The Slugs grew out of basement jam sessions by brothers guitarist Dag and bassist Gregg (born Dale Gregory) Juhlin and guitarist Al Paulson in Paulson’s Park Ridge, Illinois home. All three were co-workers at SportsVision (later renamed SportsChannel and FoxSports Chicago). By the early eighties, anxious to become a real band, the trio put out an ad for a drummer that was answered by Chicago native Mike Halston. The Slugs were officially formed on March 6, 1983.
Al Paulson left the group soon after, and they were later joined by English vocalist Tristan Gallagher who left in 1985. The group put out their first single, “Walking in Circles/Give Me a Sunday” in 1986 on Susstone Records. Their second single, “Back to the Playground/Now They Can All Lie Down,” was issued on Pravda Records.
The Slugs led Sunday Night Mod Nights at the West End bar located at Racine and Armitage in Chicago, along with other local favorites I-Spy and Reaction Formation.
In 1988, while still a trio, the Slugs put out their first album, Non-Stop Holiday, on Pravda Records. The record sleeve displayed a photograph of an adolescent Mike Halston. The band toured extensively throughout the Midwest, gaining a cult following but little notice from record companies.
In 1990, Johnny L (born John Lukashevich), formerly a sound man for the group, officially joined the band as lead guitarist, with Dag moving to rhythm guitar. Frequently taking long hiatuses due to tensions within the group, the Slugs creative output was meager. The band’s second album, Fort Fun (Pravda Records), was released in 1992; their third, Junior (Famous Mistakes Records), in 2000. The band frequently played at local Chicago bars such as Schuba’s and the Hideout. A rumored fourth album has not appeared.
The band announced that they would reunite on January 22, 2010 for one show at the Abbey Pub in Chicago to celebrate Pravda Records’ 25th anniversary, along with Pravda bands the Service and Boom Hank.
