Chosen by Monk
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a fan of Shinedown but I’m an honest man and have to say that this debut solo offering from the band’s appropriately named bassist hits harder than a runaway freight train loaded with a thousand tonnes of concrete smashing into something similar coming in the opposite direction, at least in terms of the deeply personal impact which it delivers:
Eric Bass popped into ÜRHQ to share some insight into his musical philosophy, as exemplified on his upcoming album, ‘I Had A Name’:
We live in a world right now where music gets homogenized and maybe everything sounds and feels the same. I wanted to create something different and I hope listeners hear that. Lyrically and emotionally I hope it empowers them and they can see themselves in the characters and stories I sing about.
We all go through dark times and hardships, but there’s always a way out. I think that’s what being a human being is about. I feel like Earth is a test and we’re here to prove ourselves, go through things and come out better on the other side
Speaking specifically about the lead single, and how he uses the character Devaren to represent his experience with depression and explore themes of resentment and eventual remorse, he adds:
‘Mind Control’ is part of a larger story than I’m telling on this record and in the graphic novel that goes along with it. We’re following Devaren as he’s talking about his disdain for the population and how he can’t stand them, but at the end of the song he has this reflective moment where he actually regrets everything he’s been doing.
The interesting thing about the characters in this story is that they represent a different part of my neurodivergence and mental health journey. In ‘Mind Control’ Devaren represents the depression that has crept into my life over the years that I didn’t see coming. I just had to personify that in a character so in ‘Mind Control’ it has taken over, but ultimately in our story it will be defeated.
As intimated, ‘Mind Control’ introduces the villainous character Devaren, a dystopian dictator filled with disdain for his imprisoned citizens and haunted by guilt and remorse. The lead single is part of a multimedia tapestry conceived, written, recorded, and produced by Bass.
I’m in a blessed position to be able to make this kind of ‘rock opera’ solo album. The album will eventually coincide with a graphic novel and a series of music videos that play like a short film.
As Bass explains, the initial storytelling spark behind ‘I Had a Name’ ignited in a hotel room in Milan, Italy, as Shinedown toured behind 2018’s ‘Attention Attention’.
I sat on the bed with a pen and paper and wrote for two hours. It turned into a synopsis for a prequel to the story I’m telling on the album. When I started writing music, I thought about these characters. The album doesn’t chronologically tell the story, but it depicts various scenes from it – bits and pieces that happen throughout it.
I’ve spoken about my struggles with depression and neurodivergent issues before.
When I finished writing this record, I looked back at these characters I’ve created and realized I’d written the most autobiographical record of my life, which wasn’t conscious as I was writing it.
The album is an epic odyssey. I don’t want mental health to be an ‘angle’ that obscures that. But I don’t mind talking about it. Anytime I talk about it, I hope it’s helpful to someone else.”
With his Shinedown bandmates’ full support and encouragement, Eric challenged himself to write every lyric, compose every song, perform every instrument, and produce and mix the entire affair:
I’m always about honesty in art. When I listen to something, I want to hear that the person dug into the dirt and bled for it to happen. The truth always prevails.
- ‘I Had A Name‘ will be released on 21 February.