Eric Howell~ Songwriter, lead singer, guitarist, producer
The Implants (rotating line ups include):
Casey McDonough(bass/vocals), Phil Angotti(guitar/vocals/songwriting) Jim Barclay(drums/vocals), Randy Antlept(drums/vocals), Tony Kidonakis(keys/vocals/arranging), Sean
Buckley(bass/vocals),Jamie Motz(guitar/backing vocals), Mike Zelenko(drums), Steve Gillis(drums) and several other musicians contributed to the studio recordings as well.
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Influences
Eric Howell : Biography
Eric Howell is a prolific songwriter who is becoming known for doing it all. Howell has churned out effortless melodies from the late 80's, kicking it up a notch into the present, writing songs that music lovers can relate to in a widely diverse market. How diverse? This fall he launched the premiere of "Beneath The Music: The Story of Greatest Hitch!" a documentary film Howell produced about the story of his life in music, showing at the historic Music Box Theater in Chicago to a packed house of devoted local fans. The film screening ties into the release of Eric Howell's Greatest Hitch! Vol One, the debut album which took fifteen years to release (out now on his own Soothing Throat Discs label). Powerpop fanzine Audities out of Austin, TX called Eric's music "equal parts Paul McCartney and Paul Simon backed by R.E.M. on a truly great Wings tune" and WXRT morning radio host Lin Brehmer praises the song "Thrill" as "a garage rock classic!".
A musician for over 25 years Eric has played every gig imaginable, from solo acoustic "pass the hat" coffee houses to the sports pub and grille variety to full band gigs of strictly original material in renowned music venues. He even sang in the subways for a while. "I imagined singing over a roaring subway train was the same as belting it out in a stadium full of thousands of screaming fans."
Songs emerged in the form of self-produced demos to shop to record labels in the mid 1990's. But Howell soon decided shopping his songs wasn't what it was cracked up to be. "Everywhere I looked, bands were getting eaten up and spit out by the labels that signed them. I decided that wasn't going to happen to me. No matter what. " He took his time making recordings that would eventually wind up on his own label, and released 'Greatest Hitch! Vol One' which took fifteen years to make. Recorded in several home studios in Chicago over as many years the album features ad hoc musicians (credited as "The Implants" ) Steve Gillis (drummer on Filter's platinum selling single "Take A Picture") multi-instrumentalist Tony Kidonakis (horn arranger/sax player/The Redwalls), and backbeat king Mike Zelenko (drummer in the 1990's power pop trio Material Issue) helped bring Howell's fifteen year odyssey into sonic focus.
For more information, promo requests or to set up an interview please contact Susan Salins at s2salins@yahoo.com photos available at: EricHowellMusic.com
Sounds Like
'Equal parts Paul McCartney and Paul Simon backed by R.E.M. on a truly great Wings tune'
-Audities Pop Fanzine.
And a bit of Cheap Trick, The Jayhawks, Bob Mould, Freedy Johnston and The Lemon Heads.
Hi Eric, I created a new Art Work “Michelle in Imagine … and the World will live as One”, so please visit my profile www.myspace.com/octavian7 and give me your input (my picture folder). Many thanks, Octavian
hey man, it's Joe Canada, From the McCartney show in Atlanta last august. Just wanted to say that I still think you're the coolest guy ever, and thanks for making the show twice as awesome (no homo). But yeah just wanted to say hey. Keep in touch.
I was talking to Noleg @ Cullen's last mon and she told me about the film......awesome, Eric! Would love to be at the open....but alas...... much love , John Brown
Hey!! Sorry we missed the show last weekend. We were too late to catch your set so we went out postering the town instead. Dave Bash was good to us! He threw us a slot on Sunday but we couldn't do it, thanks for your help! Hope to see you and the band again soon.
Dear Yoko, … That interjection "yoo-hoo" from John’s song Imagine, before the song’s bridge, is the sound of happiness when we achieve our goals. You know, I used that interjection so many times in the past, for instance when I graduated the polytechnics, when I got married, when I left the communistic Romania, when I got the first job in the US, when I got tickets to Paul McCartney’s concerts in Chicago in 2002…last time I used that interjection it was when you Yoko …, next time I will use it will be when
Just want to compliment you guys again on your set last night. Any night where there's two rickenbackers in the same room is a good night! Anyway, it was fun playing with you guys and Kaiserkeller.
I'm so glad you found me, and i'm equally glad you dig my page! Your music is stellar, can't wait to hear more! MUSIC! YES! Peace and Love to you and yours!
