Song: "Chemical Upgrade"
Artist: Tony Sly
Album: "Tony Sly/Joey Cape" split 7"
Year: 2010
Place Of Origin: San Jose, California
Years Active: 1987 - 2012
WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:
After reading the lyrics to "Chemical Upgrade" and finding out how Tony Sly's last years were dependent on alcohol and pills due to a herniated disc on his spine, it's a bit of a sad read. You get a sense the song is an ode to his wife for sticking by him and always being there for him, but it also shows that he looks at himself and what he sees is a horrible drunk, perhaps not worthy of her love and support. He suggests in the song that when he falls down to leave him there. Really a song about dependency and depression. Classic line says it all, "and so we live another day, and try to make it fun, I need it like a bullet needs a gun". Total addiction. Good friend and Lagwagon frontman Joey Cape provides background vocals to this beautiful song.
TONY SLY DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
2004 - Acoustic (w/ Joey Cape) (Fat Wreck Chords)
2010 - 12 Song Program (Fat Wreck Chords)
2011 - Sad Bear (Fat Wreck Chords)
2012 - Acoustic: Volume Two (w/ Joey Cape) (Fat Wreck Chords)
CURRENT STATUS OF TONY SLY:
Tony Sly was best known as the lead vocalist/guitarist for the punk band No Use For A Name. He joined No Use when he was just 18 years old back in 1987. Very early on, it was clear that Tony would become the chief songwriter of the band and the rest of the guys held on to see how far Tony could take them. Of course, No Use For A Name would become one of the best skate punk bands to come out of the mid 90's punk revival. The distinction? Tony Sly's lyrics and gift of creating melodic punk rock anthems. No Use would release 8 full length studio albums, 1 live album and several EP's, singles and appearances on compilations. No Use, NOFX and Lagwagon really became the sound of southern California skate punk and made record label Fat Wreck Chords the place to go if you wanted to be an up and coming punk rock band. In 2004, Sly and Lagwagon frontman Joey Cape released a split album called "Acoustic" which featured each of them basically stripping down No Use and Lagwagon songs in an acoustic setting. This would be Tony's first solo effort. After No Use For A Name released 2008's "The Feel Good Record Of The Year", Tony decided to focus more on his solo career. He embarked on his very first solo tour in 2009 and in 2010, released his first completely solo album, "12 Song Program". A year later, Sly released the album "Sad Bear" and one year after that, he and Cape returned for "Acoustic: Volume Two", again mostly covering No Use and Lagwagon songs in an acoustic form. Tony's solo efforts were very personal, both dealing with depression and dependency but also showing his love for his wife and daughters. In 2012, Tony along with Joey Cape, Jon Snodgrass and Brian Wahlstrom released and album under the moniker Scorpios. The majority of his solo touring featured all the guys in Scorpios, the guys having a great chemistry on stage together on their acoustic sets. Sadly, the last concert Tony Sly would play would be a solo acoustic gig in Gainesville, Florida on July 29, 2012. Two days later on July 31, 2012, Tony Sly passed away in his sleep. As a huge fan of No Use For A Name, this was just a terrible day to say the least. Selfishly, I just wanted to hear more music from this man. No Use was so crucial to me when I was really growing into the person that I eventually became. In the punk rock world, his death shook the entire scene. In 2013, Fat Wreck Chords released "The Songs Of Tony Sly: A Tribute" which featured a who's who in the punk rock world. To name a few that contributed, bands like NOFX, Bouncing Souls, Joey Cape, Strung Out, Alkaline Trio, The Gaslight Anthem, Rise Against, The Flatliners, Bad Religion and Pennywise. All of those bands and more covering Tony's songs throughout his career, solo and with No Use. Tribute songs by NOFX (I'm So Sorry Tony), Lagwagon (One More Song) and Yotam Ben-Horim (Tony Sly) also showed the love and appreciation that Tony had all throughout the punk rock community. Before Tony released his "Sad Bear" album, there were some rumors that he was working on new No Use For A Name material. Perhaps, there is enough material recorded somewhere, even if it's just one song, that we can get at least something new from Tony. Hard to believe it has been more than five years since Tony's passing. Thank God he left us with a catalogue of great music. R.I.P. sad bear :(
TEN TONY SLY SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:
1. Chasing Rainbows (acoustic)
2. Not Your Savior (acoustic)
3. Chemical Upgrade
4. The Monster
5. Soulmate (acoustic)
6. Amends
7. Liver Let Die
8. Devonshire And Crown
9. Capo, 4th Fret
10. Hey God
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