The Toby Gribben Show

“Envisioned as an imaginary B-side to Bruce Springsteen’s cover of ‘Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town,’ the song is an upbeat rocker that carries a bittersweet sadness,” says Flagpole in its premiere coverage of “Ain’t Goin’ Home This Christmastime” by Sloan Brothers. Click here to listen or follow the link above.

“It’s about reaching an age where you no longer go home for Christmas because there’s nobody left to visit,” says Sloan Simpson, the sole constant member of Sloan Brothers, about the song. A lot of Bruce Springsteen’s music deals with family and I have many associations with my own family and his music.

“I have become interested in expressing pain in my lyrics but setting them to an unexpected arrangement: a rocker like this song, a dance track, or even just adding vocal harmony to a self-deprecating line. There are plenty of artists setting sad lyrics to sad music. I want to shake that up where I can.”

One of the friends joining Simpson on “Ain’t Goin’ Home This Christmastime” is guitarist Richard Mikulka, the son of Velvet Underground drummer, Moe Tucker.

“I’ve wanted Richard to play on something and was waiting for a song to come along that was a fit,” Simpson says. “When I realized this song was an E Street Band tribute, I knew I needed a Telecaster in the mix and Richard has the coolest Telecaster in town, gifted to him by Lou Reed in the mid-90s.”

In addition to “Ain’t Goin’ Home This Christmastime,” the full-length debut album System Update by Sloan Brothers is out now.