Originally from Washington, DC, with origins starting with growing up with the indelible Reverend Billy C. Wirtz who proved to be the catalyst for a love of blues and rockabilly eventually got his start in Frederick, MD with Carnival of Souls and Rumble Strip. Eventually, this led to a relationship with Dave Lewis and Slick Mick Herbert to form The Gokatz USA and led to two releases. The Gokatz USA played in the early 90’s DC rockabilly scene, but were outsiders due to the brand of gut bucket psychobilly they played but gained notoriety with marked sales of the “It Aint Easy Bein’ Greasy” album.

 

Leaving Fredrick, MD led to the formation of The Dragtones with owner of the Sanity Check Music label, Blue Ajay. They released the unbridled live album, Live from Lockjaw in 1993. A spinoff band, Erik and the Bluetones were formed and released an EP. It was at this point, that through the Reverend Billy C. Wirtz, Erik met Sun Record’s legend Billy Lee Riley while he was recording at Ardent Studios. This led to a relationship that spawned the tribute 7 Inch, “A Tribute to a Legend” recorded with Billy Lee Riley at his home in Newport, Arkansas in 1995. Eventually, an entire tribute cd was compiled by Erik featuring bands and the world writing songs about Billy Lee Riley.

 

Thru the remainder of the 90’s into the early 2000’s Erik played with the psychedelic art rock band, Voodoo Love. Following a six year stint with Voodoo Love, Erik formed Sin City Gamblers. Sin City Gamblers spent ten years touring and in the process recorded two albums; “Gambler’s Grave” a psychobilly recording, which was engineered by Les Thompson of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and then the dark, garage rock album “Blood, Guts and Rock and Roll.”

 

Erik reformed the Dragtones in 2013 and recorded the EP, “Hunker Down in Wiskeytowne.”

This version of the band remained a staple in the Mid-Atlantic bar scene until 2015. Erik’s next project “Zaparatus” was an departure from roots rock and two albums of instrumental, jam band, psychedelic EDM were recorded. In 2020, Erik reformed the Dragtones 28 years after the first formation of the band. The pink vinyl, “Rockabilly Child” EP was recorded and released on the Bohemian Amigos Artworks label, as well as the follow up 10 inch album “Gone Cat Gone.”