Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Calderone.
Hi Eric, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
In 2009, I just finished my degrees – A Bachelor of Music from the University of Tampa and A Master in Orchestration from Berklee College of Music. A lot of us know what happens next, you try and figure out what you’re going to do, ha! This fresh site was getting some attention and my guitar instructor from UT suggested that any musician should upload to it as a live resume to make it easier for places to see what you were all about before booking you for gigs. I also did some arrangements of popular songs for guitar class that a lot of my peers and students would push for me to upload. That site was Youtube. So I did. Nothing happened. Like a lot of brand new uploaders, I had a couple subscribers, mostly family and friends, and maybe 100 views on a video. But it was a lot of fun. I loved reading the comments and suggestions on what to do next. After my 10th upload my brother calls me up and says “Hey dude, there’s this new chick out and she’s doing some really catchy stuff. You should do a cover of one of hers”. I gave it a listen, thought it was really catchy and did it – Lady Gaga’s ‘Bad Romance’. The usual story – after recording I did a quick edit of the video, uploaded it and went to bed. When I woke up, the video had over 100,000 views, I had 9000 messages, and I had missed a call from the local heavy metal radio station 98Rock.. Totally wild. However, you have to remember, this is the early days of Youtube. Monetization was not an option yet so I continued just how I had been – reading comments/suggestions, and trying my best to give a really good metal take on them. About 9 months later I decided to head out to L.A. and try and become the next Steve Lukather. Studio musicianship was always a strong point of mine I thought and the “online musician” had not peaked it’s head through the curtain yet. I’m reaching out doing interviews for gigs while (I’ll be upfront here) I was doing Youtube simply out of the love of music and the enjoyment of the community interactions. No money. UNTIL one day, Youtube introduces the payment system. So now I’m at a crossroads, I decided to abandon everything else for six months to focus strictly on Youtube to see what happens. That was 16 years ago. After 1,000,000+ subscribers, about 400,000,000 video views, 700 videos, a Metal Hammer Golden God award, countless mentions from musicians, tv shows, comics and celebrities, a Subway commercial, a Monster Jam theme, a Warner Bros movie job, an E3 spot, a guitar/pickup/string endorsement, my peers and even AI crediting me for mainstreaming the “metal cover” movement on Youtube, and a catalog of things I’m beyond grateful for that the watchers on Youtube have given me….I’m still here. Times online change fast. I’m too stubborn to “trend”, Never tried to. I always loved what I do too much to change it. I never wanted to be a “Youtuber” or an “influencer”. Those words are meaningless to me. All I wanted to be was a musician.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As smooth as it could be. Any struggle was either doing a song that involved more than 12 instruments or really just figuring out what to do “next week”. Thankfully the suggestions and ideas never stop from the commenters.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Best known for a taking a song that isn’t metal and transforming it as if it originally was one. I’m most proud of the really large scale, difficult projects I’ve done. Moonlight Sonata’s 3rd Movement. Hedwig’s Theme from Harry Potter (really any John Williams), and the collabs I’ve done with other musicians on Youtube.
What sets me apart? I always wanted to do things in 1 take and not have a “production”. I wanted to relate to whoever was watching. I’m in a room in my place, single camera, one angle. The “you can do this too” aspect of it.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Humble. Easy one. Online personalities tend to think they are bigger than they are. And for those who reach the higher numbers it can be dangerous. Numbers are exactly what they are, numbers. Useless when it comes to attitude and connection with whoever is watching or you’re playing with.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/331erock
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/331erock
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/331erock
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/331erock
- Other: https://www.patreon.com/331erock
