Eric McFadden
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| Eric McFadden | |
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 Eric McFadden at the Viper Room in Los Angeles, California 2007 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Eric Byron McFadden |
| Born | December 1, 1965 |
| Origin | San Francisco, California |
| Genres | Alternative, Rock, Gothic, Gypsy-Voodoo-Blues, Carny, Americana |
| Occupations | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals |
| Associated acts | Eric McFadden Trio IZM Alien Lovestock Eric McFadden Experience Faraway Brothers Sons of Crack Daniels Holy Smokes LIAR Angry Babies Shake Well |
| Website | http://www.ericmcfadden.com/ |
Eric Byron McFadden (born December 1, 1965 in New York, New York) is an American guitarist, vocalist and songwriter from San Francisco Bay Area, California, at times described as "an authentic old-west troubadour and an absolutely wicked 6-string maestro."
Reviews note McFadden's guitar virtuosity, distinctly melodic songwriting and "rich, deep" vocal tone. His recordings and performances are cross genre and his lyrics are often characteristically dark with an interest in the macabre side of life and love.
He spent his formative years in Albuquerque, NM, receiving lessons from Stanton Hirsch among others. During his mid-teens, he moved to Syracuse, NY where he acquired a considerable amount of knowledge in jazz guitar techniques. McFadden has also spent time in Spain studying flamenco techniques and in interviews has expressed interest in Gypsy music.
He played in a number of influential bands in the Albuquerque area, most notably the Angry Babies, a punk rock/heavy metal three piece band that toured along the west coast and released three albums in limited runs.
After relocating to San Francisco, he gained notoriety as lead singer and guitarist for the band Liar, which originated in 1994 with its original members Eric, Paula O'Rourke, Paulo Baldi, and Marisa Martinez Mead. In 1997 Marisa left and was replaced with Sheila Schat on violin. Liar's debut release Devil Dog Road and follow up album Gone Too Far received much acclaim among both fans and critics. Liar won the SF Weekly Music Award (Wammie) in 1997 and Bam Magazine's California Music Awards in 1998.
Baldi also joined him, alongside Anton Kozikowski on rhythm guitar and vocals, and Charles Gasper on bass in Alien Lovestock self-described as "chili-powered, hard rockin', avant-funk, Latin, surreal-desert groove."
Eric continued working with the members of Liar in other incarnations, such as the Eric McFadden Experience with Baldi on drums, Paula O'Rourke on bass, Sam Bass on cello, Ben Barnes on violin, Shaunna Hall on steel string acoustic guitar and Eric on guitars and mandolin. Barnes, Bass and Baldi also performed as a trio, Deadweight.
Other credits include three years as guitarist and mandolinist for George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars. In 2004 he joined Stockholm Syndrome with bassist Dave Schools (Widespread Panic), singer-guitarist, Jerry Joseph and drummer Wally Ingram (Cheryl Crow, Jackson Browne).
In 2005-2007, along with Wally Ingram and Paula O'Rourke, Eric joined Eric Burdon and the Animals, and toured Europe, Canada, The USA and Australia. In addition, Eric has performed and recorded with a variety of renowned musicians over the years including, Les Claypool, Joe Strummer, The Reverend Horton Heat, Keb Mo, Bernie Worrell, Pat MacDonald and Jackson Browne.
Eric has been touring extensively since 2002 with his trio, EMT, which features bassist, James Whiton (Tom Waits) and such drummers as Paulo Baldi (Cake, Les Claypool), Jeff Anthony, Kevin Carnes, Doug Port and Jeff Cohen.
McFadden has released several albums through the French label, Bad Reputation, including "Dementia" in 2006 and Let's Die Forever... Together May 2007. In 2009, also on Bad Reputation, McFadden released "Delicate Thing" and "Train To Salvation." His latest release, "Bluebird on Fire" was released in 2011 by both Bad Reputation in Europe and by Phyne, in the USA. This release features such players as Norwood Fisher (Fishbone), Dave Catching (Queens of the Stone Age, EODM), Dave Schools, Paulo Baldi, Victor DeLorenzo (Violent Femmes), Abby Travis and other greats. Eric continues to tour extensively throughout Europe, the USA and other territories.
[edit] Music video
- "Did you hear that sound?" directed by Régis Raffin
[edit] References
- Eric McFadden’s Multi-Colored Iconoclastic Gypsy Soul Jimmy Leslie, GuitarPlayer.com, May 2006 Retrieved July 26, 2007
- "INTERVIEW: Funky trio suffers the joy of music," Abel Horwitz, Daily Lobo, Albuquerque, N.M., October 20, 2005
- Eric McFadden Trio Joy of Suffering Dave Pehling, SFWeekly.com, January 18, 2006 July 26, 2007
- Eric McFadden's got an ax to grind. Silke Tudor, SFWeekly.com, August 11, 2004 Retrieved July 26, 2007
