Hi and Welcome to this episode of "In The Spotlight". 

Today I have another treat for you.

With a modern Rock sound from Bavaria, Here is SLEARS!

Thank you for joining us here today.

Thank you very much for having us!

You are from Bavaria, how has that influenced the music you listen to growing up, now and in the music you create as a band?

Yes, that's right. We live in a really beautiful area.

Our view by the lake is absolutely stunning. And I actually think that everyone from our area who does anything musical had some connection with Bavarian folk music at the beginning.

When I took my first guitar lessons at the music school in elementary school, I only played Bavarian Landler (that are typical bavarian folk songs for guitar). That somehow wasn't what I had imagined. But when I changed guitar teachers, it became more interesting for me. But in general, this basic education in folk music is a good foundation for everything that might come.

But how did I get into rock?

My father listened to all sorts of rock music. My first Black Sabbath record was next to a Spider Music Gang record on the shelf. But it really got going for me when I first heard Manowar. I was about 11 or 12 years old. It was at a classmate's older brother's house. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was immediately hooked and started playing pretty quickly. started buying CDs myself.

How did you guys meet and how long have you played together?

We're actually old school friends and have played together in various bands from time to time. SLEARS has been around for a really long time now.

We're celebrating our 20th band anniversary this year. Unbelievable! We've been playing in our current lineup since 2018 and are really happy with the situation. So, no lineup changes are in sight!

What is the story behind the name Slears?

The story behind our band name is interesting.

At the time, we were looking for a short, catchy name for the band. But we couldn't come up with anything quite right. "Memory Lane" briefly floated the table.

Thankfully, we rejected that idea. And we played without a band name for quite some time. Then, at some point, our bassist at the time, Tobi (he now plays with "A Life Divided" – in case anyone knows them), came up with a cool idea: in the chronicles of Schliersee (the town we're from), the town name first appears as "SLYRS." He thought that would be a cool band name.

We tweaked the whole thing a bit, and voila: SLEARS was born!

How do you feel your music has grown over the years?

I'll start with the things that haven't changed over time: Our basic approach hasn't changed much since the first demos back in 2005.

We only release songs that we ourselves are 100% happy with. If that's not the case, we either discard the idea or fine-tune the piece until we're all happy. We don't follow any trends or anything like that.

The difference from previous albums is, on the one hand, the pandemic.

I had an incredible amount of time to tinker with the songs and work out details that would otherwise probably have been neglected.

A song like "The Great Escape" – both lyrically and musically – would not have been possible without COVID-19. In that respect, the whole mess also had its positive sides.

On the other hand, we've grown enormously as a band in recent years, both personally and musically.

We've started families and raised children. This has a positive effect on the overall structure. We've grown up. But also musically, I can say that since I started playing music, I've had the opportunity to play in a band with the best musicians around.

Gustl is a truly fantastic guitarist and deserves far more attention.

And our bassist Andy isn't just the band's heart and soul and our "caretaker," he's also a truly fantastic musician and singer. Without him, we wouldn't have background vocals of this quality. We've also had a change on drums since the last album. Our "new drummer," Felix, opens up completely new possibilities for us.

As a songwriter, I can basically compose whatever I want without having to worry about the drums. Felix is a total asset to the band in every respect. Not just musically, but especially as a person!

For those that are new to your music, what can they expect?

SLEARS is a modern rock/alternative band with roots in classic hard rock.

We are serving up songs combining heaviness with big melodies.

We try to combine the best of both worlds. That means we blend the sophisticated songwriting of the great 70s and 80s icons with the modern power of new American bands.

For example, we play the classic twin guitar stuff but we use exclusively 7-string guitars.

Which 3 songs from your own albums mean the most to you and why?

So, of course, you should listen to our singles "Particles," "First Ascent," and "Hope."

"Hope" in particular—the third single—is a great modern rock song with positive lyrics and a good message.

We've also taken a more progressive approach this time. I'd definitely recommend "The Great Escape"—a song that's extra long. Great lyrics, a fat chorus, and varied songwriting.

If you like Evergrey and the like, you'll be well-served here.

I also have to highlight "Barricades." The first song we wrote for "The Chaos Within." Modern, soilwork-like riffing paired with modern rock elements that's a great way to move forward, and I think it's totally awesome!

Aside from the songs, I also have to mention our album cover artwork. In the age of AI artwork, we went a completely different route and had a picture painted for us.

Really old-school, with brushes and paints and all. For this, we were able to secure the collaboration of artist Annina Roescheisen, who also hails from Schliersee. Annina is a total cosmopolitan and lives in Munich, New York, and Lisbon, and has exhibited her works at the Venice Biennale, among others. This is, of course, a total honor for us and a truly eye-catching piece of artwork!

What are you currently working on?

We plan to present the album extensively and internationally live.

At the moment, we're doing all the booking ourselves with the help of friends.

It works out sometimes better, sometimes worse. But in general, it would be important for us to get support from a professional agency in this area in the future. So, dear bookers: Please contact us!

What are  your plans for the future?

Our next concrete plans are that we have to leave our rehearsal space and are therefore looking for a new venue. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, we want to place more focus on live activities.

What is the one thing you would like your fans to know?

We attach great importance to ensuring that everything we do has a regional connection.

A SLEARS album is always pure “Made In Bavaria”!

It starts with us musicians, continues through the entire recording process, the cover artwork, and even the video clips, which, incidentally, are all by Timo Böttcher.

We're basically all old school friends who still love rock and are pulling together for the cause. That's really nice!

We have the greatest hobby you can have!

But this wouldn't be possible without every single person out there who listens to our music and supports the band! THANK YOU!!!

What is the one thing you would like the music industry to know?

Give us the chance to reach a wider audience!

That was my chat with SLEARS and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did

All YOU have to do now is Comment, Like and Share with your friends!

And You can find more from SLEARS here

https://www.instagram.com/slearsofficial/

https://twitter.com/slearsofficial

http://www.slears.de/

http://www.facebook.com/Slearsband

https://spoti.fi/3L66pp9

vk.com/slearsofficial