 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
ERIC MALLON - BIOGRAPHY Eric Mallon is a singer/songwriter from Philadelphia, PA breaking out into the mainstream music world. With a sultry voice, guitar playing that started at the age of 10; and a heavy heart, he has put together a collection of amazing songs that range from acoustic pop to straight folk, to good old fashioned rock n' roll. After all, he is named after slow-hand himself, Eric Clapton; though his voice draws many comparisons to Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty. With his Magnolia Records debut, Tales From Magnolia Ave., set to be released in January, Eric has combined his self-deprecating but twistingly hopeful songwriting style with a commercial sense that woes of the unrealistic. Honest lyrics drown in love, be it lost or found, dealing with life and death, depression and finding happiness once again. He says, " Music is my biggest passion, it is a gift that I am very grateful for, it helps me deal with everything around me, it's not just used as a release all the time, it's who I am, it's my life" Eric was born in State College, PA where his father was attending school. His family moved shortly thereafter to Manhattan Beach, CA - on Magnolia Ave. A far cry from the east coast. He began playing guitar at age 10, influenced by the surge of 80's music and the birth of MTV. Playing clubs when he was 16 and still in high school, he was fascinated by the industry; the music AND the business. "I really took to the whole music as a business idea, I was stricken by the fact that I could write about my girlfriend or hating school and people could relate, that turns into wanting to write more and people coming to the shows and selling records - the business." Back on the east coast in 1980, it wasn't long before Eric yearned to be back in the California sun. After graduating high school in Delaware, he went to Musician's Institute in Hollywood, CA where he studied "learning to be a musician" as he puts it. After that he did want any guitar player would do, started a band and got a job. Only out of necessity was the band, "I had to play, the job was just there." A product of Woodstock, both of his parents attended the entire legendary concert, he couldn't help but be surrounded by great music. Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and the Beach Boys to name a few. "I remember crying myself to sleep when I was really young because my parents were blasting "Margaritaville" on the stereo all night!, I think a lot of that stayed with me as I grew up, If I wasn't 6 or 7 years old I would've been right downstairs with them partying. I didn't appreciate that stuff until years later, but I think their love of music is what's rooted the passion for me doing it and starting at such a young age." Eric's mother was an exceptionally good piano player, his father learned two Dylan songs in two years. "I must have gotten it somewhere", he states humbly. The first single, Guardian Angel, is an honest ode to not knowing everything or not having direction, but having something in life that tells you, it'll be alright. "I just wrote something about a particular situation and turned it into "I don't know what I'm doing here, but I'm not being treated right and this is how I feel. The title of the record comes from the street I grew up on in California and how everything in my past has affected me in one way or another be it positive or negative, I have recognized through the recording of this album that I had a lot of misconceptions about love and trust and life and this was a healing process to kind of put down the past and open up to the future. I figured out that every experience up until today has played a role in my life with where I am today, and that's what I wrote about. I tend to write from personal experiences, with my heart on my sleeve but I also try to put myself in someone else's shoes in a made up situation and write about how I think they might feel and how they would deal with it." One song, Standing A Mile From The Sun, was written after a friends father had passed away. "I couldn't imagine what it was like to go through that, I just tried to convey a feeling of loss but also getting through it and knowing they are still with us." He moves on, "I am more interested in the melody and the lyrics within a song and the way it 'flows' rather than the actual 'coolness' of the music. I also want to bring my music to as many people as possible but if only one person likes it and I've crept into their life and hopefully have helped them through something going on in their life then that is the greatest joy of being able to do what I do. Playing guitar for yourself is the single most useful soul saver there is, when you're down, it'll bring you up, when you're too high, it brings you back down to earth. " A man of many words and emotions. Tales from Magnolia Ave?, tales from the heart. His message is bound to catch audiences near and far - he'll be around for a while, after all this is his life. His gift is now yours. "A full emotional carousel on the musical boardwalk - you'll remember that long lost love, you'll forget your day job, and when you finally take your shoes off to enjoy the sand at your feet, the music of Eric Mallon will be in your head tugging at one of your senses." Check out the artist's website: http://www.ericmallon.com Track List: 1. This August Night (Lady Angeline) 2. Guardian Angel 3. Just Wonder 4. Right My Soul 5. No Secrets 6. Her Name Is Rain 7. Whisper 8. Invisible 9. Somebody Has You 10. Tired Eyes 11. Standing A Mile From The Sun 12. You'll Come Back Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
|