Thursday, July 5, 2001
By Helen Bebbington
Dayton Daily News

KETTERING–Life can be a song for musician Erik Schmall. Even whiling away the hours at his job inspired him to write a tune.
“Whatever is going on at the moment (is what inspires me),” Schmall said.
The recent Kettering Fairmont High School graduate now has an album available on the Internet through an independent record label.
Schmall’s album, Roar, is recorded under the name Woody Whatever. The CD costs $6 and is available at ionikrecords.com.
Schmall, 18, started playing guitar when he was 11, and was writing songs when he was 13. He also plays the drums and the piano. Although he has been playing and recording for years, it wasn’t until recently that he tried to sell his music.
Schmall’s brother, Jason, encouraged his brother to put his music out where others could hear it.
Jason Schmall, a 25-year-old advertising copywriter who lives in Columbus, has played with Erik in the past.
“Erik has a good sense of melody and harmony,” Jason said.
When Jason heard some of Erik’s songs recently, he told his younger brother to take it a step further.
“I said ‘Erik, this stuff is great,’” Jason said. “He was doing the music on his own for a while. People around my office thought it was good.
“I just think it’s great for him to pursue something he really likes,” Jason said.
Jason contacted Mike Winters, an old friend and musician who is the founder of Cincinnati-based ionikrecords.com.
The Web site allows musicians to market their music. Winters started Ionik Records label about five months ago to give developing artists, including his own band, Post-Haste, a chance to have their music known.
“Littler labels are starting to pop up everywhere,” Winters said. “For myself, I would love to spend more time and money on this.”
Winters, a biochemistry graduate student at the University of Cincinnati, said he liked Erik’s music and gave it a place on his Web site.
When someone orders a CD, Winters uses the master version to make copies and ship it off to customers.
Schmall said his music falls under the alternative category. His style has been inspired by Guided by Voices and the Beatles. Schmall said he writes the music first, then the lyrics.
“It’s sort of part of the style,” he said.
Schmall does not normally perform for audiences, although he played drums last year in older brother Jeremy’s band, Starchild, at Miami University gigs. Erik said his parents, George and Suzanne, have been supportive of his musical interests.
Erik plans to attend Ohio University this fall and major in music production.
“I’d really like to try to get a better and better sound,” he said.
After finishing college, Schmall hopes to work somewhere in the music scene, perhaps in New York City.
“I hope to still be making records,” Schmall said.