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“Waiting Out the Rain” with Stepanian

Written by Bruce Moore

“We’re looking forward to the road ahead and all of its twists and turns.”

Those are the words of Eric Stepanian front man for the New England based independent rockers Stepanian. With the release of their newest offering “Wait Out the Rain” the band is back out on the road in support of it. The band members recently took a moment out of their busy schedule to answer a few questions about the CD

Different groups have unique ways of writing their songs. How do you guys go about writing your music? Is it a collective effort (i.e. rehearsing and jamming together) or is it more of the efforts of one particular member?

“It’s certainly more of a collective effort. Songs typically start off as ideas from one of us and get introduced during rehearsal or sound check. More recently we have been taking time off to seclude ourselves somewhere in New England to write. We jokingly call it ‘band camp’ and typically spend a weekend or more working on new material.”

Every band has its musical influences. What are some of the other bands or artists which have greatly influenced you guys and your music?

“We like to describe our influences as a food fight between Ryan Adams, Counting Crows, early Bruce Springsteen, U2, Bela Fleck, Maceo Parker, and somewhere in there, Bob Dylan and The Police tried to break it up.”

You guys have shared the stage with national acts such as Rusted Root , Maroon 5 and Jason Mraz. What were those experiences like? Were they intimidating?

“It’s one of the opportunities that you wish for and when it comes you hope you are prepared. When opening for acts that large people are there to see the headliner. When the houselights go down and you walk out on stage, most of the audience is expecting the headliner to start. Once you start playing and they realize that you’re the opening act, you have a brief moment to win them over while you’ve got their attention. If you do, then you end up with a substantial number of new fans from just one show. We’ve been fortunate to have gotten an enthusiastic response in those situations.”

How is “Wait Out the Rain” being received? By the critics? By your fans?

“The EP is just getting out there. A broad range of critics have enjoyed the album, fans have responded positively, and interest in the band is growing. We are quite content with the short amount it’s been out.”

You guys are getting ready to head out in support of “Wait Out the Rain” How long are you going out for? Are there plans to support more national acts? How do you like being on the road?

“We’re currently doing some regional residencies and several 5 and 6 day runs to other parts of the country. We always have support roles in the works with national acts and just hope for the right opportunities to come along. Being on the road consists of a lot of long days and nights, lots of time in our van. We get to polish up on our GameCube skills, while learning to live in close quarters with one another.”

What has been the most memorable moment of your career so far?

“We’ve had a lot of very memorable moments, not all of them good! We’ve had our van break down in rural southern Georgia, been nearly electrocuted mid-song on stage and even had some of our gear catch fire during a show.”

Tell me about a book or two that you’ve read that you think other people should read?

“A couple books have made their way around our van recently, including ‘The Tipping Point’ by Malcolm Gladwell and ‘So You Want to Be a Rock and Roll Star?’ by Jake Slider of Semisonic. ‘The Tipping Point’ is about how trends take hold socially, how little things can make a big difference. The theories in the book give us a great deal of hope that our grassroots campaigns can take on a life of their own and grow very, very quickly. The other book, ‘So You Want to Be a Rock and Roll Star?’ gives a very honest and candid look at what can happen to you in rock and roll. Even with one of the biggest hits of the era, you can still rise and fall incredibly quickly---a sobering thought!”

What was your first concert ever?

“Eric- HORDE fest 1994, Riverside Amusement Park, Massachusetts with Blues Traveler, Shish, Dave Matthews Band, and Rusted Root Adam- Hootie and the Blowfish, Great Woods, Massachusetts Michael- Steve Miller Band, Tri-Cities Coliseum, Washington John- Rush, Providence Civic Center, Rhode Island”

What inspires you?

“The most inspiring part of being a musician is the creative process: writing a new song, watching the idea grow, and finally performing it for an appreciative audience. The way that good live artists connect with their audience is always inspiring. To keep our perspectives fresh we, like to check out new artists when they come to Boston.”

How does your live show differ from you recordings?

“On the albums we view each song as a complete statement, usually of a fairly new idea, so the focus is on getting across all we can in a concise manner. During our live shows, new sections or approaches to songs are constantly developing, breathing a new life into each of the songs. In general, our live show is much more of a true performance than simply a recital of our songs. There’s a lot of crowd interaction during our shows, lots of stories, running jokes, instrument switches, and choreographed dances to some of our favorite guilty pleasures.”

What does the near future hold for you guys as a band?

“The future is open, hopefully to be filled with many shows, lots of new fans, and many new songs. We’re always striving to reach the level we think we’re capable of as a band, to write the best songs and put on the best show. We’re looking forward to the road ahead and all of its twists and turns.”

For More Information on Stepanian check out their website at
www.stepanianband.com

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