Arachnophobe.Sushi slut.Alice In Chains enthusiast.Bassist.Drummer.Dynamic Duo!?Ladies and gentlemen let me introduce you to Rhode Island two-piece Coma Hole. Steve: Stephen Allan Anderson III
Eryka: Eryka, Erk, Eeka, Baby, Frog
Steve: Steve, Small Steve, UntallSteve, Pup
What bands are you actively involved with?
Eryka: Currently Coma Hole is the only band I've started and the only band I am or ever have been in.
Steve: As of right now, Coma is my only active project.
What was the first instrument that you played?
Eryka: I started out playing acoustic guitar when I was eleven but I've been singing since I was really little, if you count your vocal chords as an instrument.
Steve: I was gifted one of those Squire Stratocasters when I was 12 years old
Tell me about one of your first musical memories?
Eryka: I remember one of the first times I picked up a guitar was at my Aunt and Uncle's house. I was eleven and I had a younger cousin who had one of those cheap, cardboard box type acoustic guitars from Walmart. I remember taking it outside and sitting on the swing they had and trying to play it. My uncle found me toying with it by myself and told me he'd get me a guitar for Christmas. I didn't believe him. Then Christmas rolled around, and even though it was another shotty Walmart guitar, I learned on that crappy thing and eventually upgraded to a more playable instrument. I think it was an Asheville from a local music store.
What was the name of the first band you were in?
Eryka:There was a summer when I was going to be a freshman in highschool and I knew a bunch of dudes who were in this band called "Hands of Fate" (I know right) and they were looking for a singer for an 80s metal cover project, mainly covering Metallica, but we'd do Ozzy and Iron Maiden covers and stuff like that. I can't remember if we called it anything, and we mainly played outside the drummer's garage for one summer and then never had any gigs because fall came around and I was 15 and had to go back to school and also wasn't old enough to play bars haha. If you scour Youtube really hard I'm sure you'll find a video of me in a Misfits shirt singing "Creeping Death" really poorly.
Steve: First actual band? Off Constantly, I think
Tell me about the genesis of Coma Hole.
Eryka: I've known Steve since we were both about 15 and we both were part of a huge circle of friends who were also involved in music. All of our friends always said Steve and I should try playing music together, and many years went by and that didn't happen, so it kind of became a running joke in the friends group. Steve was always absorbed in other projects, and I felt like at the time I also was uncertain what I wanted in a musical project. I knew I wanted to play heavy music, but had no real direction and was also pretty insecure for a long time with my abilities. Fast forward to three years ago, I started becoming more serious about forming a band. I never felt like I was a good fit in any project I tried to be a part of so I wanted to start my own band. I even ended up ditching guitar and the idea that I wanted to be a trio and picked up a bass and started writing songs. I eventually approached Steve again, another two or three times, sent him my ideas, and we started jamming.
What inspired the name Coma Hole?
Eryka: I was at work one day prepping, at the time I worked in a restaurant, and I started scrawling down words that I liked or meant something to me. I wanted a short and simple name that was unique and didn't particularly identify with one genre. I didn't want to use words everyone and their mother uses, especially in the stoner metal community, and I wanted it to be kind of ambiguous. After much scribbling, I settled on Coma Hole. I write a lot of songs having to do with self struggles and often feeling trapped underneath the weight of it, so to me the name represents feeling asphyxiated by your own thoughts and emotions.
How long did it take you to write and record your debut e.p.?
Eryka: The songs themselves didn't take very long to write. A couple of them I already had ideas for or structured out bass wise before approaching Steve, and the others came from us just noodling around at practice. I would take a riff idea and go home and structure the whole thing out in a program and then send it over to Steve to add his magic too and then we would hash it out at practice. Recording however, due to the pandemic, got pushed back a year. We were set to record in Philly in March of 2020. The shut downs happened four days before we were scheduled to go, so we ended up having to wait until July 2021 to record.
If you could insert yourself into any one band what band would it be and why?
Eryka: Alice in Chains or Queens of the Stone Age. Alice in Chains is my all time favorite band and has definitely influenced my vocal style as well as my songwriting. I adore heavy harmonies and I've always enjoyed the ambiguity of Layne's lyrics. Queens of the Stone Age is a more recent love of mine, but the artistic attention to detail with every song's composition is super inspiring-not to mention the music is incredibly sexy.
Steve: Suicidal Tendencies, just to see my name of the ever growing list of former musicians on Wikipedia
Have you ever heard a song and immediately wished you had written it?If so... What was the song and artist?
Eryka: Most of Soundgarden's material, but if I had to pick one song, Mailman. Or PJ Harvey's "Ecstasy".
Steve: Probably would be Aimless Arrow by Converge or Warp Riders by The Sword.
Do you have any non-metal musical inspirations?
Steve: Sturgill Simpson. One of the best songwriters not only in modern country, but in my opinion ever. And lately has been basically doing whatever he wants, from that Sound and Fury special on Netflix to bluegrass versions of his previous work.
What's a non-metal song that you'd like to do a cover of?
Eryka: I've always thought a drop tuned, slowed down, extra bluesy version of "Dangerous Woman" By Ariana Grande could be fun.
Steve: Fearless by Pink Floyd
What band have you played with that has really impressed you with their live show?
Eryka: Infinity Land. They have such raw, chaotic energy live and aren't afraid to crawl around on the ground and throw stuff.
Steve: Bent Knee. Tightest live act I've ever seen live and they opened my eyes to so many ways to convey heavy or unhinged feelings in music which I've never seen from a non-metal band.
Do you have a favorite venue to play at?
Eryka: Locally, Dusk in Providence RI is hands down my favorite bar to play at. Who doesn't love a dark vampire bar with a vintage couch?
Steve: Strange Brew Pub in Norwich, CT. Immaculate sound and atmosphere, and the friendliest people I've ever worked with.
Do you have a pre-show ritual?
Eryka: I tend to play a little bass to warm up my hands a bit, do some vocal stretches, and then not think about it. If I overthink about playing in front of people I get super anxious so I try to separate myself from it until right before I leave for the gig.
Steve: Show up before literally anybody else to the venue
What is your favorite thing about touring?
Eryka: We've never toured, but I would say when we do it will probably be just the ability to travel and see so many cool places I've never been to before. I haven't traveled much outside the East Coast, and part of the appeal of being a musician is definitely the ability it has to allow you to be transient and have new experiences.
What is your least favorite thing about touring?
Eryka: I can only imagine it'd be exhausting playing multiple late nights in a row, with barely any sleep, trying to find healthy food options on the road, and the amount of money you spend on gas.
Steve: The toll it takes on a vehicle I'm still paying off
Is there a city that you love to hit while on tour?
Eryka: I feel like I'd love to play Austin or New Orleans. I have a lot of band friends in both those areas and I've heard both areas can be a lot of fun to play in.
Steve: Seeing as the opportunity was taken from us in 2020, I'd like to play in Brooklyn, NY then work our way south.
What's the weirdest experience you've had on the road?
Eryka: The farthest we've played is probably Burlington Vermont and there were so many spiders everywhere we went. I don't enjoy insects of any kind but especially not eight legged ones and we were playing this basement venue and the only bathroom they had was an outhouse behind a broken trailer. I ended up holding my pee for hours because it was COVERED in spiders. Basement, bathroom, the gas stations, spiders everywhere.
Steve: Okay so this was actually coming home from a local show. I went to get gas at a station 5 minutes from my home and this guy, suitcases and all, was left stranded for some reason at this station. He was asking around about where the nearest Motel 6 was, which was across state lines from there. I ended up giving this dude a ride, Pontiac Grand AM still stuffed with my drums and all, to that Motel 6 while he was telling me a wild life story that there's no way I can condense hahaha
The year is 2002.Where are you at and what are you listening to?
Eryka: I was six, so probably whatever my parents had on the radio. Couldn've been Robert Cray, could've been Def leppard.
Steve: Way too much post-grunge on the radio haha. Also Gorillaz were beginning to take over radio stations so a lot of them too.
What advice would you give young musicians that are just starting out in the music business?
Eryka: I'd still like to consider myself young and just barely beginning, so all I'm going to say is don't let people make you believe you can't be a successful musician, but also set realistic expectations. Figure out what defines success for your own musical career and don't compare it to what everyone else is doing, but also take notes on how musicians you find successful achieve their goals. It's more than just writing songs and cool photo shoots. Recognize you're going to have to do a ton of behind the scenes work marketing and promoting yourself before people will want to listen to what you have to say. Community is also incredibly important, and I credit finding and building connections with people for how much I've learned about realistically being in a band. I've made friendships with so many musicians who inspire me and they are what make me feel like something that was once so daunting to tackle feels so attainable now.
Steve: Fail as many times as you need to to finally strike success. I've been in so many bands over the past decade that didn't end up going anywhere before joining Coma. The dream takes WAY longer for so many people than it's romanticized.
What is an absolute band killer?
Eryka: Arrogance and ego. Writing music to feed an ego and not to serve a song.
Steve: A lack of creative collaboration and/or drive to keep busy with a project at a consistent pace.
Have you ever recorded a song that you really didn't like, but somebody else in the band really did?
Eryka: Maybe not a song, but when we recorded the album there were many times I did not like my vocals, and admittedly still am not satisfied at times with certain things I did on the album, but Steve and our album engineer loved.
Steve: There's an entire EP I released years ago with an old band still floating on bandcamp that was recorded and performed terribly, and it still haunts me today because my friends are awful and won't let me forget.
If you were to start your own music festival what would be the name of that festival and who would be the three headlining bands?
Steve: Betfest. The Ergs!, Tiny Moving Parts, Spraynard
What's the longest time you've gone without bathing?
Eryka: I'm 26 and I've still never taken a shower. Just kidding, probably like three days. My hair however, probably has gone two weeks without washing it.
Steve: 4 days, probably
What's one thing that most people don't know about you?
Eryka:
Steve: People know me as one of "those guys" that play Guitar Hero, but they don't know I'm actually better at StarFox 64 than GH.
Is the Fistful of DOOM show in the top 10 of your favorite music podcasts?
Eryka: Now it is.
Steve: yeh
Do unicorns sleep standing up?
Eryka: Only when we can see them.
Steve: I don't wanna know, I'm not a fan of horses, mystical or otherwise.
You're driving cross-country and you can only listen to one album the whole time.What album will it be?
Eryka: Recently been on a Death From Above 1979 kick, so I'd say "The Physical World". Or Soundgarden's "Bad Motorfinger".
Steve: Nonagon Infinity by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
You are writing a book about your life thus far.What is the title of that book?
Eryka: "I Don't Know What Any of this Shit is and I'm Scared" "The Meme is Dead, Imagine: The Coma Hole Origin Story"
Steve: "I Should Have Died in Florida" "Tales of the Powder Room"
What is your favorite song by Lady Gaga?
Eryka: Judas
Steve: Perfect Illusion
Bush or Stone Temple Pilots (if you had to choose)?
Eryka: Stone Temple Pilots is the correct answer.
Steve: I generally vibe with Bush more but STP wrote Trippin' On a Hole in a Paper Heart, so that alone puts them on top.
Doobies or Boobies (if you had to pick one)?
Eryka: Doobies all day baby
Steve: (you can't kill yourself)
Waffles or Pancakes (if you had to pick one)?
Eryka: Waffles are the superior breakfast dessert.
Steve: Waffles for eating, Pancakes for making
Star Wars or Star Trek (if you had to choose)?
Eryka: He's dead Jim.
Steve: I'm gonna format this by putting my respective favs from both against each other
The Force Awakens > Into Darkness
Favorite band t-shirt you own?
Eryka: I bought this vintage Acid King tank top from the 90s apparently off some chick on Depop and it still smells like cigarettes.
Steve: My partner got me a Coheed and Cambria shirt with the single art for their song "Jessie's Girl 2." (Yes, it is indeed a sequel of the famous Rick Springfield song)
Eryka: Can't go wrong with a turkey wrap. Tomato basil wrap with turkey, hummus, avocado, tomato, onions, goat cheese, cucumbers and a side of pickles.
Steve: I'm an absolute slut for any and all kinds of sushi.
Steve: The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom
Steve: The Iron Giant
Eryka: Jar of Flies by Alice in Chains.
Steve: PUP's self titled album
Massive thanks to Eryka and Steve for taking the time to answer my questions.I appreciate it. Coma Hole's self-titled debut e.p. drops on April 22nd.You're gonna wanna buy it, so start saving your pennies now.You can thank me later. (How cool is it that King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard and Coheed and Cambria came up in this interview......?)~El Pedo Caliente (aka Uncle Jameson from the Fistful of DOOM show)
