Interview: Shireen Rahimi | Coverage: Jossie Flores & Derae D’Mora
On Aug 29th 1966, 8 years after George Harrison joined the once called Quarrymen group, The Beatles played their last show together at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, CA. Exactly 47 years later on the opposite side of the country, Eric Frisch pays tribute to one of the most influential bands of his lifetime at the Living Room concert hall in the Lower East Side of New York.
Immediately entering into the back of the venue, where the performance area was separated form the rest of the bar, there was tranquil ease to the western style venue where Eric Frisch and his 4-piece band played for the first time. And If the red dim lighting wasn’t enough to set get you cozy, the warmth of fans, friends & family gathering to support Eric definitely set the mood.
I had the opportunity to sit down with the charming Toronto native to discuss some of his latest influences, overcoming fears, and future endeavors.
So this is your first time at The Living Room, tell me what was going through your mind. How did you feel?
I felt pretty good We played a few new songs today which was pretty cool because, when you play something you’ve never played before, there’s this kinda rough, raw energy to it, which I really like, but my band hates it ’cause they had to learn new stuff. (laughs) But Its cool even when we make mistakes its kinda nice, cause thats how it should be, its just COOL! Coming out with an album later this year so we played a lot of songs off that new album. Pretty Girls, GoodBy BirdCage
So you’re originally from Canada, correct? Tell me about the music scene out there vs. out here in New York?
There both good scenes. Toronto has a good music scene but, New York is New York ! There is something always going on in New York. This is definitely the place to be.
I love your passion for the Beatles! You gave a bit of history lesson during your set. Can you tell me about that?
Aug 29th 1958, George Harrison joined The Quarryman which later became the Beatles, and then 8 years later on Aug 29th,1966, the Beetles played their last concert at Candle Stick Park in San Francisco. and I was just saying how much can happen in just 8 years from when George Harrison joined this band and how they became one of the great bands ever. And how I’m playing now, I’m playing at the living room on August 29th, 2013.
Tell us about a time you stepped out of your comfort zone in order to take your music career to the next level?
Out of my comfort zone? Hmm… I would say getting on stage really at first. I felt good tonight, I like this Living Room. Haha, ‘Living Room’
Tell us about how you go about composing a song. Do the lyrics come first or does the beat?
I wish I could tell you! There’s never any one way. Sometimes the music comes first, sometimes the lyrics come first, sometimes it just pops in my head. For instance, the song I played tonight ‘Sun On Santiago’ I wrote that when I was traveling across South America and I was joking around with my friend, it was a really hot day and I said to her ‘what looks like 4 but feels like noon? She was like ‘I don’t know’ and I was like … “The Sun in Santiago”… and as SOON as I said this, this tune popped into my head and I was like WHAT?! and so then, the rest of the song came together when I got to a guitar. But that song, BAM, no instrument, nothing. And when I got to my guitar I finished it. I write on the piano a lot too.
I heard you’ve been playing the Piano since you were 8 years old, was that something that you wanted to do or something your parents got you into?
No, actually. I took lessons and I didn’t really like it. So I stopped taking lessons but then I was like ‘I wanna play it by myself’ and so thats how I kept doing. I actually wanted to play but I liked playing by myself. I was writing songs then too!
Yea, I heard about your very first song written titled ‘Kings and Liberty’: YES! Kings & Liberty! I still have it. I’ve been thinking about revisiting it but I have to work on it. There is a song on my current album called ‘Fare Weather Friends’ I wrote that in college for an assignment. So again, there’s no real way to write a song.
For more information on Eric Frisch visit ericfrischmusic.com