This biography is for the American band Slapdash, who have released a CD "Reciprocal" and numerous mp3 single releases since 2006.
For all intensive purposes, Slapdash is Steven Graff. He is the only continuing member through the lifespan of the group, and has always been the sole songwriter; however, this wasn't by design.
Started under a different name (Clutter) in 1994, the band changed it's name to Slapdash in 1997, gigging in Los Angeles and Hollywood area clubs. They participated in two Poptopia Festivals ('96 and '97) and recorded a demo produced by founding band members Steven Graff and Steve Casa. During this period the band went through a series of temporary drummers including Keith Fallis (Big Drill Car, Shufflepuck), Brian Taylor (Nature) and Lee Jossel. Jossel eventually became a band member, along with Robert Ramos, who played bass and sang backing vocals. This first incarnation of the band ended in 1998 when the bassist defected to another (paying) band, and the drummer relocated to another state.
In 2000, a new lineup was briefly assembled by Graff, but only remained intact through two low-profile gigs.
In 2005, Graff enlisted Robbie Rist (The Andersons, Nice Guy Eddie, The Mockers, Kidd Video) to produce the groups first CD, "Reciprocal," released the following year. On the CD, Graff played all the instruments and did all of the vocals, with Rist helping out on drums and occasionally on bass. He encouraged Graff to experiment in his studio with equipment such as his 12 string bass, vintage synthesizers, and use of feedback.
The release received wide praise from critics, the highest praise coming from Rivers Cuomo, who'd known Graff previously, and Peter Gabriel who "thought highly" of the CD's track "Wishing Well."
In 2008, a lineup featurng Graff, Kim Hill (Rosemary's Billygoat) on bass, and Robbie Rist on drums gigged to promote the CD. The CD was also promoted through college radio atations, receiving play on 150 stations throughout the U.S. In the same year, the song "Elevator" was featured on an on-line cycling video.
In July of that year, a lineup featuring Graff, Scott Brown (Finland Station) on bass and Marc Joseph on drums, played at the International Pop Overthrow Festival in Los Angeles.
In 2009, Graff and Rist reassembled to record songs for a new concept CD for Slapdash. The title was to be "Lost Luggage" and the CD would highlight the immigrant experience in America, and highlight certain facets of American life. After several delays, sessions completed and the decision was made to release the tracks as mp3 singles, rather than independently release a physical CD. This would allow Graff to create separate "cover" images for each song, and allow worldwide distribution.
After some post production and remixing by Graff, the single releases began with the instrumental "Fond Farewell" in Sept. 2010, followed by others on a monthly basis. "Don't Be Alone" was released on Christmas Eve, 2010.
The chain of releases paused in July,2011 due to the sudden death of Graff's father, simultaneous with the start of a graduate program Graff had been accepted to. In May, 2012, releases resumed with the stark anti-child-abuse song "No Light," followed by more political songs like "Silver Spoon," released on the eve of the 2012 US presidential election.
The original "Lost Luggage" mixes by Robbie Rist are planned for separate release at a later date.
A video of the band's 2008 IPO performance was posted on YouTube in 2013.
In 2015 another college radio promotion scored airplay on over 150 stations across the U.S. A promotional only EP was pressed titled "Treble Cleft" featuring the songs "Happily Ever After," "Change Is Never Easy," and a new version of "Don't Be Alone" titled "Don't Be Alone (2015)"
In 2016 a new set of mp3 single releases intended cumulatively as a third album began. According to a post on Facebook,
"Entre-Nous is about relationships, and the things literally between us. There’s a few rockers, a few pop songs, some experimentation, and a lot more acoustic guitar than before. This is the 'acoustic' album, whereas Lost Luggage was the political “rock” album (and Reciprocal was supposed to be the punky album, but didn’t really come out that way).
The album is being released one-song-at-a-time in running order. The opener, “An Unanswered Question” sets the tone for the album, and the next few songs “Conversation” and “This Is The End” move right into the different POVs and angles. All deal with the gray areas that govern whether a relationship will last and grow, or crash and burn. It’s not how the people in the relationship feel -- it’s what they do with each other’s feelings that seem to pave the way."
Slapdash continues to be active as a studio entity, and Graff has plans to eventually assemble a new lineup and begin gigging in earnest.
He is the current owner of the US Trademark to the band name.
