Back in the Fall of 1969, the American rock music scene was growing up. Blessed by a year that featured new and groundbreaking albums from the rock elite, a new sound arrived. Best known as Southern Rock, the album that shot it all forward was the self-titled debut album by The Allman Brothers. One thing led to another and in no time, the entire Capricorn Records roster, from the Allmans to Marshall Tucker band and even Wet Willie, was all the rage.

Much missed artists one and all, yet the classic Southern Rock class of ‘69 is revived fully and more on the 2025 album by Euphoria Station. Highlighted by 13-tracks, the 64-minute Smoking Gun album is very much rooted in Americana rock. In fact, Euphoria Station takes the classic American rock music sound from 1969 and adds in a touch of much needed earthiness delivered part and parcel by group founders and main composers Saskia Kraft van Ermel on vocals and guitar ace Hoyt Binder.

Supported by Toss Panos (drums), Ronald van Deurzen (keyboards), Jorgen Carlsson (bass), Tollak Ollestad (harmonica), Rebecca Kleinman (flute) and more, the full-bodied wall of rock sound on Smoking Gun is instilled with a vast melodic edge and a progressive rock affirmation.

That prog-rock design that landed music in a new direction is jettisoned into the 2020s by Euphoria Station. Featuring a great lineup of songs, on Smoking Gun Euphoria Station steers the new state of classic rock in a fresh direction with every hook-laden track on the album a hit. In addition to the classic, catchy songs there are also two instrumental guitar-based rockers that reveals yet another side to this rising, yet still underrated band.

Fans may flock to the Marshall Tucker Band cover of “Take The Highway” but they are further encouraged to read along with the lyrics sheet that accompanies the CD. With Smoking Gun, Euphoria Station brings 21^st century classic American rock music to the next and much higher level.

 

RMR speaks to Saskia Kraft van Ermel & Hoyt Binder of EUPHORIA STATION

RMR: Can you tell us where Euphoria Station is from, how many albums are released and how the band’s music has grown and changed over time? Also, who started the band, who produced the albums and who is in the current lineup?

Hoyt: Saskia and I met in Los Angeles back in 2002 when I was trying to put together a progressive rock band that didn't pan out. We became friends, spent all our time together discussing music and began writing and demoing songs that would eventually become our first album One Heart, and we have released 3 albums so far.

We began playing as an acoustic duo for many years in Hollywood. There was a period where we seemed to play every Sunday night at the Cat Club for one Summer. We gave ourselves a lot of time to think of the direction we wanted to go in. Our music started out with the concept of being all encompassing, with heavy, pop, jazz and prog influences, that evolved over time into a more singular focus that the listener can really feel and connect with.

We homed in on what we truly loved and what pulled on our heart strings; music from the 1970s that was earthy, organic and full of surprises while being grounded in a folk, Americana, Southern or even Western sensibilities. Bands like The Doobie Brothers, Crosby Stills & Nash, Yes, Kansas, The Eagles, Loggins & Messina and many more spoke to us. 

Saskia and I produce the albums, and the current lineup is Saskia on vocals and percussion, me on guitars, dobro and harmony vocals. Toss Panos (Robben Ford) on drums, Jorgen Carlsson (Gov’t Mule) on bass, Ronald van Deurzen on Keyboards, Tollak Ollestad on harmonica, Rebecca Kleinmann on flute and Mike Disarro on harmony vocals. Mike has been our secret weapon since The Reverie Suite. A great friend and singer who’s helped us craft our vocal harmony sections.

 

RMR: Tell us about the 2025 Euphoria Station album Smoking Gun and how did you arrive with the idea to dedicate the album to the great Southern Rock artists such as the Allman Brothers and Marshall Tucker Band? Tell us about recording the song “Take The Highway”. How did you decide to cover that track and do you feel it is pretty much faithful to the original Marshall Tucker Band version? It sounds like Saskia was very much influenced by that song.  

Saskia: When I first heard “Take The Highway” I knew I had to hear it again and again, etc.. It was one of those songs that would be a part of my life. I wanted to cover it and was very happy when Hoyt told me we were going to record it. It was really an honor for me. I don’t take covering a song lightly. I only switched a few words around, but wanted to have most of the original sound and lyrics. When I love a song, I will listen to it for the rest of my life. I thought it would be cool to have “Amazing Grace” played by Hoyt on his dobro as a precursor to the start of the album.

 

RMR: Tell us the other influences Euphoria Station have. I know you also cite YES as an influence.  Who was a bigger influence, YES or the classic Capricorn Records sounds?

Hoyt: For what we are doing, YES is less of an influence, but they were for me, the more emotional choice from the original prog greats. We love songs like “And You And I” that have equal amounts of folk and progressive classical influenced moments, the best of both worlds. For what we are doing, the Capricorn Records artists are much more of an influence. Saskia was heavily influenced by the Marshall Tucker Band, and I came to know their music much later. I was listening to a lot of Allman Brothers in high school. 

Saskia: I was influenced by music itself as a kid because of my father. But as I grew older, rock stole my heart. And when I heard songs that had harmonica, flute and other textured sounds from the woodwinds or percussion family, it added a whole new perspective for me. Loggins and Messina is one of my favorites. Journey is one of my all-time favorites because of Steve Perry’s voice and the writing was also great. When I listened to Marshall Tucker, Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd… I always had that ‘home’ feeling. A kind of Americana sound…

 

RMR: Who is in the current lineup of Euphoria Station and how has the band evolved over time? Tell us about the chemistry of the band lineup on Smoking Gun. Tell us something about the way you write your original songs or do both of you contribute lyrics and music? How do you split or combine the songwriting?

Hoyt: The lineup has changed over time, mainly in the rhythm section. On the first two albums, Chris Quirarte played drums and Paulo Gustavo played bass. They are both virtuosos in their field and fit perfectly for the progressive leanings on those albums. This time around, we wanted some earthy 1970s vibes and performances that were wild, uncontrollable even. Both Toss Panos and Jorgen Carsson delivered in spades here. They brought an unpredictability to the album that speaks volumes, and they are both world class players in the L.A. scene.

Saskia and I split things equally. Sometimes I come up with an idea on guitar or piano and she’ll write lyrics for it as well as contributing melodies. Other times, like on the title track, “Smoking Gun,” she came up with the melody and lyrics for the chorus first and I wrote music to accompany. Other times, she’ll write lyrics first that inspire me to create something around them.

 

RMR: Tell us your musical backgrounds. What instruments do you play? Does Hoyt play other instruments and can he tell us about his guitars and what guitars does Hoyt play on the Smoking Gun album?

Hoyt: Saskia learned how to have a great ear for producing by working in recording studios when she was younger. She’s always loved music with great melodies and decided to take a stab at singing in her 20s and found that not only could she sing well, but her lifelong ability to write lyrics and poetry became a huge asset. I started to get serious in high school, which was a bit of a late start, but I made up for that by studying music at Cal State Long Beach. It took me a while to find my voice, but my goal has always been to be as good as my idols but never imitate them.

I write on piano but I’m not a piano player. I play guitar mainly but I record all the banjos, mandolins and Dobros you hear in our albums. I play a Fender Tele and an Ibanez Super Strat for the main electric guitars and a Martin acoustic. For me the amp is more important to the sound than the guitar and I used a Mojave Peacemaker on this record and on The Reverie Suite. It is a boutique amp replicating a late 1960s Marshall Super Lead, which for me is the sound of Rock n’ Roll, with Eddie Van Halen's amp being the pinnacle. If I had to pick one guitar it’d be a Super Strat, like Eddie, as it gets the job done the best, but my beat up Tele does look pretty cool.

 

mwe3: I forgot to ask if Hoyt and Saskia are married. It’s tough to find empathy in a marriage and also in careers. Loyalty runs in tandem with love. You make such a great team!

Saskia: We are married.  FYI: I am the youngest of 5 girls.  I keep my Maiden name Kraft van Ermel for my stage name.  It is to honor my father as he had no sons.  My father is deceased but I believe he’s busy in Heaven listening to Youtube. The last ten years or so I find myself in a different way.  I defer to my heart.  It will always tell me the truth. I intentionally stay positive as it gives me great joy.  Marriage has no room for deceit. No room for power over the other.  Respect is a two way street. Yes, there is give and take.  Hoyt has strength in certain areas I don’t and vice versa.

 

RMR: So now with Smoking Gun out, what are you hoping listeners will come away with after listening to the new Euphoria Station album? Are planning more videos and concerts? Fans of classic Southern Rock will love Smoking Gun. Keep your options open! 

Hoyt: We are hoping that this collection of songs impacts each listener in an emotional way and truly connects. We are not intent on displaying technique and our only goal has ever been to write unique, original music that’s passionate and doesn’t follow trends. If we can make someone feel lifted from the mundane, even for a few minutes, it makes us happy. We just wrapped up filming the video for the title track, “Smoking Gun” and we are beginning to prepare for our album release party/ live show on June 21st at The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, California and we look forward to seeing everyone that can come out and hang with us!