Eddie & the Public Speakers

Local Athens rock-infused blues brothers, Eddie and The Public Speakers, recently snagged the opening act spot for the Atlanta Rhythm Section in a competition put on by The Classic Center as part of the Budweiser Select Music Series.


Philip Verrastro, assistant executive director of The Classic Center and the man responsible for Theatre programming had this to say about the selection of Eddie and The Public Speakers as the Opening Act winners:
“This band simply rose to the top for our selection team with their sound. We felt Eddie & The Public Speakers would be a great complement to Atlanta Rhythm Section on several fronts. We liked that they’re fairly new on the local scene, have classic rock roots and that they’re on the verge of doing their first original album. It should be fun for them and the ARS crowd alike, and provide a chance for the theatre to assist in their exposure to a wider audience.”


The competition required each act to submit a performance CD or DVD along with their a contestant entry form. Eddie Speaker, lead vocals for Eddie and The Public Speakers, and his cohorts battled it out against other local and regional acts. Not only did they band win the chance to open for ARS with a 30 minute set, they also received cash money and some freebie concert tickets.


The ARS will perform at The Classic Center Theatre on Friday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. with Eddie & The Public Speakers as its opening act. - Athens Blur Blogazine

Too often newly formed local bands struggle with the difficulty of obtaining their big break. It is an intricate combination of first-rate talent, professional connections and accidental luck that leads a group of musicians to stardom, but for Eddie and the Public Speakers, this process of fame has just come naturally.
EDDIE AND
THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS
When: July 9 at 8 p.m.
Where: Tasty World
Cost: $5

Lead singer and bassist Eddie Speaker, guitarist Stephen Taylor and drummer Nic Wiles performed with the legendary Afro Man for their first gig in early 2008. Only a year and a half has passed and the Public Speakers have transformed from an aspiring local band to a celebrated contributor to Athens' legendary music scene with their unique blend of funk, rock and blues.

"I think the best answer to 'how we got here so fast' is that all three of us are on the same page with what we want to accomplish," said Speaker. "We set goals, and then we accomplish them."

One of the goals the band set is to perform at numerous and varied concert venues. July 9 the band will light up the stage at Tasty World for the first time since renovations were completed, and they hope to book the Georgia Theatre when it re-opens.

"We just know that as soon as it is ready to rock again, the Public Speakers want to be there," he said.

Now enrolled as full-time students, all three members of the Public Speakers met through the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and right away began making music and entertaining audiences. When asked if classes ever become an impediment, Speaker said they are able to use a strict practice schedule to their benefit by focusing more diligently on their music during that allotted time.

"Everyone has been understanding of each other's previous commitments, and aside from cracking jokes on one another, we move on and focus on making good music."

With a name coined by a friend of the band, the members of the Public Speakers describe their compositions as an art form that transcends the boundaries of modern music and fuses with the art of public speaking. "There is definitely some public speaking that goes on in this band. We all have different things to say on our instruments and the microphone," Speaker said. "Public speaking is about engaging your audience and uniting them. I'd say that's exactly what we're doing in EPS."

Speaker, who has a profuse list of inspiring prominent musicians, explains how his band's music successfully connects with an audience.

"There are certainly undertones of our influences in our music, but we are very careful to write songs that have our own style and flavor. It's good to have influences and people to look up to, but eventually there comes a time to create something of your own," he said.

"To create music that is different from our influences is a tricky task because it is easier to just copy what they have done. However, the three of us know that our talents are much better spent on making original music that makes people just as happy ... when you put the three of us onto a project it is not going to sound like anything you've heard before," he said.

Loyal fan Paul Hebb, a sophomore from Shellman Bluff, has attended a dozen of he band's shows and goes because of the way they combine funk melodies with rock guitar riffs and a bluesy quality. "They really made an impression on me. Their performance made me think that they have to be the finest local band Athens has to offer," he said.

For the Public Speakers, it is difficult to predict the future, but they are certain that they will keep playing for years to come. "As long as we can do that together, EPS will be rocking all the way to the retirement home," Speaker said. - Michael Prochaska