VOX - the eels

Back in November, 1998, just prior to the Eels scheduled Los Angeles performance in support of their latest release Electro-Shock Blues (Dreamworks SKG, 1998), the mother of frontman and creative genius E, (aka Mark O. Everett) passed away, precipitating the understandable cancellation of their tour. On Friday, February 12, 1999 the Eels put on a makeup show for their Los Angeles fans at the cozy El Rey Theatre. With the house packed with industry types and die-hard fans, the sold out show proved to be worth the wait. The eclectic and dynamic Eels moved effortlessly through their set, with E providing a humorous narrative throughout.

The Eels, best known for their 1996 hit "Novocain For The Soul," seemed to be enjoying themselves as much as the fans, and by the end of the night, one had the feeling they had enjoyed an intimate evening with the guys called Eels. The only possible aspect that could have been better was the size of the venue. While the El Rey is a delightful place with surprisingly good acoustics, there were many fans outside looking to buy tickets, with not many to be found.

We had the opportunity to spend a few minutes with E prior to the show. He proved to be more than hospitable, and freely spoke of any issues brought up. It provided the chance to learn a bit about the genius of a man called E...