Nashville-based band The Sleeveens have released their new single, Downtown, and support The Chats and The Lemonheads and appear at Electric Picnic later in August. We asked the band's guitarist Eli Steele the BIG questions . . .
The Sleeveens came into existence in December of 2022 but their origins date back a little further to 2019 when Stiff Little Fingers Guitar Tech James Mechan met Irish Punk troubadour Stefan Murphy and talked about making a solo record for the latter at his Studio in Nashville TN.
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Murphy moved to Nashville three years later the pair got to work on some recordings with the help of Ryan Sweeney on Drums and Eli Steele on lead guitar.
Inspired By The Modern Lovers The Undertones, Protex, The Fall, The Buzzcocks, The Only Ones, Velvet Underground, Wire, Ramones, The Saints, The Sex Pistols and The Clash, they released their self-titled debut album earlier this year.
'We recorded these new songs in Nashville in late 2024 during a short US tour run," says Stefan of the new single.
"Having grown up in Dublin Ireland and starting trying to write songs in the early 2000’s my only real connection to Tennessee was my love of The Compulsive Gamblers and the songs of Greg Cartwright.
"Downtown was one of the first songs I ever tried to write. I released a very different version of it on a record in the late 2000’s. Little did I know back then that someday I’d live in the US and form a band with three punks from Nashville and give this song (as well as a few others) a new life."
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
I’m from Nashville, TN, but that’s just a coincidence
I can drive anything anywhere as long as it’s a car on a road
I’m a bald-headed son of a bitch without hair
How would you describe your music?
The constituent components of the DNA of rock & roll.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Johnny Ramone, Johnny Thunders, Wilko Johnson, Mick Ronson.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
The New York Rel-X and The Krays at The Muse in Nashville. The space is currently occupied by a Domino’s Pizza franchise.
What was the first record you ever bought?
Astrocreep: 2000 by White Zombie.
What’s your favourite song right now?
Science Fiction/Double Feature performed by Richard O’Brien for The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Favourite lyric of all time?
"I’m a hooligan, Won’t go to school again" - Hooligan by Kiss.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A Song For Europe by Roxy Music.
Where can people find your music/more information?
Our website.
Alan Corr
