Interview With 'Leaving Eden'
Firstly, introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about the band and how you came to be?
I'm Eric Gynan co-founder of the Rock band Leaving Eden from Boston Massachusetts USA. It's a pleasure to chat with you. We are an eclectic mix of Rock, Metal, Progressive, Alternative music. They tried to put us into a box but there's no box. Our live show seems to be the meat and potatoes of our success. Our lineup; Eve (Vocals), Ryan Manning (Drums), Johhny V (Bass) and myself (Guitars, Vocals and Keys). Fronted by "EVE" Winners Of The New England Music Awards & The Pulse Magazine Worcester MA Music Awards, Leaving Eden has Toured The USA, UK & Canada sharing the stage with hundreds of the biggest national bands in the world.
What were you all up too prior to the band, was this always the chosen path or did you have other dreams and aspirations?
Good question. I know that for all of us this is been our only dream and aspiration, simply to be in a Rock band. Before Leaving Eden, Ryan was touring The USA, Johnny was playing in various bands along the way. Myself and Eve have been rockin in Leaving Eden for quite some time now.
Tell us about your latest Album and why our readers should check it out.
Our current album 'Pinnacle', released by Rock Avenue Records USA was submitted to many categories for the Grammys this year. Fingers crossed on that lol. I'm a voting member of the Grammys as well. This album as I was saying was written with a direct connection to the Universe. Let me explain. As crazy as it sounds like a piece of metal on your car, the antenna picks up frequencies, so I use my fingers like antennas and I can hear the music, hear the lyrics of the songs almost fully produced in my minds eye before they're actually written. It's pretty simple all you have to do is listen.
Have you ever come face to face with someone within the music scene who has left you awestruck and why?
We've been fortunate enough to have shared the stage with Lacuna Coil, In This Moment, Black Sabbath (Heaven & Hell), Ronnie James Dio, Rob Zombie, 5 Finger DeathPunch, Disturbed, Marylyn Manson, Alice Cooper, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZTop, Puddle of Mudd, Korn, Killswitch Engage, BuckCherry (Jefferson Starship, Big Brother and The Holding Company, Country Joe, 10 Years After, 40th Anniversary Woodstock) Shinedown, Dropkick Murphy's, Alice in Chains, Papa Roach, Bret Micheals, Halestorm,Theory of a Deadman, Avenged Sevenfold, Seether, Hell Yeah, Trapt, Dope, Soil, Fuel, Queensryche, Saving Abel, Hinder, Damage Plan, 7Dust, Sebastian Bach, SoulFly, Days of the New, NonPoint, Drowning Pool, The Misfits, The Butcher Babies, Collective Soul, MushroomHead, Mudvayne, Chevelle, Godsmack, Powerman 5000, 10Years, Taproot, Gin Blossoms, Michael Schenker (UFO, MSG & The Scorpions) Herman Rarebell (The Scorpions), Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden), Kittie, One Eyed Doll, Uncle Kracker, Tremonti (Creed/Alterbridge) Lamb Of god, Slayer, Stone Sour, Motorhead, Blackstone Cherry, HOOKERS & BLOW Featuring GUNS N' ROSES, QUIET RIOT, W.A.S.P. Members Steven Tyler, Ted Nugent, Lita Ford, LA Guns, Trixter, Warrant, Apocalyptic Review (featuring members of Godsmack) & many more.. There's many different moments of awe. I got to say that when we played Woodstock anniversary festival we got to hang out with Jefferson Starship. We got to meet their families along with big brother in the holding company, Country Joe, 10 years after, all those bands that started the Rock 'N' Roll scene playing back in the 60's. We got to rub elbows with these people so it was kind of like full circle for me as again this is where it all started here I am sharing the stage with these great groundbreaking bands of their time. We fell into it quite by mistake. My motto has always been we will play anywhere, anyhow, anyway, so long as we can. You can be the best musician in the world but if you're in your basement that's where you'll stay. Can't stress enough the fact that getting out there and playing these opportunities, quite often there is somebody there in the music business that you may meet who may be able to help you move forward. For us that day we just happened to be playing a benefit festival. We showed up and saw all these huge stages, lights, sound systems and we were like wow this is going to be great. Then we saw this little rinky-dink side stage looked like a coat rack. Yep that's where we were going to play. Hey so what, like I said we will play anywhere, anyhow, anyway so we played our set. After our set the promoter came up to me and said "Hey do you guys want to play tomorrow?" I said "Sure whats up man, what do you got going on?" He got aggravated and said "What do you mean what do I have going on? You don't know? I mean I did so much advertisement on this? Woodstock!" And I said "Like the Woodstock or?" He said "Yes", shouting, "Do you want to play or not?" I said "Of course!" Next thing you know by divine intervention, They were driving us around in there carts, we had full VIP access backstage and we could go where ever we wanted and do what ever we wanted to do. We got to play on that huge stage and hang out and meet some of the greatest people. Was quite surreal to say the least.
If we were to head out to one of your live shows what can ourselves and others expect?
Another great question. As I said Leaving Eden is best heard live. It's a live experience. We tap into the universe. So it's more of an awakening. We utilize tribal Nuances, shared energy again between the universe the crowd and ourselves. Eve is universal therefore her connection is real and you can really feel that vibe as she takes the crowd on a spectacular journey. I really feel that it's a must see. But then again doesn't every artist and band feel that they are a must see?
If you had one artist/band that you could go on tour with tomorrow who would it be and why?
I think Metallica or Megadeth because the crowds that they play for are so big that just right there is an experience of pure energy. In other words you can stay home listen to music watch the music videos in the comfort of your own home. You will never get the connection of the experience without being there live. There is something to being in a crowd of 100,000 people that is second to none. You know every species on the planet gathers in crowds.
You can spend an hour with a musical icon living or dead, who would you pick, why and what would you speak about?
That would definitely be Jimi Hendrix. That dude was a spiritual dude and he was the innovator. I would definitely ask him what he thought of music today and how he felt his influence started it all, if he could see that.
And finally and most importantly is Die Hard a Christmas Movie?
Too funny. I guess I'd have to look around Christmas time and see if it comes up. Listen I want to thank you for this interview, it's been fun chatting. For all information about Leaving Eden you can go to http://www.leavingeden.com. Hit contact there and that will
go directly to us.
We just want to say thank you for taking the time to answer our questions.
Website - http://www.leavingeden.com
