The train tour was amazing! It invigorated my writing (there's nothing like careening through the lakes and fields of a frozen Northern Ontario at 150 km/hour in a dining car sipping wine and singing to passengers, hearing their stories and making new friends). As a result, I've been writing a fair bit lately, and I appreciate all the support I received from those of you who purchased my Circadian Anthem EP online and at my shows. I'm trying to decide at this point whether to finish it as a full length project with Dale Murray, or seek out another producer and start over on a full length album. There are logistic and creative factors at work here, primarily Dale's availability (he's hard at work on Christina Martin's new record at the moment, not to mention touring with Blue Rodeo with his band Cuff the Duke) - which means waiting until later in the year to record 6-8 more songs. If I had the means, I'd record an album every year, but as any songwriter will tell you, rent can get in the way of creative output. I released Circadian Anthem as an EP partly because I couldn't afford to record any more songs, but also because it's a thematic project in my mind ( a lot of songs about sleep, waking up alone at 4am, and the dangers of nostalgia.) As a result, I'm tempted to leave it as it's own project. The songs I've been writing are a little different than those of Circadian Anthem, so I think my heart is leaning towards a new full length album. I am, however, keen on shooting another video with my friends Michael Fox and Steve Yorke. We had a blast on the Comfortably Sweet video and we've been mulling ideas for another one. I'd really like to do something animated for Your Life as a Piano, but again, there's that rent thing, so we'll likely do something akin to (though entirely different from) the zombie/ghost love story with an obvious zero budget and lousy makeup. I guess there's a certain charm in that though, as I really enjoyed that video, and many people chose to 'share' it; the ultimate compliment in a fickle online world of sometimes overwhelming content.
Well, I must be off to run some errands. I have a song that needs a better half, and two cats that need to be fed. Until next time my friends -
Steven
Hey folks, thanks for swinging by my website. Lots of news to report around these parts. First and foremost I'd like to direct your attention to my brand new music video. Christina Martin and I re-recorded an old song of mine as a duet back in May, and I released it on my Circadian Anthem EP (which you can purchase on itunes and in my music section - and also visit www.eastcoastcountdown.com to cast us your vote, the song is now in their top 10). Then on a sunny summer day before we set off on our national tour together, we decided to meet up with some film-making friends of ours (Michael Fox, Steve Yorke and Mat Dunlap) and we filmed this little zombie/ghost love story. I hope you dig it, our only expenses were my zombie clothes (used from the Salvation Army store), a couple beers at the Henry House during our shoot wrap, and the unfortunate expense of Mat's external hard drive getting accidentally wiped, but that's a story for another time.
I'm heading out across the country again, this time I'll be performing in the lounge car of VIA Rail from Halifax - Edmonton, December 16th through the 20th. Prior to that I have some house concerts and acoustic performances around Eastern Canada, and I'm working on new material for an upcoming recording.
Thanks for swinging by, and keep in touch -
Steven
Hey folks.Thanks for checking in. I'm currently out on a Cross-Canada tour with the lovely and talented Christina Martin www.christinamartin.net The tour dates, locations and venue details are on my "Shows" page here. Hope you'll join us for one or more along the way. Meanwhile, you'll find my daily tour blog...well, almost daily...on my facebook page at http://tiny.cc/SOyzQ Thanks to all of the good people who've come out to the shows! You can also check out Christina's tour blog at http://tiny.cc/K87CT
Oh ya, one more thing...my new Circadian Anthem EP is now on available for download from itunes or mail order on the music page here! See ya down the road.
Steven
I'm sitting in my aparment in Halifax right now, taking a break from packing my tent and supplies for the Maritime Acoustic Festival at Kempt Shore. It's been only two weeks since the Stan Rogers Folk Festival in Canso, one of my favorite times of the year. If you've never gone, you absolutely should next year. Shooting Whiskey with Dave Gunning & Christina Martin, meeting Sarah Harmer & Corb Lund, having JP Cormier play on my songs during one of our stages, hearing Susan Crowe, Cindy Church and Raylene Rankin singing three part harmoney on my song "Harmony Girls" - quite overwhelming and encouraging for a songwriter. My sister and her boyfriend Stuart flew home from Alberta, and my wife Kristan and I camped with them all weekend with our friends Matty, Chris, John Boyd (of ECFM radio in New Glasgow - a good friend who brought the world's smallest tent to Stanfest - check out a prank Matty played on John here, that's my tent to the right of John's baby tent: http://tinyurl.com/lseo5d). We were rained out the first night, but the sun found it's way through the clouds mid-Saturday afternoon. I've posted some Stanfest pics on my Facebook music page, I will be updating frequently, and you can join here: http://tinyurl.com/nr7v6b.
I have recently recorded a 6 song EP with local producer/musican Dale Murray, it's called Circadian Anthem. It features Dale and his brother Brian and myself on all the instruments, and guest appearances by Kelly Sloan, Christina Martin, and Fleur Mainville. You will soon be able topurchase an advanced copy here As well, it will be available for download on itunes, rhapsody, etc. by mid-August. I will be completing it as a full lenght album in the Fall, but in the meantime I wanted to release it as an EP in time for my tour....which brings me to my next paragraph...
I'm doing a national tour with Christina Martin, we are playing shows from Halifax to Vancouver over 5-6 weeks with shows in PEI, NB, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta & BC. Tour dates will be posted next week with ticket information, show locations, etc. Christina's music is great, check her stuff out if you get a moment.
Well, I should get back to packing the camping gear - Thanks for stopping by, I greatly appreciate the continued support!
Steven
Hey friends - I want to thank those of you who bought tickets to come out and support us on our Whisky Hymnal Tour. Big thanks to Music Nova Scotia for their support as well. We had a great time on the road together learning each others songs & writing new ones. Thom Swift joined us for the Amherst show at the Tantramar theatre and it was a standout night. Thom may join us for the tour next year if we're lucky enough to do it again next year.
Christina Martin, Dale Murray and I resurrected an old song of mine called 'Comfortably Sweet'. We recorded it from beginning to end during a six hour session last Thursday night at Dale's studio. I had to change some of the lyrics from the original version to be able to live with it again. I shelved it a few years ago but some friends of mine were looking for a certain type of song for a project, and this seemed to fit. If the song isn't right for the project, I'm going to release it on my next record. For now, you can stream the song at myspace.com/stevenbowers if you'd like to hear it. Christina is a real pro, she sings lead vocals on the song. Also, she and I are doing a coast to coast tour of Canada together starting in mid August. We are booking dates now and will post the tour schedule soon, I know for certain that our last show together for the tour will be in Vancouver on September 22nd. I'm working with Dale Murray (who produced Christina's latest record Two Hearts, also a member of the great band Cuff the Duke) on some new material that we're hoping to release some time this year. In the meantime Homing is available for digital purchase online at places such as itunes. I'm in the process of setting up my 2006 release "Tired Light" for online distribution as well.
That's it for now in the goings on of me. I'll update the site again when we get our tour dates confirmed. I also just found out I'm performing at the Stan Rogers Folk Festival again this summer. That's a very big deal for me. If you've never been, you should check it out. www.stanfest.com. Bring your tent along and set it up near ours. We can play frisbeer.
Steven
Hello, thanks for stopping by my little piece of the web. I just wanted to let you know you can now purchase "Homing" & "Tired Light" in the music section of this site. Also, a big thank you to those of you who came out to the shows in Toronto, Calgary & Fort McMurray. Big ups to Matt & Megan for letting me crash at their place in Toronto. Two very kind friends - the scotch was magnificent. I had a great time on the road, and I hope to get out to see you again soon. Halifax is beautiful right now, what with her dead leaves of gold and red, and that crisp, cool wind that bites the ears. The early evenings too, I love when it gets dark at 6PM. Most people enjoy the long summer days, but I am a sucker for autumn.
Also, my dear friend Fleur Mainville is battling cancer. Fleur was the force behind the uplifting string section on "Homing" & she's the reason I re-recorded "Bees in Jars" acoustically (she played fiddle on the earliest demo of this song and I always felt that's how it was meant to be recorded). Please stop by www.flowersforfleur.com if you would like information on how you can help out. She's also made a beautiful Christmas album called "Fleurries" which you can pre-order at this site.
Much love,
Steven
Aloha Friends,
I want to say thanks to those of you who came out to our CD release show here in Halifax. I was very moved by your support. My friends The Stanfields were excellent, they are slowly becoming my favorite band. For those of you in the Halifax area, you can purchase "Homing" at CD Plus locations at the Halifax Shopping Centre and on Barrington St., as well as CD Plus stores in Truro and New Glasgow. Check back regularly as mail order and MP3 options will be up and running in a few days for Homing, as well as for my previous releases Tired Light & Wanderlust. I did an interview with Carleton Munroe at ECFM, click here to check that out.
My sister is in Hawaii, the Aloha was for her.
S.
"Homing" CD Release - Halifax
The Carleton
Wednesday, August 13th - 8pm
$20 (CD included)
902.422.6335 for reservations
www.thecarleton.ca
Hello friends.
Where to begin... After a year of hard work at Dave Gunning's home studio with some very talented musician friends of mine, I'm pleased to be releasing "Homing". The title of the album, and the song Homing, were inspired by my friend Stephanie Domet's novel Homing: The Whole Story from the Inside Out. We're doing a show at the Carleton to celebrate, I hope some of you can make it. My band, The Acoustic Theft, will join me on stage for an acoustic set. The Stanfields (formerly Folds of Policy) will open the evening. Please check back as we update sections of this website, and thanks for the support!
Steven