Although parents (more-so mothers) often tend to glorify the tallents of their children, I have to agree with you. I know it's been awhile, and I'm sure you've heard this a lot, but I'm really sorry for your loss (I'm sure its hard for a parent, I'm watching my grandmother go through it now after the loss of my father last month.) I'm sure your proud of the tallent, honesty, and the movement your son has created and/or helped create. He was. . .IS an amazing artist.
So sorry for your loss, and everyone's. Besides his talent, he was just the nicest dude. The other night me and some friends were reminiscing and having a rowdy singalong. The music and memories live on.
janp315 I met Erik at food not bombs in Philly fresh off a freight train and deep in herion withdraw, he may have saved my life. Just thought you should know. Those who know , know.....the world will never be the same.
I didn't know he was here until he was already gone but his guitar playing was just natural talent. I came upon his music through a Pandora station and I'm always amazed at how I can tell his music from the guitar before he utters a word. He may not have been Jimi Hendrix, he may not have been Frank Zappa, but Erik's guitar playing was just as recognizable as HIS playing as the greats were, because he was too.
I don’t know how I had managed to miss this absolutely amazing artist, but i only in the last few months first stumbled across mischief brew and Erik’s astounding musical abilities. I was indeed so saddened to find out that such a brilliant artist-whose work I am now absolutely obsessed with !- had taken such an early departure from the world. I can see in the comments in every single video I come across that Erik touched so many people’s lives, not only with his music but personally as well. Why does it seem that the good ones are always gone too soon? All I know is that I’m extremely grateful for Erik’s music, I can’t stop listening to it. It is so heartbreaking to think of what he must have been feeling to have taken such an end, and ironically, in my current state of the worst, most hopeless depression i have ever known , Eriks music is one of the things that is helping me to hold on right now. Thank you, brother. Rest in Power. 🙏💚
he was a MAD genius who is sorely missed every shit-day and somewhat more bearable night. btw, the walls i constantly maintain seem to be smaller than usual tonight, (cool). so, this may or may not make you smile whatever, a very dear friend had this great tattoo on her legs just above her knees,"( CHIN ) ( UP )"
Thank you for being in our lives. I like to think he's still hanging around, out there somewhere in a wood far away from the city, playing songs forever.
Eric always put his soul into his songs, and thats what i loved about him and his music. I aspire to make music as beautiful as his someday, but no song compares to his.
I have no parents, lost my job, i am 28 and your music is the only thing keeping me going. I respect your choice and understand what you went through. Fuck this world. Thank you, brother
Seeing comments like this absolutely breaks my heart. I genuinely hope you are in a better place now, and didn’t do anything you can’t take back. If you did, then I hope you finally found peace.
I'm drunk and its 6 AM. I'm sitting alone and listening to this. Amazing how some songs just really gets you and makes you want to do stuff. This moment convinced me to buy my acoustic new strings to start playing again.
Funny enough, I am drunk and it's almost 7am. I am not talented for anything, but I can write and pretend to sing. Do you want to make some type of a virtual folk punk band with me if your guitar is still with you?
Back here after 4 years just to see this comment. Didn't buy the guitar but I got my shit together with both work and education. No more "I'm drunk and its 6AM".
Met a traveler playing mischief brew at the metro for money. Claimed to be from NC and travelled all the way to MTL Canada by train and no passport. Told me to check out some music and here i am.
He coulda been one of my kids, and if he was, he woulda been 100% one that I looked up to to get me through ... so happy he could leave this mark upon the world for those who follow behind. You would've been one of my idols, and you still are. Hope the next life is everything you dreamed of bc less than that would be an injustice. You've got my everlasting love.
Hey Erik, everything is still a drag. it seems like even more people are suffering, the ocean is dying and i have a hard time trying to breathe due to either the anxiety or the meth or the meth-induced anxiety but none of that matters because pretty soon we won't have any oxygen producing trees left anyways. and I'm not even going into the covid shit ...I'm starting to think that maybe you had the right idea, Bro. or I at least understand why. FUCK! I MEAN, HOW DOES JUST ONE PERSON EVEN BEGIN TO DISMANTLE THIS FESTERING MACHINE?!?! its sort of a lot. And my heart hurts from all the weight. I miss you Brother. i remember once in Pittsburgh you had just got off a freight train and without missing a beat came straight to Ormsby from the yard and played a show just you and your guit-fiddle. and about halfway in i broke the drumsticks on Ormsby-squat's house drums and we just kept on going. i suppose thats a good place to stop.
So,will we be quite, or shall make even more noise. They can kill an individual. And they always take the best. But they are terrified of us as a whole. I knew Erik briefly and he became my voice. Now we should become his!
rip... Although a whole different "genre" (whatever that means today) than Red Hot C. P. or Bradley Knowell... I never heard Mr. Erik before today, but it is all the same unique self or collaborative expression of love and experience that gathers an individual's appreciation for what he/she gets from this art of love we call music... blessings.. I play unfiltered diferrent ADHD acoustic blues... but I felt a bit of myself in his gift.
How the fuck do you connect licks and chords like that it’s so magical. Makes my brain hurt trying he must of had a decent understanding of theory that shit is immaculate. RIP
Erik started playing guitar about age 13 (actually he played piano at 2 years old , Susuki method ) and he played the trumpet at age 11 to 13.. played drums too. Anyhoo he had guitar lessons for awhile but he would practice guitar every day for hours all thru middle school and high school, like a few hours every day .. I used to yell at him to put down them darn guitar and come to dinner. He loved Kurt Cobain …was devastated when he died, he listened to Eric Clapton, Johnny Cash ..you name it .. but he was really a smart kid, wrote poetry, wrote lyrics ..,was a wordsmith.. always thinking and ruminating. Although we didn’t always agree with his politics, we all got along great. he was always the sweetest son, always smiling and whistling. I miss him every day, miss his laughter, his hugs, his ability to take a simple thought and create a song , and of course his incredible musical talent ..a real prodigy which we encouraged from age 2. There is such a void in our family now: his dad, brothers, sister, aunts, uncles , cousins and friends .. everyone loved erik and I never heard anyone, ever, say anything negative about him or his musical talent . From his objective Mom…. Jan Petersen
