We formed in April 2003 with the intention of playing rootsy 1950s style electric blues. This has expanded somewhat to include swing, jump blues, rockabilly and whatever else takes our fancy.
Our performances are conducted in a style all of our own: there is plenty of collective spontaneity and songs are rarely the same twice. The beauty of having a three piece line-up is the flexibility to take classic songs into uncharted territory. Many of the songs have a loose structure with some recognisable landmarks and the space in between is navigated by ear. We are not a guitar-led band but are very much an integrated threesome weaving around each other.
It was clear from the first rehearsals that there was an effortless chemistry between us all and that the way we would play would be based more on feeling our way than on meticulous rehearsal. The diversity of our musical backgrounds means that we draw on a unique mixture of influences that give rise to the Slim-Line sound.
Pete OBrien is the principal showman in the band and, without missing a beat, is constantly wrestling his bass like Steve Irwin with a crocodile. This includes climbing on it, playing it upside down and making sweet love to it. He had come from a rockabilly background, having been a founder and long-time member of 'The Hicksville Bombers' and then the more psychobillically inclined 'Sinners'. Subsequently he played with the acoustic trio 'Free Form Fork', breaking away from his rockabilly roots and exploring blues, folk and the downright avant-garde. Among his influences are Willie Dixon, Marshall Lytle, The Deltas, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Eddie Cochran, Stray Cats, Brian Setzer Orchestra. He likes pineapple.
Pete gives double bass lessons and makes up his own co-polymer string sets . E-mail him if you're interested on either count.
Egly likes to vary the texture of the sound by moving from regular guitar to slide and harmonica. He also performs the odd lead vocal as well as harmonising with Pete.
He has played in a number of bands playing original music including 4,000,000 Telephones, Monkeys with Clothes On and Monkey Brothers, as well as Chicago style blues band, The Walter Harpman Band.
Egly is also a guitar builder and as well as the acoustic and classical instruments on his website also accepts commissions for electric guitars and basses.
Martin joined the band on drums in April 2008 after Sam Saunders went off to drum school in London. He had previously been playing with Sean Webster.
