An Interview with Eric Anderson of Cataldo on 9/14/08

By: David Rachac

Cataldo

Singer/songwriter Eric Anderson left his native Idaho to attend Macalester College before resettling in Seattle. Recording as Cataldo, Anderson talks about his recording process, collaborating with others and his CD release party at the 400 Bar on Saturday, September 20.

How Was The Show: Tell me about your musical background—when you started playing, early influences, etc.

Eric Anderson: I've always had an interest in singing, some of my earliest memories, musical or otherwise, are of singing around the piano with my uncle. That's not to say my family was the Carters, or even the Osmonds, just that it was something I enjoyed doing when given the opportunity. I took piano lessons as a kid, and picked up guitar and other stringed instruments starting in middle school. I never had formal training on anything other than the old ebony and ivory. Writing for me was an extension of playing; I never thought a lot about it and still try not to.

HWTS: Do you remember the first time that you stood in front of people and felt that being a performer was your calling?

EA: I've been asked this question a couple times recently and it makes me scratch my head a bit. I don't think being a performer is my calling necessarily, just something for which I have an affinity and some talent. I think I could be good at and enjoy a bunch of different things. Not as romantic as I'd like to sound. I do love getting on stage though, particularly when that feeling is at least partially shared with the audience.

HWTS: Tell me about your writing and recording process?

EA: I had a lot of songs saved up for Signal Flare—when I started recording it had been two years since the last record came out. My general methodology was to record a guitar or banjo and vocal and then build the song from there. This frequently spanned many months and thousands of miles—a vibraphone in Idaho, an electric guitar in St. Paul, a chord organ in Seattle, etc. It took a year to record, going to school and bopping around the country for various music and non-music related reasons, but in the end, I tried enough things on enough songs to be happy with the result. I was lucky to have Tucker Martine mix the record in Portland, Oregon. That was an education.

HWTS: You’ve got some pretty fine people to play with you on your new disc, Signal Flare. Talk about some of your collaborators.

EA: First of all, there are a lot. Twin Cities folks like Shawn Neary, Adam Svec, Caroline Smith, Andy Ulseth and others sing and play on the record. Lots of my friends from out west played on it as well: Jordan O'Jordan, Lily Maring, Heather Frederick, Martin Watkinson and others. All I can say is it was a privilege to sit in a room and play music with people so talented and thoughtful, and the record is so much better as a result.

HWTS: Signal Flare is your second disc. What is the greatest difference between it and your debut CD?

EA: I think the biggest difference is me. Who I was when I recorded the first album and who I am today, or at least in the more recent past. I had marginally better recording equipment and knew more musicians to call, but the really big difference is the experience I drew on writing and recording the songs.

HWTS: What song off of Signal Flare do you think is the cornerstone to the album?

EA: The first song, “Tendon and Skin” is kind of a prologue and mission statement for the album. The song “Signal Flare” also has its hooks in most of the record, you can follow that thread through pretty easily.

HWTS: Your CD release party will be Saturday, September 20 at the 400 Bar. What are we going to see there?

EA: Hot jams. The Daredevil Christopher Wright are playing—missionaries from Eau Claire that will convert you with their winning songs and personalities. The Glad Version—they are like Blur, Oasis and The Beatles combined. By “combined,” I don't mean synthesized into a different band, but rather like all the members of Blur, Oasis and the Beatles on stage at once.

HWTS: What touring plans do you have for the rest of the year?

Artist Info: Cataldo

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