Reminiscin' - Interviews

Reminiscin' caught up with the New Jersey born artist Eric Roberson to find out more about life on the musical lane and his obsessive fans!

Eric Roberson has created a following of his own. Not just singer, Eric has a lengthy CV boasting various production and writing material for some of the most influential artists - Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchid and Jazzy Jeff to name a few.

Compelled to pursue is own career Eric achieved more than envisaged releasing four sultry albums, The Appetizer, The Vault Vol. 1.5, The Vault Vol. 1.0 and The Esoteric Movement; yet the hunger pangs still continues.

Being raised in a creative household ranging from artistic, theatrical and musical talent, it was inevitable that the family gene would be passed on. Eric at the tender age of 19 signed to Warner Bros. Having dealt with major labels, Eric bypassed the mainstream path and took on his own independent label creating soul pinching tracks that is uniquely on show today.

Reminiscin' caught up with Eric Roberson during his hectic touring schedule as Eric reveals exclusively his personal conquests and his long haul road to recognition.

You describe your music as 'honest'-why such a definition?
It really is a process, it's all above. It's not only just what you're writing about, but it is also about how you are recording it. It is also about your intentions of who you are recording it for -if you are going in, to write songs to please somebody to get a certain reward that is not what you are doing it for. We went independent we put out records ourselves -it just comes from an honest place, we sing it the right way. It is pretty much all across the board, if you tell me a certain story that has moved you and changed your life-I will write about that, that's honest music.

Do you use other people's stories in your lyrics?
I have my boys call me up saying I have another song for you man (puts on a deep voice). It's cool; once you kinda emptied yourself out, you kinda have to start writing other people's stories.

What was the first ever song you wrote?
My father says that my first song/poem was called 'Loneliness'. I always wrote sad stuff (laughs). I was about seven years - old of something (begins to quote the poem) Loneliness is like an empty room or like a flower that will never bloom, or balloon that's about to bust, or a pizza without its crust. Then he got me a keyboard, but I don't know how the song goes anymore, but I wrote a song for my then girlfriend called 'Continuously' I was probably about 11 or so.

You have now set up your own independent label but did you find taking the independent route was quite a risqué decision especially as an upcoming artist?
I wouldn't really say I didn't have a choice, it chose me. I went to the majors and I have been signed a few times and had a deal or two. I think this direction kinda chose me and I braced it. I gave the majors 100% not only as a songwriter and producer, but I noticed there were so many artists getting signed but their music wasn't coming out. I got a chance to see a lot of incredible albums be made and never be heard. I just didn't want to be one of those kinds of guys. It really started as a hobby in me, you know, just gonna do what I feel and write some music and whatever happens, happens. When people started to brace it, then it became a job and it became a company -because people out there were starving for that music, we were making it and they were demanding more.

Being your own boss in your company and as an independent artist are you always pushing your musical boundaries?
Yeah, I mean it's my own label and we have different distributions deals - so I am pretty much my own boss. I am a tough boss on myself, but at the end of the day if you can break the rules; why not break them in the right way. I push myself to really try and go to the next level, but the funny thing is you don't have to abide by certain guidelines if you don't want to- musically you have a greatest opportunity as an independent artist to do what you hear in your head. If you put out an album that you really didn't like then why did you do it? It is your own choice. I will stay in the studio until I get it right.

What is your work ethos?
It is the theory of work hard, play hard-you have to really abide by that. If anything give out a lot, take in a lot. Of course I read a lot, I write a lot - I mean I write songs, not only writing songs, but I have gotta write all the time, just to kinda get all the words out of my head. You just have to be observant all the time. I mean I rest a lot too, 'cos you have to enjoy it. As a song writer you never know when a song is gonna come, so I try and stay open to it all the time.

Reading extracts from your forum on the Eric Roberson website; many of your fans have quoted you as true storyteller and singing from the heart-has your musical achievement surprised you?
Very overwhelming. The funny thing is when I am really really busy and I can't write on the forum as much; I may go two to three weeks without writing anything - it is funny how they all keep it alive. It is amazing there are so many beautiful people out there who just love music and want to share their experiences. That is overwhelming in it self that something like that can be versed out through music.

Have you come across any obsessive fans?
(Laughs) You do get that from time to time. I have to admit being independent it is small, I don't have a huge staff so I am very tangible and easy to get hold of. You know we don't hide much we make things very obvious so most people respect that.

You graduated in Musical theatre and starred in various plays and musicals - was it a big leap to becoming an artist?
To me it is all the same. When I got in to High school I started doing theatre and then when I went to college but you couldn't major as an R&B artist-so I was like what should I do? I wanted to major in singing 'cos I act as well, so I went in to musical theatre. I learnt just as much about singing through theatre as I learnt through my voice classes and music classes.

The acting must come in handy when filming music videos?
Oh yeah, it helps out even when I am in the studio just by myself because a song is just a script; the singer is the character portraying that role and the music is scenery. You have to dive in to that character even if that character is me. I was hurt five years ago and wrote a song about it, but when I am on that stage now singing it I have to perform with that hurt I felt five years ago. I can't be (gives a big grin) when I am singing she stabbed me in the heart (laughs) I have to go through that pain. That is the beautiful thing about theatre.

What do you find most rewarding as an artist?
It is so many things. To do music that changes somebody's life is one. To see things build and you know it started from one person. To come here now at Jazz Cafe to have a packed room singing your songs-there was a time when no one knew me here, now we have people bracing it. This is how it has been from every place we have visited - Japan, Washington DC and Atlanta. Just hitting and teaching people what we do and winning them one by one, I mean we won every person who has got the record-so that is the biggest accomplishment. The good thing as well is that after the show, people wanna talk to me about how can I do this etc in the music industry-so now people are trying to do it, kicking the door and listening to what they wanna become-that is a big inspiration.

What are your musical goals you wish to attain?
I wanna grow old doing what I am doing. I want to be sitting here when I am old and grey saying 'here we are at Jazzcafé again' (puts an old man's voice on). I mean I would love for it to be easier and I would love for it to grow more and give other people the opportunity to do it. We are doing a whole new path-independent Hip Hop, House and Rock has been established for years, but soul and R&B music is brand new. You have demographic of people out there who are starving for more-so my thing is to keep on doing it. The goal from day one was to do what I enjoy and make a living from it 'til the day I die.

What artists/bands are you currently listening to?
There are few albums, but I just don't get enough time to really enjoy it, but I tell you the Gnarls Barkley album made me enjoy music. I went back to childhood enjoyment listening to that record. The 'Crazy' song, I have listened to it 10 times in a row and I haven't done that in a long time. Jay Davie that is a new artist, a duo with and a producer and they have some real crazy stuff, a girl in Georgia who's a phenomenal producer and singer. I listen to a lot of Omar, Louis Taylor and Mos Def and all the above. I am always listening to music.

Tell us what you have got coming up musically…
For one we are releasing a live DVD/CD called 'Errol Live in DC' that is because we shot five different shows in Washington DC. It was pretty much where my career started at. I got signed to Warner Bros when I was in college at 19 and released a record, which pretty much took off a lot there. It's another area where we get a lot of good energy. We shot the shows and pretty much put them together - so it is 2hrs of performance footage. There is also behind the scene stuff and two unreleased songs. Then, I have pretty much dealt with my next album already. It is my little baby, my little baby girl, I get home and I just hold her and I just can't wait to share her with the world. She is aggressive and she is feisty and she is hungry all the time. We have got to get it mixed and take care of a couple of things, but I am very proud of it and I think it is gonna be a great album - just a continuation of all the albums I have got out.