Craig Erickson
"Force Majeure" - Complete Uncut Liner Notes
B.B.I./Shrapnel

Hello, people... I'd like you to meet Craig Erickson, an outstanding yet relatively obscure heavy guitar cat hailing from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, U.S. of A, easily one of the most righteous unsung guitar heroes gracing the third stone from the sun. With that said...

It all started at an early age; a young Craig would watch his father kicking back at the shack, picking beautiful solo jazz improv riffs on that big ol' Gibson L-5. It's amazing what an effect that kind of personal exposure can have on an individual at an early age (thanks, Dad!)

His appetite for and love of heavy guitar music was insatiable; this was a time when he consumed vast amounts of diverse, heavy guitar musical stew. Personal discovery of the guitar is a beautiful experience: only six strings, wood and some metal, however, the boundaries of what you can do and where you can go with the instrument are infinite and limitless.

Drawing upon a vast pool of diverse musical directions and guitar styles (ranging anywhere from a Hendrix to a McLaughlin and everywhere in between... and let's not forget about Dad), he was deeply inspired to explore with untold passion both his musical voice and this instrument. Combining elements of jazz fusion, low-end bottom cool funk, get-down power trio heavy guitar rock and that ever-present blues vibe, he managed to create his own eclectic trademark style and sound - with tons of personality thrown in for good measure.

From the moment I heard the instrumental showcase track, "Southtrain Blue" (featured on the Shrapnel release, "Ominous Guitarists of the Unknown") it was obvious that I had stumbled across a very special, gifted player! This one track possesses all the right elements of greatness: tone, technique and feeling.

A string of solo albums and sessions were to follow, each one more groovy than the last. Each project astounded and amazed me with the complex diversity, wealth of material, gifted guitarwork and soulful, earthy vibe. With songs of depth and passion, complete with heartfelt, thought-provoking lyrics, working within the context of a heavy blues/rock power trio format, Brother Craig spins and weaves intricate musical lines of heavy guitar blues beauty!!! His tone and technique are unsurpassed in this musical medium. One could write a chapter on the man's guitar tone alone - or "tones", if you will. His multitude of tones is out of this world, almost cosmic. Clean, powerful and precise are a few words which come to mind, all of which combine to give his unique style more personality, identity and room to breathe. Whether it's a heavy minor blues groove, fast shuffle, hard funk groove or a melodic, bluesy ballad, Craig makes it all his own. You can't deny his creative talent and style; he deserves international exposure on every level.

Which brings us to "Force Majeure", the fourth solo studio effort for the B.B.I. label, a diverse collection of mature and serious heavy guitar moves. So many brilliant shapes and colors on offer, each one with a message. Paying close attention to detail and covering every angle, Brother Craig delivers the goods on this magnificently self-produced album. It's a dazzling, blues-based, heavy guitar roller coaster ride - possibly his finest hour. If you're not familiar with him then it's a perfect place to start so let's take a ride with Craig Erickson on his intergalactic boogie train, people!!!

In my humble opinion, Craig Erickson is the genuine article, a true guitar hero for our times. His earthy, soulful blues-based music and gifted guitar playing outshine the norm.

This bright new hope burns intensely!

Shine on, Brother!

---Joe Romagnola
Grooveyard Records - June 1996