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
Give Me Love
Eric Sardinas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't have friends baby
Yeah, stay on my own
And I don't have money, no, no
Man, to get me where I'm goin'
And I don't have time
But I got plenty love baby
Yeah, to go around
Gotta give me love
Well, 'cause it keeps me goin'
Gotta give me love, love, love, love
Yeah, wanna see it showin'
Come on baby
I don't even love you baby
Yeah, but you could change my mind
So give me a call mama
Yeah, in a couple year's time
And it's sweet to me
Yeah, the way I'm livin'
And it's good, good love baby
Yeah, that keeps me givin'
It keeps me givin' baby
You gotta give me love
Yeah, 'cause it keeps me goin'
You gotta give me love, love, love, love
Yeah, I wanna see it showin'
Yeah, bring it on
Bring it on baby
Oh yeah
You gotta give me love
Yeah, 'cause it keeps me goin'
You gotta give me love, love, love, love
Yeah, I wanna see it showin'
Oh yeah
You gotta give me love
Yeah, 'cause it keeps me goin'
You gotta give me love, love, love, love
Yeah, I wanna see it showin'
Baby
The lyrics in Eric Sardinas's song "Give Me Love" are reflective of a person who lives a relatively isolated life without having any close associates, personal wealth or even having enough time. The singer explains that he prefers to be alone and that he has no friends to keep him company, and even though he lacks the necessary financial resources, he possesses an abundance of love to share. The song speaks to the importance of love and how it serves as a driving force that keeps the singer going. He hopes to receive and feel recognized by the love of someone else. The chorus "Gotta give me love, 'cause it keeps me going, Gotta give me love, love, love, love, Yeah, wanna see it showing" re-iterates his need for love and asserting how vital it is in his life.
The lyrics of the song speak to the idea that one must have a purpose in life to keep moving forward, and love serves as this purpose. The singer is not content without love, and he believes that if someone were to give him love, he would be motivated to persevere. The song is an appeal for affection and recognition, which the singer believes is necessary for his well-being. Overall, the song is about the importance of love and how it serves as an essential tool for survival.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah
The singer is expressing excitement or agreement.
I don't have friends baby
The singer is admitting that he doesn't have any close friends.
Yeah, stay on my own
The singer prefers to be alone.
And I don't have money, no, no
The singer doesn't have much money.
Man, to get me where I'm goin'
The singer needs money to get where he wants to go.
And I don't have time
The singer is busy and doesn't want to waste time.
Well, to waste around this town
The singer doesn't want to waste time in his current location.
But I got plenty love baby
The singer has a lot of love to give.
Yeah, to go around
The singer's love is enough to share with others.
Gotta give me love
The singer is asking for love from others to keep him motivated and energized.
Well, 'cause it keeps me goin'
Love is what motivates and energizes the singer.
Gotta give me love, love, love, love
The singer wants a lot of love from others.
Yeah, wanna see it showin'
The singer wants others to express their love for him visibly.
Come on baby
The singer is addressing someone affectionately.
I don't even love you baby
The singer is saying he doesn't currently love the person he is addressing.
Yeah, but you could change my mind
The singer is open to changing his mind about the person he is addressing.
So give me a call mama
The singer wants the person he is addressing to contact him.
Yeah, in a couple year's time
The singer is asking the person he is addressing to contact him in the future.
And it's sweet to me
The singer enjoys his current lifestyle.
Yeah, the way I'm livin'
The singer likes the way he is living.
And it's good, good love baby
The love the singer is receiving is good and positive.
Yeah, that keeps me givin'
The love the singer is receiving motivates him to give love in return.
It keeps me givin' baby
The singer is motivated to give love in return for the love he has received.
You gotta give me love
The singer is asking for love from others to keep him motivated and energized.
Yeah, 'cause it keeps me goin'
Love is what motivates and energizes the singer.
You gotta give me love, love, love, love
The singer wants a lot of love from others.
Yeah, I wanna see it showin'
The singer wants others to express their love for him visibly.
Yeah, bring it on
The singer is excited and ready to receive more love.
Bring it on baby
The singer is asking for more love from those around him.
Oh yeah
The singer is expressing joy or agreement.
You gotta give me love
The singer is asking for love from others to keep him motivated and energized.
Yeah, 'cause it keeps me goin'
Love is what motivates and energizes the singer.
You gotta give me love, love, love, love
The singer wants a lot of love from others.
Yeah, I wanna see it showin'
The singer wants others to express their love for him visibly.
Oh yeah
The singer is expressing joy or agreement.
You gotta give me love
The singer is asking for love from others to keep him motivated and energized.
Yeah, 'cause it keeps me goin'
Love is what motivates and energizes the singer.
You gotta give me love, love, love, love
The singer wants a lot of love from others.
Yeah, I wanna see it showin'
The singer wants others to express their love for him visibly.
Baby
The singer is addressing someone with affection.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rose Nygren
Keeps me go'n!