Sleigh Bells Still Don’t Do Drama After 17 Years: ‘The Best Friendships Last’ (Exclusive)

When Sleigh Bells released their debut album, Treats, in 2010, even their most ardent fans might have had a hard time imagining a future beyond the distortion-drenched riffs of “Infinity Guitars.” The band was a moment, for sure, but in a world of ever-shortening attention spans, no wave ever lasts too long.

Sleigh Bells, however, is still going strong, having stayed true to their headphone-busting roots for 17 years now while avoiding the interpersonal drama that has plagued many a band before them. On their sixth album, Bunky Becky Birthday Boy, Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller sound better than ever — like the Sleigh Bells of Treats, but with a hard-won helping of friendship and experience.

“There’s a way to hold somebody accountable through blame and guilt and shame, and I really don’t think that exists in Derek and my relationship,” Krauss exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of the album’s Friday, April 4, release. “It never really did, but especially now, it’s all coming from this well of mutual respect and admiration and trust. I think that’s really only something you can achieve after knowing somebody for a long time and going through a lot of ups and downs.”

Miller agreed, adding, “Any solid friendship or relationship in whatever context or circumstance, if it lasts long enough, s***’s gonna happen. S***’s gonna go down, and that’ll test your friendship. … The best friendships last. Your people are there for each other.”

In 2008, Miller famously enlisted Krauss to sing for his new project after meeting her at a restaurant where he was waiting on her and her mom. She listened to his demos and soon agreed to be his vocalist, and Sleigh Bells was born. Rarely does a chance encounter lead to a band with this kind of longevity, a fact which even Miller and Krauss marvel at.

“It’s just surreal, it really is, when people say that number — 17 years. It certainly doesn’t feel like that,” Krauss said. “We don’t force ourselves to make albums, no one’s telling us we have to do it. We do it because we genuinely, genuinely are inspired by each other. And when we send music back and forth, we’re like, ‘F***, this is making us feel something strong and we should act on it.’ I feel like we both live pretty much in the present, and it just keeps happening.”

On the surface, Bunky Becky Birthday Boy may sound like a typical Sleigh Bells record — amps turned up to 11, floor-shaking beats, noisy guitars — it’s actually full of emotion. The title is an homage to Krauss’ late dog Riz, whose nickname was Bunky Becky, and her son, Wilder, a.k.a. the birthday boy. The songs follow the exploits of two characters, Bunky Becky and Roxette Ric, who roughly correspond to Krauss and Miller, respectively.

“Ultimately, it’s kind of a sappy and sentimental record. It tries not to be, and I’m not necessarily proud of that,” Miller explained with a laugh. “Cynicism is way cooler and detachment is way cooler, but that’s really not who either of us are.”

He points to album closer “Pulse Drips Quiet” as an example of what he means. It’s not a ballad, exactly, but it has an emotional maturity casual fans might be surprised to find in a Sleigh Bells song. (The chorus includes the lyrics, “It’s safe to hold your breath / You can count on that / I’ll be true till death.”)

“It’s the least playful song and it’s the most clear-eyed and, for lack of a better word, serious,” Miller told Us. “It’s like a moment when maybe you’re hanging with your best friend and some bad s*** happens. Maybe they walk out of a restaurant, get hit by a car and you’re sitting there making a tourniquet with your shirt, waiting for the ambulance to arrive, looking at them like, ‘I am going to be here for you. I got you. I’m going to get you through this.’”

This is not to say that the playfulness of the past isn’t still present in spades on the album. First single “Wanna Start a Band?” has the magic of classic Sleigh Bells stompers like “Crown on the Ground,” while “This Summer” is an exuberant ode to the warmest season (with a touch of the apocalypse for good measure). Krauss is particularly excited to debut “Wanna Start a Band?” in concert, because it sounds like “everything I want Sleigh Bells to be.”

Fans of the old records needn’t worry, however, as the duo plan to include plenty of Treats tracks on the setlist for their upcoming tour. Sleigh Bells will celebrate the album’s 15th anniversary on May 24, just weeks after they hit the road in support of Bunky Becky Birthday Boy.

“I think there was a point in the band’s career where it was like you’re kind of trying to move away from that, and now it’s just, ‘I love that album,’” Krauss said. “I love how that album feels live and to be able to play so many songs from so many records and also just really, fully embrace Treats and the way that those songs connect with people. It’s a big part of the heart and soul of this tour.”

Now, those connections are being made with a new generation, as early Sleigh Bells fans bring their own children with them to shows — and the band loves to see it.

“It’s built this incredible fan base, to talk to people who have got into us at Treats and are still listening, or to people who have been like, ‘Oh, yeah, I’m playing Treats for my kid right now, and they’re coming to a show,’” Krauss told Us. “You just get this kind of magic that can only occur with time.”

Bunky Becky Birthday Boy is out now. Their tour kicks off Wednesday, May 7, in Phoenix, Arizona. Get tickets and see the full list of dates here.