A Dreamer's Fortune: A Chat with Erik Larson (Alabama Thunderpussy, Avail)

Alabama Thunderpussy Discography:

Rise Again (Man’s Ruin, 1998)

River City Revival EP (Man’s Ruin, 1999)

Constellation (Man’s Ruin, 2000)

Staring at the Devine (Relapse, 2002)

Fulton Hill (Relapse, 2004)

Open Fire (Relapse, 2006)

Avail Discography:

Satiate (Catheter-Assembly, 1992)

Dixie (Lookout!, 1994)

4AM Friday (Lookout!, 1996)

Over the James (Lookout!, 1998)

One Wrench (Fat Wreck Chords, 2000)

Front Porch Stories (Fat Wreck Chords, 2002)

Erik Larson is a man of many bands and many talents. First gaining notoriety as the drummer of the now legendary RVA band Avail, he quit at the height of their popularity to concentrate on his own band, the wonderfully named Alabama Thunderpussy. Since ATP's breakup over 13 years ago, Erik has been superbusy, working with different projects and making his own records. He was very gracious with his time and his memories and it made for an extremely memorable chat. Check out his Bandcamp: www.eriklarson.bandcamp.com. 

Pete Crigler: What got you interested in playing music?

Erik Larson: I can't really say there's one thing or occasion that got me into playing music. Not in an epiphany kind of way anyhow. I do remember feeling finally interested in something at school when exposed to the music room, must have been early primary school. I tried my hand at trumpet, failed. Decided I give guitar a go at age 9, but promptly ditched that idea after one lesson that consisted of a 40-minute instruction of the parts of the guitar. After that, at around age 11, I decided I wanted to try drumming. My parents refused to buy me a kit, partly hoping I wouldn't pursue such a loud hobby, I'm sure. I was undeterred. I mowed lawns all summer into fall until I had enough to buy an entry level CB700 5-piece kit with crappy rubbery cymbals. I was off to the races!

Pete: Tell me about some of your earliest bands.

Erik: It wasn't long after I got my first drum kit that some older dudes in the neighborhood heard I was a drummer and asked me to join their band. I must have been close to turning 13 at the time. They were both 15, I think. Nobody had a driver's license. We practiced in the bassist parents' garage. First band, first band name- Vicious Cookie!

Post VC, I drummed for some hardcore bands with friends in high school called Abide and Abrupt. None of these early bands played shows except for maybe one-off talent shows, but we did record demos! I've always made it a habit to document any band I'm in for posterity's sake......for the box set!!

Pete: How did you come to play in Avail?

Erik: I kind of fell into Avail just as a matter of living in the house at a crucial juncture in the band's history. I had met those dudes first the year before up in Reston when everyone still lived in NoVa. I came from Falls Church, but the last high school band I was in (Abrupt), was based in Clifton and Reston, so house parties and such made the introductions, though I didn't really get to know everyone well until I moved into the 1st Avail house on Grace St. in Richmond November of 1990. Once in the house I started helping out doing roadie type stuff for a couple months as needed, but I was a fan and went to all the shows anyway. In early 1991, the bassist and singer for the band quit together. Joe and Tim decided to make an album documenting the bands final chapter just the two of them. I believe the plan was that Joe was going to play guitar and Bass on the album and Tim would drum and take over lead vocal duties. They recruited myself and Charles McCauley (another house resident) to fill in on Drums and Bass to practice the songs live so Tim could work out the vocals. It was just supposed to be a temporary fix to get the job done, but as the weeks went on, Tim and Joe decided it just made sense to give it a go with the new constituted lineup, and that was where it really took off.

Pete: What was it like recording those first four albums?

Erik: Each album was unique to itself in the experience if not only because we were all getting better as musicians and as a band unit. Satiate was my first album experience. Bit of a blur really, we had no real money to speak of and had to get it done expeditiously. Dixie was the first time that it felt purposeful. I remember distinctly pausing when we were in the middle of it and saying out loud something to the effect of "Dudes, we're doing something special here". 4AM Friday was when we had really hit our stride as a band. I felt that session was really rewarding in that we had definitive goals and we reached them. Over the James was the most professional feeling session. We did it in a real studio with a great engineer (Mark Miley!). We had time to try things and expand the depth of the songs. We still attacked it like the no money punks we were, but it was a real emersion in studio experience. Felt pretty obvious we were making an important record.

Pete: What was the VA scene like at that time?

Erik: I can only really speak for Richmond in detail. You're also talking about a huge block of time. Richmond is a college town after all, so the turnover rate is high and fast. Historically Richmond's scene ebbs and flows but never dies. In the early 90's it felt like punk and sleeze rock were kind of the main hold overs from the late 80's. It felt that things started taking a more hardcore slant by the time Avail had established itself in town as a force, around 92. Lots more out of town bands started coming here. Twisters was having free Monday shows, Schafer court had free Friday afternoon shows that brought bigger bands at the time from national platforms. There were a lot of clubs all within walking distance of VCU campus, and house shows were always around. By the mid 90's there was a heavier music manifesting in the scene of which I had also joined as well through Kilara. Mid to end 90's was a big melting pot of all kinds of stuff, and the cool thing was that it felt like the scene was still pretty well integrated. I would see all kinds of folks at all the shows. But scenes evolve, splinter, grow bands and then kill them. The main thing I've found in the 30+ years I've been involved playing music here, there is very little scene pretension tolerated. Used to be everyone was in a band of some kind, then it became most folks were playing music somehow. Even as that dynamic has gotten less pervasive, the same nonchalance about musicians has maintained. Nobody cares if you're in a band, most people are. What matters is if you are good and how much you work. That attitude has always been here, though I do see folks getting accolades for less in these internet days we live in.

Pete: What prompted you to leave Avail?

Erik: I play music first and foremost to have fun and chase catharsis. Avail was probably at its peak, or very close to it when I left the band. People thought I was an idiot for leaving. But it wasn't really fun for me anymore. Not in the same way I needed it to be anyway. Playing to a lot of folks regularly is really rad, has a lot of benefits I won't get into, but it's not the end all be all. So, I left.

Pete: How did ATP come about and what was it like being the bandleader?

Erik: ATP came about organically from Bryan, Asechiah and I being friends just hanging out and listening to records. Once we decided to try playing music together things just snowballed. We wrote a bunch of songs before we were able to find Bill Storms for the bass slot. We went through 2 singers before Johnny Throckmorton arrived on the scene. I don't think it would be fair to say I was the "Bandleader". In every band there is usually a discrepancy in how much gets done by the individuals within the band. Some folks have better people skills. Some have more of an artistic vision. I tended to be the point guy when dealing with the business end of things, but I never made "Executive Decisions". We all talked out every detail of the band operations. This also carried over into the songwriting. I tend to be pretty prolific in songwriting, some would say annoyingly so. There was never a lack of ideas or riffs coming from me. But I'm the rhythm guy, I was never the lead guitarist. Even so, once you bring a song into the band context, it usually comes out the other end being changed in some way from your initial proposal, ideally for the better. ATP would not have been what it was if one person was running the show exclusively, so I don't think I would be comfortable saying I was the "Bandleader".

Pete: How would you describe ATP's sound?

Erik: Over the years we struggled to try and describe what it was we were doing. The terms Stoner, Heavy Rock, Moonshine Metal, Angry Ploughmen were bantered about by press folks. I just always thought of us as a Heavy Band rooted in the underground. Each record was a document of where we were at personally at the time. Our influences were wide and varied. Kozik referred to us as Death Rock at one point. Does it really matter? If you like it, great, turn it up!

Pete: How did the name come about?

Erik: The name came from a B-porn movie. One of Bryan's roommates in college was Sam Beam (Iron and Wine) who was studying film, and he told Bryan about this scene in the film where a Tranny walks into the frame, proclaims herself as the "Alabama Thunderpussy" and then walks out of frame never to be seen again in the film. Bryan snatched up the idea and the band name was born. We had asked Sam if he wanted to join the band in the beginning. He declined politely, so he could focus on his Film studies. As we all know, his musical vision would take him down different avenues. Birds of Prey ended up covering one of Sam's songs "Show Him the Ground," for our 2nd album "Sulfur and Semen".

Pete: How did the band come to sign with Man's Ruin?

Erik: I had been out west w/Avail and passed along ATP's demo tape to Mike Lavella from Gearhead Magazine for review. Mike shared office space with Frank Kozik and passed it to Frank. Frank Kozik subsequently wrote me in the post and told me he would like to do an album w/us.

Pete: What was it like making Rise Again?

Erik: We tracked Rise Again at the same studio that Avail would later use for Over The James w/Mark Miley as well. I loved that studio (Montana Studio- Props Grant Ruttledge!). Did many records there. It was just really good to be doing an album for ATP. It was something I hadn't anticipated happening as quickly as it did for the band.

Pete: What was it like touring the country in a different sort of band?

Erik: Tour is Tour no matter who you do it with, but there are many variables. I suggest everyone watch the film "Why am I doing this?" (a Film about Touring) by Eric Fundingsland. That film can give anyone who doesn't understand what tour is and isn't a clearer picture. The main difference for me touring w/ATP after leaving Avail was that I felt more like I was responsible for my own destiny rather being a part of this machine that had a momentum of its own.

Pete: What was the band's reception like in VA?

Erik: We always had a supportive base in Richmond and Va. Beach. Virginia is very diverse even though the state isn't that big. Some scenes were/are stronger than others, the key is to keep going back.

Pete: What was it like moving from Man's Ruin to Relapse?

Erik: We had a little bit of a heads up that Man's Ruin was going under, so we started sniffing around. I want to say we were directed toward Relapse by folks at Man's Ruin who thought we'd make a good fit there. It was a huge blow to have Man's Ruin fold. Not just for us personally, but for the scene in general. Fortunately, we ended up in good hands. Some of the Relapse folks came out to see us at Rex's in West Chester PA when we were doing a 10-day run of shows w/RPG, and that show kinda sealed the deal. From what I remember, it wasn't very well attended! HA!

Pete: What was it like making solo records?

Erik: I started making solo records as an outlet for songs that ATP had rejected. Like I said before, I write a lot. It was not uncommon for me to show up to practice at the beginning of a record cycle with a cassette tape of 17+ songs on it and tell the dudes to listen and see what they liked and what they didn't so we could get started. That happened a lot. Inevitably there would be cast offs that the band didn't like for some reason or another, but I still believed in all the songs, so....solo records. As I've continued to do solo stuff, I find it just seems to scratch an itch that working in a band dynamic/context doesn't reach.

Pete: What caused Throckmorton to leave and what ended up happening with Weills on vocals?

Erik: By 2003, it was pretty apparent to Johnny and to the rest of the band that he wasn't really enjoying being in ATP anymore. We talked about it and he decided it was best to walk away before we were not able to be friends anymore. Still, it was hard on him and I think he probably held some negativity toward us for a while. Johnny and I are friends still. We've had many talks about our shared experiences and I'd like to think we both appreciate each other for the choices made and things we went through together. It was a lot.

Johnny Weills sacrificed a lot to join ATP. He moved across the country totally upheaving his life and his girlfriend's life to join a bunch of Grits playing heavy music. It was fucking fantastic while it was good. That era of ATP was probably our most active and creatively rewarding for me. We toured our asses off internationally and state side. That kind of effort can break people. Without talking shit, I'll just say it broke a part of Johnny Weills, and as a result made him unable to continue at the level we had reached collectively. We did not part ways on good terms, and to be fair, I made it known very publicly, how unhappy I was about how it went down. At this point, it's the past and I would welcome a sit-down w/him, but I don't see that ever happening for various reasons.

Pete: What was it like bringing in Kyle from Exhorder?

Erik: Kyle seemed like the perfect dude at the right time for us in 2006. Musically we were writing more complex and yet catchy songs, and Kyle could accentuate that really really well. Dude has a fucking fantastic voice. No doubt about that. Unfortunately, as the next year and a half progressed, the differences in how ATP operated and how Kyle wanted or thought we should operate became corrosive. It was no surprise to me when he quit after our last tour in Europe in 2007.

Pete: What ultimately caused ATP to break up?

Erik: There are so many reasons why bands break up, and every member has their particular point of view on the matter. ATP's dissolution is no different. We were a band for 12 years. Longer than most bands or marriages last, I'd say! I don't think it would be appropriate for me to go on record with some sort of definitive reason(s) why ATP broke up. We all contributed to it in our own ways. I'm very very proud of everything we did.

Pete: Tell me about how Birds of Prey came together?

Erik: In 2003 I was approached by Threeman records to put together a "Stoner Rock Supergroup" to make a death metal album. I'm guessing the idea was that we would make some sort of Death N' Roll thing that could bring in fans to their rosters output. Threeman was owned and run by my favorite band Entombed! How could I refuse? The only thing I did to stray from the original idea was to get Dave Witte involved. I thought that if we were going to do Death Metal, then we needed someone who had the chops. I had done some touring w/Dave when ATP and Burnt By the Sun teamed up for shows down to SXSW. Dave is not only a fantastic drummer, but a killer dude. I'm honored to be his friend. Pretty much everyone I wanted to be in the band as my first pick said yes. Bo Leslie and I had become really good friends when he moved to Richmond with Throttlerod, and I knew he was a secret guitar shredder with style. Summer Welch and I became friends much the way Dave and I had, through ATP doing shows with Baroness early on in their career. Summer also brought that Crust element I wanted as well. For Vokills, there was never anyone else as a serious consideration. I had to get Ben Hogg. I knew Ben from the countless shows ATP did w/his main band Beaten Back To Pure, but he was also in a great Death Metal band at the time called Plague the Suffering. Ben has a very very unique bellow. Had to have him. Once everyone was on board, Bo and I wrote the songs. It was never really intended to be more than a one off, but it spawned 3 albums. Once Relapse heard Dave was involved, they snatched the band out from under Threeman. Kind of bitter sweet thing, that result.

Pete: What are you up to now?

Erik: Currently, coming out of 2020's plague times where nothing was happening, the seeds sown during that year are starting to bear fruit. I went into 2020 playing drums in 6 bands and working on solo stuff (as always), with the expectation for a lot of touring to be happening between all those folks. Of course, everything shut down. So, no shows meant that really all you could do was write. Most of the bands took a while to even start rehearsing again. and halfway through the year I quit 2 of the bands. So, right now, recording is commencing for Thunderchief this weekend. We're doing a full-length down in NC with Mike Dean (COC) at the helm. Omen Stones is another metal band I drum in. We will be tracking a full-length in September. I do another band w/Asechiah Bogdan (ex-ATP/Windhand), and we have an album to record once he gets back to RVA this summer. In August I'm headed out to Minneapolis to play guitar on a new Mighty Nimbus album! 20 years later and we're unleashing the northern beast again. Avail is going to pick up the show regiment in early 2022, but Gwomper and I have been secretly writing songs, hoping maybe to force that issue! The main focus personally for me right now is getting the huge cache of songs I have written for solo work recorded. It's somewhere in the neighborhood of 80 songs in total. I've already tracked 20 of them for 3 separate releases. I have time booked to record another 30 by mid-August for 4 other releases. I've been leap frogging all these projects, so I expect to keep recording until I get all the songs tracked by years end. I have no label interest, no financial support and no plan for the records other than Bandcamping them. It just needs to get done so I can move on to new projects. Any labels interested in working with me, just drop me a line and we'll talk.

Pete: Do you keep in touch with your ATP bandmates and what are they up to?

Erik: Yes and no. There are a lot of ex ATP people out there. Bryan and I were the only dudes who were in the band the entire time, start to finish. We had 7 bass players, 2 other guitarists and 5 singers over the 12 years ATP existed. I see or txt with Bryan semi-frequently. I See Johnny Throckmorton seemingly every time I'm at the music store, so quite a bit since I'm always breaking shit! Sam Krivanec and I have a familial connection in that our sons are best friends, so I see him all the time. Bryan is going to work on a record with me this summer that I'm putting together now. Ryan Lake and Bryan are still playing together in a new band called Producer. As I said before, Asechiah and I are playing together again. Johnny Throckmorton plays in HeWolf. Sam Krivanec has been playing bass for the Mighty Joshua for a very long time. The other dudes in town who were in the band such as Mikey Bryant or Bill Rose, I see very rarely, but we are friends. I saw ex-singer Adriene Droogas a few years ago when she came to town for a wedding, but it had been many years between. Last time I saw Kyle was in Baltimore in the parking lot of the Deathfest and he was loudly speaking about all the money he had in his pocket. Not the best thing to be loudly talking about in Baltimore. John Peters lives in Williamsburg. 2 of the other bassists have passed on over the years (Bill Storms and ET). I do not know what has become of Diamond Mudguts (Luke Trimmer). John Weills still resides in Columbus Ohio I believe.

Pete: What was it like playing in Backwoods Payback, Freeman and The Might Could?

Erik: Mike Cummings is one of my favorite songwriters. All I can say at this time about Backwoods Payback is that Backwoods was a lot of fun until it wasn't. I left that band last summer during the Plague times.

Freeman was a band that had a lot of potential and I'm sad it never really went anywhere, but really Joe wasn't in a good place to make a serious go at it at that time. We made a killer record though...if you can find it.

The Might Could was the last real band I played guitar in. I also forced myself to learn how to sing and play guitar at the same time for that band because I didn't want to deal with a stand-alone singer at the time. I was ridiculously drunk most of the time I did this band, which is embarrassing, but we made a killer record!!

Pete: Do you foresee an ATP reunion anytime soon?

Erik: I'm a never say never guy, especially after Avail has done it. That was something I truly never expected! So, I'm open to anything, but the situation and motivations have to be right. I'm not interested in doing anything for a cash grab. There wouldn't be much of that to go around anyway HA!

Pete: What was it like taking part in the Avail reunion?

Erik: Really Fuckin Cool!

Pete: What has it meant to you being a musician from Virginia?

Erik: I'd be playing no matter where I live, but Virginia is my home. I have some attachment and love for Georgia since I was born there and spent my early childhood there, but Virginia is it for me. If I was ever to leave, it'll be once my kid leaves home and I'll be leaving for Norway.

Pete: What do you hope your legacy will be?

Erik: All I've ever cared about is that the songs live on and inspire folks. Maybe in the same way that Bryan, Asechiah and I got inspired to pick up some instruments and play from listening to records together, that sort of thing. I'm a pack rat, so I save everything. Let me know when you're ready to get the deluxe box set going!!