Edward Gains plays guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, harmonica, violin, pots and pans, and sings on all the songs.
Influences
wilco... daniel johnston... nirvana... nicolas cage in vampires kiss... mickey rourke in barfly... bonnie prince billy... count dracula... syd barrett... angelina jolie... the smashing pumpkins... grandaddy... hayden... cortina... neil young... glen ross... vincent gallo... the flaming lips... guided by voices... the verlaines... john frusciante... pumice... weezer... bright eyes... bob dylan... beck hansen... idelwild... johnny depp in deadman... sonic youth... the eels... sylvester stallone in first blood... r.e.m... samuel l jackson... the shins... koyansquatsi... blade runner... chris knox... johnny depp in ed wood... nicolas cage in leaving las vegas... grant lee buffalo... the velvet underground... pavement... echo & the bunnymen... dr. donald ferns... wayne anderson... mike patton... the dirty three... crispin glover... the smiths... cat power... the beatles... radiohead... fugazi... neutral milk hotel...
Sounds Like
Billy Corgan smoking a bong with Daniel Johnston, or Kurt Cobain dropping acid with Syd Barrett. "Curiously listenable, incessantly infectious, this man could be Syd Barrett and Jonathan Richmans antipodean cousin" Real Groove Magazine June 2004. "Sounds like a microphone in an engine bay" Marc Soljac 2005
Edward Gains began the Ed Gains Experience in his hometown of Dunedin, New Zealand, back in 1994, and after a few shambolic, alcohol and drug riddled gigs, Edward left for America.
"The first incarnation of Ed Gains Experience was just so unorganised and I was never sure who was going to turn up and play with me on the night," says Edward. " But I never had any songs to play
anyway, so it didn't really matter. It was all more just about making a crazy racket".
After roaming the deserts of Arizona, and getting lost and confused in most major American
cities, Edward found himself in London and it was there he began to write songs for the first time.
"I was starving most of the time but it was the most creative time I've ever had as far as song
writing goes."
With no way of recording his music however, Edward had to resort to desperate measures and took part in a medical experiment, which gave him 300 pounds. He bought a four-track, a Casio keyboard and a microphone and 'Shit Magnet', the first Ed Gains Experience album, was born.
Over the next four years and still London based, two more albums were recorded, 'Girl with 1000 Boyfriends' and 'Cacophony'.
"Those albums are like time pieces for me, because they take me back
to where they were recorded and you can even hear dogs barking and
the Number 28 bus to Camden pulling up outside my window, if you
listen real close."
Edward returned home in 1999, and even though he was supposed to return to England, he found Dunedin to be just as inspiring creatively, resulting in two new albums in 2000; 'Don't Take it Personally' and 'Razorblade Music'. It was a rewarding time musically for Edward playing some great solo shows and finally finding his own voice.
He then recorded, as a joke, some commercials for Coke, but in a triumph to four track bedroom artists everywhere, these ended up being used on commercial radio. This led to a move to Auckland where he recorded one of his strongest sets of songs for the 'Oh, Why' album.
"Bel Hevi", recorded in 2005, is the latest Edward Gains offering and is a less lo-fi affair, Gains moving away from the 4-track used on his previous 6 albums and now recording on a home computer. Don't worry though, plenty of $20 microphones were destroyed in the making of this album and all instruments are planted firmly 'in the red'. "The new album, is dare I say it, a departure from my previous records, just because there is more noise on there. Some tracks have 3 drum kits and 10 guitars. I have to admit I had alot of fun going crazy with all the extra tracks on my computer. Like a giant bearded baby with a brand new toy"
Flashback to 2001 though, and Edward's first real band The Demi Whores were formed.
Emerging in 2001 from a deep dark cave located somewhere out in deepest, darkest West Auckland, The Demi Whores burst onto the scene when garage rock ruled supreme. Despite sounding nothing like any of their contemporaries, they gathered a loyal cult following, supporting the likes of J Mascis and the Datsuns, until drummer Anthony Pompeus had to leave the band and go across the ditch to Australia. Edward Gains (guitar & vocals) and Marcus Francis Joyce (bass & vocals) were left to continue on with the band, playing with numerous great drummers until Pompeus was finally wooed back for a short tour of New Zealand after The Whores were personally chosen as support act for New York band, Interpol. In late 2005 The Demi Whores entered the studio with Murray Fisher (Voom, goodshirt) and recorded what was to become their debut album, and the self titled album was finally released on Friday 13th of October 2006 on the bands own label, I AM EVIL RECORDS.
Edward Gains' seven solo albums thus far, all out now on I AM EVIL RECORDS, are 'Shit Magnet' (96), 'The Girl With 1000 Boyfriends' (97), 'Cacophony' (98), 'Don't Take It Personally' (2000), 'Razorblade Music' (2000), 'Oh, Why?' (2001), Edweird - An Edward Gains Anthology (2004) and 'Bel Hevi' (2005).
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DUDE! i give the new tunes 2 big thumbs up. and that new photo of your boy playing piano in his vampire claws?? **CLASSIC** big hugs to you & the family.
And here's me thinking that having our music played in strip bars in Detroit was big news now I find out that the Enright Fashion magazine asked Prince William to name some recent artists and musicians he was listening to and guess who he mentioned.....
Your voice has been reminding me of John Wozniak..i dont know what it is,really upset i missed ya show last night man..keep me posted! Gonna needa buy demi shirts and some albums when you get some free time..
Sharkweek is proud to announce the launch of his new album, "Egyptian Lions".
The new album offers lush soundscapes punctuated with surreal samples, playful melodies and manipulated found sounds. The musical themes drift between ambient, pop and dub.
Spheres of inspiration include outerspace, all manner of pop culture, and infomercials. Musical influence comes from varied sources such as The Orb, Future Sound Of London, Orbital, Boards Of Canada, Lemon Jelly, Astralasia, and Banco de Gaia. This eclectic mix, coupled with some stellar guest appearances from other musicians makes for an evocative and sometimes surprising listening experience.
"A mystical journey through lands afar ... trippy soundscapes, psychedelic ambient dub, futuristic space adventures and glitchy electro pop .. an ear orgasm of sounds that twist and turn evolving into a collection of songs that is intriguing, beautiful and a dose of epic electro trippiness.
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Sharkweek is proud to announce the launch of his new album, "Egyptian Lions".
