So
I contacted his company at the time, Extreme Music, and went to Nashville to write
something. We had some coffee and just talked a bit...getting to know each other…then
went in the studio to view the taped sequence we needed to write to. I had watched
this 30 times already…but as SOON as I saw it with Steve… a light bulb went off
for both of us. We went right to work and wrote the entire song in about an hour…with
TONS of words and a story that fit the scene. There was NO rewrite on this song!
Anyone that knows me understands how important the rewrite is…I teach it. But
this song…nothing. I sent the rough back to the director and by the end of the
day we had the cut. I wish they ALL were that easy. A little icing on that cake
however was the fact that Steve, unknown to me, had a new band he was auditioning
for labels…he thought the song might be perfect for them. Before I knew it, they
were signed to Warner Brothers and Look At Me Now was released as the first single
in North America by the group Sixwire. It did very well getting up to about #15
on the Billboard charts. Might have been the easiest cut or cuts I have ever had.
Jana:
Your first song topic was about being misunderstood...Over the years, have
you found matters of the heart to be your most inspirational or successful?
Steven:
Yes…I think for most writers that is probably true. Love is always in the air.
People like to talk about it, curse it, embrace it, put it down, build it up…what
ever…there is ALWAYS plenty of material to write about when it comes to matters
of the heart. My highest charting single in the US was a song called ALL THIS
TIME...#6 on Billboard. I wrote that song on the day my first wife left me…I was
sitting there thinking…what am I going to do now. I called my co-writer Tim James
and told him how I felt. He was on his way up to Sacramento I believe... he pulled
over and jotted down an idea. Later he called me with it…I wrote the melody to
his wonderful lyric, changing very little. Before my ex had even gotten back to
Texas, we had penned a song that would later give us our first top ten single
with a young upstart named Tiffany.
Jana: How have changes in your life changed your writing?
Steven:
Well…the happier I am, the less I write! Sadly…I am really happy right now. You
are always inspired by different things at different times…the road of life certainly
leads you down a path…you just have to know when stop and write it all down. I
do write SOMETHING every day…a title, a phrase, a piece of melody…something. I
have literally HUNDREDS of full cassettes with nothing but ideas on it…back to
back. Most of which I will probably never look at again. But sometimes when I
feel inspired…I will listen back to some things and pick something I like. Then
it is just a matter of discipline to work on it and finish it.
Jana:
How much of your songs are a product of your imagination and not your experience.
Steven:
I think it is a really good combination of both….my inspiration usually comes
from my life experience…then I have to use my imagination to make it a great story
with strong imagery or an interesting melody. I love music…so I listen to a lot
of things…right now I am very into acts like Shiny Toy Guns, which I publish…and
Snow Patrol or Blue October. I love the pop side of the music world…I always have.
So when the stuff is good…I am into it and really pay attention. Averil, Gwen,
Pink, ….I love all of that shit...there is nothing like a great pop song. My 8
year on turns me on to many things too…and what an inspiration she is. To see
how excited she is to get me to hear a new song or artist she has found...it is
very cool. She turned me on to Feist, Aly and AJ, Cascada, Jonas Brothers, Ingrid
Michealson very early on…..and dozens more. It's nice to have that piece of inspiration.
Jana:
Being honest, what is your worst song topic?
Steven: I wrote
a love song back in the early 80's called (OUR LOVE IS) STONE COLD DEAD…it was
for a group called Peter Rabbit…they actually cut it. I don't think we sold much
at all….I have tried to forget the whole thing…thanks for bringing that up again….ha.
Jana: Did you have any surprise hits?
Steven: Well of
course I think so…but that doesn't really mean anything. A song has to get cut
and heard by the masses to have a chance to be a HIT….There are many great songs
by me and other writers that will not be hits….just because they don't get that
chance. There is a girl in Canada right now…Shanna Lynn…country act…that just
recorded a song I wrote back in 1996 in Nashville. I always really loved the simplicity
of it and of course it was pitched like crazy. But never got cut….then a producer
friend of mine in Vancouver...Bill Buckingham, was looking for some songs for
a new act….I thought of this one and sent it. He cut it and it is getting some
great airplay right now. She is not with a major yet but is still working the
song and getting it out there…so at least it has a chance….12 years later!!
Jana:
Your current projects?
Steven: I have a couple of projects
right now. As you know I am an active indie publisher. I signed a few great writers
that I am LOVING working with. An alternative artist named Brian Stoner out of
Orange County California, the writer for an electronic group out of San Diego
called White Apple Tree, and the talented lyricist from LA Pamela Oland. You might
know Pamela as she wrote Nobody Loves Me Like You Do for Anne Murray. In fact
that new DUETS CD is up for two Junos I believe. I love working with talented
people…all of these writers I am writing with as well as pitching their material.
I am excited about what is coming out of these writers and what the future holds.
I try and get them projects as well too. Of course if I can write with them that's
great…but that is not really the most important thing for me. I want them to be
successful and I believe in them.
Read the second
part of his interview
Read
previous Songbridge interviews. | 
