Thank you for taking the time to have this interview with IMAAI.
Tell us about your music.
My music is what they now call Americana, it is a blend of American styles of music from Folk to Bluegrass influenced. It is a blend of what I heard while growing up, the country albums my Dad had in his collection and the influence of the Beatles and other bands from the English wave I heard on the radio when I was a kid.
When did you start performing?
I started a band when I was in my early teens. I’d figured out the concept of a band when I learned about the Beatles. So I got some of my friends to pick up an instrument and we formed a band. It didn’t sound like much but after we learned three chords we were off. The Punk era got me on stages throughout the North of Holland and I kind of progressed from there. In the nine-ties I toured with my band through the Netherlands and we got quite a bit of live national radio airplay. It wasn’t untill the band broke up that I started playing solo and I recorded my debut album in 2004. I played in a few other bands since then, one of them Matthews Southern Comfort which was great singing and recording albums with Iain Matthews.
Fast forward to 2021, I released the album ‘Song & Dance Man’ with my current band. Together with producer Janos Koolen (guitars, mandolin, banjo and more) and bassist Lucas Beukers and violinist Joost van Es.
What do you consider to be your hometown and how does that affect your music?
My hometown is Amsterdam, originally, and I started my career in Hoorn and then moved back to Amsterdam where it really took off in the nine-ties. After that I moved around a lot and currently I live in the eastern part of the Netherlands, pretty close to the German border. It was in Amsterdam that I saw all the great bands coming over from the U.K. and the U.S. I opened for The Jam and the Style Council when I was in my teens. It’s only when I went solo that my music evolved more into Americana although Country and Folk has always influenced me.
What performers have been your inspiration?
I saw the Jayhawks and Steve Earle at the Paradiso in Amsterdam and that was a reassurance that that kind of music was still around. It wasn’t played on the radio but they seemed to pave the way for me. And it brought a renewed interest in Dylan and all those country records my dad played.
What do you base your success on?
I base my succes on the audiences that come and pay to listen to us. Since the 2021 release of ‘Song & Dance Man’ it seems I made the right decision while in Lockdown (remember that?) to make another solo album and to really keep it as acoustic as possible. We recorded it almost completely live in the studio, including lead vocal, mind. And the band, now aptly named The Song & Dance Band did a stellar job. It all fell together really. It has inspired me to write this new upcoming album ‘Traveler’s Heart’ which is due for release in september.
What was your latest musical release?
My latest release is the single ‘Shadow of a Man’ from the upcoming album. It was a song I wrote some time ago as a ballad but it never seemed to work that way. So I re-wrote it, came up with a slightly different chord progression and it suddenly clicked. It’s up-tempo and the band is killing it with Janos on banjo and Joost doing a Q and A on their instruments in the solo. The tempo makes the song more tongue-in-cheek and less heavy than before when it was a ballad. Sometimes it really pays of to re-write a song that keeps bugging you untill you find the right way to play it.
Do you have any news to share?
Well yes! A second single from the new album is coming on july 5th and it’s the titletrack of the album.’Traveler’s Heart’ ‘s got a great guitar lick, or theme, with a second harmony part on an octave mandolin (played by Janos Koolen) over which the violin (played by Joost van Es) plays a beautiful solo part. And again Iain Matthews sings second part harmony and that’s a real treat as well. The reactions on the first single are great so far, I’m excited to release this second one as they both set the tone for the new album.
How can fans find you?
People can find me on my website: ericdevries.info/ or on Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/EricDevriesmusic . You can also find me on Bandsintown.com and on Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/2G82fRrrW6TczNNc4YwEEb?si=twn6QMWSR2C3a1M1wiutzg
Lastly, please share some final words with the fans.
It was great talking to you, I hope you will enjoy the new album ‘Traveler’s Heart’ that is due for september. That’s when we start touring as well. I sure hope to see some of you down the road, folks!