Progressive metal artist Eric Francis is always trying something different. Experimenting with elements of many rock and metal subgenres, his discography is a sonic melting pot always open for expansion
Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Eric Francis is a solo project, all instruments and vocals are performed by Eric Francis.
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to (insert band/artist name here)? How long has the band been around?
I’ve been writing music as a solo artist since 2007. Since then I’ve jammed with many groups and collaborated with many musicians, several of whom have appeared as featured singers on my albums. I played in Caught Lost from 2008 to 2009 and Maybe Later from 2016 to 2019. I continued to write music as Eric Francis while I was in those bands.
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
Eric is my first name and Francis is my middle name. I’ve always released my music under this name.
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?
My newest album, Under a Fake Sky, was created from my home in quarantine. I wrote, performed, recorded, mixed, and mastered everything by myself. The songs are written about my experiences dealing with the pandemic, quarantine, and current events in 2020. In my previous albums, I have written about many personal topics, including relationships, family, grief over lost loved ones, mental health, friendships ending, etc. My second album, A Perfect Moment, is a concept album telling the story of a fantasy RPG that I created when I was younger.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
In the beginning of the pandemic, I found “djent” bands to be the ones that kept me the most calm. I listened to a lot of Volumes, Periphery, Invent Animate, One Decade, and Erra, and I definitely drew some inspiration from their styles. However, over my musical career I’ve been influenced by a wide range of bands, including Coheed and Cambria, The Goo Goo Dolls, Oceana, and The Ghost Inside.
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
I’ve been around music my entire life; I think it was inevitable that I would end up here. My dad is a drummer and he played in several bands when he was young. From when I was a baby he played guitar in front of me regularly, and as soon as I was old enough to hold a guitar I started learning. I played in the school band from third grade onward, so I was used to playing concerts. My high school had regular open mics and I always performed at them, and I jumped on every opportunity to play music with other people. Eventually I started writing my own music, by myself and with friends, and I recorded demos of everything. Many of those songs ended up on my first album, Dreamstate.
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …
Performing doesn’t stress me out at all, but everything that happens leading up to stepping on the stage gives me anxiety. Transporting equipment, travelling to the venue, promoters, money, sound check, backtracks, selling tickets, it’s all a lot to deal with. On the day of a show I’m usually very restless and I triple check that I have everything ready and in working order. I’m nervous about things going wrong until the minute I step on stage. But once my set starts, it’s all forgotten and I come alive. There’s nothing else in the world like performing.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
I would consider my upcoming album to be the highpoint of my musical career so far. In the face of a global pandemic, quarantine, and my entire life being put on hold, I’ve been writing what I consider to be the best music I’ve ever written.
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
I would do anything to play a show with The Ghost Inside. I’ve been a fan since Fury and the Fallen Ones, and I saw them live multiple times before 2015. They were always my favorite band to see in concert and I had a lot of respect for Vigil because of his positivity despite having been through multiple tragedies. But nothing inspired me more than their journey of recovery and return after that terrible bus accident. Despite everything they’ve been through, they’re still swinging and their music is still as powerful as ever.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I know people often just add songs to a playlist and hit shuffle, but I would recommend listening to Under a Fake Sky in order. The album tells a story and the songs are deliberately placed in the order they were for a progression both musically and lyrically.
Eric Francis
@ericfrancisrock (FB, IG, TW)