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Dogged by accusations of superficial songwriting and heckled by fans for their incredibly short sets, the Freecreditreport.com Band issued a press release Tuesday announcing their intentions to "adopt a new artistic compass and find our way to a new type of success."
Lead singer Eric Violette had hinted at his dissatisfaction with the current arrangement months ago during an interview. "I feel like we might be rightly accused of selling out," he said. "My lyrics have stagnated, and our music just isn't what it used to be." Other band members have remained reclusive, but they often add emphatic head nods to Violette's statements when the group is interviewed as a whole.
In order to inspire his creative renaissance, Violette has planned to travel, experiment with questionable substances, and grow organic cucumbers. "I've been messing around a lot with the didgeridoo lately, and I'm really digging the idea of, like, an edible one, you know, if I can grow them big enough," he explained. "And since no one's really ever done the whole India thing before, I think I'll head over there and see what I can dig up."
The other band members have not revealed their plans, but industry gossip has one of them learning the fine art of Native American flute playing, another mastering the nuances of the orchestral triangle, and the final member undertaking study of the hammered dulcimer with a world-renowned dulcimiologist. The group has also made a collective effort to reach out to legendary producer Rick Rubin, the Midas of the music industry, in hopes of getting his help with their next project.
The group also seeks to change their approach to videos. "Too many times I feel like we've headed in a direction that is too commercial. Someone like Michel Gondry might be more of a kindred spirit in our artistic endeavors," explained Violette. "We do get a lot of playtime on the major networks, but it's not all about the airtime. Like quality not quantity. That kind of stuff."
Others have likened the band's decision to pursue a new path to the time when Dylan went electric. Jim Jameson has called Violette "a Judas of sorts" on the band's Facebook page, and many fans have echoed his sentiments. Mysteriously, Jameson later faced a crippling credit report when applying for a home loan.
Violette was recently spotted playing the flugelhorn under a pseudonym at a small Greenwich Village club. While the audience's reception was mixed at best, Violet Rose clearly enjoyed himself onstage as he struggled to master the instrument's technique. The set included such gems as "Mortgage Misery Has Got Me," "ATM Fee Blues," and "Hyperinflation Hoedown."
Whatever the future holds for the Freecreditreport.com Band, fans can be assured that there will be a few left turns. "We're aiming for a score of 850 on the next album," Violette said.
