Brock Press - Arts &
Entertainment
Issue: 02/11/03
Eyes Adrift: Not just another supergroup
By Bill Adams
"I want weed, you want music. Maybe we should think about setting up some
kind of trade," laughs Bud Gaugh wryly. The former Sublime drummer is
responding to the same question that has been asked of his new band, Eyes
Adrift, since they first announced their new tour that cuts a swath across the
United States but makes absolutely no move north of the border.
"We
can't cross the border," says Gaugh, "rather, I can't." I can
almost see Gaugh smiling suggestively all the way from North Carolina.
"But Canada is the only exception you know. Everyone else will let us in.
We could do a world tour and completely miss Canada."
The
tour would probably be profitable too. Gaugh, guitarist Curt Kirkwood (formerly
of the Meat Puppets), and bassist Krist Novoselic (formerly of Nirvana and
Sweet 75) make up Eyes Adrift, making it an alternative supergroup of sorts.
However,
that stigma begs questions about Eyes Adrift's purpose for being. "Eyes
Adrift is not a side project," says Gaugh defensively. "This is a
full time band. We really enjoy what we're doing and have plans to release more
albums and tour." Eyes Adrift are scheduled to play a show almost every night
until Christmas.
In
spite of the fact that all three members of Eyes Adrift can boast multiplatinum
selling careers, Gaugh says that they have felt no pressure going onstage.
"We're not playing against any ghosts onstage and only play up to the
expectations we set for ourselves at each show."
Potential
show goers should not expect to see a nostalgia act either. No songs from any
of the members' previous bands get dusted off.
"The
crowds are littered with old Sublime and Nirvana T-shirts and as soon as the
beer starts flowing every now and again we get requests for 'Date Rape' or
'Lake of Fire' or something," says Gaugh. "But, by the same token, we
also see a lot of people singing along to the new stuff and the response to the
new material has been really great."
Musically,
Eyes Adrift is a departure for all three members but everyone is comfortable
with the change in direction. Eyes Adrift's music draws on each of the members'
previous bands while sounding like none of them, dispelling any critics that
say the band is a vehicle for any one member.
"Everybody
was ready for a change," says Gaugh. "But really the only difference
for me is that I'm not playing reggae anymore. From a playing standpoint, I get
just as hot behind my kit now as I did playing with Sublime or Long Beach Dub.
I'm also seeing a change in the crowds. I think this music is a little more
grown up. The people at an Eyes Adrift show range in age from fifteen to, like,
sixty-five. Also, we've been doing a lot of in-store promotions that have been
well attended and well received. It's nice to see that we aren't being judged
on our previous merits."
Gaugh
goes on to acknowledge that, while it may be the bandmembers' résumés that get
people out initially, they have been winning over fans with this material after
they came through the doors. The band has been writing material for the
follow-up to their debut released on spinART Records on the road and debuting
it at the shows as well. "We've been jamming a lot onstage, just trying
new things and seeing how they play out," says Gaugh "It's actually
pretty exciting for us because we've never really been in improv based bands
before. I guess the best way to say it is that, we're having fun, and the
audience is digging what we're doing so we'll keep on going."
As
far as the possibility of Eyes Adrift coming to Canada in the near future goes,
Gaugh says the outlook isn't so good.
"I
doubt it. That would cost us quite a bit of money that we're just not willing
to pay. We'd do it if it didn't involve a lot of paperwork and funds. Sorry,
but right now you'll have to come down to the States to see us. What Canadians
need to do is write your government and get the rules changed regarding people
who like drugs. There you go Canada. Get active and we'll come."
How
do Eyes Adrift fare live?
And
as far as live shows go, forget the new wave of mainstream 'indie' bands like
The Strokes and The Whites Stripes. When Eyes Adrift took the stage at
Buffalo's Mohawk Place last Saturday night, in the opening thunderous bass
notes of "Telescope," Kirkwood, Novoselic and Gaugh showed the
audience what indie rock should sound like.
Eclectic
and powerful, in one fell swoop, Eyes Adrift proved that they are more than the
sum of their multi-platinum selling parts.
Onstage,
the songs on Eyes Adrift's debut take on an entirely new life of their own. On
"Blind Me," "Untried," and "Alaska" Kirkwood
showed no age in his vocals and, for the first time since the Too High To Die
tour, actually appeared to be enjoying every moment of his time onstage.
Novoselic
engaged the audience with stage banter that relied on his oft-publicized
political views. He appeared as an almost religious figure on the stage; from
the outset of the show the audience hung on his every word and gesture.
With
all of the cheering and attention, the bassist blushed and smiled
self-consciously as he rocked back and forth tentatively on the stage. The
crowd erupted when he took to the mic to sing "Inquiring Minds,"
which, when given the live treatment, became a showcase from each bandmember of
style and instrumental ability.
What
I was really struck by with Eyes Adrift was the connection between each other
that onstage. One wouldn't think that members of the Meat Puppets, Nirvana and
Sublime would gel as well as they have on record, let alone onstage.
But
the fact of the matter is each musician was completely sympathetic to the
others and let no one star shine too brightly. Eyes Adrift isn't a "grunge
supergroup" at all. They are simply a band that deserves the praise that
they have received.