April 03, 2008
Chelsea Roe
Doug Haines and Andy Eppler speak out on originality The snow is falling, and time seems to be slowing down as we progress into the semester, but life around us does not stop. In fact - it is the perfect time of the year to let creativity fester and prepare for summer festivities. Two local artists who repeatedly have given back to the community scene - Andy Eppler, 22, and Doug Haines, 33, - earned themselves prestigious invitations to open up Lubbock's centennial celebrations this past weekend at the City Bank Coliseum onstage in front of thousands of Lubbock residents. Now, through Myspace's "Artist on Artist" program, these two begin a project to inform us what it has been like to invest in Lubbock's culture over the years they've been here, and they hope to stir up an interest in the original artists this city has yet to discover. It has been a long tedious journey for these friends, but it had to start somewhere. Eppler: "I guess the first thing you want to start with is when you came to Lubbock." Haines: "Well when I first came to Lubbock I wasn't a musician." Eppler: "Really? I didn't know that." Haines: "Yeah, I was a huge music fan. I came to town and saw bands like the Texas Belairs and John Sprott, but there weren't a lot of shows coming through town. I didn't start playing until a year almost and took a couple of lessons from someone I found flipping through a phone book. Back then, I was a lead player, and I didn't play rhythm at all, but I had to accept the fact that I would never be a great lead player. I was writing a lot, so I started playing around with chords and writing songs with them. So I was just playing around town until I had the pleasure of meeting you, young Andrew." Eppler: "We met through a booking agent that another friend of ours, we'll call him "Sam," hooked us up with. The first time we met, I was playing at some place I probably shouldn't have been playing at." Haines: "Ironically, it used to be a gay bar in town." Eppler: "Icehouse!" Haines: "Yeah the Texas Icehouse. It was a really funny place to see YOU for the first time." Eppler: "I definitely didn't have four hours worth of stuff then." Haines: "I remember you played 'C-Sharp Minor.'" Eppler: "That song has been around since I was 16. There were about eight people total in the bar, and I was stoked 'cause it was my first time to get paid $200 to play. A guy from the bar had told me to start coming out to open mikes, and I started playing open mike nights at Bash Riprock's and got hooked up with this gig, so I had finally gotten my big break playing at an actual bar - that I had to sneak into because I was too young." Haines: "I remember telling you to stick through the originals, but I know it's going to be harder. It's like going uphill the whole time, but I've always felt that it's the way to go." Eppler: "I remember when you told me that, too. And when I was introduced to you it was like … and this is Dr. Skoob. He is God." Haines: "Ha. I had people fooled." Eppler: "Not too fooled. But I remember after that I would come out to one of your gigs every once in a while and you would come to mine. You were the only other person I knew at the time doing originals." At this statement the realization that listening to Haines' advice was probably the best move Eppler could have made in his music career kicks in. Sticking to each other's side and always supportive of each other's creativity; it is partially through both of their own flavors that Lubbock has developed its own unique taste these days. Never giving into jumping on the cover-band bandwagon, both Haines and Eppler have influenced musicians and music lovers alike with their originality, giving a multitude of others around town someone to play for - even sharing band members such as Nic Schute on the trumpet or an occasional guest appearance from other friends. I'm sure just as I do, both Eppler and Haines would have this to say: If you've got originals, the only way anyone is going to hear them is if you play them.