For those not familiar, July 16th, 1945 is the date on which the first ever atomic bomb test explosion occurred as part of the Trinity Project. Anyone with a rudimentary knowledge will know what happened from there: the bomb was deployed on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan and effectively ended World War II, but that wasn’t all. “When the Genie’s Out” explores the more long-standing repercussions of humanity having this newfound, world-ending power.

…the Genie was out of the bottle. Can’t put him back in the bottle when the genie’s out. It’s chaos and mayhem from here on out.

Self-described as one of Sluka‘s “most menacing songs,” the band use more than the lyrics discussing all the geopolitical chaos that’s happened since Trinity. The rich tones and heavy-handed composition that typify Sluka then themselves very well to the heaviness of the subject matter. Sluka and producer Alan Sanderson are even more heavy-handed with the production as well, adding discordant fusion elements to the musical base which underline the chaos and fear that are evocative of the theme. A truly progressive song, “When the Genie’s Out” pulls no punches and is meant to remind listeners of how we as a society got here.

The video for “When the Genie’s Out,” releasing the same date as the audio track, is equally evocative, Sluka and his band are superimposed over images of war and nuclear explosions, money, the Statue of Liberty and, finally, a cockroach, as it’s theorized that will be the only animal that would survive a nuclear holocaust.

Stark and strong, “When the Genie’s Out” shows that Cautionary Yell will have a serious message to go along with the heavier rock tones, just in case the first two singles, “Sunset Screamer” and “Saving It All” didn’t make it clear. Fans should be ready for a politically charged, prog rock journey once the album’s out. In the meantime, “When the Genie’s Out” will be out to get the wheels of thought and change turning.

Independent Music Promotions Inc.

Released on April 30th (the anniversary of Hitler’s suicide, a date when most of the world  erroneously thought would be the end of fascism). The song is a reflection of the polarization in the USA and all over the world. We used to just ignore people who would rant and scream nonsense. But now the “Orange Jesus”, as he is referred to by people in his own party, is now leading in many polls to regain the presidency sounding more and more like the Fuhrer of 1930’s Germany. The video will be released on May 8th, the anniversary of the official end to World War II in Europe, again a date in which the world thought fascism was defeated.

The accompanying video was released on May 8th
(the anniversary of the end of WWII in Europe, a similar notable date).

Independent Music Promotions Inc.

The song starts with an impressive melodic intro that easily catches your ears and grabs your attention to listen to it all and even put it on repeat mode. I loved the music video a lot and how it combines the live recording process shooting along with impressive graphics. Usually, Sluka leans more toward bold topics, in ‘Saving It All’, draws inspiration from Georges Méliés’ “A Trip To The Moon,” Jules Verne’s “From The Earth To The Moon,” and likely Carl Sagan, offering bold lyricism and spacious music conveying hope against challenges. Although the instrumentation here is simple still it’s so unique I loved how Anna Eppink on Bass along with Michael Bedard on Drums gave a tight chemistry to the track. Definitely, the strings by Nico Hueso (Violin & Viola) and Erdis Maxhelaku (Cello) added a rich atmosphere to the whole track.

Sluka is known for his serious work and collaborations, his new album is under his label Steel Flower Music in San Diego. Amidst a chaotic world, his music offers calmness, beauty, and hope, providing a refreshing break from constant news updates.

Let’s not overlook the incredible production and engineering work by Alan Sanderson at Pacific Beat Recording Studio, which has brought us this iconic creation. And let’s not forget his inspiring motto: “Revel in your time with the horrors of your wonderful life.” – Sluka.

Welcome to Rock Era Magazine, really looking forward to talking with you!

• As a multi-instrumentalist besides being a singer and a songwriter, what was your first instrument? and which do you consider your main or favorite one?

My first instrument was a trombone when I was 7, but then I really took to the guitar at the age of 8. After that I kept exploring other instruments like the violin, piano, drums, bass, and many more. But I’m not exceptional with any of them. It really comes down to me trying to express the sounds in my head. For guitars and keyboards my playing is usually right for the song while for other parts I prefer a better musician, to hear how they respond to the song.

• What were your early influences? and which ones are still shaping your writing? 

Like many musicians, The Beatles, mainly in that they demonstrated that just about anything is possible, that there really is no “formula” to writing songs, at least the ones that I like to listen to. I’m also often influenced by music I don’t like, in that what the artist is doing doesn’t take me to a place I want to be. I don’t want to name such artists. They are much more popular than Sluka. So there are many people who like their music, just not me. But they still influence me in guiding my mind in what not to do.

•   What are the challenges that came with launching your label Steel Flower Music?  

My first three albums were with a major label and I was fortunate to have achieved enough success after I fulfilled that contract to set up my own label and publishing company with the help of many wonderful people. I went from receiving a 1% royalty to 100%, which allowed me a lot of independence without having to sell a lot of recordings. And I benefit from having a relatively small but signicant world wide audience.

• How usually does your writing process go? 

They appear in my head when I’m doing something else, like going on a long run. Then I try to reproduce and play the instruments I hear in my mind. And then when I can play the instruments well enough, I make demos for other musicians to then take it a level further for when we go into the studio. For the past 3 albums I’ve been working with producer/engineer Alan Sanderson at his Pacific Beat Recording Studio here in San Diego. He’s great and really helps us get the best performances.

• Would you tell us more about Christmas Tamales and what influenced its writing? 

It was Christmas two years ago and Richard Eppink, the brother of Anna Eppink, our bass player, and I were together. Richard was preparing Christmas dinner and he chose to make vegan Christmas Tamales, which I had never heard of. We were in a festive mood and the song just popped in my head. I sat down to the piano and there it was, so I recorded a simple “live version” on my phone. We were still busy with promoting the album “Figure It Out” so we didn’t have time to record it until this year. When we did record it, the main tracks (my lead vocal, drums, and bass) were done in one take. We have an in-studio video of that coming out on Christmas Eve.

• How would you describe your sound? 

I would agree with many others that it falls into the Alternative Progressive Rock with orchestral elements. What that really means it that just about anything goes. And there are certainly elements of reflection, emotional expression, and a desire for understanding of being human at this time in history.

• Which song off your catalogue would you recommend for someone who wants to get into Sluka? 

I would recommend “Happy in Your World.” It has all the elements of what I think many would say is that Sluka sound. I like all the songs, which is why they were recorded. But I understand not everyone has the time and interest to listen to more than a few, and would like a place to start.

• What are your plans for 2024? 

We are finishing the next album and hope to release the first single in January or February followed by the album release in the Spring. If it resonates with the world we will consider a festival tour.

• Thanks so much for your time, I wish you the best of luck. 

Thank you for your interest. It is very much appreciated.

With bright melodies and an open sound, Sluka opened Christmas Tamales promising a cheerful fun tune ahead. Christmas Tamales has a powerful haunting sound that smoothly escalates and progresses into a bigger sound as it moves forward, matching its festive vibes and catchy direction. Sluka managed to put together a multi-layered solid tune with dynamic energetic writing that’s powered by big irresistible orchestrations in perfect arrangements, going hand-in-hand with some rocking elements, moving percussions, and powerfully mesmerizing vocals in a seamless mix with amazing layering that allowed each part to be fully heard and digested by the listeners, leaving them hooked and celebrating. 

Christmas Tamales is a colorful festive tune by Sluka that shows his top-notch writing skills and well-knowledge of his sound and direction, as he steered this multi-layered melodic mix towards a bigger more complex sound while maintaining its cheerful mood uncompromised. Looking forward to more from Sluka, keep on rocking. Cheers!

Christopher Sluka is a singer-songwriter, musician, performer, painter and aircraft pilot who has extraordinary what’s so called ‘visionary’ rock style. “Number One” as a music video didn’t like much really – filming-wise – but for the music it’s pretty amazing and reminds me of the iconic David Bowie. So who thinks that Bowie is dead, think again guys!

“Colorful Radiation” is 10 tracks full-length. Who has written, performed, and recorded all by him. Just some additional vocals one three tracks by Ro Fifield and additional drumming by Mike Rawluk. The album is easy to listen, melodic and put you in a ambitious mood – somehow reach to to an EARgasm.

I noticed that Sluka was very keen for the riffs variations and the changes in song structure and I consider it as a smart move really because some listeners may get bored of music similarity or a poor melody.

The San Diego-based groovy goth rocker is going on tour, starting with several dates in his home state of California.

July 27 – Olsen Park Amphitheatre – Coalinga, CA
July 28 – Winters Tavern – Pacifica, CA
July 29 – Los Globos – Los Angeles, CA
August 10 – The Bancroft Bar – Spring Valley, CA

Sluka is a high-profile musician with a quiet honorable discography and “Colorful Radiation” is one of his masterpieces to me. Listen/stream/share the album publicly on Bandcamp, iTunes or Amazon.