Now Sardinas has put his onstage lighting in a bottle for the new album Sticks & Stones, an 11-song powerhouse of his trademark slide guitar that is a vehicle to drive his inspiration from the roadhouse in to mainstream music. Sardinas’ unique mixture weaves his heavy blues and rock threads in to a flamethrower to the listener and takes them on a ride encompassing the past, present and future of what music is meant to be.
"Playing with intensity all over the world non-stop and loving every minute of it has been my inspiration," Sardinas explains. "That’s why I get up in the morning and what I live for. Making music keeps me in the moment, allowing my heart to speak to people."
More fans have heard that voice with each tour Sardinas and his band Big Motor have made, and with each of the previous six albums he’s recorded. Those discs include 2003’s live-in-the-studio Black Pearls, which was produced by Jimi Hendrix’s engineer Eddie Kramer, and 2009’s Eric Sardinas and Big Motor, helmed by Matt Gruber.
Gruber, whose credits range from Ricky Martin and Carrie Underwood to the Scorpions and Lit, returns for Sticks & Stones — an album that Sardinas says captures the full range of his playing and the energy and excitement of the trio’s ‘Big Motor’ sound. "It’s really about pushing myself," Sardinas continues. "My goal is to keep growing every time I play, which is why there is so much musical freedom in improvisation when Big Motor performs live."
For Sticks & Stones, the trio approached the studio with a no holds barred approach. Whether acoustic and electric, they stayed true to their live sound, recording with no rules. Levell Price (bass) and Chris Frazier (drums), join Sardinas in delivering a kaleidoscope that melds all the shades and hues of the band’s intensity. "As always, every note is meaningful and has something to say from each player," says Sardinas.
His instrument of choice is his signature electrified resonator guitar (pictured above). Sardinas modernized an instrument made famous by traditional Blues artists in electrifying the instrument, and expanding the usual spectrum of what these guitars historically deliver musically. It is Eric’s connection and homage to his roots, and in finding his own voice, comes the electrified resonator. His trademark expression and words to live by are "Respect Tradition," and the resonator is a deep part of this.
By deftly controlling his guitar’s volume Sardinas can make the resonator emote the mood he’s feeling with its acoustic energy or electrified growl, as it does during the breakdown on Sticks & Stones’ pure spirited country blues "County Line," or roar like a lion on the hard-driving "Full Tilt Mama" and "Road To Ruin." The latter features one of Sardinas’ highest flying slide solos: a sexy, sizzling break that’s a perfect fusion of gutty energy and piquant melody — two qualities Sardinas displays in spades.
The chugging instrumental "Behind the 8" puts his slide to the fore. One reason for his always-recognizable sound is his signature slide. The Dunlop company has begun reproducing a replica of the brass pipe that travelled a million miles with Sardinas. The calibration, weight, and wear of the infamous ‘preaching pipe’ has become accessible to players worldwide. Sardinas shares, "the original pipe has so much mojo on it from over a decade of worldwide travel, and being by my side through every beer soaked bar and venue the road has to offer, the original is now only used for studio. To Sardinas, it is irreplaceable. He offers, "If Dunlop offered me a million bucks for it, I’d have to turn it down."
The common thread in all the tunes on Sticks & Stones is the essence of affairs of the heart – passions, hopes and dreams are all inspirational in a positive and negative way to Sardinas. He shares, "I like writing about universal themes. The trick is to find my own unique way of expressing myself within those themes. Every breathing moment if you walk with yours eyes open, there is song there."
A Florida-born Sardinas picked up a guitar at age six. He was inspired by the energy of roots music from his mom’s soul, Motown, gospel, and early rock n’ roll collection. From his elder brother, classic rock was always being played. Sardinas reflects, "Music was always heard in the house. I woke up to, and fell asleep to it. Still do". In his teens, he submersed himself in the Blues. "That was it for me," he says. "In blending my influences, I found my own sound. I feel very fulfilled being able to make this music my life for more than 20 years now. And my goal is to keep growing and improving, and to respect this music and stick by it the way its has supported and inspired me."
Official Website: Eric Sardinas
Bittersweet
Eric Sardinas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you look into my eyes
Ooh-ooh-ooh
There's no tellin' what you'll find
'Cause baby, I've been thinkin'
And I've been drinkin'
And I'm just about to lose my mind
I always wonder baby, ooh-ooh
Why I keep on tryin'
'Cause you just bring on the worry
In such a hurry
And Lord, it feels like I'm dyin'
It's never been easy from the start
But your sweet love just can't be beat
I'm never pleased inside my heart, oh baby
You're so hard on me mama
Mmm, you're bittersweet
Yeah
I can't blame you baby, ooh-ooh
For the way I feel
Because I knew the rules baby
Love's for fools, maybe but
I ain't gonna beg or steal
It's never been easy from the start
But your sweet love just can't be beat
I'm never pleased inside my heart, oh baby
You're so hard on me mama
Mmm, you're bittersweet
Now listen
I don't like the way you play
I don't like the way you deal your cards
Ooh I die a little every day, yeah
You're so hard on me mama
You're so hard
You're so hard
You're so hard on me
Yeah baby, you're so bittersweet
Ow!
Ooh baby
You keep your heart under lock and key
Ooh-ooh and it's such a low-down shame
The way you got me livin' and got me givin'
All of my love in vain
Oh, it's never been easy from the start
Ooh, but your sweet love just can't be beat
Oh, I'm never pleased inside my heart
Oh baby, you're so hard on me mama
Uhh, whoo!
I'm never pleased inside my heart
(Ooh-ooh, it's so hard baby)
I'm never pleased inside my heart
(Ooh-ooh, it's so hard baby)
I'm never pleased inside my heart
(Ooh-ooh, it's so hard baby)
Oh, you're so hard on me mama
Yeah
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
The lyrics to "Bittersweet" by Eric Sardinas tell the story of a man who is deeply in love with a woman who continuously makes him feel neglected, uncertain, and miserable. The opening lines reveal the singer's inner turmoil and the unpredictability of his emotions. He admits that his alcohol consumption and overthinking have caused him to lose his mind. He is constantly questioning himself, wondering why he continues to try, and feeling like he's on the brink of emotional breakdown.
The following lines depict the singer's distress, and his desire to be with his lover or end the relationship altogether. Despite the difficulties, he admits that her love and sweetness are unparalleled, and he doesn't want to let go. The chorus of the song portrays her as "bittersweet" - she is a perfect combination of love and heartache. The singer feels like he's dying inside because of her actions, and the uncertainty in their relationship is taking a toll on him.
The second verse reveals the singer's awareness of the rules of love: that love can be for fools. Despite this, he maintains self-respect and refuses to beg, steal, or lose himself altogether, just to keep the relationship afloat. The bridge reveals the suppression of the singer's innermost feelings, buried under the woman's lock and key.
In summary, "Bittersweet" is a song about a man's longing for a woman who brings joy, pain, and uncertainty into his life. The lyrics portray the emotional rollercoaster of loving someone despite their flaws and the constant dilemma of trying to find balance.
Line by Line Meaning
If you look into my eyes
My eyes betray the turmoil in my heart
There's no tellin' what you'll find
My true feelings are a mystery even to me
'Cause baby, I've been thinkin'
I've been overthinking everything
And I've been drinkin'
I've been drowning my sorrows in alcohol
And I'm just about to lose my mind
I'm on the verge of a breakdown
I always wonder baby, ooh-ooh
I'm always questioning why I bother
Why I keep on tryin'
Why I keep fighting for this doomed relationship
'Cause you just bring on the worry
Because you put me through so much stress
In such a hurry
Without any consideration for my feelings
And Lord, it feels like I'm dyin'
It's taking a toll on my mental health
It's never been easy from the start
Our relationship has never been effortless
But your sweet love just can't be beat
But I cannot resist your sweet charms
I'm never pleased inside my heart, oh baby
But I'm never satisfied with what you offer
You're so hard on me mama
You put me through so much pain
Mmm, you're bittersweet
You're both good and bad for me
I can't blame you baby, ooh-ooh
I cannot solely put the blame on you
For the way I feel
For the misery in my heart
Because I knew the rules baby
Because I knew what I was getting into
Love's for fools, maybe but
Maybe love is just foolishness
I ain't gonna beg or steal
But I won't grovel for your affection
I don't like the way you play
I don't appreciate your manipulations
I don't like the way you deal your cards
I don't like the way you handle our relationship
Ooh I die a little every day, yeah
Everyday with you is an emotional burden
You're so hard on me mama
You're causing me so much pain
Yeah baby, you're so bittersweet
You're both a blessing and a curse in my life
You keep your heart under lock and key
You're not as invested in this relationship as I am
Ooh-ooh and it's such a low-down shame
Which is such a shameful thing
The way you got me livin' and got me givin'
The way you have me living and giving my all
All of my love in vain
All of my love is for nothing, as you don't feel the same
Uhh, whoo!
An expression of frustration
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: TODD PARK MOHR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind