Since I first laid ears on their album Patience and Perseverance, Gypsyhawk has been one of my favorite new bands. After endless DIY tours, patience, and perseverance, Gypsyhawk finally got the break they needed. They inked a record deal with the legendary label Metal Blade Records and they have just wrapped up work on their as of yet untitled album. I recently had emailed some questions to guitarist Erik Kluiber (aka. Ron Houser) and he took time out of his busy schedule to answer them. I hope to you’ll sit back and get to know a little bit more about Erik and Gypsyhawk.
Erik, thanks for taking the time to do this interview brother! Before we get started I have to ask you. Who is Ron Houser?
I got nick named Ron in San Francisco during our first tour. One of our fans thought it was a good step-dad name. Housing is a term I brought to LA from Detroit. It refers to ingesting and consuming things like a glutton. Since there are two Eric/k/s in the band, I go by Ron Houser in Gypsyhawk. He’s also my alter ego when I get housed. It’s very much a Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde situation.
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Congrats on Gypsyhawk getting signed to Metal Blade Records. You guys just wrapped up recording your new album. What can you tell us about it?
11 songs recorded, mixed, and mastered in 6 days with engineer Zack Ohren in Oakland at Castle Ultimate Studios. The new CD is self produced. It will be released on Metal Blade Records hopefully by late summer of 2012.
How does it compare to Patience and Perseverance?
The new CD is higher energy, has more hooks, better production, it’s less progressive, and the songwriting is catchier and more diverse; all while keeping Eric’s “gruff yet melodic” rock vocals, a twin guitar attack, and the “more rock than metal, more metal than rock” approach Gypsyhawk is known for.
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Speaking of Patience and Perseverance, you guys have it up for free download now on your Bandcamp site? Why give it away?
It was an experiment Andrew wanted to try. The idea is to snare more fans, hype, and physical sales from album collectors through the free album download. As of yet, the results have been inconclusive because almost no one has even bothered to download the fucking thing.
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You started out as a guitarist for White Wizzard and now you’re killing it with Gypsyhawk. How did you end up joining Gypsyhawk?
I saw Gypsyhawk perform live twice in the LA area and was impressed with their last show. A friend of mine from Detroit read their ad looking for a guitar player on the LA Craigslist. I was a fan of the band, and they promised constant touring which is what I want. I learned 5 songs note for note in a week and was offered the gig after the audition which took place on February 14th, 2011.
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Most of us at this point know all about the White Wizzard soap opera. Did that experience in White Wizzard sour things for you as far as wanting to continue being a professional musician?
Yes, that experience was a dysfunctional nightmare.
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I feel like the California metal scene seems to be a somewhat incestuous one. You’ve got original members of White Wizzard going on to form Holy Grail, then you go from White Wizzard’s 2nd incarnation on to join Scattered Hamlet and then Gypsyhawk, Holy Grail’s new guitarist (Alex Lee) is formerly of Bonded By Blood. Why does everyone seem to be playing musical chairs somewhat?
There is a very small pool of players in the world that have heart and can perform the more classic style of metal with conviction. Most of them happen to live in LA within a few miles of each other.
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Do you think you’ll be settling down as a member of Gypsyhawk or do you like jumping around from band to band to keep it exciting?
I would prefer to focus on Gypsyhawk. I’d rather concentrate my efforts on one real band rather than being in multiple side projects. Unfortunately, LA doesn’t always work that way. Since Gypsyhawk has a lot of down time until the album comes out, I’m trying to stay busy with an Overloaded (Erik’s band from when he resided in Detroit) reunion show in Detroit on April 14th. There may also be a short tour helping out a friend’s band shortly after.
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Erik, let’s go back to the beginning. As a young dude, what was it that made you want to be a guitar player?
The riffs man.
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What was your first concert ever?
Metallica “And Justice For All” tour at Pine Knob Amphitheater in Clarkston, MI on July 3rd 1989.
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You attended the Atlanta Institute of Music here in Atlanta. How did you end up in California or vice versa?
I lived in Atlanta for 3 years and moved back to Detroit after my band The End disintegrated. I stayed in Detroit for about 10 years and recorded albums and performed with both Inner Recipe and Overloaded. I started looking at the LA Craigslist when I realized Overloaded was falling apart. I auditioned for White Wizzard in late 2008, got the gig, and moved to LA in early 2009.
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So you teach at the School of Rock? Tell me about that and what you do.
I teach guitar and run band camps at the School of Rock West LA. It’s a good job. We have some gifted students who have the passion and talent to pursue music seriously. I also teach privately. You can see my teaching videos on my youtube channel which is called Eriklessons.
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Do you feel that games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band actually inspire kids to play music or the opposite?
South Park answered that question best in the episode Guitar Queer-O from season eleven. Regardless, Guitar Hero and Rock Band both have helped some kids get turned onto better music and try out real instruments. I will say that most kids that get too involved with video games don’t do well with real instruments, because they don’t develop strong enough attention spans. Video games are fun, but more of a civilian hobby.
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What is the one guitar riff or solo that you hear and say, “Man, I wish I came up with that”?
Pretty much anything Randy Rhoads wrote.
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What other artists, if any would you love to work with?
As far as touring, a Gypsyhawk/Christian Mistress tour would be tight.
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Besides being a heavy metal monster, what other kinds of music would we be surprised you liked?
I’m a huge Credence Clearwater Revival fan. I also like Pat Boone’s album In a Metal Mood. I get offended when people take it as a joke. It’s a great album.
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If you could form a band with any musicians alive or dead, who would be in it?
Current lineup of Gypsyhawk
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Some people would say that putting together a band and becoming huge is something that no longer happens. Do you do this knowing very well that this is a labor of love?
Being a “musician” is more of a life style. I like to think that it’s still possible to eventually develop enough of a fan base to be able to do music full time and generate an income close to that of a full time employee at Taco Bell or Burger King.
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If Hollywood was to make a movie about the life of Erik Kluiber, who would play you?
Rutger Hauer. He’s the guy who starred in the movie Hobo with a Shotgun.
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What is the one hard rock/metal album that everyone should own and why?
Obviously, the new Gypsyhawk album. Other than that, I’d pick up Entombed’s album Serpent Saints released back in 2007 cause no one knows how good it is except for me and like 12 other people.
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What piece of advice would you offer up to someone wanting to get into the music business?
Don’t be a civilian.
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And finally, what is in store for Gypsyhawk in 2012?
We need to find a fucking manager. Last I heard, we’re going to do a short West Coast tour in mid June and a full US tour after the album is released and there was talk of Europe. We shall see.
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Erik, thanks for doing this brother. Best of luck to you and the guys. I hope to have beers with y’all here in Atlanta sometime. My treat.
We’d prefer to house a bottle of Jack or Midnight Moon if you don’t mind.
For more on Gypsyhawk, head over to https://www.facebook.com/Gypsyhawkusa
Download Patience and Perseverance FOR FREE here: http://gypsyhawk.bandcamp.com/
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