"We started that band and stopped it for the same reason: boredom." Former Archers of Loaf front man Eric Bachmann isn't afraid of the changes that come with time. In the early '90s, the Loaf helped inspire a generation of shoe-gazing college boys to start loud guitar bands, but with time, the novelty wore off for Bachmann. He grew tired of the tumultuous Loaf and began trying new tricks as Barry Black. The self-titled Barry Black debut showcased Bachmann's talent on a variety of instruments; the follow-up, Tragic Animal Stories , was a more focused instrumental record.
Now that the inevitable moulding of the Loaf has finally come to pass, Bachmann has taken another new name, Crooked Fingers, and has produced possibly his most focused effort yet, full of an intensity absent from the last two Archers records. "It's hard to say, but I was definitely more into those [Barry Black] records than I was the last Archers records. It's very important - if you're going to make a record, you need to make sure that that level of intensity is there."
Rich storytelling is at the heart of Crooked Fingers , with an obvious focus on painting pictures of the dim personalities that inhabit Bachmann's mind. "I've always thought I never did anything that good lyrically. This record is more about songwriting and words. It's pretty factual - all the words that are on that record are all about aspects of people's personalities that remind you of yourself, and you do not like. Words are coming easier than they used to, and I've just got to keep writing songs where they come out easily. When I've exhausted that, I'll try something else I guess. I'm pretty sure I won't be doing this loud guitar rock record with screaming vocals."
Now that the inevitable moulding of the Loaf has finally come to pass, Bachmann has taken another new name, Crooked Fingers, and has produced possibly his most focused effort yet, full of an intensity absent from the last two Archers records. "It's hard to say, but I was definitely more into those [Barry Black] records than I was the last Archers records. It's very important - if you're going to make a record, you need to make sure that that level of intensity is there."
Rich storytelling is at the heart of Crooked Fingers , with an obvious focus on painting pictures of the dim personalities that inhabit Bachmann's mind. "I've always thought I never did anything that good lyrically. This record is more about songwriting and words. It's pretty factual - all the words that are on that record are all about aspects of people's personalities that remind you of yourself, and you do not like. Words are coming easier than they used to, and I've just got to keep writing songs where they come out easily. When I've exhausted that, I'll try something else I guess. I'm pretty sure I won't be doing this loud guitar rock record with screaming vocals."