"It is due to inspirational musical groups such as Eric T & the Skis, that people quit their stressful jobs, move to the mountains and pursue a better way of life for the sake of humanity, good clean living and loving."
Uncle E, Infamous Sports Commentator and Personality
"Eric T. & Skis' Ski Patrol Revisited harkens back to a wilder era of skiing--when the hair, boards, and nights were long, and skiers were more into living a carefree dream than looking cool. When the grooves and true-to-life lyrics seep into your head, you'll feel you're hanging out with
Dan O'Callahan, Squirrel Murphy and Harkin Banks with nothing on your mind beyond ripping the mountain and having fun."
Scott Gaffney, Award winning cinematographer & filmmaker (Immersion, Ski Movie, 1999, There's Something About McConkey)
SKI MUSIC.COM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE...
THE HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF SKI MUSIC
(Squaw Valley, CA) July, 2004. Twenty years after ski music was born with the release of a six-song vinyl EP titled 'Ski Patrol', Eric T. and the Skis, have hit the slopes again with the new CD "Ski Patrol Revisited" containing remixed versions of the original vinyl tracks, plus three new previously unreleased songs.
Eric T. Brandt, a.k.a. 'Eric T'., who ironically now holds the post of Director of Marketing & Sales at internationally renowned ski resort Squaw Valley USA, has taken this 20 year anniversary opportunity to celebrate the "fun, good people, and good times which draw us to the snow". "They're silly songs about skiing and by no means serious music", Brandt states. "While it may be a somewhat self-indulgent effort to preserve the past, I think that the songs are just as much fun to listen to now as they were years ago."
Silly indeed, and good fun, too. The nine songs, six of which were included on the 1984 EP "Ski Patrol", all are based on Brandt and his co-writers' experiences on and off the snow and although penned years ago, they still ring true in a timeless fashion. With a clear nod to L.A.'s 80's band the Surf Punks, songs like "Rocks", "Unwanted Binding Release", and "Liftline Pileup", take a high-energy, edgy sound and combine it with sort of 'sit-com' style lyrics, poking fun at skiers' situations and attitudes. Lighter, more mellow acoustic fare, "Mellow Daddy Skier", finds a young skier trying to keep up with his dad, and "Last Night at Rosie's" takes a 'morning-after' look at a ski-town party scene. Two songs, "Short Skis Suck" and "Ski Naked" jump out and scream to be potential skier party anthems. The tracks were masterfully salvaged from old analog tapes in a myriad of formats and molded into a warm, punchy sonic blend by North Lake Tahoe producer/engineer Blake Beeman.
The CD, which will be officially released this fall, contains an eight-page fold-out with the complete lyrics and a look back at the 'Ski Patrol Story'. A definite holiday gift item for any winter sports lover, it will be sold online at www.skimusic.com and at regional music and winter sports retailers around the country.
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