We caught today’s BotD on the cusp of a new release. Mark the 15th in your calendars!
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
Hi, as an introduction to your readers, I’m Eric Gynan, co-founder of the rock band Leaving Eden from New England USA.
Leaving Eden Lineup: Eve on lead vocals, Alyssa Bailey White on keys and vocals, Jake Gynan on drums, Eric Gynan on guitars and vocals, and Rich Chouinard on bass and vocals.
How did you meet?
I invited Eve to one of my shows. She joined that band. Later we started another band and Rick was the bass player. Jake asked to join and we met Alyssa at a gig. The rest is history.
How long have you been playing as a band?
Well over a decade.
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
So imagine the earth as The Garden of Eden and with all its corruption, wouldn’t it be nice to go somewhere else for a little bit? Thus Leaving Eden.
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What are your influences?
Yes there are so many, anything classic rock. I like Elvis, or Disturbed, social distortion or Black Sabbath. Really anything new, I enjoy the production of it all. But I am influenced by the universe and what we call reality.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
Leaving Eden is a multi-genre band based in rock. Though we’ve won the best metal and the best hard-core awards – yes we can be heavy but can’t be put in a box. I think the difference is the live show and sharing the energy with everybody in the room. Eve is remarkable at connecting with everybody. There’s a lot of harmony and melody in our songs. Some stuff is technical and some stuff is very simple. There are no rules.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
Our lyrics are based on reality and what’s going on. It seems life is based upon good and evil and the choices we have to make throughout the journey. It’s funny my father would always say life is not an event it’s a journey. I think a lot of lyrics are based on rising out of the ashes because many of us crash yet somehow pick ourselves back up. I also think that life is a gift where so many people leave far too early. So it’s also about life and death.
How many shows have you played?
Leaving Eden has toured the USA, UK & Canada sharing the stage with hundreds of the biggest national bands in the world including; 10 Years, 10 Years After (Woodstock Reunion), Adelitas Way, Alice Cooper, Alice In Chains, Anthrax, Apocalyptic Review (featuring members of Godsmack), Avenged Sevenfold, Big Brother and The Holding Company (Woodstock Reunion), Black Sabbath (Heaven & Hell), Blackstone Cherry, Bret Michaels, Buckcherry, Chevelle, Collective Soul, Country Joe (Woodstock Reunion), Damage Plan, (Featuring Dimebag & Vinnie Paul) Days Of The New, Disturbed, Dope, Dropkick Murphys, Drowning Pool, Five Finger Death Punch, Fuel, Gemini Syndrome, Gin Blossoms, Godsmack, Halestorm, HELLYEAH, Herman Rarebell (The Scorpions), Hinder, Hookers & Blow (featuring members of Guns ‘N’ Roses, Quiet Riot, W.A.S.P.), In This Moment, Jefferson Starship (Woodstock Reunion), Killswitch Engage, Kittie, Korn, Lacuna Coil, LA Guns, Lamb Of God, Lita Ford, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marilyn Manson, Michael Schenker (UFO, MSG & The Scorpions) Motorhead, Mudvayne, Mushroomhead, Napalm Death, Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden), Nonpoint, One Eyed Doll, Papa Roach, Pop Evil, Powerman 5000, Puddle Of Mudd, Queensryche, Ratt, Rob Zombie, Ronnie James Dio, Saliva, Saving Abel, Scott Stapp (the voice of Creed), Sebastian Bach, Seether, Sevendust, Shinedown, Slayer, Soil, Soulfly, Steven Tyler, Stone Sour, Taproot, Ted Nugent, Testament, The Butcher Babies, The Misfits, Theory Of A Deadman, Trapt, Tremonti (Creed/Alterbridge), Trixter, Uncle Kracker, Warrant, ZZ Top, Nickelback, Skillet & many more
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What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
I’ve seen a lot of drugs and creepy crawlers come out of the woodwork along the way. We meet a lot of great people and we meet a lot of, how can I say, “different“ people. Something kind of wild I remember on tour in the Dakotas, people were almost naked, painted, walking around like no big deal, accepted, not judged, the last frontier of freedom.
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
Jake uses PDP by DW, Zildjian, I use Gibson SG‘s, Alyssa uses a few different keyboards like Yamaha. Rick has many different bass guitars.
What are your plans for the next 12 months?
We finished off one album and released it in May 2020 and finished our next album as well. Our next release titled Fable, Dark Star Records/Sony/Universal Release date: Jan 15, 2021
If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!
I’d love to play with Fleetwood Mac and Lindsey Buckingham – of course without him I would not be interested. But not just because of the popularity and I’m not saying that I specifically love the band, I really enjoy the harmony and melody and the craft of their songs. I got some friends in the band Diamond Edge from New England, really good people, good friends, I can’t say enough about them.
Check out this month’s BotD Playlist on Spotify and YouTube
Leaving Eden: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbYFA7H7vJ8