ELIOT & EADS

Makin' Records

eliot & eads: in the studio

Our friends at our high school, Whitfield School, were kind enough to feature Eliot & Eads in their recent issue of InSights magazine. We’ve included the text below, but take a look over on their website! -E&E
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Whitfield alumni Peter Tchoukaleff ’07, Alex Frankel ’08, and Sam Stephens ’08 spent much of the past spring in a music recording studio in Philadelphia, Pa. The three, who met and played music during their high school years, have continued writing and recording together throughout college and beyond — despite living in three different cities.

Their band, Eliot & Eads, is named for St. Louis natives T.S. Eliot and James B. Eads. “The name is derived from two St. Louisans who departed — but never forgot — their hometown. They hearkened back to their roots,” explained Stephens. “That idea really resonated with us.”

Eliot & Eads’ first studio album, entitled “The Flyover States,” features original music from the group; and while the trio may not provide a map or text-book definition of ‘the fly-over states,’ their music touches on stories and characters that make parts of this country so memorable. “‘The fly-over states’ is no one place,” noted Tchoukaleff. “More than anything else, it’s the cultural setting — or venue — for our study.”

Peter, Alex and Sam collaborated with a fourth Whitfield graduate, Meghan O’Brien ’07, who is currently working in Seattle, Wa. Meghan took a key role in the art direction of the album cover and promotional material for “The Flyover States.” “I was thrilled to use my graphic design skills to contribute to the album’s success,” said O’Brien. “It has been so great to reconnect with friends from Whitfield.”

While collaborating from around the country may seem appropriate for a record entitled “The Flyover States,” it has come with logistical hurdles. “Everyone shares the same vision: we just want to get the record made, despite our distances apart,” noted Frankel. “We think these songs are timeless in a lot of ways. It’s a very exciting prospect for us to share it with the rest of the world.”

“The Flyover States” will be released this July, and will be available on iTunes. Visit the group at www.eliotandeads.com.