After 14 years in the music industry, American act Eels, embark on a world tour later this year, including a visit to The V Festivals in Staffordshire and Chelmsford on the 22nd and 24th August, following the release of the new album ‘Tomorrow Morning’ which is the 3rd album from a trilogy, which have all been recorded in about 18 months, following on from ‘Hombre Lobo’ and ‘End Times’
I interviewed Mark Oliver Everett or E from Eels, to find out a little more about the American singer/songwriter’s world tour and his 14 year career.
Why a Trilogy of Albums?
It seems the albums perhaps have a deep significance and tell a story, originally E was looking at putting a 2 part collection together but soon realised that 3 were needed. “If you look at the last album title ‘End Times’ and then you look at the title after it, it changes the meaning of the last part, cos' it means you know when you go through terrible times it feels like the end, but it’s important to know that there’s another day coming."
Obviously quite a deep meaning, which E stated he hopes comes through.
I wondered if the passion was still as strong now for E, as it must have obviously been a hard slog getting 3 albums together in such a short space of time.
He assured me that the passion is still there. “If anything it just keeps bubbling.”
A lot of artists struggle to last a few years, never mind 14 years, so what has been the key to E’s longevity in the music industry?
E claims it is simply an aspect to his personality, an addiction almost. “It's something I was always doing and I couldn’t stop myself from doing.”
Getting an album together, especially a quality album is a long process of song writing, composing, practising, production and recording, how did E manage to put out 3 albums in such a short space of time?
E claims he has problems in not following through with his ideas. So once the idea was there, it would be done, no matter what. “I get an idea and then I do it and it’s like tunnel vision, I can’t see anything else apart from the task in hand and I do it.” Obviously a very driven human being, but he is still surprised that he has actually managed it. “I’m kinda amazed now where I’m at this point where the 3rd one is coming out.”“Maybe next time I think about putting out 3 records in such a short space of time, I should think carefully about it because it’s an enormous amount of work and energy.”
What has E seen in the 14 years he has been in the music industry, I wonder and how have the changes affected the industry?
“Right now we're right in the middle of obviously a big change and its gunna be interesting to see where it lands. I don’t know what it will be like in 10 years or will it even exist?”“I guess there’s gunna be good and bad things though.”
Is E looking forward to the world tour then?
He has not done one for a while, and the drive is definitely there now. “I didn’t do it on the last 2 albums cos' I didn’t feel it, but I feel it now, so it’s the right time to do it.”
Is there anywhere in particular that he is looking forward to playing?
E explained that the audience make or break a venue. “I judge every city by its audience.”
So what about the V-Fest? Is E looking forward to playing at the huge UK festival?
E has never played there and knows little about the venue. He asked me what the venue was like; I explained that the V Fest was pretty huge in the UK.
“The festival situation can be pretty tough, you’re out of your element, you don’t have much control over it, you don’t get to sound check and they just throw you out to the walls."
How does E feel playing in the UK and the USA differs?
The audience seems the deciding factor, claiming that UK audiences are generally drunk. “The audiences in America are less drunk. Sometimes the audiences in the UK act like they don’t know how to hold their liquor.”
So what have been E’s high points during his career?
Generally speaking playing with heroes of his, such as Tom Waites and having Pete Townsend of The Who, read from the Americans book, Things The Grandchildren Should Know. “There’s been a lot of high points in my opinion. I tend to think of stuff like when you find yourself working with your heroes or something.”
Even after working with those musical greats E would have still liked to have worked with Bob Dylan and admitted to been inspired by Neil Diamond and John Lennon. “There’s a lot of good role models out there to teach us.”
The Eels have recorded a very diverse set of tracks over the years and the live sets are reported as been very different from one another. Does E see himself as a creative and experimental songwriter?
“Sometimes, the last album End Times was more of a traditional approach to song writing in the case of this new one. Tomorrow Morning, it’s a very experimental process which is a lot of fun.”
So following a huge 3 piece trilogy of albums and an impending world tour, is that it? Or can we still expect more in the future?
E didn’t give too much away, stating only that he thought he had done enough and he was looking forward to a long rest.
“Isn’t that enough? 3 albums and a world tour! What else is there?” “I don’t know when they’ll be more.”
The gig list for the upcoming world tour, which kicks off in August is available from the bands official website.
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
