Eric Blackwood (musician)

Eric Blackwood (born as Eric Pastore) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and musician with the progressive rock band Edison's Children[1][2][3] starring Marillion's Pete Trewavas and the Son of Astronaut Neil Armstrong, Rick Armstrong[4][5] as well as an IATSE certified special effects and property technician of over 100 major motion pictures and television [6][7][8][9] noted author & baseball stadium photographer & historian [10] [11][12] and has been an honorary member of the Marillion touring crew since 2005.[13][14][15][16]

Eric Blackwood
Blackwood at the 2013 Marillion Weekend in Port Zelande
Blackwood at the 2013 Marillion Weekend in Port Zelande
Background information
Birth nameEric Pastore
Born (1968-07-24) July 24, 1968 (age 55)
Brooklyn, New York, United States
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, musician, author, special fx technician, property technician, photographer
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass
Years active1982–present
LabelsRandom Disturbance Records, Wreckords Records, Racket Records, Thunder Bay Press, Baker & Taylor
Websitewww.edisonschildren.com, www.digitalballparks.com

Early life

Blackwood was born in Brooklyn, New York, on July 24, 1968, the youngest of four siblings. He was raised in the Great Kills neighborhood of Staten Island, and graduated from New Dorp High School in 1986.[17] Among his siblings are musician Sonny Pastore (of the band The Reluctant Reasons) and actor Garry Pastore.[citation needed] He's also the cousin of actor Vincent Pastore.[citation needed]

Early Career

After graduating Pace University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science, Eric Blackwood began his career performing IT support at the WWOR-TV Superstation in Secaucus New Jersey supporting The Howard Stern Show - Episodic TV Program, the New York Mets "Channel 9" broadcasting team and their in house talk show People Are Talking where Blackwood's Band "Blackwood & Foti" was invited to perform "Through The Ages" live on air, his first Nationwide Television performance.[18][19][20][21]

Pete Trewavas (of Marillion and Transatlantic) first formed the progressive rock duo Edison's Children in 2008, and recorded the album In The Last Waking Moments..., released on 11 November 2011, by Random Disturbance Records, and distributed in Europe by Marillion's Racket Records. It spawned the U.S commercial radio Top 40 hit "A Million Miles Away (I Wish I Had A Time Machine)" on the FMQB Hot A/C Commercial Radio Charts on 18 September 2012, and remaining in the Top 40 for ten straight weeks, returning to its peak position at number 32 on 12 October 2012.[22] In 2013 they released a second album, The Final Breath Before November, featuring drummer Henry Rogers. Rick Armstrong, the son of Neil Armstrong, joined Edison's Children as a synth guitarist, lead guitarist and bassist in Montreal in 2011. He stayed on as a permanent member, finishing up their third album, Somewhere Between Here and There, which included new mixes by King Crimson's Jakko Jakszyk of songs from The Final Breath Before November.

The song "At Night", penned during Blackwood's previous effort Blackwood and Foti and remixed by the band Closenuf, has received an Official Grammy Ballot Placement.[23]

Blackwood collaborated with Trewavas on more than a hundred songs for films and for Edison's Children between 2008 and 2012, but stopped recording and performing in 2013 after an injury he suffered while working on James Gandolfini's final film left him disabled.[citation needed] He also contracted Lyme disease, for which he was treated with intravenous therapy for over a year.[citation needed] Edison's Children has been on hiatus ever since, though Armstrong is working with Edison's Children's back catalog for future releases.[citation needed]

Blackwood is the webmaster and photographer of the website Digitalballparks.com,[24] and has authored and photographed for the top-selling book 500 Ballparks (Thunder Bay Press, Baker & Taylor)[25] with his wife, photographer Wendy Farrell.

Discography

YearBand NameAlbum TitleInstrumentationRecord Company
2023Rick ArmstrongChromosphereSynth Guitar on "Spheres of Influence"Random Disturbance
2019Edison's ChildrenThe Disturbance FieldsVox • Guitar • Synth Gtr • Bass • ComposerRandom Disturbance
2019Edison's ChildrenThe Disturbance Fields (Double 180g Vinyl)Vox • Guitar • Synth Gtr • Bass • ComposerRandom Disturbance
2015Edison's ChildrenSomewhere Between Here and ThereVox • Guitar • Synth Gtr • Bass • ComposerRandom Disturbance
2015Anthony J. Foti & Closenuf"In The Eyes Of The Rose - The EP"Acoustic Guitar on "In The Eyes of The Rose" *Produced by Steve Jerome MixWreckords Records
2014Edison's Children / MarillionDeStressed

(Soundtrack)

Vox • Guitar • Synth Gtr • Bass • ComposerWillowCreek Ent
2013Edison's ChildrenThe Final Breath Before NovemberVox • Guitar • Synth Gtr • Bass • ComposerRandom Disturbance
2012Edison's Children"In The Last Waking Moments (EP)Vox • Guitar • Synth Gtr • Bass • ComposerRandom Disturbance
2012Edison's Children w - Iluvatar"Live @ The Strand” (For Hurricane Sandy)Vocals • GuitarRandom Disturbance
2012Closenuf"...To Our Universeco-composer on "Buy The Boat" • Acoustic Guitar "In The Eyes of the Rose"Wreckords Records
2012Edison's Children"In The First Waking Moments” (Making Of ITLWM)Vox • Guitar • Synth Gtr • Bass • ComposerRandom Disturbance
2011Edison's Children"A Million Miles Away (I Wish I Had A Time Machine)” (EP)Vox • Guitar • Synth Gtr • Bass • ComposerRandom Disturbance
2011Edison's Children"In The Last Waking Moments”Vox • Guitar • Synth Gtr • Bass • ComposerRandom Disturbance
2011Edison's Children"Dusk” (Pre-Album released Single)Vox • Guitar • Synth Gtr • Bass • ComposerRandom Disturbance
2009Closenuf...To A New Beginningco-composer on "Airline Bags & Luggage Tags", "At Night", "She's Leaving", "Buy The Boat", "Music Man" • Rhythm Guitar & Backing Vox "At Night (Al Pitrelli Mix)" • Acoustic Guitar "In The Eyes of the Rose (Jerome Mix)"Wreckords Records
2005ClosenufClosenufco-composer on "At Night", "Buy The Boat", "Music Man" / Rhythm Guitar & Backing Vox "At Night / Acoustic Guitar "In The Eyes of the Rose"Wreckords Records
2000Eric Blackwood & The Alley Cats"Growing Down In Brooklyn"

(Soundtrack)

Co-composer • Vocals • Guitar • Co-Producer • Music DirectorAvenue H Productions
1999Sunblister”Approaching Indignation” (2nd Album)BassLouis Diluzio Esq.
1997Sunblister”Simantik” (1st Album)BassLouis Diluzio Esq.
1996Anthony J. Foti”Fourward”Co-composer/Guitar/Backing Vox "At Night" • Acoustic Guitar "In The Eyes of the Rose"Wreckords Records
1992Blackwood & Foti”Haunted Memories”Vox • Guitar • Co-ComposerWreckords Records
1991Blackwood & Foti"Through The Ages"Co-composer • Vocals • Guitar • OrchestrationEve Nelson Esq

Compilation Appearances

YearCompilationBandSongInstruementationRroduction
2019"PROG - Lifting Shadows Of A Dream P105"Edison's Children"The Tempest"Vocals • Lead Guitar • Synth Guitar • Bass • Co-Conmposer & Co-ProducerPROG! Magazine Sampler #105 ROP101CD-08-19
2016"PROG - Dance Of The Dawn P49"Edison's Children"Welcome To Your Nightmares"Vocals • Lead Guitar • Synth Guitar • Bass • Co-Conmposer & Co-ProducerPROG! Magazine Sampler #49 ROP71CD-11-04
2016"PROG - Dance Of The Dawn P49"Edison's Children"Silence Can Be Deafening"Vocals • Lead Guitar • Synth Guitar • Bass • Co-Conmposer & Co-ProducerPROG! Magazine Sampler #49 ROP71CD-11-04
2015"PROG - Fantastic Voyage P40Edison's Children"Where Were You (Jakko's Mix)"Vocals • Lead Guitar • Synth Guitar • Bass • Co-Conmposer / Mixed by Jakko Jakszyk of King CrimsonPROG! Magazine Sampler P40 / ROP62CD-12-15
2015"Voices For Hospice"Edison's Children"Haunted Memories"Vocals • Lead Guitar • Synth Guitar • Bass • Co-Conmposer & Co-ProducerSteve Hackett & Hats off Gentlemen, It's Adequate / Charity for Hospice Organizations
2015"PROG - Resiste 77"Edison's Children"I Am Haunted"Vocals • Lead Guitar • Synth Guitar • Bass • Co-Conmposer & Co-ProducerPROG! Magazine Sampler #77
2015"PROG - Resiste 77"Edison's Children"The Morphlux"Vocals • Lead Guitar • Synth Guitar • Bass • Co-Conmposer & Co-ProducerPROG! Magazine Sampler #77
2012"PROG - A Wilderness of Mirrors P22"Edison's Children"Seventh Sign (Single Edit)"Vocals • Lead Guitar • Synth Guitar • Bass • Co-Composer & Co-ProducerPROG! Magazine Sampler ROP44CD-03-14
2012Marillion "Playing Away"Edison's Children"The Awakening"Vocals • Lead Guitar • Synth Guitar • Bass • Co-Composer & Co-ProducerCompilation of Marillion's Side Projects (RACKET46)
2012"PROG - Suits You Sir P4"Edison's Children"Fracture"Vocals • Lead Guitar • Synth Guitar • Bass • Co-Composer & Co-ProducerPROG! Magazine Sampler CD #4

Feature films

As a special effects technician, on-set property technician and/or set dresser unless otherwise specified:[26]

Television

As a special effects technician, on-set property technician and/or set dresser unless otherwise specified:[26]

Consultant

Music Director

  • DeStressed[26]
  • Growing Down in Brooklyn[26]

References