Eric Roberson
Interview 29 March 2004
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You're from New Jersey aren't you, born and raised? Do you still live there?
Yeh, born and raised..
I’ve moved around a lot, but I’ve been back in jersey for some time.
Tell me about you're upbringing, family life and childhood. What did your parents do. You always were gonna do something artistic? Always singing?
Singing was so normal in my house.. I thought everyone could
sing.. my pop worked a regular 9
to 5 but he was the music cat.. there was a guitar in every room
(literally) and he sang and played
all day all night.. mom works in
fashion and is a image consultant..
and my older sister is an interior decorator, so art was my only
choice.. if not music, I would be
painting, or building, or acting, etc..
At what point did you realize that music was gonna be your thing.
I won a full scholarship to college pretty much from singing, and
it made me stop and seriously consider it for a profession..
And what did you study at University. Did you do any writing or performing in those school/university days, because you got recognized and a deal quite young didn't you. How did that come about, and when would this have been. Were you ready for it?
I studied musical theatre at howard university.. it was an amazing time for me. I always did theatre, but there I
applied character development to my singing and writing. I had equipment in my dorm room
and we would create all day all night.. the singing group shai were friends of mine and when
they went to L.A. I gave them a tape to pass along.. the phone went crazy after
that…
I was 19 and a sophmore in college.. I cant say if I was ready or not, but I will say im happy
(now) that it didn’t work out cause I probably wouldn’t be in the industry now,
as the artist I am today...
That was The Moon. How did that go, it was very successful but no album came out of Warners did it. Anything in the can?
There’s a whole record from that period and to be honest I have no
clue where those songs are.. hahaha..
yeah, the president of the label left before while my first single was
out, and I followed.. after a few failed attempts to maintain momentum thru
other labels, and such.. I decided
to go back to school and regroup..
Must have been difficult going back to study after a taste of success?
Probably the hardest and best thing ive ever done in my
life.. Extremely humbling for the
fact that my single was still on the radio, video was playing.. but the money dried up, and the future
was very unsure.. very rough time,
but im thankful for it.. I became
better in every way.. a better
student, better singer, writer, smarter sender, better planner.. it was clearly my turning point..
What kind of stuff did you do on stage.
Man everything. Its
amazing how much I learned about music in my acting classes.. ive portrayed almost every character imaginable
on stage, so theres not much I haven’t done up there.. hahaha..
And at what point did you make the decision to take the music path.
I never stopped doing music.. I was landing songs while still in
college.. when I graduated I had several acting gigs lined up but I pretty much
had to chose one or the other.. u see which way I went.. but my vocal booth is a stage.. when I perform its still theatre to
me..
Tell me about how your structure your songs, your ideas and your songwriting. Are you a pretty intense person. Do you differ when you write for other people. Do you know who you are going to be writing for because at this point you had some pretty good success. How did you get your songs known and picked up?
I use to handle writing totally different.. I would write and record constantly
about 20 to 25 songs a month.. for
several years so u can only imagine how big the vault is.. hahaha.. I was trying to develop and take
over.. I was trying to be on
everyone’s project.. so if I wasn’t writing, I was taking meetings
galore.. But every once in a while
I would be so inspired I would be able to create whole songs on the spot.. those were the songs that people
gravitated to so as time went on I focused on them more.. it’s a blessing cause I’m able to live
now.. before I worked non-stop.. rarely slept, ruined relationships.. lost all
sense of time and place when I worked.. I was on a mission.. but my passion wasn’t being
filled.. I was creating what I loved..
now I believe I have a certain writing style so I just create.. and if u
like it and want to sing it.. lets do it.. the last song I wrote with an artist in mind was “what is
love” by Vivian Green.. Most
times now I just write what I feel..
Tell me about some of them, how they came to be done and what you
thought of them. For
Example, So Long by Phajja which I believe was the first, Will
Downing, Soulchild, Jill Scott.
I was still in school when I worked with Phajja.. I felt we wrote a great song, but
warner brothers was still not a good label, so the group didn’t grow to where
it could have..
Will Downing is one of my favorite artist.. so working with him was an honor..
crazy thing was I never met him.. we dumped the song, I sang the backgrounds
and then we mailed it to his house, where he cut the song.. hahaha.. and even funnier we live in the same
neighborhood.. so I guess we’ll meet soon..
“Previous Cats” that I did on musiq soulchild is one of those
songs that I mentioned before.. I
wrote it sitting in a car with my pop..
and that song sat on office desks for years until musiq heard it and was
like “yo I want that joint.” I
really don’t shop songs anymore..
people either contact me, or I knew them before they had a deal.. I knew musiq, jill scott, vivian, etc..
so we were already working on music when they got signed..
Tell me about Jazzy Jeff and Touch of Jazz and what you did there.
Incredible development years for me.. Jeff has several studios and for years we sat in those rooms
creating with no pressure, no stress, no influence from the outside
world..
I guess were talking about 1998 to 2001 and there was quite a lot
of your material being done, some soundtrack work, and stuff. What about your
management and connections because it seems to me that you did pretty well
pretty quickly,and built up your reputation pretty fast. And it ending in a
publishing deal?
Yeh, there was a lot of time and work put into it, and then all of a sudden it started to click.. I always had enough success to keep me going, but not always enough to live off of.. then we did will smith album and soundtrack.. a couple of songs here and there.. then musiq and jill got signed.. from that point it was kind of hard to hide in the studio anymore.. from that point people started calling..
The publishing deal has been great for me.. adding a level of
stability.. but its important for those interested in this business of music to
know that I turned down several deals waiting for the right one.. I went with EMI, which offered comfort
and a situation that would compliment my work ethic..
And you built your studio and have some good people in and some top stuff recorded there. What's been the plan with the studio – helps you of course but a business venture I assume.
The studio (the blue room) has been a blessing.. the main plan is
to not have anything stop me from creating what I want to create.. if your using someone else’s equipment
or time your extremely limited.. Equipment is power .. I learned that a long time ago, so I
started building piece by piece..
plus its helped me develop other talent beside my own, which is very
important to me.. oh and from a
business stand point It makes sense..
labels respect that.. they may not be willing to commit to a song but they’ll
pay studio time for u to work with their artist..
It seems to me that your songwriting is your bedrock, the basis
from where you develop, the creative source. From this your studio, your songs,
your production and everything else comes. Is that how you see it? Is that
where you perceive your true talent to be.
Well that’s clearly the 9 to 5.. I wont debate that what so ever.. and in the long run its
what I will focus on, but creating my own albums fulfills my passion..
Tell me the rationale behind Esoteric Movement, how it was put together, how and why you put it out yourself, could you have done it any other way, and how did it go down and meet your expectations.
My love life and my music career have almost been identical.. at a time when I wasn’t inspired by the
music that was coming out, as well as the music I was doing.. I ended a long
term relationship.. I was hurt
(I’m man enough to admit it) so I
just went into the studio and closed the door.. when I opened the door the album was done. “esoteric- only meant to be understood
by a chosen few.” In the end the
album was only intended for her.. it was the most honest album I could create.. if I was on a major I may have done
things differently.. that whole
album was done with out forcing a thing..
I almost can say I wasn’t even writing it.. a lot of times I would
realize what the song was saying once I was done with it.. definitely the
moment I started doing “honest music.”
More then anything that album has rewarded me unlike anything
else.. it helped me heal, as well
as inspired so many people..
And some of the tracks were carried across to From the
Vault Vol 1.
Yeh, I really never intended on putting out the vault vol.
1.. it was really for those
underground heads who loved esoteric and was following my career.. so I threw something together for them
and before I knew it, it grew to something else..
How has this one gone down, both at home and overseas particularly in the UK. What do you know about the Uk scene, have you been over?
The response has been overwhelming.. we are winning people over
one by one.. its war right now..
and I feel I’m at the forefront of it all.. trying to put back what was lost in music.. and I believe
people who hear it, see it, and embrace it..
I was in London several months ago doing the jazz café with jazzy
jeff.. we had a blast and im looking forward to coming back
Who out there right now are you feeling and who do you draw from
as influences.
On the major
scene.. I loved outkast’s album,
and kanye west.. they did what
they felt, not what was the norm and people responded.. on the independent level it definitely
goes to peven Everett and lizz fields.. I feel we’re on the same path.
And to From the vault 1.5 tell me about this and your expectations.
I tried to make an album that could compete with any major album
release, but not be caught up in the politics that come with it.. the music is
uncompromised. I was only going to
make minor adjustments from the original vault but when I went into the studio
I just opened up..
Do you have a 'team' of people that you use. And is it the same
people for gigs. What you doing for promo, some gigs. What is the reaction so
far.
Its quite a large team..
ive made and maintained relationships over the last ten years thru
songwriting and production.. From
Osunlade, Redhead Kingpin, Dre & Vidal, and many more.. “Obstacles” was a song I did with
Jermaine Mobley, who I went to Howard University with. One new things on this album is the addition
of my band on a production level..
Most of my band is from a group called Tye and G.A… their a gospel group on Columbia
records that im sure you will be hearing more from.. They’re like my brothers and their sound is
uncomparable.
I’ve been gigging for years now, and the amazing thing now is that
people know the music.. For years
I was teaching the songs, and winning crowds over.. now I see couples dancing,
and people singing or celebrating when we start certain songs.. just shows that
its working..
Actually “Couldn’t Hear Me” is, but to be honest its really
whatever dj’s gravitate to.. some
stations are already playing “couldn’t hear me” but being that its independent the
path this album takes depends on the people as much as it does on me..
For me it certainly a step up from the previous ones, from the Marvinesque opening, to the more r'n'B Right back to you, track 3 - Please don't go? - is the kind of track that could go in the UK, bit of funk, Norman Whitfield, jazz, ballads, and the epic and different track 10! - you pleased with how it's shaping.
Very pleased.. I did what was on my heart. And no matter what I’ve done before its
always a growing process for me..
I’m just following my passion to be honest.. Hopefully if successful others will be
able to follow some path or footprints I left behind..
Any interests from the majors, or are you set up to control everything yourself
That’s kind of like a continuation of the last question.. ive been signed many times before.. and
have many friends who are signed.. some successful, some not.. its not about that for me
anymore.. I did their way
before.. don’t get me wrong if the
right deal came to the table I might would do it, but it would have to be so
right.. hahaha.. the industry is
falling apart, so im just maintaining, and watching it fall.. and best believe I will be standing
right there with my bricks, my hammer and nails ready to help build a stronger
truer one..
What are the next few months going to bring.
Shows, shows, shows..
Ive been living out a suitcase for months now.. and have no plans of
stopping.. in between I come home
and its studio, studio, studio…
hahaha..
Hopefully form a following and a system that allows me to continue
putting out records on myself as well as other artist that deserve to be heard
and aren’t..
What other things out of music do you do.
Talk and listen.. I
love to create in general.. I write a lot.. letters, poems.. thoughts,
etc.. other than that its God, my
family, my friends, the ny giants and knicks..
Anything else you'd like to say.
I appreciate everyones support and interest in what I
create.. thank you..
Thanks for your time – good luck and maybe see you soon.
Until then…
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