Gathered around a picnic table one sunny afternoon last week, the members of student band The Big Slice chatted all things music and memories. From reminiscing on their origins to spilling about their recent release, the band enthusiastically recapped their journey.
Noah Ginsburg, singer and fourth-year College student, Joseph Hester, drummer and fourth-year College student, Ryan Gunn, guitarist and third-year College student, and William Davis, bassist and second-year College student, all eagerly discussed their first single, “The Strangest Thing.”
“The feedback has been insane…it's been so positive,” Ginsburg said. The song garnered over a thousand streams on the first day of its release.
With a quick tempo, a catchy chorus and a rocking guitar solo, the song captures all of the freedom, zest and exhilaration of the college experience. While the band formed at the University, the release of an original song was a dream that predated college for all members of The Big Slice.
While each band member has a unique background — involving everything from playing electric guitar with no amp to elementary school talent shows and obsessions with Bach — a passion for music at a young age was a common thread running through all their memories.
Their separate paths intertwined when the dog days of COVID-19 forced the boys to reconnect with their musical roots. As fraternity brothers in Sigma Alpha Mu — more commonly known around grounds as “Sammy” — Hester, Ginsburg and Gunn recognized their mutual love for music and started playing casually together during summer 2020.
One year later, the boys were ready to turn these fun hangouts into a full-fledged band. After choosing a name — based on a “terrible” IPA — all the group needed was a stage, and before they knew it, they were playing Midsummers 2021 — the unmissable weekend-long party for which Hoos from across the country crawl back to Charlottesville between summer class sessions.
With 400 people in the crowd, Hester on the same drum kit he played for his fourth grade talent show, Gunn on the electric guitar — this time, connected to an amp — and Ginsburg singing in front of a crowd for the first time, the boys took center stage.
Drumsticks tapping, guitars blaring, hands shaking and hearts pounding, The Big Slice was born.
Not long after this performance the band landed their first paid gig at Coupes, which was a true full circle moment.
“That was a big deal getting our first gig at Coupes because I remember going to Coupes as a first year watching the student bands play and being like, ‘Damn, I need to play here. I want to be like them,’” Ginsburg said.
After a year of similar shows, Davis stepped into the picture. According to Ginsburg, he has been pivotal to the band’s recent success.
“Will has been a huge add,” Ginsburg said. “He runs all the sound and helps with production of our music. And he’s also a really good bass player.”
Now, The Big Slice is living out their glory days as a popular student band at the University. While the band sometimes slips into their rock-n-roll roots, recalling some hilarious memories not fit for print, they mostly revel in their love for playing at the University.
“During summer 2021, our very last show was at Crozet,” Hester said. “There must have been maybe 6 people in the crowd, but we played at Crozet again just a couple weeks ago and the student turnout was so good.”
“Good” doesn’t do the turnout justice — the line stretched down the street, according to Davis.
The Big Slice’s transformation from a couple of friends making noise to a legitimate band drawing legitimate crowds has all led to the release of their first single “The Strangest Thing.”
While the band usually writes songs on their own, constructing their parts individually, this song naturally emerged from a spontaneous jam session, Ginsburg said.
“I think that’s why this one is the best one…we just started playing and it just kind of came out,” Gunn said.
While the band did discuss the song’s influences — such as Alabama Shakes — they more so emphasized their desire to construct their own unique sound as a band.
Producing the track on their own rather than using the studio’s mix added to the song’s sense of authenticity, allowing them to more carefully shape their sound, Davis said.
“I don’t want to have to chase the sound of another band. I want our sound to be created originally,” Hester said.
After working so hard to generate this sound on “The Strangest Thing,” the band is full of gratitude for everyone who helped them reach this pivotal moment. Hester specifically shouted out his iconic drumming teacher, Robert Jospé, and all four members spoke of their fathers. From Mr. Gunn’s Sunday morning KSHE classics, to Mr. Hester’s love for AC/DC, Mr. Ginsburg’s perfect pitch as a professional trumpeter and Mr. Davis’ killer music taste, these young men appreciate the influence, support and love of their pops.
The band said that their family and friends loved the song, but the overwhelmingly positive reception of “The Strangest Thing” didn’t stop there.
“The fact that people actually really like it is amazing,” Ginsburg said. “It's so rewarding… but ‘The Strangest Thing’ is only our first song. It's our first try at it, and we’re gonna get better and better every time.”
Fans will get to see this for themselves soon enough — The Big Slice is dropping their next single in just a few weeks. They even plan on releasing a full EP this summer. While they keep busy in the studio, stream “The Strangest Thing” and follow @thebigsliceband on Instagram and TikTok.
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