Jul. 02, 2008 - Issue #663: The Bestest of Edmonton
Eric’s Trip
Eric’s Trip is on a whole new journey
When New Brunswick’s Eric’s Trip split back in the ‘90s, with each of its members going on to pursue their own journeys, none of them could have known that the band would be thinking of laying down new tracks over a decade later. The band, after all, thought breaking up was going to be forever.
Being on the outside looking in, it’s easy to see that it has been a long time coming, though. The band—Julie Doiron, Rick White, Chris Thompson and Mark Gaudet—did a reunion tour back in 2001, but then didn’t play as a band again until 2006 for Sackville’s inaugural Sappy Fest. The Eastern Canadian 10-date tour Eric’s Trip did last year, however, seems to have sealed the deal.
“That was the closest we came to being an active band, that it wasn’t just a reunion anymore,” Doiron explains from her Sackville home. “It was kind of like, at this point, we had gotten back together to play a few times, and we had fun and then we just kept it open to other stuff that wasn’t like, ‘OK, see you later, guys. That was fun.’ It was like, ‘See you guys in the spring. We’ll do some more shows.’ It’s cool.
“I think it’s safe to say that we’re an actual band again,” she adds. “It’s not just a reunion, I guess is what I mean. We’re having a lot of fun just being, existing and playing together.”
If Eric’s Trip hadn’t been such a seminal rock band—it was the first Canadian band to be signed to Sub Pop—and if its members hadn’t each gone on to successful music careers outside of the band, it might be easy to see the whole reuniting thing a little bit cynically. But besides having fun playing together again, the band is still able to draw fervent audiences and accolades on message boards.
“I’m constantly surprised by that,” Doiron laughs. “When we were a band and touring in the past, we knew ... it had sort of built up and we knew that we were going to have people at the shows. Taking a lot of time off, when you decide to actually do it again, you’re not sure what to expect, and so it’s a really nice relief when people actually do come. Like those first couple of reunion shows, I mean, we didn’t know what to expect, but the response was really wonderful. It’s really amazing, the level of enthusiasm that is being experienced.”
Fans will certainly be keen to hear what the band comes up with after getting together later this summer to record. So is Doiron.
“I think the way we sound now is more like the last album, like the Purple Blue album,” Doiron says. “That would be the logical ... I don’t know what it’ll sound like! I won’t know until I actually hear it.
“I imagine we’ll sound like the same band, only we seem to be a lot better at playing now,” she adds. “So it might be more technically better than it was in the past.”
This is Eric’s Trip. Like the band, we’ll likely enjoy the ride. Destinations be damned. V
Tue, Jul 8 (8 pm)
Eric’s Trip
With Dog Day, Electricity 4 Everyone
Starlite Room, $18
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