derica
On his first full-length album, 'Derica' reinvents folk and blues like only a lonely raspy-voiced twentysomething crossdressing guitar hero from Cle-burgh could possibly do.
With rust in his veins and whiskey in his voice, Derek DePrator sings you his own personal tales of love, anguish, adventure and redemption on his second full-length album release, MEDICATE. Derek, or Derica, or just plain "D? He doesn't care what you call him as long as you're polite, or at least interesting. D is a child of the new millennium; a boi who speaks softly and wears a demure dress, yet plays the blues like the great great grandson of Robert Johnson and that devil woman he met at the crossroads blasting Wolfman Jack on her car radio. Have no fear; Derek is kind enough not to steal your soul. But he might well steal your breath away with his impressive mastery of folk and blues guitar techniques.
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
Born near Pittsburgh, now living near Cleveland, D has been recording and playing out for many years despite being only in his mid-twenties. He did his time as a teen in coffeehouses, where you still might find him late on some rainy nights, and in the obligatory emo-punk bands before "graduating" to record and tour with Cobra Verde at age 21, supporting the legendary Mike Watt, The Breeders, and J. Mascis. Since leaving Cobra Verde, D has also been the bassist for Cleveland 80s metal act Breaker which has a huge following overseas and has opened for the likes of UFO, and Uli Roth (ex-Scorpions). He's also appeared many times with his own projects, The Atomic Crash and his most recent band, The Square Casanovas as well as playing regular solo gigs. In addition to appearing on Cobra Verde's album "Easy Listening", Derica released a slew of limited EPs before his vinyl only mini-LP, "When the Train Left the Station, came out jointly on Dhyana Records (Germany) and Handsome Productions in 2003.
Two years in the making, the sequel, MEDICATE, released on England's ACOSM Records, contains some of Derek's most mature and developed work to date, including the title track, the folk-tinged, Howe Gelb-influenced lament of "a lonely tranny in a motel room", and "These Things I Have Come to Fear," a collaboration with noted Ohio poet C. Allen Rearick. MEDICATE's themes range from the political in "(I Am the) One Percent," to the romantic in the love ballad "Can't U See That I'm Falling," to the deeply personal in the banjo-driven highway song, "Exit 2-3-1" (which, should anyone wonder, concerns real fears, real dreamings, and a real exit). D also includes his own arrangements of traditional songs such as "Ain't No Tellin' " and "Coal Creek March" that showcase his instrumental skills and provide a pause for reflection.
Alone, navigating urban seascapes with the world on his shoulders and his hair in his eyes, Derica hangs on tight to his guitar, because sometimes it's all he's got. If you've ever felt the same way, listen to MEDICATE. You'll feel like you finally found a friend; and who knows, maybe you just did.
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
Cleveland area including Cleveland Hts., Lakewood, some suburbs. I like to tour, too.
Your musical influences
Chris Whitley, Rainer Ptacek, Jimmy Page, Skip James, John Fahey, Leo Kottke, Son House, Charley Patton, Leadbelly.
What equipment do you use?
Galveston dobros (black and sunburst), Gold Tone Dojo (Banjo/Dobro hybrid), Crybaby Original Wah-Wah, Dunlop metal thumbpicks, Fender Blues Jr. amp.
