- San Diego, CA
- percussion
- electronics
- vocals
bad checks is the sonic playground of Eric Derr, a boundary-smashing musician who redefines genre and form through an unpredictable fusion of live percussion and electronic landscapes. Operating on the fringes of experimental classical, hyperpop, and avant-garde electronic music, bad checks’ sound is hypercharged and immersive—an undulating blend of rhythm and chaos that fluctuates between orchestral space, art-gallery abstraction, and the release of the dance floor.
As a classical percussionist, Eric has performed with groups like Dal Niente, the International Contemporary Ensemble, and the San Diego Symphony, and has appeared at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Disney Hall. His electronic works have been showcased at institutions like the Walters Museum of Art and Mengi in Reykjavik.
bad checks is all about energy, abstraction, and ecstasy. Every performance is a high-voltage invitation to explore a space where the human body meets digital logic, where rhythms are warped and sounds morph into new forms in real-time. Right now, they’re working on a new album of maximalist bangers, and plotting an hour-long audiovisual trip for drums, modular synths, and live-processed sound—a journey as cerebral as it is visceral.
Instagram: @badchecks