The Cocktail Slippers are a band that you won’t get out of your head once you get a taste of their garage fueled power pop rock that is bound to hook you before you know what hit you! The all female band from Oslo, Norway are hot off the release of a new video with Be The One that is a prelude to their upcoming album Shout if Out Loud set for a September release on Wicked Cool Records.
The Cocktail Slippers are filled with great rock n roll music as they drive into their 20th year together since emerging in 2001 with the same ferocity and power that has always been loaded with firey music that will keep you captivated and enthralled with truly steller musicianship featuring Hope on vocals, Rocket Queen on guitar, Vega on guitar, Miss A-Ok on drums and Sugar on bass. You get a wild mix of sound from the Shangri-Las, Blondie, and Joan Jett to the Ramones, Foo Fighters and Go Go’s.
“We were all in other bands earlier, said Hope. Actually, 3 of the founders of Cocktail Slippers was in a band called The Barbarellas, but when the vocalist got pregnant and decided to put the rock’n roll career away to be a full time mom The Barbarellas was dissolved and Cocktail Slippers was formed. Eventually other band members joined and the typical Cocktail Slippers sound was more and more developed. We’re all inspired by rock’n roll in all forms but each of the band members have very different musical references – which makes songwriting a really cool experience!”
And for the Cocktail Slippers there have been a lot of big moments and great memories in the past 20 years. “Playing at Little Stevens Underground Garage Festival at Randalls Island, New York in 2004 with the most crazy line up ever. There were bands like The Strokes, Bo Didley, Nancy Sinatra, The Dictators, Iggy and the Stooges, The Fleshtones and The New York Dolls. It was so crazy cool!!! Or playing at London Calling in Hyde Park, London TWICE! Being on the same bill as Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Crossby Stills and Nash, Elvis Costello, John Fogerty, Pearl Jam and more…Playing live at Jesse Malin’s club The Bowery Electric in New York City with Lenny Kaye with us on stage was pretty awesome too!”
Not only do the Cocktail Slippers rock like Joan Jett but took in first hand advice from the rock and roll hall of fame queen. “Once we were hanging out with Joan Jett before one of her shows in Oslo. She was to do an interview with national Norwegian TV and she asked us to stay in the room while she talked to the journalist. She said; “I want you guys to hear this, because it happens almost every single time that I talk about subjects I think is really important and the reporter will cut it out before the interview is aired!” At the time being we didn’t know what she was going to talk about that she felt was so important for us to hear. The interview was mostly about her career and about The Runaways movie that had recently premiered. Joan did the interview and talked about the film. Then she changed the subject, talking about being a woman playing rokc’n roll, having touring and music as a life style and all the prejudices she’s been facing along the way. It was such an eye opener for us! She said, being a woman playing guitar and having that rock’n roll attitude you have to perform at least twice as good as a dude in order to get credit for your performance. People get so hung up on the fact that you’re a woman! It’s plain stupidity – because there are plenty of examples of really fantastic female artists out there. Just look at the band I’m hanging out with today. The Cocktail Slippers should be one of the most famous band coming out of Norway, but I’m sure they are struggling with the exact same this as I have been struggling with! All the focus is on them being female and in general, people are more interested in giving us “good advices” on how to do our stuff. It just ain’t right!” But Joan was so right!! It really made us think. Since then we were able to care even less about what other people think – we just do play our music and are having fun with it! On a related note, of course Joan Jett was absolutely right; when the interview aired everything she had said about the challenges being a woman I the rock’n roll show business was cut out…”
With the Go Go’s being inducted in the Rock Hall of Fame this year the Hope was thrilled of their achievement. “About freaking time!!! The Go Go’s have been a great inspiration to us throughout the years. They are cool, play really well and write great and catchy songs. We also dig the fact that they’re still at it – not putting the music career on the side just be course they’re not 20 anymore!” And following it up hopes to see more deserving female artists included. “Easy question: Cocktail Slippers obviously!! Hahaha. Joke aside; There are many female artists who should’ve been inducted. Hopefully at some point the jury will wake up and understand that great musicians such as Dolly Parton, Suzy Quatro, Alanis Morisette, PJ Harvey and of course Joan Jett deserve to be inducted. And that’s just to mention a few! Of female bands it would bring great joy to see The Bangles, The Runaways and of course, the band more or less considered the pioneer within female rock’n roll bands: Goldie and the Gingerbreads.”
Looking forward getting out and playing live is a priority and taking their music, energy and attitude to the stage is what they are about. “When this ridiculous pandemic is over and we can tour again, you can all expect an explosive stage performance from Cocktail Slippers! What we love doing the most is playing live. And it shows! To quote a few critics after seeing our show: “One of the best live bands to come out of Norway – EVER!” “Cocktail Slippers deliver a solid rock show with a ton of charm and catchy well played songs”
And when it comes to setting goals the band have had one goal…to rock and roll and not live by setting goals. “We don’t even know what the goals are. We just want to play! More festivals, more tours – because, like the Ramones say; Touring touring – it’s never boring! Meeting people, getting inspired to write new songs, hanging out and having fun!! But of course, it wouldn’t hurt to get a GIANT MONSTER HIT worldwide!”
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