ERIC"S TRIP INTERVIEW ARCHIVE Unk, 1996 - Canada
Personnel
- Interviewer(s)
- Jacques Poitras
- Interviewee(s)
- Mark Gaudet
- Rick White
Sources
| Publisher | Title | Transcript |
|---|---|---|
| Telegraph Journal Moncton | Eric's Trip: Reports of Death are greatly Exaggerated | Yes |
Transcript
Say it ain't so, man. Say that Eric's Trip -- the alternative-rock phenom from Moncton - is not going to break up. Rumours continue to circulate that the band will go splitsville so its individual members can pursue various other projects, including bands like Elevator to Hell and Moonsocket.
"We're starting to feel more like we could do something more creative if we got out of the same mould," lead singer Rick White said yesterda . But drummer Mark Gaudet said there's no breakup on the immediate horizon. "Every time we do the solo stuff, people think that," he said. "But we're still together."
In fact, the band is planning a promotional tour of the eastern United States and Canada in May to promote its new CD, Purple Blue. It was released in mid-January on the Sub Pop label and is being distributed by Warner Brothers. But after the May tour, the future is cloudy. The band's contract with Sub Pop calls for one more CD. "I'm not sure we have it in us, though," Mr. White said.
Purple Blue has been described by some reviewers as having a fuller sound than the band's previous work."Eric's Trip at Creative Peak," read a headline in a Halifax student newspaper.
Indeed, the album's melodies and subtleties would probably surprise non-grunge devotees expecting nothing but loud, fast guitars. Mr. White said the band has been told it is now on the verge of getting what it has been working for - big-time success. So why contemplate walking away from it?
"We've always done the opposite [of what was expected of them] and trusted fate to guide us along, and it's worked out so far," he said.
While Eric's Trip has never scored real commercial success - and, in fact, seems to shun it - the band has attracted a cult following in music hubs from Halifax to Seattle, Wash.
"It's good to know that there are kids out there who will support the underground," Mr. Gaudet said. "Some people drop bands oncee they're signed to a major label." Mr. White said he has never wanted to score a big hit fast. He has seen other bands become popular quickly and then fall with equal speed. He prefers the model of groups like the Red Hot Chili Peppers. "You build a loyal following that sticks with you," he said. On Purple Blue, the band has moved on to new things, with relationships no longer the focus of the songwriting. The lyrics delve into the mind a bit more, Mr. White said. Mr. Gaudet said it represents a maturing, but added it is still a long way from the mainstream charts. "it's the kind of stuff that radio will shy away from, that's for sure," he said.
© Jacques Poitras, 1996