Interview
PA ~ When did you take up your artistry and how
long have you been involved with it?
ERiK –
Been playing guitar since age 13. Tinkered
around w/ piano a bit before that. I’m
getting back into piano for fun now. Been
in bands since age 15. Released
too many cd’s to remember.
Lorenzo:
I starting tinkering with a toy drum set around the age of 4. Started formal
training at age 9. So it's been a while.
PA ~ Musically, how would you describe your
sound/genre?
ERiK –
We bring soul back to heavy metal.
Lorenzo:
Hard Rock/Heavy Metal
PA ~ What gravitated you toward your artistic work ?
ERiK – Guitar tones and energy from classic
metal albums such as Ride the Lightning, So Far So Good So What, Defenders of
the Faith, and Night Songs.
Lorenzo:
Don't know. Seems like I've always wanted to play the drums. After playing
drums for a while I tried guitar and bass, didn't like it because I couldn't
just pick it up and start playing like I did when I started playing drums.
That's why it's hard for me to give lessons because I don't know how or why I
do the things I do when I play. It just comes out.
PA ~ Who are your influenced by?
ERiK
– Classic metal bands such as Metallica, Priest, Slayer, Megadeth,
Cinderella, Scorpians.
Lorenzo:
Deep Purple, Rainbow, Kiss, Skid Row, Motley Crue, etc…etc....
PA ~ I understand you have a VIDEO "Where are you Running To"
, what is the listener / viewer in store for?
ERiK – an interesting gig we did for the rock
station up here 101 WRIF. It was
a strange set up and we made the most of it.
PA ~ How is the "Where Are You Running
To" VIDEO being received?
ERiK
– People get a kick out of it and wish they went to the event it was filmed
at.
Lorenzo:
From what I gather everyone who has seen it likes it.
PA ~ Do you have a favorite original composition you would want folks
to check out from Overloaded?
ERiK
– Right now, I’m excited to record our 4 new songs, but check out our song
Heavy Metal Higway on our Hellfire CD. It’s
high energy and full of soul. Kind
of a heavy metal blues brothers song.
PA ~ Will you be touring to promote "Where
are you Running To" ?
ERiK – Not likely.
Doesn’t make much sense to drive 4 hours, spend $100 on gas, and $100
on lodging to play in front of 5 people.
PA ~ Any other projects or follow ups in the works presently?
ERiK –
we recently demo’d 4 new songs at our rehearsal space.
Once we find out whether or not our singer Chris will be on the
upcoming tv show Rockstar, we will set out to record them as well as write 4
new songs, record a new version
of Feeling Overloaded, and included a cover version of Crazy Horses that we
already recorded for a full length CD release.
Lorenzo:
I am currently playing drums/percussion in a flamenco band called
"Domingo".
PA ~ Do you perform solo or normally with a
group?
ERiK
– We perform as a group in Overloaded.
Overloaded has an alter ego “Cover Loaded”
yes, that band plays cover songs (crue, gnr, metallica, soundgarden)
for money.
Lorenzo:
Group.
PA ~ Any performances coming up you'd like to plug?
ERiK – We’re not going to be playing any
more upcoming shows until we find out if our singer Chris will be a
participant in this season of Rockstar.
PA ~ What would someone expect attending one of your shows?
ERiK – Honest in your face high adrenaline
heavy metal. It is very hard not
to have a good time. Even if you
get totally wasted as most people do at our shows, you will remember a special
night.
PA ~ Do you perform outside of your hometown?
ERiK – Rarely – once again money and time
vs. how many people will really be there.
PA ~ During your artistic journey so far, any interesting (funny, bizarre,
highlight, nightmare etc...) stories come to mind you'd like to share with us?
ERiK
– I tomahawked an entire pizza at a girl’s car windshield after she
dropped us off 3 miles from our hotel at
5 am
in
Ashland
Ohio
. We had to walk in the rain back to
our hotel.
Lorenzo:
Too many to count. There's always something happening when we go out on the
road.
PA ~ Give us your thoughts on the indie
music scene good and not so good.
ERiK
– Indie like garage rock? I
can’t stand that crap or it’s scene.
Do you mean like being in an unsigned band in general?
Very tuff because most people don’t support unsigned bands by
purchasing a cd.. At $5 for a cd,
how cheap can you be. Go get
another beer for $5 and tip the slut behind the bar again you fucking
douchebag.
Lorenzo:
I think it sucks.
PA ~ How is the artistic scene in "
Detroit
" evolving?
ERiK – Alot of the better bands are working
together and we get very good turn outs.(100-400 people)
It’s the best underground rock scene I’ve ever seen.
PA ~ What has the highlight of your career been?
ERiK
– Doing this interview.. haha.
I’m very proud of our 2 independently released cds.
Lorenzo:
Getting my endorsement from AYOTTE DRUMS. And opening for
Alter
Bridge
, Skid Row and Motley Crue.
PA ~ What are some goals you hope to
accomplish in the future?
ERiK – I’d like to be on the road 24/7 365
days a year. I’m sick of
domestic life. I want to be a
“real” band. That means no
day jobs – just non stop writing, recording, and touring.
Lorenzo:
Major record deal. Major tour on a Prevost bus.
PA ~ What was the best piece of advice you ever
heard that motivates you in pursuit of your artistry?
ERiK – No one knows a damn thing, and if they
knew anything worth telling they wouldn’t tell me anyway.
Fuck em all.
Lorenzo:
Dimebag gave me the best advice as far as approaching the stage. He told me a
way to look at a show when it's a really big one. He said, " All an arena
is, is a big bar. Picture it that way and you'll never get nervous." I
tried it when I opened for
Alter
Bridge
. Not that it was a big arena but the
fact that I've known Myles Kennedy since he was in the band The Mayfield Four,
the pressure to perform and back up everything I had boasted about Overloaded
was being put on the table. All of
Alter
Bridge
was out there in front watching us.
Talk about pressure to impress. We pulled off a flawless show and since then,
it's been down hill. Major event in my career.
PA ~ Where can someone find out more about
Overloaded ?