COURTESY PHOTO

High school never
ends for Slightly Stoopid

Its front men still revel in the youthful
lifestyle that inspired the band

Slightly Stoopid » Where: Pipeline Cafe, 805 Pohukaina St. » When: 6 p.m. Saturday » Tickets: $17 » Call: (877) 750-4400 or go online at www.ticketmaster.com

Some young people map out all the major stages of their lives early on, picking a college, career, etc. Others have a general idea of what or who they want to be later in life.

However, the two front men of the band Slightly Stoopid didn't really have a plan at all during their days of youthful indiscretions, as they bumbled their way through life. But as it turned out, they didn't need one when they unwittingly started their band during high school.

Because, you see, success found them.

Twelve years after Kyle McDonald and Miles Doughty started up Slightly Stoopid in their hometown of Ocean Beach, Calif., they're still spending their time the same way they did in high school -- surfing, hanging out and writing music, and not necessarily in that order.

"That's when the trouble began," said McDonald of his high school days.

Those were also the years when the name of the then-punk band was established after their circle of musicians, friends and relatives were invited to throw out descriptions to go along with the word "slightly," like that's slightly ... stupid. The band name still fits, says McDonald, even though they hope they've matured since then.

McDonald and Doughty, who have known each other since they were 2 years old, continue to call Ocean Beach home. They are also still a band of free spirits, mixing rock and blues with reggae, and hip-hop with metal and punk.

"(Even today) we're not completely stupid, but we're not completely normal," said McDonald.

"We're just two guys contributing to the influence on the band," said Doughty. "(By having two front men), we're more versatile."

Slightly Stoopid, whose other members are Ryan Morgan and Oguer Ocon, tends to draw fans who might be considered kindred spirits. Their latest release, "Closer to the Sun," was slapped with a warning label in part for its anthems honoring the recreational weed.

But it's a warning that McDonald is just a little proud of. "If bands are good, they're not going to be thinking about the warning label. They're just going to continue on doing what they do. But I guess I can understand that parents might want to talk to their kids."

Their latest album, released in April, debuted at No. 121 on Billboard's top 200 album chart. It's news which comes as a surprise to McDonald, the slightly more reserved half of the duo, who'd rather be anywhere but the spotlight.

"It did?" he said. "I don't really keep track of the charts, merely the music. But my manager told me it's doing good. I don't really see myself as a front man. I don't see myself as a lead anything. I just like to sing. Miles, all the girls want him. He's the star, the pimp. I'm not really like that."

FOR DOUGHTY, making a career in music allows him to do what enjoys most, which is be sociable and surf. For McDonald, late mornings are a chance to relax a little and "enjoy a lazy Sunday." But reluctant as McDonald might be, he shares equal billing with Doughty, trading bass and guitar throughout their shows and sharing vocal duty for their fans dubbed "Ese Locos" and "Stoopid Heads."

"I don't know why it is, but we have the craziest fans," said Doughty. "We've been doing this a long time, and we have fans who follow us to different shows. The fans are just super nuts, there are hot chicks, crazy maniacs, but in a positive way, and the more fun the fans are, the more fun we have up on stage."

McDonald has a slightly different perspective: "Rowdy. They are nothing but rowdy. There's some crazy madness, crazy fools."

Slightly Stoopid has Bradley Nowell, the late lead singer of Sublime, to thank for its start in music. He signed them to his Skunk Records label when Doughty and McDonald were just students in high school, and slightly in awe of Nowell, who was one of their primary inspirations at that time.

"That's who we were at 17 years old," said Doughty. "He saw us jam in my recording space at home and invited us to perform on stage for a show at the Foothills in Long Beach. We were as happy as can be."

Doughty said he couldn't imagine spending his down time any other way except for in Ocean Beach. While he still "preaches the Southern California" lifestyle, the band's sound has progressed beyond its punk roots. While they think of themselves as the same people, every one of their five albums is slightly different from the rest, said Doughty.

"I am pleased with the way the vibe of this record turned out," said Doughty. "You don't have to hit 'skip,' the album moves smoothly from one song to the next. Me and Kyle write a lot of the music during our time at home, or on the road. We just start to jam, there's no set, standard plan when it comes to writing or jamming."

"We write a lot of the songs sitting at home on the couch," added McDonald.