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The Start of the Slip

Six students performing in a band on the outdoor stage at Hoyt. A bright yellow banner reading “SPRINGFEST” hangs behind them. The group includes vocalists and guitarists of similar ages with varying complexions and hair styles, all in casual clothing. A student in a sports jersey stands on the lawn in front of the stage.

An early line-up of The Slip at 1991 Springfest: (l-r) Howard Gould '91 on guitar, Ashunta Sheriff ’92 on vocals, Mike Johnson '91 on drums, Sam Jaffe ’92 on vocals, Cain Goettelman '91 on bas, and John Myers ’93 on guitar.

 

Black and white scan of yearbook page: %22THE SLIP%22 written above grainy image of 3 teen boys playing electric guitars and one seated at a drum set, playing music on an outdoor stage.

The Slip in 1993: John Myers ’93, Brad Barr ’93, Andrew Barr ’95, and Adam Mutterperl ’93

It embodied serenity, satisfaction, and an eagerness to accomplish something individual with music. Tabor Academy was crucial to mine and The Slip’s existence.Marc Friedman ’95

In 1989, five Tabor students—Jack Lewin ’90, Mike Johnson ’91, Howard Gould ’91, Cain Goettelman ’91, and John Myers ’93—started a band called The Slip. The group underwent several lineup changes before solidifying around Myers, vocalist Adam Mutterperl ’93, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Brad Barr ’93, and drummer Andrew Barr ’95.

“The Slip,” The Log declared in February of 1993, “is taking the area by storm.” Their performances on WWTA, Tabor’s radio station, boosted their popularity on campus and beyond. They played every chance they got, including Springfest and shows at schools across New England. 

In 1994, bassist Marc Friedman ’95 started subbing in with the group. He had been playing with the Barr brothers in Tabor’s jazz band since 1991 and the three young musicians had a natural chemistry. With the unwavering support of Music Department Chair Phil Sanborn, the band had access to a secluded rehearsal space on the third floor of Hoyt Hall. They practiced six nights a week, developing a distinctive indie rock sound that blended jazz and pop influences. Experimentation became their signature. Andrew built a xylophone from PVC pipes, which he hit with flip-flops, and Brad explored pedals, looping, and other effects.

By 1995, The Slip had become a trio of the Barr brothers and Friedman. Brad had already graduated and was living in Providence, commuting to Marion for rehearsals. That spring, they played in clubs around Rhode Island and made a plan to attend Berklee College of Music in the fall.

Between them, they completed eight semesters at Berklee before leaving to tour full-time in support of their debut album. In 1996, they played a set at Brown University’s Underground bar that foreshadowed their future. “We started the show with an improvisation that captured the audience and ourselves in some kind of symbiotic trance-like essence that I knew would come to define us as a pretty good band,” Friedman recalls.

Over the next decade, The Slip built a loyal following and garnered critical acclaim. Despite their heavy touring schedule, they frequently returned to Marion, maintaining close ties with Tabor’s longtime art chair Bob Mogilnicki ’76. They played at several Empty Bowls, the international hunger relief fundraiser that Tabor supported, and in 2004, they returned as Tomlinson Fellows to perform and discuss their music with students. 

“The musical influence of other Tabor students was not small,” Friedman says of The Slip’s early days. “Discovering neo-hippy type bands like Phish, Bela Fleck, and older legacy artists like Little Feat and Cat Stevens was all due to the Tabor community.  Phil Sanborn showed us the band Weather Report and my life was changed when I heard their innovative fretless bassist Jaco Pastorius. I modified my bass to be just like his and it was the primary bass I used with The Slip.”

In 2007, the group took a step back from touring. The trio had been inseparable since Tabor, sharing houses, bank accounts, and even a single cell phone. Despite independently pursuing a range of musical projects, Friedman says the band has never discussed breaking up and they always keep a line of communication open to exchange ideas. The Slip has performed sporadically in recent years and will take the stage this summer at the High Sierra Music Festival in California.

For Friedman, the essence of The Slip is inseparable from the atmosphere of Tabor—the friendships, the creative freedom, and the quiet moments to find inspiration. “When I was a senior, I had the ability in my schedule to sit and stare out at the ocean with an Uncle Jon’s coffee and just listen to cassettes in my car,” he says. “It embodied serenity, satisfaction, and an eagerness to accomplish something individual with music. Tabor Academy was crucial to mine and The Slip’s existence.”

Editor’s Note:
We are grateful to Howard Gould ’91 and Cain Goettelman ’91 for reaching out to help clarify the early origins of The Slip, the band featured in this article. While the article focused on the trio that would go on to national acclaim, it unintentionally skipped over important details of the band’s original Tabor roots.

According to Cain and Howard, The Slip was founded in the fall of 1989 by Tabor students Jack Lewin ’90, Mike Johnson ’91, Howard Gould ’91, Cain Goettelman ’91, and John Myers ’93. Originally, we reported that John Meyers started the band. Nadia Gloveski ’91 contributed to naming the band and designing its first logo. Early rehearsals took place in the Wickenden Chapel basement, and the group performed at venues including Beebe, Spring Fest (then inside the Howard Johnson arena), and several New England boarding schools. After Lewin’s graduation, Sam Jaffe ’92 and Sally Taylor ’92 joined on vocals, along with Ashunta Sheriff '92, rounding out the lineup during the 1990–91 academic year.

The Slip’s current members—all Tabor graduates—joined the band later and went on to pursue a successful professional career in music. We are honored to highlight the band’s journey and equally proud to celebrate its true origins right here on Tabor’s campus, thanks to the passion and creativity of its earliest members.

We thank our alumni for helping us preserve the history of our school accurately.