“Our music is very lyric driven,” says the titular leader of the Eben Brooks Band. “If I had to choose a genre, I would call it progressive acoustic rock, but by progressive I mean politically and personally progressive. It’s possible for lyrics to reflect a wide range of complex social topics, even if writing antiwar songs nowadays is an open invitation for people to impugn your patriotism.”
“Our music is about growing, challenging oneself, becoming a better person, and making the world a better place,” says Brooks, formerly with the Celtic folk band the Wild Oats (1991 – 2002). “We’re trying to create music that makes people think. Obviously, we want to entertain people, and we want them to be able to enjoy a song or a show without feeling they’re being beaten over the head with a ‘message,’ but the messages are there. Our music is very lyric-driven.”
Brooks counts various sci-fi authors as among his influences. “I’m a very big fan of Roger Zelazny’s work, and I’ve read all the Amber Chronicles,” says Brooks, whose video for his song “Champs Élysées” was inspired by Zelazny’s Courts of Chaos. “We chose Lestat’s to shoot at because the writer and director wrote a script that fits perfectly with their setup and decor. Lestat’s has great stone gargoyles.”
He points out that fantasy fiction and rock have long been simpatico. “I’ve always been a big fan of Jethro Tull, who tend to weave fantasy and sci-fi elements into their songs. Hawkwind writes music heavily influenced by Michael Moorcock, and there’s always Led Zeppelin’s work based on Tolkien.”
In late 2017, a new Allison Lonsdale and Eben Brooks album was released, Heroes. “There’s a song about Robin Hood, a song about Groot from the Guardians of the Galaxy, and one about the Black Canary from DC Comics,” said Brooks at the time.
The album cover was to feature other DC characters. “Unfortunately, the original cover art was rejected by CDbaby for incorporating trademarked characters, so there’s going to be a new cover very soon that will be for all online sales. I’m still keeping the original one for in-person sales, though.”