Welcome to my website!

Thanks for visiting! There's STILL a new website in the works, but for the time being this is what I'm stuck sharing with the world. ;-)

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Hire Eric - Call 612-29DRUMS (612-293-7867)

Drum Lessons/Recording/Live Fill-in/Clinics
All provided by an endorsed career professional drummer with major label releases and national artist touring credits.

1/1/2010

So...where the hell is the wonderful NEW WEBSITE I've been talking about for almost a year? Well, it got about 75% done, and then it required the input and talents of others to complete. For one reason or another, schedules just haven't aligned to allow all of us to collectively complete the 'vision' of the new site yet...but again I'm hopeful it will happen sometime in the coming months. The animations are really cool. I figured I'd simply put the moldy old site back up, as even THIS is better than the crappy splash page I've been using since taking this down. I'm just taking away some of the content that used to be available, for reasons stated below.

Ok, so its a new year which just happens to mark the passing of yet another decade in our lives. I'm using this opportunity to organize priorities in my own life, and wipe several slates clean at once. Among them, and maybe the only reason that 90% of the visitors to my site actually come here, is letting go of the past musical endeavors I've been involved in. I'm happy, proud, and very humbled to have experienced the success I had as a member of Equinox. Lonnie, Jamison, and I achieved many personal goals and milestones together (major label, international release, touring, airplay in over 50 countries, Top 20 album charts, videos, numerous magazines, and many others), and though we aren't officially a band anymore, we all live near one-another and remain good friends. Jamison owns and runs a very successful computer-tech business, while Lonnie and myself are members of separate local show bands performing fun variety music. And yes, Jamison shows up to see us every now and then ;-)

By "wiping the slate clean", I'm really just saying that I'm FINALLY at a point in my life where I no longer feel the need to constantly remind people of how fantastic I used to think I was, or of the success I had. I'll mention it as resume' material here on the website, but that's about it. Truth be told, no one really cares anymore (myself included), and let's face it - I recorded my drum tracks for Equinox's "Color Of The Time" album back in the summer of 1992...even though it was released by Opus Recordings in 1995, and then by JVC/Victor in 1996. By MY math, that's nearly 18 frickin' years ago that I did that 'work'. And yes, I managed the group through it all and kept busy with THAT work all the way into the 2000's. And yes, we did record tracks for our follow up release (which was never finished or released), but that all just represents what I consider my childhood in this industry. And as fun, exciting, ego-boosting, and successful as it all was...it's all MANY years in the past at this point. It just plain "WAS" at this point. :o)

So I've been focusing my attention elsewhere for the past several years. Mainly in working as a recording session player for local advertising agencies. Some of my session work can even be heard nationally in commercial jingles. I'm also averaging 100 shows per year with the various bands and artists I've worked with recently.  And I must admit that I'm loving it all...and there's always plenty of work and opportunities to pick up! The one thing missing has been having a creative outlet for my drumming in the sense of writing and recording original music. There are several talented artists locally AND throughout the world that I'd like to work with in this capacity one day - and I remain hopeful that something like that will come along again soon. It just has to be the right fit musically and personally.

My new "day job" band is Joy Ride - a variety show band that performs dance and fun hits from the 70's through today. NOTHING is off limits, genre and artist-wise as long as it's a popular 'Top 10' type of song through the ages. We do stuff from Bon Jovi, Lady Gaga, Pink, Salt n Pepa, Poison, Pussycat Dolls, Kiss, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Joan Jet, Journey, Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson, AC/DC, and even soundtracks from Grease, Footloose, Animal House, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off...to name but a few. It keeps me on my toes, and I get to perform alongside some very talented musicians that all enjoy working with each other. It really is a lot of fun for us AND our audiences. If you're going to be in the Minneapolis area, be sure to check out a Joy Ride show...and of course, I'd be honored if you'd come on up and say hi. :o)

One last drumming related thing...I recently received my new dream drum set! I special ordered it in early May 2009, and it arrived just before Halloween. It is the most amazing kit I've ever seen/heard - and for it to be MY custom "Dream Kit", it BETTER be 'all that' to me! And yes, it cost a small fortune, but it has been completely worth it...

I've been a 'Yamaha Guy' for 20+ years now, but when I started to research ALL the major manufacturers' products and available options out there, and actually played on all the high end kits from those manufacturers...I came to the conclusion that Pearl was the way to go for me. That was a HUGE surprise, as [quite honestly] I've NEVER liked Pearl drums at any point in my life prior to 2009. That's ancient history now, as I have a completely custom Pearl-made kit! It is mainly their top of the line Reference series kit that has some special sizes and options that Pearl has never done/offered before. It also has two Masterworks (top of the line custom drum series) drums that didn't fit into the Reference series available options - a special snare drum, and a never before created 6" x 7" rack tom that is made of both maple AND birch shell plies - also with a custom mount. It has a Wine Red high gloss lacquer finish that shows the beautiful wood grain, and is all trimmed out with 24K gold hardware on the drums and all the stands. It is the only kit of it's kind in the world, and you can believe I'll be posting pictures of it right here - and often! :o) Check out the images on the right. ====>>>

This is getting WAY longer than I figured, and I'm sure there are only a dozen or so of you out there that will actually read this ;-) ...so I'll save some of the other news items for my next update - which shouldn't be TOO far down the road!

So Happy New Year everyone, and I hope you'll visit me here again soon, and even better...I hope to SEE you at a show soon! :o)

Be safe, take care, and as always - thank you for visiting!

-Eric

Current Project News

New Custom Pearl Kit (10/2009)

Wine Red with 24K Gold Hardware on drums and stands

Masterworks - 6x7 rack tom, 14x5.5 snare

Reference - 8x8, 10x8, 12x8, 14x14, 16x16, 22x18, 22x18