SLØTFACE
Sløtface, formerly known (and still pronounced) as Slutface, are a Norwegian punk band from Stavanger. Formed in 2012, the group started when vocalist Haley Shea and guitarist Tor-Arne Vikingstad began writing songs together; later being joined by drummer Halvard Skeie Wiencke who had previously played in a hardcore band with Tor-Arne and bassist Lasse Lokøy. Releasing their first single “Angst” in 2014, the band signed to Propeller Recordings record label in the summer of 2015. In October 2015, they released “Shave My Head” alongside B-Side “Get My Own”. The release was succeeded by third single “Kill Em With Kindness” in January 2016.
On 1 April 2016 the band changed their name to Sløtface, citing social media censorship issues and released single “Sponge State”, reaching critical acclaim. The single became the lead track of the band’s debut EP “Sponge State”. Towards the end of 2016 the band released their second EP “Empire Records” – released on 18 November. The four-track EP included singles “Take Me Dancing”, “Bright Lights” and lead-track “Empire Records” – the latter single garnering huge support from the music and film industry alike with its reference to 90’s cult-classic film Empire Records.
Hailing from Stavanger Norway, the four-piece formed after vocalist Haley Shea and guitarist Tor-Arne Vikingstad began writing songs together. The band was then joined by drummer Halvard Skeie Wiencke – who took some convincing to join Sløtface, but “he enjoyed it – so he continued playing!” – and later by bassist Lasse Lokøy.
The band are known for their feminist lyrics and attitude, as well as their vocal support for causes against harm to the environment, gender equality and more.
The band’s video for 2016 single ‘Sponge State’ sparked a huge reaction and topic of conversation. The band are seen performing on top of Norway’s Førde Fjord in support of, and alongside, the youth activists who are embroiled in a peaceful protest against the mining company Nordic Mining dumping more than 250 million tonnes of chemicals and waste in the fjord.
Sløtface said of the event “After an eleven-hour drive, four ferries and a blizzard, we finally got our gear up the mountain and played a show for the chained-up activists and some Finnish workers. Best audience ever. Eventually the boss man from Nordic Mining showed up and called the cops – the protesters were arrested, and each received a $1200 USD fine, and we got banned from being on the mountain.”
More than 80 people were arrested during the three-week protest – from February 1, 2016 – with the young activists fined in excess of $100,000 USD and targeted in a Nordic Mining lawsuit to the tune of $250,000. Charges were formally dropped in April 2016. • • • WIKIPEDIA
