- Ez Jon Erikson
- Ezposure
- (The
Acoustic Performancez)
-
- Ez Comments
Ever since I was a child I have always
loved the sound of the acoustic guitar. Some of the first musicians that I
remember being captivated by as a kid include Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and The
Crickets, The Everly Brothers, The Beatles, Roy Orbison, Daryl Hall and John
Oates, Bruce Springsteen, John Denver, Neil
Diamond, Cliff
Richard and The Shadows, Big Country and Bob Dylan. Although I loved their fully arranged
music, what struck me most was the immediacy and
simplicity of their acoustic arrangements. The strength of the lyrics and melody
to a good song really shine through when performed acoustically. There is also
something very romantic about the acoustic guitar. I love the thought of being
able to carry one around with me in the summertime with a harmonica in my
pocket, finding a secluded spot under a
tree in a field, and just playing without accompaniment or amplification. This
truly is ezcapism and a freeing of the spirit. However, there are of course the
dreadful buskers. Who the hell is that guy in Manchester that looks like a cross
between Jimi Hendrix and Phil Lynott, thinks he's Marc Bolan, yet sounds much
worse than even Bob Dylan can do on his worst days???!!!!
I have always loved various types of popular
music though, especially a lot of folk rock, soul, soul rock, rock and roll and heavy
rock, but my favourite moments of any
rock band's career seem to be when they go unplugged. I thought KISS
Unplugged was one of the best albums of their career, and they're my all time
favourite band! When I first heard Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska album, I was astonished at how powerful and effective
acoustic demos could be. It proves that sometimes you just do not need a big
arrangement, and that actually some songs are better with a stripped down
performance, and the message that the song is projecting comes across better
because of it. The song can breathe freely and is not subjected to commercialism
of its time. It has more chance of being timeless. Above all I think that
acoustic arrangements appeal to the average Joe because anyone who is interested
in music and can strum a few chords on the guitar can attempt to perform or
write songs in this manner. That was probably part of the appeal of the sixties
folk movement, although that was before I was born! But let's face it, what Bob Dylan
was doing when he started out is as valid today as it was then. Very nearly
every song I have ever written, or co-written, has
started out from an acoustic guitar. If a song works in an acoustic format, then
you have cracked it, you stand a chance of it working in other arrangements. The
acoustic format is the core - the soul - of the song. The rest is just decor.
Anyhow, a few words about the
recordings on the Ezposure album. Most of these songs were originally performed
acoustically by myself and Paul Adshead to capture the basis of the songs, and
also because I always had this acoustic album in mind. It was quite simply Paul
on acoustic guitar, and myself on vocals and occasionally acoustic guitar and/or
harmonica. I would then give my notes on arrangement and production ideas to
Paul for the Summers Of My Life and Ramshackle World arrangements
of these songs. Overdubs would then be added accordingly. In the case of this Ezposure
album, we compiled all of the acoustic mixes and then overdubbed some additional
acoustic instrumentation if we felt it was necessary.
- MIRAGE, HALF THE WORLD, BEST THING,
LIVE TO DIE, SUMMERS OF MY LIFE, UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, ANGRY SKIES
- These recordings are the acoustic mixes of
the performances that appeared on the Summers and Ramshackle albums.
Best
Thing was the first Detours recording and is the same version that appears on
the Debut album. The version of Live To Die that appears on Detours Debut
is a totally different recording to this one. On this performance Paul plays
guitar.
-
- MASTERS OF OUR DESTINY,
FOR YOU AND YOU ALONE, CADAVEROUS LULLABY
- These three include alternate overdubs that
were not included in the pop arrangements, namely a tambourine and an acoustic
guitar solo in Masters, but with additional vocals excluded, an acoustic
guitar track in For You And You Alone, and acoustic guitars and harmonica in
Cadaverous.
-
- OTIOSE
- This is the version that appeared on
Summers.
-
- FEAR OF THE WORLD
- Here we have a live in the studio
performance from Ju and myself, recorded specifically for this album. This was
then remixed for Detours Debut, replacing my shaker with Sam's tambourine and
including backing vocals from Sam.
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- HAPPY HOME and TO FEEL YOUNG AGAIN
- These totally unreleased songs were
recorded specifically for this release. They were recorded live in the studio by
myself and Paul, with a harmony vocal overdub by myself at the end of Young
Again and also a nice piano overdub by Paul.
- After being caught up in many years of
trying to record full, band-style, commercially acceptable, pop or rock
arrangements of my songs, it is very refreshing and satisfying to have
now achieved an ambition of mine in completing the recording of this
acoustic album, Ezposure (The Acoustic Performancez). I thank all of the people who
have worked so hard or that have had to put up with me during the recording and
compilation of this album.
-
- Whilst compiling this album at the same
time as recording Ramshackle World, the acoustic group Detours was
formed. I feel that Ezposure compliments the acoustic Detours Debut release, a project that I am very ezcited about. Both acoustic albums
define my direction as a singer/songwriter/musician for the immediate future,
but we'll have to wait to see what my solo efforts bring next at some point in
the unforeseeable future.
- Hope to see you at a Detours gig soon. Cheers.
-
- Ez (EJE) April
2003