Slaves on Dope

Scheduled performer – 10th Annual LA Music Awards 2001

Slaves on Dope is a Canadian Nu metal band based in Montreal, Canada.

The band was formed in the 1993 by Jason Rockman, Kevin Jardine and Avrum Nadigel, highly influenced by the “Grunge” era. The original line-up also included Patrick Francis, and Lenny Vartanian. In 1995, the bass guitarist Francis and the drummer Vartanian were replaced by Frank Salvaggio and Robert Urbani respectively, beginning a new, heavier direction for the band.

At that time, the Canadian music scene had not embraced the Nu metal, so Salvaggio and Urbani decided to make a six-day trip by Greyhound bus from Montreal to Los Angeles, the center of Nu netal, to begin the process of making in-roads, contacts and securing showcases for the band. After a year filled with showcases the band secured a record deal through Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne’s Divine Recordings which released their full length album, Inches from the Mainline, in 2000.

The band also toured Ozzfest in 2000, and made an appearance on the SnoCore Tour. The album sold approximately 70,000 copies in the US.

After Divine Recordings lost their distribution deal with EMI’s Priority Records, the band was left without a label and returned to Montreal. Salvaggio once again returned to Los Angeles with the goal of securing another record deal. With the help of producers Jason Slater and Troy Van Leeuwen, a contract was signed with Bieler Bros. Records. Their second major album, Metafour, was released in 2003.

In March 2004, Rockman, the vocalist, left the band, prompting Slaves on Dope to disband. Salvaggio and Urbani are now part of the band Anew Revolution, with the ex-Unloco vocalist Joey Duenas. Jardine has become a producer in Montreal (Uplift Recording Studio), as well as forming his own band called The Monarchy (Disbanded).

In 2006, the band’s independent release One Good Turn Deserves Another was re-issued through Just A Minute Records. In 2009, Rockman and Jardine reformed Slaves on Dope and are now[when?] recording their third studio album. In a recent[when?] webisode, the band announced the name of the album to be Over the Influence. It was announced on webisode 18 that the recording had finished with 17 tracks. Rockman then[when?] said in a video on the band’s Facebook page that the album would be released in spring 2011.

In October 2011, it was announced that Slaves on Dope had signed to THC:Music/Rocket Science Ventures, the new label of the Corporate Punishment Records President, and early Slaves on Dope manager Thom Hazaert, who would release Over the Influence worldwide in spring 2012. They also announced the release of a digital-only EP, Careless Coma, in November 2011.

Slaves On Dope are currently writing their fifth full-length, due in 2015.
Jason Rockman – vocals (1994–2004, 2009–present)
Kevin Jardine – guitar (1994–2004, 2009–present)
Sebastien Ducap – bass guitar (2009–present)
Peter Tzaferis – drums (2009–present)
Former
Patrick Francis – bass guitar (1994-1995)
Lenny Vartanian – drums (1994-1995)
Frank Salvaggio – bass guitar (1995–2004)
Rob Urbani – drums (1995–2004)
Discography
Studio albums
One Good Turn Deserves Another (1998)
Inches from the Mainline (2000)
Metafour (2003)
Over the Influence (2012)
Demos/EPs
Sober (1994)
Klepto (1999)
Careless Coma (2011)
Covers, Vol. 1 (2013)
Other songs
“War Pigs”, Black Sabbath cover, appears on Japanese release of Nativity In Black II: A Tribute To Black Sabbath (2000)
“Look What The Cat Dragged In”, Poison cover, appears on Show Me Your Hits: a Tribute to Poison (2000)
“Go” (demo) (2002)
“Drain Me” (demo) (2002)
“All I Want For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)” (2011)
Music Videos
“Yourself”
“I’ll Never Feel”
“Light on Your Feet”
“Go”
“No One to Blame”
“Careless Coma”
“All I Want for Christmas”
“Pork Sword”
“Unraveling”
“Cavalry”