It was a pleasure to get the chance to speak with William Slater about his band Silver Triplets of the Rio Hondo, who will be opening for Modest Mouse at a few shows in June–and we’re lucky enough to get them here in Kingston Tuesday, June 2nd at Tubby’s. Enjoy the interview, get to know the band, check out their music, and be sure to come out to their show!
JK: To prep for this, I read your interview with Willamette Week from 2023. I, too, find myself struggling with genres and think the compulsion to label everything can be limiting creatively, but at the end of the day we have to find some concise descriptors to pitch to bookers and audiences. How have your views on genre, and blurring the lines between genres, changed since then?
WS: So as far as the genre-hopping, probably not much! In a world where we are conditioned to passively absorb content I think it’s more compelling to create new & unusual places to go, & on our terms. No shade for journalists needing to find a common language! But for us, we’re ranch house exotica music. Sci-fi roadhouse for dissociatives. Bloody coconut calypso.
JK: Let’s talk about Modest Mouse. They’re one of my favorite bands, and they were hugely influential on me, especially in my formative, angsty years, so I have to ask about your relationship with them. I read in the WW interview that Isaac Brock came up with the band name “Silver Triplets of the Rio Hondo.” So I guess this is a two-parter: 1. What is the nature of your connection with Modest Mouse? and 2. What is the story behind your band name?
WS: Personally I’ve been in the orbit of Modest Mouse for many years…. A little bit of performing & touring but more an extended family sort of relationship that waxes & wanes. Most recently I joined Ugly Casanova for a performance on the Ice Cream Floats cruise. I really appreciate the unpredictability of it.
The band name came about rather casually as Triplets had formed in concept rather suddenly ahead of a six week national tour (supporting our pal Kyle Craft), but we had somehow forgotten to christen with a name. Mentioned this to Isaac & he said, “It’s called Silver Triplets,” and that was that.
“…of the Rio Hondo” just sounded like a cool Zane Grey novel, so we added for the intrigue.
JK: Considering the name DIY Kingston, I’d be remiss not to ask: What brings you to Kingston? Y’all are from Portland, OR, so I’m always curious what out-of-towners think of the place. What are your thoughts of the town specifically, and the Hudson Valley in general?
WS: We’ve always loved the Hudson Valley! Such a rich history written in the trees here. Great excuse to catch up with dear friends & take a day off after Brooklyn & before Tubby’s on Tuesday.
JK: You’re playing at Tubby’s Tuesday, June 2nd with NYC-based band Heaven. It always amazes me how Tubby’s manages to get all these big-name acts given how small the room is. It’s wild to me that I can just walk around the block to see a band like yours, who’s opening for Modest Mouse at a bunch of shows in June, at such a tiny, 100-person-cap venue. Which do you prefer, large, spacious venues, or small, intimate ones, and why? How does the size of the venue affect your arrangement and performance?
WS: Thanks for this question. It’s nice having a bit of both on a tour. Those intimate rooms can be really advantageous both for filling an environment sonically & connecting with people directly. Musically speaking we play a lot with space, so a smaller cap affords much better control of the canvas. Come on Tues & we’ll show ya!
Tubby’s for one takes a very artist-friendly approach, which is so welcome & not always the case in the bigger venues.
JK: I really dig your debut album Luminous Dial that you released back in 2022, and I see that you just released a single this year, “Your Love.” If you’re at liberty to disclose, when can we expect the second Silver Triplets album? Will the next record be a departure from the first one, and if so, how? Or will it further solidify “your sound,” whatever that might be? What’s on the horizon for the band?
WS: Those kind words are very appreciated, & yes, we are applying the final brush strokes to our new album! & quite a departure–whereas Luminous Dial was a celestial AM radio record, this one seems to be shaping up to be a sort of surrealist pulpy island noir… Perhaps the opposite of solidifying our sound but surely demonstrates our commitment to world-building and vibe!
We’re excited to be back, Hudson Valley–been a while since I swam in your river. Come say hello.
Silver Triplets of the Rio Hondo’s streaming and social links:
Buy their music on Bandcamp:
-Interview conducted by James Kwapisz
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