I don't know how much you care about it, but I'm very excited for you to do this.I'll probably remind you every few weeks.Say, Steve, you done here?Have you done it yet?
Hello and welcome to WNC Original Music, episode 187, the Triacus Tetrahedron episode.
this week on the podcast part two of the return of steven evans of steven evans and the true grits steven is talking about his album buzz of bees a really great album go and listen to the review that alison price our resident reviewer did for the album really great album also you might notice uh through just a random series of circumstances i'm recording this in a rainstorm
outside, so if you hear some rain, that might be why.So if you do hear a little noise in the background, just remember that is relaxing rain.Just enjoy it.Go with it.Maybe some traffic.
You can find Steven Evans or Steven Evans and the True Grits at stevenevansmusic.com.You can also download his music on Bandcamp and Apple Music.Go to his website and the show notes for more information.Here is Steven Evans.
I wanna be a pirate Of the Caribbean Sea I wanna fly a spaceship Through the galaxy I wanna be a cowboy Riding western planes I wanna be the native Defending my terrain Cause I'm a kid
I wanna be a sailor of the ocean blue I wanna be a Jedi and of course be with you I wanna be an outlaw Wanna play the hero Shaping destiny Cause I'm a kid in a dream
Shooting a laser gun Arrow and rebellion Agent of intelligence Stealing the secrets Hero is my princess Saving me from darkest of nights.I want to be hopeful.Our nation gets it right. Never want to wait.Cause I'm a kid in a dream.
This was interesting because I wrote this song really quickly after I saw one of those Star Wars knockoff movies.This one was Han Solo story, I guess it was called.And I saw that and I just really, I grew up with Star Wars.
So it brought me back to, especially because Chewbacca is all over this film.Yeah, it was my favorite character when I was a kid.And it just kind of brought me back to those days.
And I was just thinking a lot about those days when I was a kid and had all these fantasies, you know, wanting to be a cowboy wanting to be a
a rock star, because my dad was a musician, and just having all these super fantastical ideas about what I wanted to be.And how you kind of, you never really grow out of that completely.
Because you still like, you know, like when I go see this movie, I'm like, oh, that would have been fun to be a Jedi or live in that kind of world, you know.
And so yeah, this song is about just being a kid and wanting to be amazing and all these things that are pretty much impossible, a lot of them.But that's basically it.
But you didn't recommend Star Wars for your movie.
I know.How dare you? I was trying to think more modern.
Yeah.What do you think is the best non original trilogy movie?
Yeah, for like, you know, the first three movies, Star Wars, Star Wars, right.So obviously, they were the best three movies.But of the recent movies, what's the best one in the past?
I think I was, I was mostly entertained by the last one.Oh, non trilogy?
Yeah, any, any, any Star Wars movie that's not the from the original, not Star Wars, or like, I would say, my favorite, I think was Rogue One.
Yeah, I'll agree with you there.Yeah, I was thinking, thinking in trilogy form.Oh, yeah.For some reason.But yeah, Rogue One, definitely.It was the best, like, from beginning to end, good movie.Very well done.
I don't have Disney, so I haven't seen any of the series.So I'm going to just get that when I retire and just watch it.That'll be my first day of retirement.I just start watching.
I recommend The Mandalorian for sure.
The music plays, she starts to sway And I'm unable to look away Flower in her hair, dancing in the street Floating on air, moving to the beat I wanna be close but I can't find my feet
Stephania A mystic stranger Enchanting me The music flows Temptation grows With brewing danger The darkness shows
Circles for hair, decks for teeth Devil in her hips, whips crackin' at her feet She's pullin' me close so I can feel the beat Oh, it's Stephanie
Miss Stefania You couldn't be a Spanish dream Miss Stefania The music fades She leads the way And I'm unable Rollers for a head, diamonds for a team Candy for lips, drinks smackin' like a dream Never been so close, now I lie here in defeat
Estefania Estefania Estefania Estefania
That's Kate.Brian.Yeah, she she wrote that for me.I asked her to do an intro to a Stefania.Okay, that's the intro.It's just her playing violin.I asked for like a dark and sexy, intriguing intro and she played it
I did it wrote an amazing intro for that song.And I gave her, you know, I wanted to make sure it was a separate track, because I wanted to give her all the credit and any, any airplay she might get from it.No, yeah.
Yeah, it sounds really good.
Yeah, she said it means ornament.Okay, ornamental filigree, the word.
Does she play live with you guys sometimes?
Yes, she's played twice with us, once with me as a duo and twice with the band at the Grey Eagle, two patio shows she's done with us.And she's actually going to do another one with us on June 3rd, another patio show.She's very busy.
I see her playing all over the place, playing with lots of people.
Yeah, she's in high demand.And she plays solo sometimes, too, and teaches lessons.
So if anybody out there is wanting violin lessons.
And then say that again for Estefania.
And that's Stephanie in Spanish.And it's my name is Steven.So it's like the female version of my name.
I didn't even catch that.
But yeah, Estefania, actually I was on the phone with my good friend, Stephanie.And we were just talking about stuff.And it came up somehow that maybe we should write a song about her.And we were just kind of goofing around.And I kept going.
We didn't really come up with much together.But then I started saying, maybe I'll just go, Stephanie, Stephanie, like I was just joking around.And then it clicked.
came to me Estefania, or actually, I didn't know how to translate Estefania correctly, so I was saying Estefanie, Estefanie, Estefanie over and over, and just as a joke.
Then I started coming up with some lines, and I came up with some lines, and I sang them back to her, and she liked it, so I was like, I wrote a full song, and it's not really about her.It just has her name in it in Spanish form.
But it also includes my desire to really want to go to Spain, because I have a lot of interest in going to Europe and visiting Spain.
This would make a great marching band song, I think.
Yeah, because of the snare?
Well, the snare.And also, well, I think I'm kind of tilted in that direction because when I was in high school, our marching band had a matador theme.We had the matador hats and our uniforms.Every year we played one or two
I don't know what the brand of music is, but you know, like this, uh, that kind of scale, like Spanish, like flamenco, a little bit like, yeah, but, but like with a lot of brass and all that stuff.
Uh, so when I heard that, that kind of reminded me of that, but yeah, I don't know if you're right.
I agree.I definitely could hear a marching band playing.
Yeah.Do you, uh, do you happen to know music notation?
Yeah.I played trumpet in college. and for the marching chiefs at Florida State.
You should write it out and send it to Asheville High or somebody.Yeah.I guess they have a marching band.I'm not sure.I have no idea.But send it to a bunch of high schools and let them all do it.
Yeah.Yeah.I don't know how to, like there's a lot, like bass clef. I'd have to have help with that.Maybe there's a computer program that would help.
Yeah, yeah.There's like online translators for all that kind of stuff.Yeah.Good.I used to have, uh, there's a good spot.I used to, cause I used to be in a band with a girl that played cello.
And so I would write out on that computer, um, the cello parts, um, and it would cut and that's bass clef.So it would convert it to bass clef. Oh, nice.Okay.
And it would even play it like you write it out and would play you like, you know, a synthesized version of it.Um, so you could make sure it sounded like what you thought it did.Yeah, definitely.
I don't know how much you care about it, but I'm very excited for you to do this.I probably remind you every few weeks.Say Steve, you done there?Have you done it yet?Yeah.
I should though.You're exactly right.Yeah.It's a fun song.I, uh, it's probably, the most requested song.
Over the land now Across the U.S.Such a brilliant glow With applause for your show Dine on divino Celebrate the time whiskey and wine.Lead like a gun, sudden as death, a joy the fun gone in a short breath.Shot holes in your song with a
Stage for your mind just Rage to unwind Whiskey and wine Oh, you were the music man But a man nevertheless Oh, you were the music man Why did you go to rest? Why did you go to rest?Don't say goodbye
So the band was done with family too far Many lives were spun in dimming of the stars whiskey and wine.Oh, you were the music man, man nevertheless.Oh, you were the music man, why did you go to rest?I get you now, I confess.I forgive you now,
This song I wrote about my dad, because he was a traveling musician for a long time.And then he started a family.And this was back in the 60s and early 70s.He was playing in a band called the Four Saints.And they traveled all over the country.
I'm not sure if they ever went out of country. He, uh, you know, back in those days, everybody was smoking cigarettes, a lot of cigarettes.It's, you know, it's like a madman with music, smoking cigarettes, drinking a lot of whiskey.
And, uh, you know, you're having a good time enjoying being musicians and having some success.
And then, you know, starts family and everybody starts having their families and they realize they're not really seeing their families anymore because they're, They can't see their families because they're on tour.
They're missing their children, grow up.So they all decide to not play anymore.And so this isn't unique to one band at all.This is like all bands that get older go through this.And then the party stops, but they're still
addicted to alcohol or whatever.And so they have trouble.
Billy got married.It was the summer of 69.I forget who did what.But that's exactly that.
Yeah, exactly that.And it's, you know, it's basically about that, how it's hard to not only is that the traveling life hard, but adjusting to coming home after it all stops.Right.And You're not getting the constant applause.
You have to go to work, like regular work now.And I related it to myself, too, because I stopped playing music.After playing music for a long time, I stopped playing, and I became depressed.
And I was drinking a lot more, not to the degree that my dad ended up drinking.So I related what my dad had gone through to him and it helped me understand him as an adult more because I could relate to him.And that's what the song's basically about.
It's about me relating to what he had gone through as a musician and stopping.
Did he do anything?Is his music online somewhere that you know of?Any old videos or anything like that?
I don't think it is online.There is, uh, they were actually on DECA records.
Um, what's the, what's the name to look for the four saints before saints?
Yeah.Um, I don't, you keep talking.Yeah.
I'm assuming you've looked them up before.
Yeah.I've seen, there was like, it was on a blog or something.They were showed up on a blog. And someone was selling one of their old records because they're probably it's probably a vintage.Oh, yeah.
But there's I don't think there's any actual recordings that you can play or listen to.
Oh, man.Hold on a second.
What kind of what kind of music is it there?
They were a quartet and they played.They were almost like vaudeville.Wait a minute.Can you hear this? Yeah, my dad played piano.
This?I don't think that's him.
No, that's definitely not.
Okay.Yeah.This is like from the 40s.He has a very like, the way I'm talking about violation now I have to figure out that.
Yeah.You want to pay for that?
Um, yeah, that's Yeah, I don't think you can access their music online.I'd have to upload it, probably.I'd have to find those recordings somewhere.
Yeah, it looks like there was a, like a maybe Italian doo-wop group called the Four Saints, too?
Probably.There were the Four Saints, and then they became just the Saints after one of their members left the band.
Wait a minute.Were they active in 73 to 78?Probably. Okay, wait a second here.I gotta watch this commercial.Hold on.Stupid YouTube.Used to be cool, man.
I know.You always have to dodge those commercials.
Before Google ever got a hold of them.
All right, well, you're probably somewhere deep.Yeah, in the internet somewhere.But I'd have to upload it myself.But they were like a four part harmony, quartet, singing quartet, there was a few other groups like that back then.Like the four tops.
Oh, yeah.Getting that right?Yeah.Something like that.But they And they would do like vaudeville, like comedy.
Stuff too.So they're, they're musical and comedic.Um, and they did some covers of some musicals, like some songs from music, man.Um, that's not where that title comes from though.But, uh, and, uh, and, uh, what was that riverboat?
Oh, OK.Is that a musical?Showboat, maybe?
Showboat.That's what it was.Yeah.So, yeah.They're pretty cool.I watched them growing up as a kid, and that made me want to be an entertainer like that.
Besides your dad's band, who are some music recommendations that you make, both national and local?
I would, I was, hugely influenced by my brother's band as well.They were called The Floating Men.And they do have all their stuff online.The writing is incredible and the melodies are great.
My brother, Scott, and his bandmate, Jeff Holmes, were the two main members of that band.They had a drummer, Jeff Bishop, too. We even covered one of their songs on our second record called A Rose for Emily that Jeff Holmes wrote.
But anyway, that's a band I highly recommend, and checking out their stuff online.And locally, I really like River Wireless.They're a traveling, they're nationally known.They travel all around. Who else do I like?Oh, Drunken Prayer.
I think Morgan Gere is a really good writer.And I definitely highly recommend people check him out.
By the way, just so you don't feel bad for leaving people out, after you say the next one, I'm going to cut you off.
So you're like, oh, and that way you can feel like, oh, and I was going to say 20 other people.
There's just so many.There's so many in town.
Well, we don't have time for all your recommendations right now, Steven.
All right.Daydream Creatures.Oh, yeah.They're a good band, too.
They're good.Yeah.Wait a minute.Oh, OK.Yeah, they're good.I was thinking of someone else that had been on the podcast.They haven't been on the podcast.So I'll cut that out.If you haven't been on the podcast, you don't get missed.
OK, more from Steven in just a few moments.I want to remind you, you can find Steven's music at stevenevansmusic.com.You can also download his music or stream it at Apple Music, also at Bandcamp.Also, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast.
Either go to the website, wncoriginalmusic.com, or search WNC Original Music wherever you get your podcasts.I left a little interlude in there so you can hear that rain again.
Corrections and clarifications.
from last week's episode with Andrew Wakefield.Golden, Colorado is a city in Colorado, and a Colorado golden is a type of dog.So we were both right.
Hi, this is Steph Barcelona from Crave Amico.
Hola, soy Steph Barcelona del grupo Crave Amico.
And you're listening to WNC Original Music.
Y estás escuchando WNC Música Original.
What was your favorite kids show when you were your kid?
Oh, I would have to say It was Mr. Rogers.Yeah, yeah.I don't know why.But that that was like a specific kids show.Like it was.I watched our gang a lot.
Like Spanky and the gang those guys.But that was I think that was just a show.But whereas
Um, I never got to see mr. Rogers cause I rode the bus home and I was like, I live way out in the country.
I was like, I was getting home like at five o'clock from school, you know, school would let out three 30 and I'm on the bus for an hour and a half.
So I had to watch like news hour, the PBS news hour, you know, I see like the last 10 minutes of zoom or something like that, you know,
Actually Sesame Street too, sorry.I don't know how I forgot that.I really like the Muppets.I don't think they called them Muppets before the Muppets though.
I think they did.They started even before Sesame Street.I don't know if it was the same time, but they used to be on Saturday Night Live. the first year.That was so they had some like really weird ones that were on Saturday Night Live.
Like it was a really bizarre thing.But I'm curious if they that that might have been the same.Well, no, Sesame Street started like in the early 70s, right?Yeah.Yeah.So they must have been for Saturday Night Live.
Yeah.There's some good kids shows back then.
My heart is hidden beneath the alabaster Warning the forbidden of impending disaster Soul is still pining beneath creeping shadow She's always shining through my goals She hollows it in a dream She's waving from a train that always leaves
Tossed in the swirling waves of her laughter She's dancing, she's twirling, and I drown ever faster And I see her face in all her heated glory Taken my place by the fire of her story
Like a rocket to the night, she's a rocket To the night, she's a rocket
Flashes are flying Darkness is chewing A rose-colored skyline And I see her face Gaze far into the west God has the faith In the heart of my chest It's not a dream She's waving from a train That always leaves me
Yeah, that's that's one of the bands.I almost said it earlier.Just I just wanted to save it in case you brought it up.That's one of the songs that the band really transformed when I brought it to him when I brought it to them.
It was really slow, like it was so slow.And then we played it and I was like, we need to do something to this in the band.And they suggested playing it faster. And then it became almost like a barn burner.
Sort of like you could picture people do-si-doing to it.But yeah, that's a fun song.I wrote that about basically how I was getting the feeling that every time I got in a relationship, that when things started to take a downturn,
after the initial honeymoon period that people wouldn't stick around.So I actually had a dream of a woman waving from a train.
And I didn't know what it really meant when I dreamt it, but I put it in the song because in the rain, obviously, it's an easy metaphor for, you know, bad weather.So that's not really a metaphor for that, but it represents stormy times.
That's basically what that song's about.It's just how I fall for somebody and then things, you know, the honeymoon period's over and then there might be some trouble times and then they're just gone.They don't try to stick through it.
Nothing's wrong.We'll battle on till it's all gone.It's a story with no glory.The last rose fading black. Disappears When preaching fear Like lightning spears To our ears It's a good book If you don't look Give your money For that honey
Last rose fading away This ain't the last road I'm fading black When life's a gun Shoot skin they shun.Race can't be won.These are sad days, the way the flag waves.All the caged ones, all the murdered sons.Senseless war, but for oil whores.
The last rose fading Save the last rose of fading black The ocean's right We can't disguise Earth won't win Despite our sin The last rose fading black The last rose fading black The last rose no turning back
The Last Rose is like the only protest song I've ever written.And I wrote it during Trump's administration, not to get political, but it made me sad.And it wasn't just because of Trump.It was everything going on at that time.Yeah.
It was just, you know, I was hearing about climate change.I was hearing about shootings and you know, black people getting shot by cops and, and just like a focus on how much, you know, gun violence there is.And it just made me sad.
And the last rows is basically about how we're, everyone's becoming divided and, and, and we're the earth, you know, the, our environment is getting worse and it's like, You just picture this rose dying, like love in the world dying.
That's what that represents to me.And I had to get it out.And it's basically about if we don't come together at some point and do something or just love each other, then that's it.
There's going to be a point where we're not going to be able to come back from it.
In this lonely rocket Peacefully float through space I could stay up here, don't you knock it With the stars feelin' safe But hey, I may come down as free Heart open wide to thee Start a new love up there.Gotta say, it's an awesome rocket.
Keeps me high above the rain. Sun and moon set the pace.But hey, I may come down as free.Heart open wide to the air.If true, will you seize re-entry?Start a new life. I may come down as free, heart open wide to the air.
If truth will you seize re-entry, start a new love affair.Start a new love affair.
The last lonely, lonely rocket, lonely rocket.Yep.I thought it said lonely Rolodex, man.And this is not small writing either.
Lonely Rolodex would have like one card in it.
Oh man.That's okay.I'm going to write that song.I hope that's okay with you.Called it.
Yeah.Do it.And is that a harmonium in there? No, that's the synthesized accordion.
It's basically a synthesizer playing.Yeah.The accordion sound on there.That was Aaron Price's keyboard.Yeah.And yeah, that was this song is silly.It I just wrote it about I just pictured like, being in, you know, feeling lonely, but like being up in
space and a rocket and how lonely that might be, especially if you're just by yourself.Yeah, of course.But that's what it feels like when you're lonely.You just feel like you're you're so isolated.And I wrote this before quarantine, too.
Like this wasn't you think you'd think that I'd come up with this during your scarily prescient semester.But and just thinking about is it time to come out, you know, come back into the atmosphere or back to Earth and start being social again.
And am I ready?And is the person ready that I'm going to meet?Are they ready for me?That's the basic idea of that song.And just made it fun with the scatting and the accordion.
Nice bouncy song to finish the record, especially after a serious song like The Last Rose.
Yeah, it was it was a good closing closing song there.
Yeah, it reminds me of the like, when you used to see, like the credits on like Bugs Bunny, they have like that, like the happy finish, right along at the end.
Don't sing too much of it.
Oh, yeah.Yeah.I think they use all.Well, no, I should check.But, you know, they're using like Kill the Wabbit Kill.I mean, those are like five hundred year old songs.I think I should be OK with those.That's true.I am going to double check that one.
Who's do you have someone that that you you get?I'm sure.Well, probably the band, but people that you get feedback from on your songs as you're as you're writing them.
That's why all these songs were played live before we recorded them.So we could gauge by their response how they were doing.And when I write, if I don't think the song is good, I'm the first editor in the song.If I don't like it, I'll
just to get rid of it.If it doesn't stick with me, you know, it doesn't resonate.I won't keep it.And so, but it's playing them live before you, like a lot of bands that go in the studio and they bring all these songs that no one's ever heard.
And they just, and they, I, they just self edit all their song.Like they don't have any, feedback before they put the record out.And then they go on tour, and then the people hear them.
Whereas usually bands that don't have, they basically have to play the gigs to get the money to be able to record when you're not as well known.So you have the ability to test them out before you record them.What's your favorite vacation spot?
Asheville, North Carolina.
I really like, that's a funny question because I really haven't, I just like traveling.I like national parks.So out west, like Glacier National Park and the Tetons and places like that, or Olympic National Park in Washington. Some beautiful spots.
I like camping and stuff.That's why I live in Asheville because I like camping and hiking But as far as tropical, I really like the Keys and the Bahamas Have you ever been to?
What's the place in Canada?It's like my favorite place and now I can't think of it Vancouver No, it's like the Rocky Mountains in Canada There's a large National Park in Canada.I
Well, I know Glacier goes up into Canada too.Like half of it's in Canada and half of it's in Montana.
It's like outside Alberta.Anyway, you should go there.Find out where that is and go there.Okay.Thanks one more time to Stephen Evans for being on the podcast.Don't forget to look for his music all around town.
He plays live a lot with his, both solo and with his band, The True Grits, Stephen Evans and The True Grits.Just a really great live band.You can catch them all around Western North Carolina and sometimes elsewhere.
and don't forget to go to his website stevenevansmusic.com that's steven with a ph because he's pretty hot don't forget to subscribe to the podcast wncoriginalmusic.com or search wnc original music wherever you get your better your better podcasts we don't you know you're not going to go to one of the crappier podcast places and find wnc original music i tell you that much
The closing song this week is provided by Jack Hyphen.Jack Hyphen was born out of the split of the indie rock band Point Zero from the town of Hertfordshire.I think I'm pronouncing that right.It is Point Zero.
Jack has taken the act from a one-piece to a four-piece band with a much larger sound.You can find his music at jackhyphen.com.Here's Jack Hyphen.Have a good week.
That's hypothetical, definitely not medicinal I'm sure you're aware and I know it doesn't help There is no guarantee when dealing with reality You've made it this far so what else is there to do? It seems it won't last
The picture seems so clear now No need for a frame, yeah, the colors will run, they'll fade out It won't happen that way So stop that train Before you crash again
I've broken up marriages over less, man.
