Liquid Sundrop

"The real lost souls don't wear their hair long and play guitars. They have crew cuts, trained minds, sign on for research in biological warfare, and don't give their parents a moment's worry"
-J. B. Priestley




Liquid Sundrop

"Basically… we wanna be something that everyone can relate to and that everybody can enjoy no matter what kind of music, or whatever, that you're into," confides Eli Purcell. "We don't wanna cut anybody off." Bassist Eli Purcell, guitarist (and first cousin) AJ Purcell and drummer Phillip Pelot knock around town in a band called Liquid Sundrop. The trio grew tired of playing covers in a band called the Earfood Project, which then became just Earfood, and when it was discovered they weren't the only Earfood playing music for money, the kids decided that while they searched for a new name, they might as well sketch a blueprint for a new identity.

Deciding on the name was a breeze. As AJ Purcell explains, "The main thing is [that] the sun, no matter where you are in the world, no matter where you are, it's all the same thing. It provides energy, it provides light and it's something that nobody can disagree on, or whatever… and we're Liquid Sundrop. We want to be positive. And ‘Liquid' comes from just how improvisational we actually are."

As for the band's new identity, the guys didn't just wake up one morning only to realize a new identity, Tyler Durden-style. They knew it the entire time. They grew up on a steady diet of farm-raised and grain-fed noodlers like Phish and the Grateful Dead. They also acknowledge a fondness for Neil Young and local acts like Entropy, Little Green Chairs and Dubconscious.

Welcome to Jamband Club. The first rule of Jamband Club: Tell everyone you know about Jamband Club. This will make the well-worn local ladder climb from DT's to Last Call and all points beyond and between that much easier. Second rule: Tell EVERYONE you know about Jamband Club. The third rule: Make certain to dabble in a plethora of genres - reggae, bluegrass, live electronica and funk, at least for starters. The members of Liquid Sundrop are attempting to live by the rules.

This writer met the bandmembers at their home and rehearsal space off Hull Road where their practice served as soundtrack (or would it be commentary? or play-by-play?) for the Atlanta Falcons' thrashing of the Oakland Raiders. A little pit bull gave slippery chase to a snow-white kitten on the living room floor. The potential definitely exists for the boys' power trio to really thump - that is, when they're not shaking it down, dancing around, and peaking out.

All three share songwriting and vocal duties, and if they continue to hammer away, then kind green youth will yield to a little more life experience and they'll be playing around with equal parts exuberance and wisdom. The bandmembers are genuinely excited about the prospect of growing and maturing together, and despite being on this side of a full bloom, they can clearly see a future together making a household acronym of their band name. LS? LS indeed.

Practice roars on. The band rips into the song "She," and there's another glimpse of that arena rocking attitude that I had hoped would last, before AJ's guitar leads a venture into waters that conjure comparisons to early Sound Tribe Sector Nine. TJ Duckett scores a touchdown, putting the game out of reach for the Raiders. We take a break to stretch our legs and expand our minds, kinda.

Both individually and collectively, Liquid Sundrop is a young band. Three twenty-somethings jamming together for 18 months, lining up gigs at the Georgia Theatre, Tasty World and in… Dahlonega? According to both Purcells and Pelot, they've become somewhat of a phenomenon in the North Georgia mountain town. In fact, several of the folks that got turned on at Buster's in Dahlonega regularly make the trip to Athens for Liquid Sundrop home dates.

Their youth hasn't prevented them from setting goals. The future? In brief, the band aspires to get involved performing more for more diverse crowds. Additionally, Liquid Sundrop has goals to record a good demo and put together a slick press kit by February. Said press kit would allow the band to book shows regionally - namely in Atlanta, where the guys feel the market is ripe for the Sundrop sound. And ultimately? Ultimately it'll all lead to their goal, my goal and your goal of quitting their day jobs, getting a bus and making what they love into what they do.



David Eduardo
- Flagpole Magazine