4.18.2020

An Interview With Leaving Eden


 

Leaving Eden Lineup: Eve Lead Vocals, Alyssa Bailey White Keys and Vocals, Jake Gynan Drums, Eric Gynan Guitars and Vocals, Rich Chouinard Bass and Vocals


Can you start by stating your name, roll in the band, and the last person you texted?
Hi, I’m Eric Gynan, Cofounder of the Rock band Leaving Eden from New England USA.
Last person I texted was Gerg from https://www.indiesceneradio.com/index.html

What do you think separates you guys from other bands?
I think the songwriting is different as far as lyrical and musical value goes. The live show is full of energy and a unique connection with the crowd.  I also think that much experience playing many huge concerts gives us more tools which help to improve our craft over the years.

For those who have never heard you guys, how would you describe your sound?
I consider Leaving Eden a multi Genre band branded in Rock/Metal, we also have folk, pop, alternative, progressive music that really tends to blend paired with lots of energy and a connection to the crowd. I always say Leaving Eden is best seen and heard live. Eve has a way with people that is intriguing. Lots of melody/harmony with hooks and lyrics that are based on reality to a certain extent.

How did you guys come up with the band name?
This whole planet is like the garden of Eden so to speak but now it’s corrupt and full of deceit and wouldn’t it be nice just to get away for awhile somewhere else?  I look at us like being in a fishbowl we can’t get out but we can see there’s a lot out there that we'll never be able to touch.

How did you guys meet?
Myself, Eve and Rick were in a band previous to leaving Eden. Alyssa was at a gig and she wanted to play keys for us. The drum slot became available and Jake asked for it. I think every member of Leaving Eden are really top-notch musicians.

Do you remember the first show you ever played? What happened
Well I was a Youngin.  It was at a place called the rocky club in Lawrence Massachusetts. I mean we played parties and stuff like that before this but 300 people came and we kicked some ass!


Are you guys working on any new releases? If so can you tell me about it?

Leaving Eden New Album - Dream With Me
Photo by Mark Weiss
Dream With Me is Leaving Eden’s 7th Album to be released world wide and distributed by Dark Star Records/Sony/Universal. 
Inside artwork - Find hints of song titles
Photo by Mark Weiss
Myself and friend Dana Anderson brainstormed Album art concepts agreeing on having all the titles to the songs kind of being hidden in plain site throughout the Album Art.  It's fun, some stuff is blatant, but some stuff is a little more difficult to pinpoint.   It’s a very good reason to buy the CD instead of just streaming the music or downloading it.  To  me, having the physical Cd in hand gives the listener more of a connection to Leaving Eden and when you come to a show, you get it signed by the whole band, a cool memento so to speak.

Song list
Photo by Dan Johnson
Dream With Me Official Video
(in a time of the CoronaVirus)
By Leaving Eden

House of the Rising Sun Official Video
By Leaving Eden


How has your sound evolved and what inspired this new album?
One hopes that each new album builds upon the last. Dream With Me is a rock album. I think as we connect more and more with the universe so to speak, the stream of information is more clear.  Crafting the song writing process becomes more efficient. Also in this album Alyssa and I co-wrote the title track “Dream With Me”.

Can you describe what went into the making of this new album?
In this album we got the best of both worlds, where again like our last 2 Albums, we were able to take all the time necessary to record and produce “Dream With Me” in Leaving Eden’s Studio. But then, to have One of the best Rock Engineers in the world as far as I’m concerned, Grammy Award Winning Engineer Johnny K. (Disturbed, Staind, Finger Eleven, 3 Doors Down, Megadeath, Sevendust, Plain White T’s, POP Evil, Trapt, Drowning Pool, Alien Ant Farm, and many more) for Final Mix and Mastering is my dream scenario!  I love working With Johnny, he’s a genuine connoisseur of great music with so much talent, it’s such a pleasure to call him my friend. We’ve worked together on other albums but this one, to have the freedom to dig deep and experiment with my own unique recording techniques and then to have Johnny put his final touches on it was a real treat!”


What is one song that you wish you had written?
The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel. Love the melody, love the harmony, love the music and most of all love the vibe of the lyrics.

If you could be anyone, who would you be?
Tough question because why would you ever want to be anybody else but yourself?  That just opens a whole door to what self value really means. It’s so funny because in a time of the coronavirus, you kind of see a leveling of the playing field in terms of how these superstars are just like me, they live just like me.  I learned that a long time ago but some people have not and they end up worshiping these people who are only human after all.  So if I may, I wouldn’t want to be anybody by myself.

What is the craziest thing you’ve seen while on stage?
Hmmm… I can’t think of anything crazy. I’ve seen the topless stuff.

What do you love, and what do you hate, most about being in a band and playing shows?
Music is my life and performing live is one of the rewards. I get to travel and see places that I’ve never possibly would’ve seen, meet people that I never possibly would’ve met and some of these people have become my really close friends. I love writing and recording, the final product. What I dislike is a lot of snakes in the business. Also, when traveling it can get monotonous. Lots of hours just driving.

What's the largest show you have ever played?
Photo by Dana Anderson
Well, hard to say considering Leaving Eden has toured the USA, UK & Canada sharing the stage with hundreds of the biggest national bands in the world including; 10 Years, 10 Years After (Woodstock Reunion), Adelitas Way, Alice Cooper, Alice In Chains, Anthrax, Apocalyptic Review (featuring members of Godsmack), Avenged Sevenfold, Big Brother and The Holding Company (Woodstock Reunion), Black Sabbath (Heaven & Hell), Blackstone Cherry, Bret Michaels, Buckcherry, Chevelle, Collective Soul, Country Joe (Woodstock Reunion), Damage Plan, (Featuring Dimebag & Vinnie Paul) Days Of The New, Disturbed, Dope, Dropkick Murphy's, Drowning Pool, Five Finger Death Punch, Fuel,  Gemini Syndrome, Gin Blossoms, Godsmack, Halestorm, HELLYEAH, Herman Rarebell (The Scorpions), Hinder, Hookers & Blow (featuring members of Guns ‘N' Roses, Quiet Riot, W.A.S.P.), In This Moment, Jefferson Starship (Woodstock Reunion), Killswitch Engage, Kittie, Korn, Lacuna Coil, LA Guns, Lamb Of God, Lita Ford,  Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marilyn Manson, Michael Schenker (UFO, MSG & The Scorpions) Motorhead, Mudvayne, Mushroomhead, Napalm Death, Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden),  Nonpoint, One Eyed Doll, Papa Roach, Pop Evil, Powerman 5000, Puddle Of Mudd, Queensryche, Ratt, Rob Zombie, Ronnie James Dio, Saliva, Saving Abel, Scott Stapp (the voice of Creed), Sebastian Bach, Seether, Sevendust, Shinedown, Slayer, Soil, Soulfly, Steven Tyler, Stone Sour, Taproot, Ted Nugent, Testament, The Butcher Babies, The Misfits, Theory Of A Deadman, Trapt, Tremonti (Creed/Alterbridge), Trixter, Uncle Kracker, Warrant, ZZ Top, Nickelback, Skillet & many more
But I would say 20,000 people.

what goes into getting ready for a show for you guys?
I guess the normal stuff, showing shaving when you can on the road. Sometimes we might rehearse on the road acoustically while we’re driving. The girls of course do the hair and make up. We set up our own equipment so we’d like to get that done as early as possible with a sound check so that we can chill out and relax maybe have a drink at the bar eat some food.

What is one inside joke your band has?
Well we were in Sturges, USA and basically out in the desert. We had a tent set up and there was an area where you could shower. So I showered and I came out in a towel. Eve had asked me to do something but I was still wet and my balls were wet so I said “but my balls”. Everybody laughed and since then, that has still stuck and every time somebody’s asked to do something the response is “but my balls”.

Looking at how far you’ve come, how does that make you feel, and where do you expect to be in 5 years?
Well I am a voting member of the Grammys so it would be great to get a Grammy but other than that just wanna continue playing, recording and touring. All of our dates are canceled right now due to the coronavirus so I’ve been recording and writing.

What first made you wanna get into music?

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about joining their first band?
You would think it’s obvious but practice a lot. I didn’t just wake up one day and become a musician overnight. We’re talking about hours upon hours every day for years and years alone. I guess what I’m saying is some people think that they can get away with less work and more benefit but it just doesn’t happen that way. Also, be respectful to everybody you meet because if you are successful coming back down the ladder you’re going to see those same people. Watch out for the snakes do your research. Finally get out there and play as much as you can. We have a motto and that is that we will play anywhere, anyhow, anyway, so long as we can. You never know who you might meet or what connection you may find playing some shitty show far away from home, with no pay. I’ve had a lot of those. I’ve also had a lot of success with some of those shows so stay humble and put everything you got into it. One of the biggest problems I see is sure shoot as high as you can but be happy with where you are and what you’ve got now. A frustrated musician has a frustrated life. I live in the moment and am grateful for each and every show we get to play.

If you could go back 10 years and give yourself a message, what would it be?
Buy Amazon stock?  Probably, I would let myself know who the snakes in the business are and to avoid them.

If you had to quit your band tomorrow, what would you remember first, and how would you describe the experience?
I’m not sure if I totally understand the question however, I think the experience of quitting the band would be terrible. As I said, music is my life. And I mean that, it’s not just words but I decided a long time ago that this is what I am about. You decide what you’re going to do in life and you do it. Try as hard as you can to make sure you’re happy doing it, otherwise you’re not doing the right thing. I would remember all the concerts that I played and all the fun that was had.

If you could press the delete button on any one thing, what would it be?
Again it goes back to those snakes. There’s certain people that I paid good money to that didn’t earn it. You try to have faith in people, and you try to believe in what they have to sell. You put your best foot forward and you trust. When you get screwed it hurts. I’ve learned to accept it as a lesson and move on.


What advice would you give to someone who’s suffering from anxiety or depression?
Hey they say that weed helps, I don’t know.  I know that meditation works for anything like that. Self awareness brought to light. I think a lot of people have seen that with this whole coronavirus those little problem seemed to just disappear and didn’t really make much sense. Worry about the big things and don’t sweat the small things. As the French say, c’est la vie, such is life.

What advice would you give to a fan who says they're being bullied?
Try to outsmart the villain by effectively communicating with them. Defend yourself if need be. If you don’t know how to defend yourself, learn to.


How's the music scene in your area?
I’m close to Boston Massachusetts, USA and regionally speaking I think the scene is great. We are booked through November however all gigs are canceled currently. But yeah man lots of people go out and I think when this all gets better, it may be slow but I think that people are gonna want to go out and let their hair down. Cabin fever.

Favorite songs to play?
For our songs, the self titled Leaving Eden song is fun.  I enjoy playing the song Haunting, Passion and Pain and Out if the Ashes. We do play some Number one hit songs like Whole Lotta Love by Zeppelin, some Hendrix, even some Fleetwood Mac.

Are you guys planning any events?
Tracks from Leaving Eden albums will be featured in Massimiliano Cerchi’s movies: Painkiller, Mayday, Lockdown and Penthouse starring Michael Pare (The Philadelphia Experiment,  Eddie and the Cruisers). And Bloodthirst.

“We are excited about this new album also, because the entire album and lots of tunes from our previous albums will also be featured in a new fake reality comedy movie titled “The Nitwit”






Watch the teaser trailer For THE NITWIT MOVIE


Website:

Originally I had written The Nitwit movie script loosely based on real life events with the intention of having Leaving Eden’s music throughout the movie and procuring other pros to make the movie. Where Leaving Eden has been involved with having our music placed in different movies and TV series this simply made sense. While in Iowa after wrapping up on a shoot I sat down with Nitwit Movie Producer, Ray Van Blarcom and Actor, Matt Moody over a scotch and threw the script down on the table. They started reading it, thought it was hilarious so we decided let’s make the movie. For me being the director of several music videos it was a very simple transition to direct The Nitwit Movie. Finally, I was intrigued by Matt Moody’s experience not only in production but as an actor. Ironically Matt fit the leading role as The Nitwit perfectly.  He then brought in Jordan Smith as his costar and Nitwit Movie Producer, Fran Huges, the rest is history. We expect the movie to be released in 2020 by SGL Entertainment.  Many concerts have been scheduled so we’re hoping that things start to shape up around here. Being isolated during the coronavirus is a very tough thing for most people so we definitely do wish for everyone’s safety.


Are there any other releases that fans should check out?

Any cool Merc fans should check out?
Leaving Eden Facegear.

Closing
Any bands you wanna give a shout out too?
There’s so many cool vans out there man way too many to list.


And you can close by saying whatever you want, I'll add links to spotify bandcamp ect.?
For all information regarding Leaving Eden
It has been great chatting here and I wish you health and safety.