Frequently Asked Questions about EELS:

Q: I'm a new fan. Should I feel stupid for getting on board after inexplicably missing the first 12 glorious years of EELS music?
A: Not at all. Right now is a great time to immerse yourself in EELS World. And it's easy to catch up with the past by learning, watching, and listening to things right here at EELStheband.com. You'll also find that most EELS fans are a warm and welcoming bunch. If any of them try to make you feel inadequate for being a newcomer, then they have missed the point and are not the fans they think they are. The EELS welcome mat is always out for any and all to wipe their muddy boots upon. Another great way to catch up is to check out the brand new EELS best of CD+DVD collection MEET THE EELS: ESSENTIAL EELS VOL. 1 and the CD+DVD rarities collection EELS USELESS TRINKETS available HERE.

Q: What is/are EELS?
A: EELS is an ever-changing lineup of musicians that play the songs of singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mark Oliver Everett, also known as E, who grew-up in Virginia but now lives in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles, CA. Sometimes it's just him and other times it's him and a few others. Sometimes it's him and many others.

Q: Who are some of these other people?
A: Let's see, over the years there's been drummers Butch, Puddin' and Knuckles, bassist Koool G Murder, dancing security guard Krazy Al, violinist/multi-instrumentalist Lisa Germano, guitarist John Parish, R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, multi-instrumentalist Jon Brion, Grant Lee Buffalo guitarist Grant Lee Phillips... These are just some of the people that have played with EELS at various times. Most recently, Tom Waits and The Lovin' Spoonful's John Sebastian have become honorary EELS. Basically the idea is that there should be no rules or limits to what EELS can be. Read the EELS biography for the whole story HERE. You can also read E's story in depth in his new book THINGS THE GRANDCHILDREN SHOULD KNOW, available HERE.

Q: What kind of music is EELS?
A: This is the hardest question to answer, since, much like life, it's always changing. Sometimes it's simple and pretty, other times it's loud and grating. It's been a lot of things over the years and we still don't have an easy answer for this one.

Q: Is it "EELS" or "THE EELS"?
A: Technically speaking, it's just "EELS." But we all say "THE EELS" a lot, so feel free to say whatever you want. EELS, THE EELS, EELS THE, whatever.

Q: If I go to an EELS concert what should I expect?
A: Hard to say. Based on history, you may get a 4 piece garage rock band. Or you may get a bunch of horn and string players. Or synthesizers and distorted electric pianos. Or just E and his acoustic guitar or piano. Please don't get mad if it's not what you expected. Wouldn't it be boring if it was always what you expected?

Q: How many EELS records are there and how many are available?
A: There are 6 EELS studio albums:

BEAUTIFUL FREAK (1996)
ELECTRO-SHOCK BLUES (1998)
DAISIES OF THE GALAXY (2000)
SOULJACKER (2001)
SHOOTENANNY! (2003)
BLINKING LIGHTS AND OTHER REVELATIONS (2005)

all of these are in print and available at the EELS online stores HERE.

There are two brand new CD+DVD collections celebrating the EELS' first ten years, MEET THE EELS: ESSENTIAL EELS VOL. 1 collects 24 of the most popular EELS tunes with 12 videos. EELS USELESS TRINKETS collects 50 rare B-sides, soundtrack tunes and unreleased tracks with a DVD from the 2006 EELS Lollapalooza performance, both available HERE. Read more info about the collections HERE.

There are 2 albums from the early 1990s recorded under the name "E" one of which, A MAN CALLED E (1992), is still in print, the other, BROKEN TOY SHOP (1993), is currently not in print.

There are also 5 live EELS CDs:

1. ELECTRO-SHOCK BLUES SHOW (1998)
2. OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING (2000)
These two limited edition live CDs were only sold at EELS concerts and the EELS website. The CDs sold out and are currently not in print, but you can download them from iTunes or the EELS official download store HERE.

3. SIXTEEN TONS (TEN SONGS) (2003) is still available on CD, only at the EELS online store HERE.
4. EELS with Strings LIVE AT TOWN HALL is available on CD and DVD at CD and DVD stores everywhere, as well as the EELS online store HERE.
5. The new EELS LIVE AND IN PERSON! London 2006 CD+DVD is available exclusively at the EELS online store HERE.

See them all on the discography page HERE. Click on each CD cover for more info about it.

Q: Will EELS be coming to my town soon?
A: It's possible. They have toured all over the world for the past several years. The best way to find out is to check our main page for news HERE, and the TOUR DATES page HERE.

Q: Is there a way that I can be informed of important EELS news?
A: Yes. Sign up to the EELStheband.com mailing list HERE and we'll keep you posted of any important EELS news, and check the EELStheband.com main page for news regularly HERE.

Q: Who is this Amber chick?
A: We're not entirely sure what the current situation is there. This much we know: she lives on E's property and helps out with a lot of chores, etc., kind of like a typical Hollywood assistant. What we're not sure about is what kind of a personal relationship, if any, she has with E.

Q: Is "Dear Uncle E" really E?
A: As far as we know, yes.

Q: Can I have an autographed photo?
A: No.

Q: Is there a way to contact EELStheband.com?
A: Yes. That would be under CONTACT on the left menu bar. Or HERE.

Q: Do EELS CDs make good Christmas presents?
A: Studies have shown that EELS CDs make great Christmas presents and are a good size for stocking stuffers. Browse around the official EELStheband.com store. Go HERE.

Q: Will my time visiting EELStheband.com be well spent?
A: Yes. The average EELStheband.com visitor will not be wasting time while surfing the site. In fact, they could even be making MORE time for themselves in the process. You see, while visiting EELStheband.com, the positive vibrations experienced from the sheer joy of listening, watching, and learning about EELS enter the mind and body, thus prolonging and adding up to twice the amount of time spent surfing the site to the visitor's life expectancy.

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