So Stevie tell us a little about yourself as a musician? How long have you been playing? What bands/artists have you played with in the past?
Ever since I can remember, I have always had a curiosity for music and would use certain colours to identify a certain pitch. I took up guitar at the age of 11, playing in various high school bands and at the age of 20, spent 5 years on and off learning with The Grand Silent System guitarist, Daniel Calabro. Having moved to Melbourne in 2007 after a 6 month stint in outback Queensland, I began to perform solo as a means of getting into the music scene. And this is when I began to develop my singing voice. Along the way I met and shared the stage with likeminded people like solo artist Daniel Reeves, Colin Thompson from TH3 and Nick Jorquera who undertook the 80 gigs in 80 days project to highlight the importance of the local music scene in Melbourne. And last year the StevieJNorth band began when my friend and work colleague, Michael Tomasewski was inspired by the debut recording (Pushed to the Ground) that was released in 2010 and since then we have been jamming and performing together to reach creative heights that I hope to capture in the next StevieJNorth release.
How did you get involved in music?
I don’t think it was a choice, it was meant to be. When given the choice between learning guitar and piano at the age of 11, I chose guitar and wrote a song for a local church rock band. I was instantly made a member after that. Fast forward to 2004, and I was lucky enough to catch a gig from The Grand Silent System and was blown away at the depth and composition of the music. Linking up with their guitarist, I was taken into a whole new world of music which challenged the notion taught to me that it is not wise to waste my time on music because you can’t make a living out of it. Within a few years of learning guitar with Daniel Calabro, I didn’t care whether I could make a living or not. So from 2007 I have been very involved in music creation and performance and just enjoying the ride.
How would you describe your sound?
Powerful blues roots with a hint of non-sense. Furthermore, it’s evolved under the mantra that “necessity is the mother of invention”. The sound has evolved from the acoustic guitar to the electric guitar and fattened up a fair bit, but gets stripped back for solo shows. It’s quite a big and complex sound that’s come from years of experimenting with effects and techniques to try and make the sounds in my head a reality.
Who are your influences?
Jeff Lang, Jeff Buckley, Cream, The Grand Silent System and Hank Williams.
How do you feel your Movember Tour has gone?
It’s been quite a roller coaster of a ride. The generosity that audiences have shown has been wonderful and it’s bought me to new places like the First Tuesday Blues Club in Sale, a club that’s ran by volunteers to bring live original music to the Gippsland town of Sale and the Bridgewater Bay café which is one of the most scenic live music venues in Victoria. At the start of the tour, Michael was bed ridden with a back injury so the band gigs where changed to solo gigs at the last minute but it was still a great time and it goes to show that if anything can happen on a tour, it will.
If you could share a stage with any band/artist in the world who would you choose?
Jeff Lang, because he is a stellar performer and a very decent human being. In 2009, I emailed him for advice and he kindly replied with a very long and thoughtful response that only a seasoned musician with his level of experience could come up with. It was a really moving experience.
What are your career highlights so far?
Playing a support show for Geoff Achison, releasing my debut EP (StevieJNorth-Pushed to the Ground) last year and touring it around Victoria, performing to a really reception audience in Aachen Germany, performing at the very first Dunolly and Bendigo blues festivals, performing on National Radio (ABC Radio National) and of course this year’s Movember tour.
If a crowd comes to see Stevie J. North perform live what will they go away remembering?
Listeners and fans alike tell me that the melodies and stories in the songs grab them in everytime. I am addicted to music so whether it’s a band or solo show, I want people to feel something in the songs, to be deeply moved.
You’ve just about to release a new video. Can you tell us a little about it? What can people expect to see?
The video is a tribute to anyone who has fallen on hard times and needed to leave their home. Like the song it is representing, the video is an opportunity to look back at where I have come as a musician and a man, but it’s also looking to a future that’s unknown and exciting at the same time. It’s like a mini movie and very story driven which is a specialty for its producer, Steve Polanski.
What was the process like putting together the video?
Much more intensive than recording and a real humbling experience. I found that creative types in the film industry at an underground level are very generous with their time and expertise. And do they have some stories to tell. After the first day of shooting, actor Tom McCathie rolled out a 10 metre long dried snake skin from an anaconda in Brazil where he had shot the snake moments before it tried to drag a helpless young boy under the water into the Amazon river.
Where do you hope you end up in 2012? What are you short term goals? What are your long term goals?
Happiness is only real when shared so 2012 will be about working with more people and building on the team of both creative types and music lovers who have generously helped for StevieJNorth to evolve to where it is right now. In short, my drummer (Michael Tomaszewski) and I are bursting at the seams with new material and can’t wait to get a new release out in 2012. The longer term goal of this would be to tour it both locally and interstate to build on the touring that’s come out of the debut release over the last year.
Where do you play live so people can come to see you?
Mostly in Melbourne and regional Victoria in various bars, pubs and clubs. Some of my favourites are the Tonik Bar in Kensington, the Basement Bar in Bendigo and Hotel Bentinck in Portland. Listeners can go to for more information on where they may catch a StevieJNorth show.
Is there anything else you would like people to know about you and your music?
Some things can only be communicated with music.
Do you have a website people can check out?
Yes, www.steviejnorth.com
The website has StevieJNorth band and solo recordings, photos, news, gigs and the StevieJNorth Pushed to the Ground EP is available for sale in physical and digital formats.
There is also a StevieJNorth Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/StevieJNorth/136259296392494