Detritus
Mini-Issue #361.5 - April 28, 2006
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*** CAST OF CHARACTERS ***
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Patrick Brower, Editor
patrickbrower@...

Sean P. Gahgan, Editor
lof@...

Tim Wadzinski, Owner
tsw512@...

Steve Shumake, Co-owner
vongoober@...
http://www.vongoober.com/

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*** LET IT BE KNOWN ***
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-Surprise! I totally forgot Neal was doing this interview, and then --
WHAM! -- here it plops on my doorstep. Have a nice weekend. - Tim

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*** SPECIAL REPORT ***
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by Neal Woodall (MysticX9@...)

-Interview w/ Eric Gales
April 18, 2006

Eric Gales first came to prominence as a 15-year-old guitar phenom on
his 1991 debut album THE ERIC GALES BAND, electrifying audiences with
his Hendrix-inspired guitar work and expressive vocal delivery.
Following a string of well-received albums on disappointing record
labels, Eric moved to Mike Varney's Blues Bureau International and
recently released the searing CRYSTAL VISION. I caught up with Eric to
ask him about CRYSTAL VISION and his current plans...

DETRITUS: Hey Eric, how are you doing?

ERIC GALES: What's happening bro?

D: I'd like to ask you some stuff about CRYSTAL VISION.

EG: All right.

D: You just released CRYSTAL VISION a few weeks ago and I understand
you did a CD release party at the Blue Monkey in Memphis?

EG: Oh yeah!

D: How did that go?

EG: Oh man it was explosive, it was fantastic!

D: What was the set list like?

EG: It was about half the record, some cover songs and some of the
last record [THAT'S WHAT I AM].

D: I was reading some of the comments on your MySpace page and someone
mentioned you did a trick with a flashlight and a towel! What was that
about?

EG: (laughs) Oh man, just some stage stuff, stuff that I have fun
with. That's all.

D: Well let me ask you a little about the album.

EG: OK.

D: I see Mike Varney co-wrote a lot of the songs with you. How did you
get hooked up with Mike?

EG: He was interested and found out I was a free agent looking out for
a record deal, and Mike was like "I want to do something with him," so
pretty much the rest is history.

D: What happened with MCA. I know you were on their label for a little
while?

EG: They weren't promoting me like they were supposed to. You know,
when you are using somebody who isn't doing what they are supposed to,
you just go on and deal with somebody else, you know?

D: So you're happy with Shrapnel's Blues Bureau International?

EG: Very happy!

D: Mike's not actually playing any guitar on the album is he?

EG: No, no no.

D: Did he write more of the lyrics, or did you guys split that up?

EG: Yeah, he did more lyrically.

D: Let me ask you about some of the songs. What is the title track,
"Crystal Vision," about?

EG: It was kind of an autobiography of the whole thing -- a clear
vision, clear mind, a clear outlook of what's going on. Things have
got to be done and there's a crystal vision of it, so get out of the
way, here I come, it's time to roll!

D: (laughs) OK. What made you decide to cover the old Joe South song
"Hush?"

EG: Ahh, that was a Mike Varney idea to be honest about it. The first
time I heard the song -- I had never heard it before -- and I checked
it out and there it was. I don't know why there was interest to cover
that song, but it's an old time favorite!

D: I like what you did with it, some really good lead guitar in that
one.

EG: Thank you, man!

D: "Trouble" is one of my favorites too -- some really funny lyrics on
that one!

EG: (laughs) Ahh, yeah, oh yeah. It's the truth! Trouble always can
find me some kind of way but I try to stay away from it, as much as I
can, you know?

D: I hear you!

EG: That was the best way I could put it into a song, you know,
without it being a novelty or a gimmick or something like that...

D: Well, your guitar work is amazing all over the album...

EG: Thanks, man.

D: I especially like the leads on "Plastic Girl."

EG: (laughs) We did have our fun, Mike really helped pull me out...
(pauses)

D: He got you fired up for that one?

EG: Oh, yeah -- I mean, for the whole record! Me and Mike are a great
combo. To be sitting there with the "powers-that-be" of your record
label, getting pointers and ideas and opinions out of the "horse's
mouth" without having to go through a middleman or anything like that,
is so key to a relationship with your label. I can't think of a better
situation to have than that.

D: When you are playing guitar like what we hear on the album, do you
need to be in a certain frame of mind to play like that or can you
just pick up the guitar and play stuff like that?

EG: I just pick it up and go at it!

D: "Old School" is another one I liked a lot. It's got kind of a Jeff
Beck feel in that rhythm.

EG: Oh yeah, you are definitely right, that Weather Report type feel
to it. I don't know why we decided to go like that man, it was just
cool, so we threw it on there.

D: You sound really good doing that style.

EG: We have fun, man!

D: I know your influences were guys like Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray
Vaughan, Robin Trower, Eric Clapton, and Billy Gibbons, but I wanted
to ask you about your vocal influences, because your singing is really
soulful on CRYSTAL VISION. Can you talk about any of your vocal
influences?

EG: Well, my vocal influences range from like, Stevie Wonder to Donny
Hathaway, a lot of church guys, as I have a gospel background -- I
came up in the church, so gospel has a heavy precedent in what I do.

D: You did the Experience Hendrix show a few years ago. Was that a
one-off event or is there a possibility for some more shows like that?

EG: We just did another one last week, in Boston.

D: Oh, OK. How did that go?

EG: It was great!

D: Who all was with you on that one?

EG: Sheldon Reynolds, Andy Aledort, Mato from Indigenous, Kenny Olson,
Chris Layton, Billy Cox, Brad Whitford from Aerosmith... Ahh, that's
about it.

D: That must have been a great show!

EG: That it was, it was. We had a good time.

D: You were involved in several side projects last year, compilations
like BLUES INTERLUDE, GET DOWN WORKOUT, ROCK REVISITED and Ruby
Wilson's SHOW YOU A GOOD TIME. Do you have plans to guest on anything
this year?

EG: I'm planning on just doing it, doing it and doing it -- put my
name out there and play on everything that I can.

D: I noticed that you had thanked Steven Seagal in the liner notes.
Will you be working with him on anything?

EG: Oh yeah, he's a friend of mine.

D: Yeah, he's a fan -- didn't you work on one of his movies, I think
it was "Fire Down Below?"

EG: Exactly, you got your history down pat! (laughs)

D: I've kept up with you! (laughs) I first heard you back in the early
'90s on your first album, and I've really liked your stuff ever
since...

EG: OK!

D: Let me ask you a few more questions. Anyone you would like to
record or jam with?

EG: John Mayer.

D: John Mayer! That's an interesting choice -- John is a big Stevie
Ray Vaughan fan and is deep into the blues...

EG: Man, I like his voice, I like his singing, everything. I really
would like to do something with him.

D: Have you talked to him about that at all?

EG: No, I haven't.

D: One you would put at the top of the list though, huh?

EG: At the top of the list, top of the top...

D: Do you have any plans to tour with CRYSTAL VISION?

EG: Oh yeah, coming up in the next month or so, we'll be playing live.

D: How will we find out what the tour dates are, do you have an
official Web site or just go to MySpace?

EG: The Web site will be up and going within the next couple of weeks,
but you can definitely come into MySpace and it might give you a link
to the Shrapnel one or something like that, and that will give you an
idea of when the tour dates and all that goes...

D: Are you going to be doing smaller clubs with the tour or do you
prefer larger auditoriums and outdoor shows?

EG: All three! All three man, I mean, it don't matter to me, I'll do
'em all!

D: Well I sure hope to see you real soon!

EG: I can't wait to be seen! (laughs)

D: Do you prefer to play with a lot of other people or would you
rather do like "An Evening With Eric Gales" and just play all your
stuff?

EG: It don't matter man, either way it goes. It's going to be what it
is, you know, just looking to have fun, we're going to have a lot of
fun and I can't wait!

D: How did you get your nickname "Rawdawg?"

EG: It's because it's how I come with my style and do what I do --
it's raw. I mean, I'm upside down and backwards, it's raw... I mean,
you don't find nobody doing that, it's a rarity; what I tap into is
raw energy, so I just call myself "Rawdawg," I just like that name,
roll with it.

D: Do you find you have to practice a lot to keep up your level of
skill or do you just play?

EG: Just play, usually -- that's why I missed your call, I was up
recording late last night. I had this tone last night and it was just
heavy and so I was up for awhile working with that and then finally
went on to sleep.

D: So you recorded that, maybe we'll hear it on the next release?

EG: Oh yeah, I'm always recording stuff here at home, we have Pro
Tools set up here so we can get it together.

D: Will you be working with Mike again on the next album?

EG: Oh yeah, definitely. I like Mike, I like Mike a lot.

D: Sounds like you found yourself a good home there...

EG: I sure hope so, it's been going real good so far.

D: You started your music career pretty young. Do you have any advice
for young musicians just getting into the business?

EG: Go along for the ride, learn as much as you can and keep a lawyer
with you! (laughs)

D: (laughs) All right Eric, anything else you want to add?

EG: Just let 'em know man, I'm coming out gunning with a force that's
ready to take on the world. I'm ready to do what I gotta do and keep
looking out for me, this won't be the last interview because I got
more stuff comin'!

D: Enjoyed talking with you Eric, I'll look for you on tour.

EG: OK buddy!

-Thanks to Eric Gales and Nancy Sayle for the interview.

Relevant links:

Eric Gales
http://www.myspace.com/ericgales

Shrapnel Records
http://www.shrapnelrecords.com/

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*** OUT ***
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