Morden Tower, Newcastle, October 3 by Maurice Hope, published in Maverick (December 2007)
		Ever since his first visit last year, although he had previously played for Newcastle’s Jumpin’ Hot Club at two other venues, Eric had been itching to return and perform in front of a real listening audience, where it would be almost as easy for them to reach out and play his guitar (if good enough) as himself. With no microphones or amplification every word was soaked up by an attentive audience who hung on to every guitar lick, lyric and for many every bit as important and addictive, his detailed stories of the American south. His songs, a mixture of subtle melodies furnished by his striking acoustic guitar playing and stories akin to a good novel coming from Tennessee Williams and the like, just get better with age. Evoking great imagery, the stark presentations were such that you only needed to close your eyes to be taken with him along the riverbanks, back streets, gambling halls and Galveston Island as portrayed on the amazing The Peppercorn Tree. Taken from his brand new album HOLLYWOOD POCKETKNIFE, it is a truly outstanding piece of work. Poignant and like many of his songs, cloaked in sadness, too. Eric wove a wonderful, tight tapestry of sounds and lyrics throughout, some of which being both awash in wry humour and interesting slices of history. Then there was that tap on the shoulder, show time was over and they would soon be locking the door for the night, and until the next time he was in town it was back to his CDs, and listening to HOLLYWOOD POCKETKNIFE where he takes the listener along California’s east coast and back to bygone days when Marilyn Monroe was a big Hollywood star. Other highlights were to include the vividly portrayed southern ode Prison Movie (all that you needed to make it more believable would be for old B&W photographs of actor Paul Newman to be shown) and with some hypnotic guitar licks Walkin’ Back Home elevated his work to another level. There was no rush for the door afterwards, people needed time to get their breath and sort out the many moods and stories in their head that Eric’s music had left behind as he vacated the stage. There were many, too. Few more memorable than the one accompanying Big Love, taken from his album THE GREAT DIVIDE and part of Texas Song Theatre a play he wrote. While reminiscing he told of his time living in New York during the mid-1980s – Manhattan Mandolin Blues and a story concerning Townes Van Zandt just as Delta Momma Blues was being released (the foreboding sounding Townes’ Where I Lead Me was also included in Taylor’s set by way of a request). Although previously heard by some, it was still riveting storytelling that went down every bit as good as the whisky Eric had keeping him company!