What's New

 

As promised, (See Q&A from Kathleen), our latest two-sided single, the so-called ‘Richard songs’, comes out almost a quarter century after being written. The Oct. 15 release of the updated and re-produced [Side A] Gone to Richard’s and [Side B] Thanks for Stoppin’ – Bye reflects exactly 25 years since local personalities Richard and his friend Junior both unexpectedly shuffled off this mortal coil, and the amazing double rainbow that appeared the next morning over the lakes. They are offered for lissning here [HOME PAGE] and also on SoundCloud, and are at most distribution venues (Spotify, Amazon, Deezer etc.) for digital download, etc. For more, see SONG INFO.

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Three tracks were released June 27, 2020: A two-sided single, (as is our pattern – like in the old 45 vinyl days with an A side and a B side), comprised of a couple of horsie tunes. The third is a live recording and a STEWARDSONGS exclusive, not original but a cover tune. That track is NOT being sold in any form. It is presented for the non-commercial use and enjoyment of our lissning audience. Brief backstories for all three on SONG INFO page.

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singles COVER ART added

We've had inquiries from some wanting a closer look at the cover artwork for our singles, (a better view than the postage stamp size the players and some venues present), so we've added more hi-res cover artworks to PHOTO/ART GALLERY. Also, in conjunction with our 'Bowling Alley Rock' – a musical genre Spotify has yet to recognize! – we present the evolution of the Team Lefties bowling shirts, [Sasquatch, Hummingbird and WildBIRD Studios], and the cover version of the Championship trophy we finally won after 12 years of trying. (Of all the years to do it!...) Seemed like quite a shame Richard wasn't there to slap us all on the back – real freakin' HARD!

REDOS, DEMOS & ideas under construction:

We're just putting the finishing touches on the ghost-recording-salvaged J. Lennon  Blues, penned the evening of Dec. 8, 1980. It’s been long enough now, and someone might actually want to hear it, even though I still hate it. To counterbalance those emotions, Side B of the single will be the new self-explanatory production titled Nonnel J. Blues - a piece we're describing quite accurately as: Left-Handed Hip Hop Rock. Ya gotta hear it to believe it.

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Then we’re headed back into the country for a couple. One is a shitkicker about making maple syrup in the backwoods north country. The other is a sentimental deer hunting yarn in the progressive country genre. Both written years ago, getting ready for the light of day.

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A 'new old' rock-style piece in the works pays homage to old rocks. (Can you say "Puma Punku"? No? How 'bout: "Big Horn Medicing Wheel?") Lyrics inspired by one of the all-time classic B&W movies – all speaking to the near future. Is that possible? Check back to find out.

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We've got a light-hearted heavy-handed satire in the 'funk-jazz-rock' category, (yet another hybrid of 'recognized musical genres'.) So stand by to smell the sweet breezes of those tropical islands long fabled in song and story, and your well-deserved vacation to "Lissners Atoll" !

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And: another one of our popular 99.7% instrumentals with all the bells and whistles of a first class train ride on the left US coast.

© Copyright - Stephen Steward / Sky Camo Records

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A fan requested we reprint this, so with tongue inplanted in cheek(s), here it is, edited down to a more condensed form.

Everyone at the musicians’ consortium was amazed but not surprised when it was revealed that Director Steve ‘The Steward’ was to be honored as one of the first three inductees into the Unheralded and Independent Artists Now Here Hall of Fame. [Article follows]

 U&I Artists Hall of Fame Ceremony Honors First Inductees

By Crow Byrdland McCaw [Excerpted. *See magazine for the full article.]

 The first annual induction ceremony of the Unheralded and Independent Artists Now Here Hall of Fame, (otherwise known as U & I AR NOWHERE) was held on Feb. 3 at the former Covert City Masonic Temple. It had been previously determined likely that nominee Steve The Steward had played there to a sold-out crowd with his high school rock band, and initial promotional releases gave this as the reason for selecting the venue. It was later speculated that promoters could have yielded to a favorable rental agreement for the hall since they scheduled the inaugural event during the Super Bowl. If fact, this may also have limited RSVP-ers and others in attendance.

 

The ceremony got underway with a short film outlining the sanctioning body’s charter. It centered on revered impressionist Vincent Van Gogh , explaining that the lack of any acknowledgement from the art community (or even his family), let alone any monetary recompense for his work, was the source of most of his troubles - pre-ear debacle. The message being: when he was NOW HERE, he was NOWHERE - and never saw a cent of the millions paid for his art years beyond his lifetime. After this came various sound bites of the nominees while lucky patrons of the arts enjoyed a sumptuous dinner of creamed chicken and peas. As dessert was being served, (Neapolitan ice cream block on Nabisco graham wafer), examples of honorees’ best known works were exhibited, encompassing art, sculpture, railroad car graffiti and music. This was accompanied by one of Steward’s compositions, finishing in an extremely high decibel range.

Following the collection of complimentary disposable earplugs, Steve The Steward launched into a mercifully abbreviated acceptance speech, thanking family, teachers, mentors and friends. [*See complete article for details.]

In closing remarks, Steward hoisted above his head the U&I Hall of Fame statuette, the unique and coveted 'NowHere’. [For those unfamiliar, the physical award is constructed using a faux-marble base with the words NOWHERE HALL of FAME and the inductee’s name inscribed just below on a vague imitation of gold. Leading up from the base is a small pedestal with absolutely nothing above that.] The Steward then said wryly, “This – THIS is why we are all now here!” - and, releasing his left arm from its vertical position, dropped the ersatz Grammy doo-whammy to the stage, shattering it in a thousand pieces, (ala Cornell Professor Harlan Banks).

The audience gasped in surprise. A few nervous laughs, and one cough. Then cheers and laughter erupted from much of the audience, while holdouts glanced furtively here and there in mild disgust at what they thought should be considered bad taste. But truth and the majority ruled, resulting in wild applause that lasted for several seconds, followed by a standing ovation. It wasn’t noted until after two dozen of the not-quite-SRO crowd filed out of their seats that their rising was perhaps an attempt to get to the local Burger King before midnight, for, in honor of the first U & I AR NOWHERE Hall of Fame ceremony, (as well as the Superbowl), special arrangements had been made to serve breakfast menu all night.

*Reprinted with the kind permission of the publishers of Wasting Time Magazine, March 2019 

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