Eric Laws

Bio: Eric Laws (aka Aeryk or E. Laws)
Composer - Director - Producer

Despite his furry ears and slightly pointed tail Eric Laws has always felt welcomed on the streets of New Orleans. He moved to New Orleans by train with a backpack and two hundred dollars having never been before. Now, ten years later he could not imagine living anywhere else. His attraction to the city’s both friendly and malign characteristics is addictive, and he finds it an overwhelming stimulant. Once settled in New Orleans Eric started his own production company, Second.Circle Productions. Second.Circle Productions has been contracted for numerous feature films, shorts, commercials, music videos, television broadcasts, and live events. Not only is Eric involved in the production side of his company, but he has often contributed original scores to many of the projects as well.

Since childhood, Eric’s main love and focus has always been music. Some might attribute this love to Eric’s father, Stephen Laws, a self-taught musician. The sounds of the piano echoed in the Laws house since Eric’s infancy, and before he could color he was pounding on the keys. While still young, Eric received ten years of classical training with the piano, and five years of classical guitar. Always drawn more to the dark side of life beginning with his fondness for the villains in films, like Darth Vader of Star Wars and Maleficent of Sleeping Beauty, at the tender age of four Eric was already asserting his sympathy for the artist. Ultimately in many circumstances the artist is the monster or the outcast, and Eric felt a strong connection with those feelings. Not too long after Eric’s music began to acquire its own sound those feelings relating to the dark side were conjured, and prevalent in his music. By his early twenties he had mastered his own style; an unmistakable somberness exists in his compositions, but is intermingled with undertones of a childlike optimism revealed only to the keen listener. Now playing an instrument for Eric is like breathing, but it is not his only creative outlet. He also releases his creative notions on films, writing, and art.

To still the gnawing grind in his stomach Eric has committed himself to various jobs, but the music standard is always prevalent. He has worked for House of Blues many years on and off, he was a contract employee for WWOZ radio, and he was often commissioned to do theatre sound design for Mikko Presents and various other theatre companies. He considers all work an opportunity to learn, and adopts these jobs to further his knowledge in all areas of music.

The limited time humans are allocated in America can be a nuisance, and Eric wanted a way to balance work and creativity. Wanting to focus more on his own artistic labors Eric decided that he would try his hand at running a shop, Seven Devils, along with his Second.Circle Productions business. The shop is located on 1111 Saint Mary on the corner of Magazine a few blocks from where he currently lives. His goal is to promote the awareness of local New Orleans artists with the shop and on the Internet. He hopes that the shop will be a success, so that in a circular effect he can concentrate more of his attentions on his own creative endeavors. The monster lives happily ever after.

Q:What are some of your theater highlights?
A:Amadeus - Musical Director, Hedwig & the Angry Inch - Musician/Actor Jacek, Cyrano de Bergerac - Score, T.S. Eliot's the Wasteland - Musical Director/Score

Q:What are the names and release dates of your previous recordings?
A:The Victorian Echoes "Music for the Parlor" 2003, Artisans in the Know "Soundtrack" 2001, The Season 2000, Saucer Seed "Delusions et Illusions du Grandeur" 1999 Fish out of Water 1998

Q:What are some of your film highlights?
A:Vaudeville Nights, Before this Parting Kiss, Shelter, Tale of a Phoenix, Artisans in the Know, Small Talk & Human Creatures

Q:What important gigs or venues have you played?
A:House of Blues, Anne Rice Vampire's Ball, Shim Sham Club, WWOZ 90.7fm RADIO, WTUL 91.5fm RADIO, N.O. Jazz & Heritage Fest

Q:Tell us about what instruments you play.
A:I have played piano for 23 years & guitar for 17 years. I also play bass & various percussion instruments. I compose for all instruments & I embrace all genres of music. I have written over 500 compositions.

 
April 3, 2004
Saucer Seed CD
"delusions et illusions du grandeur"
A modern rock interpretation of
many different eclectic sounds.
LINK