Slap Dragon is the brain-child of bassist Scott Mulvahill and singer Laura Berens who met and began writing songs together in the summer of 2023. Soul vocals and acoustic instruments (played by some of Nashville’s heaviest session musicians) combine for a fresh, funky, and irresistible sound that is equal parts bluegrass, disco, and RnB.  Slap Dragon played their first show on June 1st, 2024 to an enthusiastic crowd in Nashville, followed by a set at Bonnaroo.  They released their first two songs, Girl Dinner and Already Won on June 7th. Slap Dragon performs as a 5 piece band, drawing from a pool of incredible talent in Nashville.  

The band has just announced that they are working on their debut album in Nashville titled Mission Statement, which they just released a KickStarter campaign to help fund. The band shared these details on the page:

Mission Statement is our 11-song debut album, and true to our name, we promise it will slap.  We’ve already started recording it using our own money, but to finish it and put it out, we really need your help.  Our $15,000 budget is going toward:

• Recording studio rental & recording engineers
• Paying musicians for recording with us
• co-production work by our friend Tyler Bryant for 5 of the songs
• Mixing and Mastering the album
• Graphic design for the album artwork, merch, and listening companion
• Vinyl pressing
• T-Shirt printing
• Packaging and shipping Kickstarter rewards

When you support our Kickstarter, please know that you truly helped make this album a reality!  Making music is expensive but so worth it.  We’ve personally put a ton of time, sweat, heart, and money into Slap Dragon, and we’ve been so encouraged by the way people have responded to us already.  We have huge dreams for Slap Dragon and think it can be a really successful band – thank you for believing in us at the start and pushing us forward!! 

Slap Dragon is on a mission.  In our album’s title track, you’ll hear about it in rich poetry: If you get up on your feet, I promise to provide the heat.  You can take a cue from me now baby – I know you wanna pop that junk, I promise to provide that funk!! 
We know, wordsmithery of this caliber deserves a prize.  But if we had to sum the mission up in a few lines of prose, this is a good start for what we’re about:

• Bridging the gaps between genres and people 
• Bringing funk to people who don’t funk
• Bringing bluegrass to people who don’t bluegrass
• Being a positive force and welcoming everyone
• Helping adults have fun by having fun ourselves
• Giving dignity to the word “silly”

The Story:

Scott and Laura met in the summer of 2023, at a jam session in Nashville, TN at the Flamingo Cocktail Club.  Laura had just moved to town and their mutual friend Eric Fortaleza hastily introduced them and darted off, saying “hey Laura, meet Scott, he’s famous”.  (note: this was awkward because Scott is not famous).  They chatted for a few minutes and didn’t think much of it.  But then Scott heard Laura sing at the jam and his wheels started turning.  Fresh off of hearing Vulfpeck at Bonnaroo, Scott was already conspiring to start a band and Laura was the perfect fit for the fusion of genres he had in mind. 

A few weeks later, Scott gathered Laura, Seth Taylor, Shaun Richardson, and Mark Raudabaugh for a jam session and the Slap Dragon sound was instantly born – funky, fun, fresh, deeply musical, simple and complex at the same time.  Everyone in the room a master of the craft of music.  At that first jam session they came up with the grooves for what would eventually be 5 Slap Dragon songs.  That same day, Scott invited the group to record at Blue Rock Artist Ranch & Studio in Wimberley, Texas later in the summer for the beginnings of this album.  Since then they’ve been performing in Nashville, writing songs for this album, and working toward this moment when they can offer you, the listener, more Slap Dragon to come.  

The Rewards

An album that’s going to knock your socks off via digital download and vinyl. A listening companion booklet that will feature artwork, lyrics, and stories, and is meant to enhance your listening experience.  One-of-a-kind polaroids.  Two t-shirt designs to choose from.  A personal Slap Dragon song written for you.  A house concert where we show up in your house.  And for everyone who chips in, a video containing the secret Slap Dragon handshake.  

To Support the Album: CLICK HERE

For More on the Band: CLICK HERE

Follow Scott Mulvahill: HERE