Writing Songs With Aliens. Issue #8

As promised, Here is a link to a my new song, "Sparkle and Fall" which serves as a preview for the solo E.P. I'll release in October. It's a summer feel good tune, and just happened really quickly and naturally. Focus groups say that it's best enjoyed turned WAY UP with your lovey in one hand an a watermelon-martini in the other. Like a Reece's Peanut Butter Cup, I encourage you to feel free to find which way works for you...


This week I'm getting song ideas down for a writing pow-wow with a special visitor coming into town this weekend. GIGI EDGLEY is an actress from Australia best known for her role of "Chiana" the alien on the cult science-fiction T.V. series FARSCAPE which ran from 1999-2003. She most recently had a role in the USA series THE STARTER WIFE opposite Debra Messing. She's a friend of my friend Brian Meredith, and is currently looking to move into the world of music and record some songs of her own. Brian suggested she come up from L.A. to meet with me to work on some songs this weekend, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what we'll come up with! I did a little research to find out some more about her, and the cult following the show has. This is what I found. WHOA! I don't know how I missed this show knowing how much of a Fanboy I am, but this seems to rival the fist-raising contingent of Star Trek fans. Awesome! Maybe it's better this way that I don't much about the show so I don't have to worry about embarrassing myself by quoting the series and trying to get insider info into episode plot-lines. Knowing this, I fear the day I run into Hugh Jackman and uncontrollably "Pop (snikt!)" my claws ready for a Wolvie- on-Wolvie fight. Sorry...


I had a great time with my family in town and the week went by to quick! The little bro and I logged in some quality HALO time, had a Whiffle-Ball Home Run Derby, and ate too much candy. We caught a Mariners game on Saturday behind home plate in the very back-back-top-seats which actually had a really nice full view of the action. In front of us was a bachelor party crew from Canada who were luckily as entertaining as they were annoying so it evened out in the end to not be a total nightmare with the whole family. So annoying that they almost got kicked out, but so entertaining that they were the ones responsible for starting the Wave. I was though forever scarred as one of them (this is why I shouldn't talk to strangers) felt the need to show me his tattoo of the Canadian Maple Leaf right above his "Cash and Prizes" with lightning quickness before I could look away. As you can imagine, my little brother said I probably liked it. Ah, family times...

Stella Got Her Groove Back. Issue #7

As of last week, I'm happy to report that Stella Got Her Groove Back. Not Angela Bassett, but me!

When I signed on for this development deal with Island Film Group, I had some concerns on how I was going to create "On The Clock". What I mean by this is that over the past 14 years, though I have always taken music seriously as a job, I have never had to create on a daily basis or a schedule. When I wanted to write I did, and if I didn't, then there was no one to account to besides myself or my past bands' wondering where the new songs were. Now that I am required to submit new songs monthly as per my contract, I am no longer allowed that luxury. This is both a great and difficult thing. It's great because now I am forced to be productive constantly, and hard because of "that whole artist thing". What is that whole artist thing? What I'm talking about (and let me me know if you disagree/agree fellow creators) is the whole notion that it is hard at times to put your stuff "out there" to the world unless you feel it is "perfect", and harder even when you know there is no such thing. Most artists/perfectionists I know (myself included) find themselves at times wondering if their stuff is good enough/will be accepted once it is released, be it paintings, songs, scripts, etc....

You can find yourself a lot of times in what is known as "Analysis Paralysis". Once I became aware of this term, I saw how many times I have fallen into it myself. It can be defined as the "inability to make an investment decision because of the sheer quantity of information to be taken into account". How does this relate to music? Well, for me it means that probably songs I might have really ended up liking in the past never were written due to the fact I was stuck in the beginning stages of them, was to concerned with how they would turn out, and thusly abandoned them altogether. Kinda like getting in the way of yourself for no reason. Still with me? Good...
That said, since I became aware of this personal tendency, I have made it my goal to just "run with it" more often. Sure it might turn in to a crappy song, but worse than that if could turn into NO song. And with my current situation, that definitely is the greater of the two evils!

So, now I am back and feeling pretty good about the creative thang with two new songs completed in the past week that go by the names of "Sparkle & Fall", and "Big Purple Robe". "Sparkle & Fall" is a remake of a song I wrote for LT that was rarely performed live, and never recorded. I have a couple of riffs/ideas that I have hung onto since I was 19 that I've never quite found a place for put keep in my pocket waiting for their turn to find a home. It's nice to check one of those off the list!
I'd describe it as a Toad The Wet Sprocket song being attacked by New Order, but you'll have make up your own mind when I post it on my myspace site for preview next week! The second one, "Big Purple Robe" is a little country-tinged love song that I hope to sell to an artist in that style of music who could deliver it with a little more down-home feel than I. We'll see where that one ends up...

All in all, it gets me just that much more excited to continue working on my solo debut E.P. in August, aiming laser-like for an October release. I'm getting a more and more clear idea of where it's going to go style-wise, and what songs I want to record for my first solo offering.


In domestic news, last Monday Mandi and I celebrated or 3rd Anniversary of the lovin by going to Coastal Kitchen and exchanging gifts. She got me a new camera that doesn't annoyingly insert glowing balls of light into every picture you take, and I got her a Wii. If you haven't played a Wii, it's got the ability to make everyone love it even if you don't like video games. She's wanted one for a long time, and women especially seem to love it despite my Grandma saying that I bought it for me. Grandma, I'm not THAT lame...


In other news, my family is in from Hawaii this week and we've been having a great time as my "little" (taller than me) brother Mateo is gearing up for his 17th birthday on Friday. I only get to see my parents/siblings maybe twice a year, so having them for a birthday is really fun for me. I don't know if any of you have any younger siblings with a big age gap (10 years) like my family has, but it is really weird to have them grow up when still think of them sitting on the driveway in a "onesie" eating Arrowroot cookies. You want to protect them from all the bad/painful parts of being a teenager, but we all know it's something everyone's gotta do. At least I can still kick his ass in wrestling...most of the time.


-K

In The Market For A Sword. Issue #6

Whew, last week was lots of fun and lots of HOT. Thank you to everyone who came out to support at the Q Cafe on Friday night with TJ Sherrill and Alex Nackman. I knew it would be fun, but didn't know it would be THAT fun. I'm talking about how excited I was to play with my new backing band and getting back to the ROCK! I played about 7 songs acoustically, and then brought up the band for 7 songs (just getting started!) and some plugged in sonic chaos that I can see I really needed. It felt like I was putting on an old favorite pair of jeans that I had forgotten about and got me REALLY excited for my next show on August 15th @ The Highdive. I'm glad people enjoyed how my new solo material translated with a full band, and made me happy to see some dancing to our version of "Billie Jean". FYI, this is the full band version I will be performing under when I advertise my shows from now on unless I say otherwise!


As I had stated in my last posting, Alex and his band flew in from Eugene (via NYC) Wednesday night and stayed with Mandi and I until they flew out to San Francisco Saturday morning. I wasn't sure how it would play out with 4 strangers (minus Alex) staying at our place, but it turned out to be more fun than I could have imagined. We went to Experience Music Project, got sorbet in Fremont, Copper River Salmon burgers at Daly's on Eastlake, and caught The Justin King band at the Highdive. If you haven't seen Justin King, I highly encourage you to do so. I had never heard of them, and being friends of Alex's band, we went to check them out. I can honestly say that from the first song, my jaw was on the floor which I can say has never happened before with a local show. This guy's guitar playing (finger tapping style with crazy rhythms) was unbelievable, the kind of stuff that makes you want to give up! Not only did they have great songs, but the 4 members all took their shirts off halfway through the show. This was impressive to me due to the fact of when they did, they went into two low-lit stage ballads and not big rock. This takes balls, and was disturbingly impressive in itself. Probably had to be there...

It was also nice to get to know Alex's band as they are all hired guns by Alex who also play in many other bands and have toured separately all over the country and some parts of Europe. It was interesting and informative to hear what that lifestyle is like and how it works on a day-to-day basis. The most intriguing part of it all was in a "grass is always greener" kind of way. I marveled how it must be so fun to have the constant traveling adventure of a touring musician, and they would comment on how it would be nice to not always wonder where your next check is going to come form. Interesting, huh? All in all I had a great time with them and made some new friends. I would do it again in an instant, and would encourage you help out a traveling band as well if the opportunity ever comes up. Not staying in a hotel every stop in a strange city seems to be a big treat if that's what you're used to...

Also, I now have the first bit in a list of promo items that I will be putting out in the next few months. First off...BUTTONS! Yep, you can now get a "KS" button for your jacket, laptop bag, hat, or anywhere (Yikes!) you want to put it. These can be picked up from me at shows, or if you want to get some before the next one, send me your address at kylestevens@mac.com, and I will mail you one right away. My friend Brian who designs my flyers helped with the logo. Also, if you see it sprayed on the freeway walls and exit signs next to the SHARP-TOOTHED PAC-MAN (what is that anyway!?!) it wasn't me...

In other news, today is my and Mandi's 3 year anniversary, and to celebrate, on Sunday took a day trip to Bellingham. On the way up, we got side-tracked in Mount Vernon and decided we would stop and see one of her patients play harp at the yearly Scottish Highland Festival. Rich in Scottish culture and tradition, the festival has just about everything you'd expect to find there including a bunch of pale red-headed people who really shouldn't be out in the sun for very long (example: The "First Aid" station looked like that meant lots of choices of sun screen). It was only after walking through the festival for 15 minutes when I realized that fate had brought me to a specific vendor booth for certain realization: I NEED A SWORD.


Seriously, I need a sword because one, they look cool; and two, I don't have a gun. Personally, I've never thought very much about needing to arm myself, but I have no doubt that if someone broke into my house and I came out with a 5-foot long Viking Sword, that there would for sure be some screaming/fleeing happening. I told this to Mandi, and after she gave me a big eye roll and voiced concerns regarding me accidentally impaling myself (or her), she asked what would happen when the thieves shot at me. I felt the answer was pretty obivious: I WOULD DEFLECT THE BULLET WITH MY SWORD. Duh.

Hotel Stevens. Issue #5

This Friday I will be performing at the The Q Cafe in the Magnolia/Ballard area for what will probably be the one All-Ages show this summer!

TJ Sherrill (or "THE SHEER-ILL" as he lets me call him) will open up the evening, followed by ALEX NACKMAN and his band. It will also be the first time I have had a backup band behind my solo material, and for that reason alone I'm pretty excited since it's a sort of mile marker for me. The man behind the bass is Mark Wooten (formerly of ZIP GUN), a new friend I have had the pleasure of meeting in the past year, and for a one-show appearance behind the drums will be Alex Polson. We've been having a lot of fun learning the songs, and I really am fortunate to have these guys and their enthusiasm. It's a different hat to wear when arranging songs in a "backing band" situation and it's been a really good experience. Plus, I gave them my secret weakness in a box should I begin to show signs of a maniacal dictator and need to be put down...

Alex and his band will be arriving today and staying at my place until the day after the show. It should be fun, I'm planning on showing them around the city a bit (this is the Lynnwood comic store, this is the Downtown location....:).

Mandi and I also had her Cousin Anna and her husband Eric in town this past weekend for the Virginia Mason 1/2 Marathon (13 miles!). Mandi, Anna, and her sister Lisa all ran and did a great job finishing strong. Eric, Alex, and I played the role of supportive husbands by eating free smoothies, food and getting 15 minute massages while the girls ran :). Seriously though, it was really great to be there to see her "new thing" as lord knows how many shows she's come to and cheered me. She'll probably get mad a me for posting this picture, but I think she looks like a BADASS, don't you?



I hope you come out to the show for what will be a big love-in and good time with cold drinks and snacks provided by the Q Cafe. If you have kids you've wanted to bring but haven't been able to, this is the show for you!

Here's the info!

Q Cafe / Friday, July 13th / ALL-AGES / $7 / Doors open @ 7:30 / Show starts @ 8:00 / See you there!


FYI.....IT'S HOT IN HERRE.

My Childhood Needs TRANSFORMERS To Be Good. Issue #4

A big thanks to everyone who came out to The HIGHDIVE this past Saturday night for an early show with Trevor Ras. I had a fun time debuting a new song "When I Was Not Around (I Never Missed You More)" not only because it's the longest song title I've ever had, but it's also the shortest song clocking in at about 1:27. It was one of those writing moments where I had the verse and chorus, but no bridge (or interlude). I waited too long to write one, and when I buckled down to do it, nothing sounded right. So, that's how you (or I) get a super short song. Laziness, or extreme songwriting technique? Hmmmmmmm....




The show was also nice because when I had called Trevor earlier in the week, he offered to play sax on a song with me if I would like. Me likey, and I took him up on his offer via The Smiths song, "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out". For those of you familiar with song, he took the keyboard part and played it on sax which was both freaky and awesome. I had a big grin the whole time, and definitely would like to get some sax on a recording in the future...

I've kinda been on music overload this past week between the band Matt and I are putting together, and getting my solo band ready to go. It's been a transition for me in the past month in terms of managing time with two bands, but I assume that goes with the territory...that said, all the work that's going on will be yielding some really fun results soon.

I'm debuting my solo band at my show on Friday, July 13th, at the Q Cafe in Ballard. I am really excited to put the electric back on, and for those of you familiar with my solo material, I think you'll like the way it translates to a full band sound. TJ SHERRILL will be opening the evening, followed by ALEX NACKMAN. I'll be playing last, and it should be a big love fest for all. I met Alex last time I played the Q, and I'm glad it worked to get him back as he and his band tour the west coast.



Above is my Simpson's Avatar I created after inspiration from my friend Jim Demonakos 's blog. You should try it, it's lot's of fun!


In closing, with everyone going crazy over the iPhone, I found this picture to sum up what I would say is maybe the quintessential image for representing this time in the world of All-Consuming Consumerism. Looking like Arthur pulling the sword from the stone....

It's Evolution, Baby.