Review Fix Exclusive: The Novelists’ Eric Anderson and Joel Ackerson Talk ‘Breaking The Script’ And More

Review Fix chats with The Novelists’ Eric Andersen (Piano/Vocals) to discuss their creative process, goals for the future and debut album “Breaking The Script.”

Review Fix: How did the band get together?

Eric Andersen: The Novelists’ focus is storytelling, and the band name, as well as the concept of using multiple voices to tell each story, came from Reno singer/songwriter, Joel Ackerson, before there was even a lineup. Joel initially recruited Zack Teran from the local University of Nevada’s jazz program, after having witnessed his extensive versatility and musicality in other projects. Eric was performing mostly as a solo artist in Reno, and Zack and Joel were attracted to his unique writing style and powerful tenor. Though Eric was initially resistant to joining a band, they quickly reached a trade agreement: they would back Eric’s solo shows if he would play piano and sing with them in their new group. Within months of this arrangement, it was clear that the core of The Novelists had formed, and it became the main focus for all three members. Justin Kruger had played drums for Joel’s early solo work and with Zack as a fellow mainstay of the local jazz scene, so he was an obvious choice to complete the sound, initially for studio session work, and eventually as a full-time, touring member. The Novelists have been performing and recording in their current lineup since early 2014.

Review Fix: What’s you creative process like?

Joel Ackerson: Initially, we all came to the band, each with our own catalog of material. In 2013, we started a music subscription service called the Book Club, where fans could pay a small fee to receive two new, fully produced songs per month for a year. It was during this process that we learned the beauty of co-writing, and the depth of musical collaboration that formed the sound of The Novelists, as opposed to three disparate writers, sharing a stage.

Usually, the genesis of a song comes from a single writer. Another member of the group will be attracted to this musical idea, and they will help flush it out, whether lyrically or musically. Generally, Joel and Eric have handled the lyrics, with Zack and JK contributing heavily to the writing and arrangement of the music. The longer we play together, the more we collaborate, which continues to add depth to our sound.

Review Fix: What’s your standout song? How was it written?

Andersen: As with most bands, we feel that we have several, but we are currently pushing a song called “Hang On,” because it is the first to feature both Joel and Eric as lead singers, making it a more representative introduction to the band. Joel wrote the lyrics for three separate friends who were all facing life-threatening health conditions (one of whom has since passed away). Joel and Zack collaborated on the music. It’s a song of hope and encouragement for anyone who may be feeling overwhelmed, which is all of us at times.

Review Fix: What are you goals for the rest of 2016?

Ackerson: Our “To Do” list seems endless for 2016 and into the future.  On the touring front we plan to continue to focus on building our following on the west coast.  Touring as an indie band can be a daunting task, which is why we’ve decided to focus on a manageable area where we’ve already had a good response.  As these areas build we will continue to expand our reach.  We also plan to continue to produce and release music videos for some of the other story songs from “Breaking the Script.”  Since we’re all constantly writing new material I’m sure another album won’t be too far into the future as well.

Review Fix: How do you want your music to affect people?

Andersen: We hope that our music elicits some kind of emotional response from our audiences.  The music listening experience seems to have changed over the past few generations from a very active, to a much more passive one – almost as if today’s music is nothing more than wallpaper, or a neutral painting hanging in a restaurant as you enjoy your dinner.  We are very intentional about the way we create our art and we hope that our listeners will be able to join us on that journey.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Ackerson: The band continues to evolve as we grow as writers, performers and individuals.  That evolution seems to show up in all that we do.  It’s hard to say exactly what the next few years will look like for this band but we certainly plan to continue making new music and sharing it with as many people as we can find who are willing to experience it.

Photo by Anicia Beckwith