Breakdown Room Publishing, LLC, is proud to announce its first book, Jason Slater: For The Sake Of Supposing. The authorized biography will be released on March 8, 2025, and issued in two formats: a trade paperback and a Kindle eBook, sold exclusively on Amazon.com.
Written by Slater’s close friend and confidant, Brian J. Heaton, Jason Slater: For The Sake Of Supposing pulls no punches, detailing Slater’s early life in East Palo Alto, California, his career as a musician and producer, and the frustrations Jason had as his life ended at age 49. The book gives Slater’s candid thoughts on forming Third Eye Blind and his battles with singer Stephan Jenkins. It also covers the creation of Snake River Conspiracy with producer Eric Valentine (Queens Of The Stone Age, Slash, etc.) and Slater’s lengthy and difficult relationship with Queensrÿche, including the creation process of Operation: Mindcrime II.
“Jason and I planned to write this book together, once his career in music was over,” Heaton said. “We talked about it all the time, saying that one day, we would tell all his stories and memories. After a lot of laughs and plenty of tears, that day is close at hand. I just wish Jason was here to revel in it. I miss him terribly.”
Jason Slater: For The Sake Of Supposing is part biography, part memoir, and part stream of consciousness from the man himself. To that end, there are long passages written by Jason, detailing his encounters with Prince, Ozzy Osbourne, Tommy Lee, Green Day, Don Dokken, George Lynch, Geoff Tate, and more. The book features new interviews with producers Eric Valentine and Joe Baressi, hip-hop artist Luke Sick, and members of Slater’s extended family. Craig Locicero, guitarist and songwriter of Bay Area thrash metal legends Forbidden, and a good friend of Jason’s, penned the book’s foreword.
Printed in full color, Jason Slater: For The Sake Of Supposing contains photos from Slater’s childhood and various landmark moments in Jason’s recording and performance career. Of note is the book’s striking cover image, taken by Brad Miller during a Snake River Conspiracy photo shoot in 2000. The interior images were carefully selected to give people a window into Jason’s personality and sense of humor.
“Jason was often misunderstood by the people he worked with,” Heaton said. “They would see this charismatic goofball who cracked jokes and seemingly wasted time in the studio. In reality, Jason was always listening and observing. He preferred to work alone and late at night, when his creativity would really flourish. This account of Jason’s life illustrates just how talented he was, and how his loyalty and self-consciousness was exploited by some of the people he thought cared about him.”
For more information on Jason Slater: For The Sake Of Supposing, including commentary from the author, follow the book’s official Facebook page here.
About the Author:
Brian J. Heaton is the author of Roads to Madness: The Touring History of Queensrÿche (1981-1997), which was published in May 2024. He also co-wrote Building an Empire: The Story of Queensrÿche, the first biography on the band, published by NW Metalworx Books, in October 2021.
Brian got his start as a professional writer in 1998, reporting on the military sports and fitness industry. After earning his law degree in 2003, Brian entered the political communications realm for a decade, before returning to journalism in the 2010s. He spent several years as a senior writer covering public sector technology, law, and policy. Heaton now works for a prominent legal association that educates and trains prosecutors.
A proud native of Long Island, New York, Brian now resides in Northern California with his family.