Dismal No More
After a trying year in which he wondered if he'd ever get his voice back, Big Dismal frontman Eric Durrance says things are looking up for him and the band.
by Andree Farias | posted 5/03/2004
 1 of 2
If there's someone who knows a thing or two about patience it's vocalist Eric Durrance and his band Big Dismal. Signed for almost three years to indie giant Wind-Up Records, they've just started to promote their label debut Believe (released in May of 2003) after sorting through a couple of hurdles that have made them wait, wait, and wait. Despite the holdbacks, the band still scored three #1 hits at rock radio, and is slowly starting to emerge from obscurity. Christian Music Today caught up with Eric during one of the band's See Spot Rock tour stops to talk about the obstacles and how these have solidified them as a group.
From left: Jeff Chornin (drums), Eric Durrance(vocals/guitar), Chuck Shea (guitar), GarySobel (bass)
Why has it taken so long for you guys to take off?
Eric DurranceLast year I had vocal surgery right around the time our record released. I had a checkup right before last year's See Spot Rock tour, which we were supposed to be on, and he told me I had these cystic nodes in my throat, like a callus in my vocal cords. So I had to get those cut out, and it took about six months to recover from that. I couldn't talk or sing.
That must have been difficult to go through.
DurranceIt was probably the most trying time in my entire life. I was really scared that I wouldn't be able to get my voice back. There's always that risk that your voice won't be the same afterwards, and there's also the possibility of it coming back even stronger. In my case it was the latter. Now I'm able to reach notes I wasn't able to reach before. It's really been a blessing in disguise.
What was life like while you waited?
DurranceWe were just at home, thinking. Too much thinking. Luckily we have our own studio, so that gave us the chance to be productive and write songs like crazy. We pretty much have the next record already written. We have over 120 songs to choose from. So we weren't wasting our time, although we did wonder when our break would come.
New bands come out all the time. Did you ever fear your album would get somewhat stale as you guys waited?
DurranceWhen we recorded the album we were really happy with the way it came out. As we listened to it we realized that the album could be released ten years from now and still be pretty strong. I wasn't really worried about that. The good thing about this waiting time is that we've grown so much since we made that album. We're twice the band we were when we made it. It's as if God stuck out his hand and said, "You're going to wait and you're going to become stronger. Then you're going to get your turn." I say that because many times we thought we were ready, but we really weren't. Also, there are people who have never heard the album, so I think as they start to discover it or the band, they don't even notice we've been out for almost a year already.
Did you always keep a bright outlook on things? Or was there a moment where you thought you'd touched rock bottom?
DurranceWe've hit the bottom more times that I can actually count. The surgery was huge, but our bass player also left just before our album came out. Even as we were recording the album last year, we were having a hard time connecting as a band while in the studio. Wind-Up had signed me as a solo artist, so it was during the recording process that we tried to come together as Big Dismal. It was frustrating because at times the players couldn't get their parts right and the label suggested bringing in studio musicians. It was tough.
With this band, though, every time we hit the bottom it seems something good and better comes out of it. So in a way I think it's the bottom where you ultimately want to be, because if you're at the top all the time, you tend to lose perspective. From down here, you can see everything. It's reality. It keeps you in check every day.
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Try 3 Issues of Christianity Today Free!
|
 |
|
Subscribe to Christianity Today and get 3 free trial issues. No credit card required.
Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only.
If you decide you want to keep Christianity Today coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive nine more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The three trial issues are yours to keep, regardless.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| 
