DJ Interviews: Erik 'EB' Daniels

 Heres my interview with singer Erik Daniels, AKA EB

How'd you get started in music?  

I got my first guitar when I was about ten years old, and would pretty much dust it off every few years and bang away at the same few chords for a couple of weeks before stuffing it back in the closet. Over the years, I also picked up an Alesis DM7X drum kit on a whim, which also fell victim to sporadic bouts of attention followed by years trapped in a big suitcase. For whatever reason, last year everything seemed to click into place, and I found myself writing and recording song after song... So kind of an overnight process that took many, many years.

Who are your inspirations or influences?  

I love listening to rock music from the 60's (The Animals, The Zombies, etc) to now. As far as songwriting, I'd have to say Paul Simon is my biggest influence -- just how he can express pretty common, even mundane, experiences so poetically. I also love how he's never been afraid to embrace new sounds and influences, just following wherever his heart (or his ear) was leading him.

What advice would you offer aspiring performers?  

Just do it for the love of the experience, of creating something new that you can share with others. And never let self doubt keep you from pursuing something. Everyone comes from their own unique perspective on the world, and it's a privilege to be able to express that in an artistic way.

How do you set yourselves apart from other bands or singers?  

Again, I just think that we can't NOT be our own unique voice. As long as I'm not deliberately trying to copy someone else's sound, then whatever I come up with will be my own thing. That's not to say that you can't pick out various influences in my songs (I'm sure you can) -- but I just think that by focusing on expressing myself as truthfully as I can, and making music that resonates with me, then by default my body of work will set itself apart.

Any new gigs or albums in the future? 

I'm actually quite far along in recording my follow-up album, and love the way it's taking shape. Hopefully I'll have it ready to go out into the world later this year or early in 2023.