I’m a big fan of the indie rock genre, but at times it gets a bit stale, with many bands repeating the same old template. However, Hungarian band Dirty Slippers is a very different proposition, creating immense tracks like their latest release, Wide Open. It’s an emotive track with a lot of heart contained within it – check it out at the bottom of this interview with drummer Bebi Ferenczi.
By Jane Howkins
Your new single Wide Open premiered nationwide in the UK on Planet Rock radio – the song was also on the week charts in Manchester and Canberra (Australia) on city radios. What can you tell us about the track? How did it feel getting such a reception?
The Planet Rock premiere and the chart positions are truly a big happiness to us. When I was young, I listened the Planet Rock very often, so it is unbelievable to our Hungarian band that Wide Open debuted on such a huge radio station! And what’s really funny and positive is that the song, which is called Wide Open, opened a lot of new doors for us!
Your first gig in London was performed at the iconic Hope & Anchor venue, which nearly sold out. How was the gig? How did it feel to have so many people turn out at a venue that Sting and Dire Straits performed at many moons ago?
We were so excited before the gig and we played with our full energy on the stage. Honestly, this concert is my new favourite, because it opened new feelings in me. The audience in London was really great and I am thankful to it! We think our songs are now the focus of an amazing UK audience. I don’t like to travel by plane, but for such good things, it’s worth it.
Do you plan to release any more singles in the near future?
We finished our first English language album at the Abbey Road Studios in June. I have 4 favourite tracks on this LP and I am super excited about what people will say about these songs. There are some energetic, fast songs and there is also a big ballad on it, and I can’t wait to release it! The next single, which will follow Wide Open, will come in December.
Are there any plans to release an album or EP anytime soon?
We think our new album will arrive in December or January 2024. And I hope that it could be a great Christmas present to our fans and followers. But honestly, it’s not Christmas style music. So maybe our new songs will be useful and could give a high energy to the beginning of next year!
You’re relatively new to the music scene. How did you get together?
The band started in 2009, and the first line up was a great cool teenage band that got great videoclips on the MTV and VIVA Music TV stations, but our new line up is very fresh. I joined to the band in 2021 and over the last 2 years we have been very busy with work. The new songs were made with mature lyrics and messages and we would like to share our musical ideas and solutions with a wide range of people. The band’s new era is perfectly shown in the songs Honest Kid and Wide Open – we found each other in a good way and are working hard to our new dreams in the UK and the international music scene.
Your music has an alt-rock sound. What/who influences you most as artists? What have you been listening to recently?
Our band members arrived from a really wide musical background which added a lot of new spice into our music. Our vocalist, Lazar, is a punk-rock and indie guy, our bass and keyboard player loves funk music and I am huge fan of rock ballads and jazz music. We are really different and we find the beauty in every genre. The song is the most important thing to us, not the ego of the members.
You’re from Budapest. What is the local music scene like with you at the moment?
Interesting days, interesting music. There is some great music, but there are a lot of artists that I do not understand.
Do you have anything else exciting coming up this year?
We would like to play more concerts in the UK and Europe, where some people have started to know us. We would like to make great rock shows! 2024 will be a busy year with the new album, new videoclips and hopefully some big festivals too.
Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?
We just arrived back to Hungary from London, but of course we are planning new gigs with our management. Hopefully in November or December, we could meet again in the UK! We are busy in Middle Europe and have great concerts lined up in some Hungarian cities too. I will also play drums in the Six Musical at Madach Theatre in Budapest in October.
Any last words for the fans?
I hope they can find the messages in our songs and we hope we can sing our songs together very often! Please listen our new single Wide Open on Spotify.