Erin Bennett is a multifaceted and imaginative musician. Originally from Texas, and now based in Scotland, the talented vocalist and guitarist has built up a remarkable background over the years. Her thickness has allowed her to range in numerous genres, as long as with her trusted friends and fellow adventurers, she has embraced the prog style, which she interprets in a sublime way in the performances of the band EBB, an almost entirely female collective. VeroRock.it reviewed the new full length of the group, “The Mirror”, the second studio work released last November and an album of absolute intensity for the introspective textures and the eclectic and refined sounds. Something that blends the legendary prog of the recent past with modernity and knows how to be innovative and authentic, also corroborated by the glam and theatrical touch that distinguishes their live show. In this interview, the artist talks about it, as well as describing many aspects of both her career and that of the ensemble itself.
Hi Erin, and welcome to VeroRock.it.
– Talent and soul, that’s how I like to describe EBB’s new album, “The Mirror.” Can you tell us about the genesis and creative process of this splendid album, and the main differences from the previous album, “Mad & Killing Time,” and the EP, “The Management of Consequences”? Thank you, very much! The first main difference between ‘The Mirror’ and our previous releases is that by the time we came to start working on this album, we had really firmed up our creative process. With ‘Mad & Killing Time’, for instance, generally, I would write a song, everyone else would add their parts, and then Dog would produce the lot giving the whole project a consistent and cohesive sound. But with ‘The Mirror’, many of the songs started out as jams in the rehearsal room – where the music came to be before any lyrics, melodies or concepts. It was a real band effort.
As well, ‘The Mirror’ was far more solid conceptually, straight out of the bag, when compared to our other albums. All of the musical and lyrical themes we were dealing with naturally fit together without us trying to shoe horn them all into an over arching concept.
Always, when I write songs, I discuss topics that are very personal to me. It could be observations I have on human nature, or more existential issues that I am dealing with. Ultimately, lyrically, ‘The Mirror’ was me taking a look at myself, accepting the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’ bits as a whole and challenging myself to look deeper even though what I see may not be that comfortable to look at. The guys in the band are absolutely brilliant at sculpting music to support those sorts of emotions. Finally, on ‘The Mirror’ Nikki joined Dog in production. That was a big difference from previous releases.
– Reflecting the soul in a mirror, through sometimes raw themes, “The Mirror” highlights the neuroses of modern man, but also the intent to awaken consciences. The “Schizoid Man” of the 21st century in search of a new spirituality? Can you describe the expressiveness and depth of such an intense work?
That is a great description!
So, it has been my, and certainly our, observation that humanity as a whole is split quite fundamentally. On one hand we have our biologies that are pushing us to eat, breed and survive. They are basic, but very important drives that power us as animals … and we are animals. On the other hand, we have this very powerful consciousness. The ‘story machine’ that give us reasons and narratives for everything we think, everything we do. And unfortunately, the two systems at work here are very rarely ever in sync and most often working against each other. Society fuels the narratives and religion is generally, whether we like to admit it, the sculptor of social rules and habits.
So, to ‘look in the mirror’ is to take in all things about oneself. I am an animal. I was raised under circumstances that have resulted in my having ‘these’ fears, ‘these’ joys,’these’ passions, ‘these’ lusts. I have these or those tendencies. My character is thus.
And it’s okay! I think that is the over all message. How can we feel bad about who or what we are? Did we have a choice? And ultimately, are we holding ourselves accountable for the things that we can change?
– “The Mirror” blends ’70s classicism, folk, prog, and art rock with a modern and imaginative style. Can you briefly tell us how the band was born, its evolution towards progressive music, and how you manage to combine this mix of styles?
We have all known each other and lived together for years. There has always been a band at the heart of our community. 15 years ago, my wife died of breast cancer and it damn near killed me. And yet, I still wrote songs and performed. So, the guys formed a band around me to keep me safe and sane. That band evolved over the course of the COVID-19 lock down and changed from simply being me, a singer-songwriter with her backing band, to what the band is today. We are a bunch of folk who come from very different backgrounds. And though we all have similar tastes in music, we are each influenced by different artists, composers, etc. Initially, when we formed as a band, I would write a song, and the guys would just act as my session musicians; add music to my very ‘singer-songwriter’ style. And it tended to sit within pop/rock or folk/rock. As we grew together as musicians and moved away from being simply ‘The Erin Bennett Band’, we saw everyone’s various influences coming out in what they brought to the table when we wrote or rehearsed.
We are all artistic in nature, so it is easy for us to use music as a medium for deeper artistic expression. And Prog is the world you want to be in when it comes to art in music.
It utilises everything. Classical, Folk, Rock, Jazz…every genre you could imagine is a tool in the belt of the Prog musician. And having all of those tools at ones disposal makes it far easier to get across any point or concept you are trying to convey.
I guess because we live together in an arts commune, and are a very close group of people, socially and spiritually, we ‘speak the same language’ musically. That hopefully results in music that isn’t jarring or messy in execution. It does help that there are ZERO egos in the band. No one is hell-bent on having their 15 minutes of fame. No one will become angry if their ideas aren’t used. We are all driven to make the music speak for itself. And Dog’s production is completely driven by what the music is trying to say.
– The melodies and textures of your compositions are the result of great harmony, consolidated by years of collaboration, friendship, and passion. How does an EBB song take shape? Do you like to improvise during rehearsals in the studio and on stage?
Lately, and certainly on ‘The Mirror’, Nikki (keyboard, Hammond, synth, saxophone, flute) will be jamming a chord progression in practice during set up, and I will ‘hear’ something in my head that would really work with it. Inevitably in these instances, the whole band jump on board and then a song is born. Sometimes still, I’ll just write a song on my acoustic and then bring it to the band and we’ll expand on it.
Once we have the basic skeleton of a song, each of us will really focus on our individual parts and then we play it over and over again developing it more and more each time. When we have it in a ‘ready to go’ state, we gig it. And we use the audience as guinea pigs, effectively. Does this song move them? Are they feeling what we want them to feel? And if not, back to the drawing board. And just keep going until it is obvious that it is as close to being done as is possible for any work of art.
There is usually a lot of improvising in rehearsal. But because our live shows involve theatre and video screens, we tend not to improvise or jam live. Not that we don’t want to, of course.
– In “The Mirror,” I sense a common thread, something that ties the songs together and makes this evocative journey even more captivating. What do you think about it?
I think it is very important for an album to have that common thread. I see an album as the dish upon which a meal is served (to use a humorous analogy.) You can have the most beautiful haute cuisine, but if it is served on a paper plate that is going to greatly influence the experience of the diner, right?
So, we want each song to have its own emotional statement, but when the album is listened to from beginning to end, we want it to take listeners on a journey. And production is really important in that. The use of leitmotif and consistent synth, organ or guitar sounds add to the over all flavour or mood.
That is not to say that you can’t have a good album that doesn’t feature all of these things, (Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’, anyone?) But for Prog, I think people want to be moved and taken on a trip. So common thread is important.
– Erin, in addition to your prog talent, you have a notable background in alt-rock and singer-songwriter music. Do you have any solo projects in mind to complement your work with the band?
I don’t have any intention on doing any solo work for the time being. Who knows, though. Maybe one day I can release some music I have written that doesn’t exactly fit into what EBB are doing. It’s always possible, I guess.
– Another, more personal question: How difficult was it—if it was at all—for a Texan musician like you to adapt to a different world like Scotland? It has been interesting, to say the least. To be honest, though, since I was very young, I felt out of place in America. I didn’t like the politics or the sense of enforced patriotism, and as I grew I felt more and more uncomfortable with the fact that the whole country is largely Christian and one can be severely socially ostracized for not adhering to those core principles. I also longed for the richness of culture and history that Europe offers and a space where I could figure out who I am and be myself without fear of cultural judgement. The thing I have struggled with in terms of adapting to the differences between Britain and the US, are cultural rather than climactic in nature, (even though I do really miss the sun and heat.) Britons tend to be more ‘straight to the point’ and mildly self-deprecating in their speech and interactions. Where as Americans can be far more grandiose and ‘anything is possible if you BELIEVE.’ I wouldn’t say that either is ‘right or wrong’, but I have felt, throughout my time of living here, that I am, perhaps, not as good as other people because of my Americanisms. These days, I have accepted who I am. And, as a Texan, I like to make fun of my British friends for their inability to tan and eat chillies.
– PROG UK’s “Reader’s Poll” ranks you somewhere between Mostly Autumn and Jethro Tull. I assume it’s a great satisfaction. What are your feelings and what do you think of the current state of international prog? Is there a resurgence toward the top of rock and a changing sensibility for the genre, even among younger musicians?
It’s always a funny thing, being compared to other bands. Because some fans will swear blind that you sound like, Pink Floyd, for example, and others will struggle to hear or identify that comparison. And we really go out of our way to avoid sounding derivative. We have and often do, abandon completed songs if any of us feel it is similar to other bands or artists. So, we can’t necessarily see or hear the similarities we might share with other groups, but I suppose it is inevitable that people might hear them.
The state of Prog at the moment, is really exciting! We are seeing more and more young people coming to shows and forming bands and getting out there. I do think that music lovers around the world are becoming bored with what is on offer from the ‘major labels’ these days. There is so much more to music (despite what genre you are into) than simply being background music at a coffee shop. And I think society is swinging back around to considering music an art form once more.
I personally miss and have a fondness for the times when people would get excited about album releases and rush to record stores to purchase them. When listening to an album was an event that you and your friends would enjoy together.
And I have seen glimpses of that coming back in mainstream music, particularly rock. What I love about rock fans is that they tend to have open minds about their music and usually wind up loving Prog too. The UK is in the middle of a big Prog resurgence. I hope the same can be said for Europe and the rest of the world.
– Do you worry that the rapid growth and pervasiveness of AI in music could lead to a demotivation among young musicians, in such an artisanal world as prog? Or, on the contrary, do you see technology as a new frontier for reviving the genre?
Well, initially I think it will open up the world of musical creativity to people who otherwise would not have access to it. And that might be a gateway for people to get into music in other ways. But having said that, I do think that if someone lacks the drive or discipline to learn an instrument writing, or production, without relying on AI doing all the work, the quality of the product or the ability to reach someone on an emotional level may be diminished.
I do not think that we should necessarily be afraid of the evolution of technology in music. After all, Guitars and Synthesizers freaked people out when they were invented. But look at what they’ve given us across all genres. I have faith that we will, as people, be able to identify music that has genuine human emotional content that can move us, versus AI created music that could possibly be sterile in nature. But if it so happens that AI can create music that indeed touches people emotionally, then what we are looking at, technologically speaking, is something bigger than just its influence on music.
EBB do not use AI in our music. And we have no intention to.
– Your live performances are electrifying! A mix of the theatrical rock of bands like Genesis and Osanna and the pyrotechnics of Hawkwind and Roxy Music. Behind these performances, I imagine a lot of hard work has gone into preparing to test everything out. Can you tell us about these experiences?
So much hard work! But it is an absolute joy! So, obviously we start with the music. When we are creating the music, we are only thinking about the music. Naturally, once a song is finished, we really can’t wait to get it into the set and play it for people. It is at that stage that we start to shift our focus to the more theatrical side of things. And this is where Kitty Biscuits, (our backing vocalist, spoken word goddess and general mad hatter;) and as our on-stage performer, Bunnie, take over. These two work together to come up with out-of-this-world ways to illustrate the meaning behind the songs and give audiences a different perspective.
When we have all of the pieces together, we tend to hire a hall that allows us the space to try all of these things out, with the video screen, etc. We will film the whole rehearsal and then review it afterwards to make sure everything is perfect.
– Perhaps an obvious question, but it’s a must. What’s next for EBB, aside from promoting the album, of course?
So, we have some gigs here in the UK this year but are branching out across the North Sea in the summertime for a gig in Norway. We will be, of course, writing more, obsessively rehearsing and always developing. Our goal for the year is to wind up in Europe getting the chance to play for fans and friends who have been following us but unable to get to the UK to see us live. We will still be pushing ‘The Mirror’ and hope to be releasing a companion DVD to the album, which features all of the films that accompany the music. Many of us in EBB are also touring musicians for an artist called Krow. We are currently recording for her debut album.
– Thank you so much for this conversation. I really hope to see EBB in Italy soon. There aren’t many prog festivals here, but they’re still top-notch shows. We look forward to seeing you!
Would you like to say hello to the readers of VeroRock.it?
Thank you so much for chatting to me. It has been a real pleasure. Big hello’s to everyone reading and sending the best regards to everyone at VeroRock.it!!
