Thursday, May 05, 2005

TANGENT: ‘These Three Remain’
Eutychus Falling releases debut CD

By Casey Toner
Herald Writer

But, they also moonlight as a four-piece rock and roll band known as Eutychus Falling.

Eutychus Falling recently released its debut CD, “These Three Remain,” online at www.eutychus-falling.com. The release is a blend of Creed and Nickelback, with a couple quiet acoustic tracks to stir the soul.

Drummer Walker said the new CD is a kind of “true rock with a conscience.”

“We’re talking about words with a meaning, words that mean something,” Walker said. “The words of the songs have a lot to do with the meaning of life and how it affects people different ways.”

The name of the band, pronounced ‘You-Tee-Kiss,’ originated from a Bible story. In it, a young man named Eutychus is listening to the Apostle Paul speak when he falls out a window and dies. Paul then raises him from the dead.

“I know our name is kind of funky sounding,” said Weber. “It’s kind of good in a way because it sticks out.”

As for the music, it is not strictly Christian, although lead-guitarist/co-songwriter Campbell affirms that they have a Creed influence (another purported secular-band with non-secular lyrics) and all members of the band practice Christianity.

“We just like playing music — if that is what comes out in our lyrics — that’s great,” Campbell said.

The band began 10 years ago as a two piece — the collaboration between Campbell and lead singer Brian Weber. Weber already had a history of writing and singing music through his training in Morris and “the whole music thing in school.”

The two Eutychus Falling songwriters met in the Naperville Community Christian Church and have been busting jams since through mastered records and live shows.

Before it went into the studio to record 18 of more than 100 Eutychus Falling tracks Campbell and Weber have written, the band played a good majority live. Every month or month and a half or so, the band tries to play a show.

Campbell figures to play another show in six weeks or so, ample time for the baby he is expecting to be delivered and nurtured.

Live shows include performances at venues such as Fools Bar, 104 Liberty St., Morris, and Zelmo’s Full Moon in Joliet.

A live show differs from a regular show in that the band will rock out to a Creedence Clearwater Revival track or Eve 6 cover to capture the audience’s attention.

Last January, Eutychus Falling walked into Grevan Studios and recorded its demo CD released in February. Since the band has been recording drum tracks, rough cuts, vocals, bass guitar and other intricate parts. Just recently, it mastered 15 tracks — a process Josh Campbell said was “a piece of cake.”

“It’s a good mix — there’s some hard-rocker kind of songs and there is more mellow and acoustic driven kind of stuff with a little harmonica in it,” Campbell said.

In the time they’ve played, Eutychus Falling has only had one other member — a former drummer. But he moved to France to work for Caterpillar, Inc.

The rest of the band has been writing songs for three years, one tape at a time.

The process begins, though, when Josh Campbell cuts a riff on-tape. He then gives the tape to Weber and he crafts the lyrics after listening to it on the way to or from work — Document Imaging Dimensions in Yorkville.

“As far as the lyrics go, Brian’s an excellent writer,” said Campbell. “If people listen to the lyrics, they can take a lot of meaning out of it.”

Afterward, the rest of the band plugs the remaining holes — that is when they’re not tending their babies’ diapers. Three out four members of Eutychus Falling have babies, which, according to Walker, puts the band in the same light.

“We’re almost like brothers because we’re all in the same light as far as family and jobs,” Weber said “We’re at the same spot and we all think the same way.”