January 10, 2006
Five Questions With: Steve Reynolds
Notes: Steve’s album, Exile, will be released January 24th, 2006. Steve will be playing a Fingerprints in-store Saturday, February 4th. Check out Steves KCRW session here.
1. WHAT WAS THE FIRST RECORD YOU BOUGHT?
You want the real answer or the one that makes me seem cool?
I seem to remember buying Neil Diamond’s “Stones” album…Way, way before he “brought Flowers” to Barbara Streisand. I still think he is an incredible songwriter…oh and I think I bought Janis Joplin’s “Pearl” album at a garage sale…. the cover art captivated me and freaked me out more than a little.
2. WHAT IS THE MOST RECENT (GREAT) RECORD YOU’VE HEARD?
The new Sigur Ros album is pretty spectacular, I heard a song by the Magic Numbers I thought was great, I love Tom McRae’s new record, and not just because I hummed on it.
The Warlocks new one, Fiona Apple’s “Extraordinary Machine ” …a lot of great new stuff.
3. WHO INSPIRED YOU TO START MAKING MUSIC?
Well, that kind of involves a lot of different artists and people…but here are a few.
David Bowie was pivotal, I remember hearing “Hunky Dory” when I was about 14 and thought it was magic… Listening to “Baba ‘O Reilly” by the Who with huge headphones on in the dark still kills me.
I was really into punk rock back then and there was a band who lived down the street who were quite big in Vancouver at the time called “the House of Commons.” Watching them rehearse and roadie-ing for them at concerts really made me want to be on stage with something to say. And then of course, my mom, who thought I was too anti-social sitting in my room listening to music all day, so she rented me a guitar and got me lessons so that I would have something constructive to do…good move on her part.
4. DO YOU HAVE AN INDIE RECORD SHOP STORY/MEMORY?
Funny, I was just reminded of this the other day when I heard a song in a shop.
It was by the Left Bank called “Walk Away Rene”…I heard it on AM radio when I was around thirteen and thought it was the greatest song ever…. so I went out to every record store in Vancouver to try and find it and no-one knew what I was on about.
Until I discovered this little used record store in downtown Vancouver; I can’t even remember the name now sadly, but I went in there and it was like walking into a treasure chest.
The old guy behind the counter knew exactly what I wanted, and could tell me all about the baroque style that this particular band was using. See, I still remember what he told me…don’t even know if it’s true, but I was impressed. Those kinds of stores were my schooling.
5. IF YOU WEREN’T A MUSICIAN, WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT RUNNER UP?
Let’s hope I don’t have to stop being one, but if I did I always thought being a teacher would be pretty satisfying. Well, you know since I don’t actually have to be utterly based in reality, I would love to sail boats, big old tall ships with an obscene amount of sails, and explore stuff. I’m sure there’s a job like that somewhere… like in 1492.
Let me dream.