It’s no secret that Southern California is a haven for musicians, but in recent years, Ocean Beach has become a particularly popular residence for musicians. From Costello tribute band The Distractions to hitmakers Slightly Stoopid, there a lot of prominent artists living in the area. Such is the case with Eric Sage.
In addition to solo work, he fronts several bands, including Bon Jovi tribute 1970s and 1980s cover band Lixx and two corporate bands, Heat and Dirty Birds. He is also frontman for the Bay City Rollers featuring Ian Mitchell, but even being occupied with so many musical projects, tennis is his first love. He came to music late in life, through misfortune, but tennis has always been a driving force. So much so that he has recently published a new book, “The Magic Key To Tennis — 1 Thru 10 System” and started a reality website series called “Tennis Like a Rock Star”
Sage first arrived in San Diego from Canada in 1985 to train as a tennis professional. Within a few years, that dream was cut short. “I was a player on the pro tour and was a passenger in a car accident. Basically, my career ended. I was 24 and I had a world ranking. And I thought, ‘What the heck am I going to do with my life?”
A life in music became his alternative to a life in tennis. “My heart and soul I always loved music, but I was 25 and had never been involved in anything like that,” he said. “So I decided to teach tennis in Los Angeles by day and study vocals and piano composition for five or six hours into the night. I did that for 12 years.”
Now an established musician with decades of experience behind him, Sage joined up with the Bay City Rollers featuring Ian Mitchell in 2008, via a nationwide search for a front man. “They saw an online video and called me in for an audition,” he said. “It just clicked that day. We went out and talked and they asked me to join.” The band is on a short hiatus, but work has begun on an album with originals. “We’ve only played nationwide so far, but hopefully with a new album we can go farther,” he said. Sage said he is thrilled with the heavy work load. “I just love music so I wanted to make it my full-time passion. It’s not really a job for me, but somehow, I get paid for playing all over the country,” he said. While music is his main occupation, tennis remains important to him. His new book shows his efforts to combine elements of both. “While I was studying music, I was also teaching select students and celebrities like George Clooney and Alec Baldwin. I was trying to figure out ways to help my students and I had a breakthrough about a connection between my two passions,” he said. Taking the music and tennis combination one step further is Sage’s webseries, “Tennis Like A Rockstar,” with the first two episodes available online. “We’re hoping to shop it around after we get a few more episodes in the can,” he said. Of all the different aspects of the projects Sage is currently involved in, he cites performing as his favorite. “I enjoy all types of music, but what I love most is entertaining,” he said. “It all started when I would go to concerts as a kid and I would watch certain performers on stage and just be blown away. And I would think to myself, I want to be doing this, not watching it.”
For more information, visit www.themagickeytotennis.com.