EILS AND THE DRIP

Eils & The Drip are a Naarm six-piece formed by vocalist/songwriter Eileen Hodgkins (aka Eils). Eileen is a prolific figure on the local scene who, at the age of 13, hit the road with her three siblings in family band Perch Creek (originally The Perch Creek Family Jugband). Perch Creek toured nationally and internationally for more than ten years, releasing a couple of albums and playing the likes of Golden Plains, Port Fairy, Woodford, MONA FOMA and Falls Festival, as well as Edinburgh Fringe, WOMAD UK, Winnipeg Folk Festival and more. Indeed Perch Creek toured Europe and the UK three times, Canada twice, and played shows in the US, including in Nashville. They also appeared on Specks & Specks, and even supported Lisa-Marie Presley!

A couple of years ago, having written a collection of songs and recording them in a shag-pile share-house lounge room (and around the same time she was becoming involved with fledgling Thornbury hardrocking blues-soul sensations Willie J & The Bad Books), Eileen brought together a few friends and former Perch Creek band mates to form Eils & The Drip.  With Eileen's partner Rick Steward featuring prominently on lap steel guitar and sister Camilla Hodgkins on keys, the new outfit's sound is rich and full and features plenty of harmonies – at times with a twang reminiscent of Neil Young’s Harvest, Dylan’s Nashville Skyline or classic Emmylou Harris.