemberists and Craig Finn. Excited to sink my teeth back into the material and just have a big rock and roll blast with my buds.

Okay, that’s it for now. I’m gonna write here more, I hope.

Sincerely,

Eric