When No Use for a Name frontman Tony Sly passed away in his sleep last summer at the too-young age of 41 years old, the punk rock community was left reeling. Paying tribute has been one way people have been dealing with it, which will culminate next Tuesday when The Songs of Tony Sly: A Tribute is released. The 26-song memorial will benefit the Tony Sly Memorial Fund which benefits Sly’s widow, Brigitte, and their two children aged 9 and 5.
Featuring Bad Religion, the Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon, Frank Turner, NOFX, and Pennywise, the covers take on a wide variety of Sly’s catalog, which ranged from skate punk to introspective acoustic tracks, first explored on a split LP with Lagwagon’s Joey Cape in 2004 dubbed Acoustic, where the two performed each other’s songs stripped down, and in 2010 on his acoustic release, 12 Song Program.
For The Songs of Tony Sly, Alkaline Trio took on “Straight from the Jacket,” which appeared on No Use for a Name’s third album, ¡Leche Con Carne!; it features lines like “No explanation’s gonna make it seem alright” and “You might have lived here once but this is not your home,” lyrics that seem even darker now given Sly’s death.
The record will be available for purchase everywhere, but if you pick it up direct from Sly’s longtime label Fat Wreck Chords, you’ll receive a “Never Forget Tony Sly” sticker along with bonus tracks as part of a digital download.
The Songs of Tony Sly tracklisting
Karina Denike – “Biggest Lie”
Mad Caddies – “AM”
Strung Out – “Soulmate”
Rise Against – “For Fiona”
Bad Religion – “Let It Slide”
NOFX – “The Shortest Pier”
Snuff – “On The Outside”
The Bouncing Souls – “Homecoming”
Old Man Markley – “Feel Good Song of the Year”
Lagwagon – “Discomfort Inn”
Teenage Bottlerocket – “Via Munich”
Frank Turner – “Keira”
Get Dead – “Premedicated Murder”
Pennywise – “Devonshire and Crown”
Alkaline Trio – “Straight from the Jacket”
Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem – “Capo 4th Fret”
Yellowcard – “Already Won”
Swingin’ Utters – “Not Your Savoir”
The Flatliners – “Fireball”
Simple Plan – “Justified Black Eye”
Useless ID – “Frances Stewart”
Jon Snodgrass & the Dead Peasants – “On The Outside”
American Steel – “Dark Corner”
Frenzal Rhomb – “Flying South”
Anti-Flag – “Toaster in the Bathtub”
Joey Cape with Scorpios – “International You Day”
