Erik Keister, Interview

Erik Keister | December 19th, 2015

Brooke: You're quite the fan of post-apocalyptic themes. From playing the Fallout games, borrowing novels by Cormac McCarthy, and studying "end-of-the-world" mythologies, such as "Ragnarok". Why is that?

Erik: It's adventurous. Everyone is gone. You don't have to worry about so much happening at once. I'm an intuitive person, so I feel like I could be suitable for that situation. Without as many distractions, you can connect more to yourself and the things around you.

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Brooke: As an aspiring multi-instrumentalist, what are your strategies for practicing each instrument? How do you balance the time for it?

Erik: I disappear. I take myself away so that I can practice for hours and hours. I switch from guitar, to bass, to drums. Luckily, guitar and bass are similar. I don't have to practice them individually as much. It takes a lot of discipline. If you're in an environment where you can concentrate, you can improve your skills. Someday, I'd like to pick up on a new instrument, like violin.

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Brooke: We spent a weekend in Chicago without booking a hotel room. Screaming Females had back-to-back shows in the city, a liberal bellhop talked our ears off until five in the morning, and we crashed at the train station with hundreds of people shuffling around us. What was that experience like for you?

Erik: It was interesting, but stressful. Although, overall, it was the coolest thing to happen to me. It kind of led into the "post-apocalyptic" theme, since we had to look out for ourselves. I was struck with an overwhelming amount of inspiration after seeing Screaming Females again, especially two nights in a row. Whenever I see Marissa Paternoster perform, I want to /be/ her. I love her style. 

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Brooke: You are always equipped with a sketchbook. When did drawing become a hobby for you? Which utensil do you prefer to use?

Erik: I've been drawing since I was a kid. It's been a hobby for as long as I can remember. I started off by trying to mimic "Dragon Ball Z" characters, but I wanted to branch out because my friends were drawing in the same style. I started watching American cartoons mores, like "Ed, Edd, and Eddy" and "Johnny Bravo", to challenge myself. I prefer to use a pencil or a fine-point pen. I'm into detailed "doodle art", so those utensils are easier for me to work with.