Page 15 - BiTS_10_OCTOBER_2022

ET: After the first band I was in, I was in various other
local bands and began to start writing songs. I started
doing demos at studios around town and getting some
recording experience.

I got to a point where I had a vision for having a band that
would play my original music. I wanted drums, bass, and 2
saxophone players. I was determined to have a sound that
none of the other area bands had, and my band definitely
achieved that. I found the guys I wanted and started
hustling to get gigs. That was the beginning of the Early
Times band.

That band released our first cd called “Society of the
Misunderstood” and it was rated as Best Local CD in the local music paper.

LL: I understand you’ve spent some time in London. How did that come about and what
was it like?

ET: After I recorded my first album and before it was released, I was having a bit of an
emotional breakdown. I was probably dealing with the residue of a very troubled childhood. I
cancelled all my shows and bought a plane ticket to London where I didn’t know anybody or
have any connections. All I took with me was a backpack with a small guitar amp and an extra
set of clothes, and an electric guitar.
From the airport I took a train into Victoria Station in London and a guy approached me to ask
if I was looking for a place to stay. He was working for a hotel called the Palace Court and he
was trying to drum up business. I told him I had no money and, noticing that I had a guitar on
my shoulder, he said that the hotel had a bar with a stage and that maybe I could perform
there in exchange for a place to sleep.

I went to the hotel straight from the train station and auditioned for the manager who gave me
a gig that night in exchange for a bed. The first gig went well, and I ended up staying for 3
months and never once had to pay for accommodations. I put a band together with an English
bass player, an Australian tenor saxophonist, and a drummer from New Zealand. We were
playing blues, rock, and some jazz. The hotel even began to pay me and make sure I was fed.