Today we’d like to introduce you to Stefan Carow.
Stefan, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
A few years ago, a friend introduced me to a guitarist and composer from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Daddo Oreskovich, who had just released an album of thematic avant-garde rock, all instrumental music. Daddo grew up during the war in that country in the 1990’s, he practiced his guitar in a cellar while war raged outside. You could hear this in his music, which I found so inspiring that we ended up collaborating on some of his songs, for which I wrote lyrics and created vocals.
This collaboration inspired an entirely new project I then wrote (music & lyrics) and for which, in 2017, I founded my progressive rock band DAYS OF NIGHT, called THE WARRIOR, a conception work (see more next page).
I grew up in a small country that doesn’t exist anymore. That country had a Wall to prevent “bad” people from coming in and good people from getting lost out there in the cold world – so they said. Somehow, although most people lived a normal life, every one of its 17 million people got affected by the Wall, one way or the other.
Dreams and imaginations were born out of what you could not have, couldn’t travel to, or be physically part of.
Art was born out of protest, to find a way to express feelings you couldn’t name or ran into trouble if you did name them.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I am a composer (of modern classical music), but also a rock singer-songwriter. In my band Days of Night, I play guitar, flute, harmonica and sing all my songs. My bandmates are Brian Klock, lead guitar, Matt Margallo, keyboards, and Soichiro Tanabe, drums.
On the previous page, I mentioned our project THE WARRIOR. Here’s what it’s about:
“The Warrior,” tells the story of a young man who, at a time ‘long ago,’ in a country ‘far away,’ was taught that the highest honor for a young man is to defend his fatherland at home or abroad. He proved himself worthy, trained hard and was sent to battle to lands ten thousand miles away from home. He was a brave and just warrior, fought tyrants, liberated suppressed people, and enjoyed the brotherhood of “one for all and all for one”… But one day, after a heavy battle, he awoke in a burning desert, feeling numb and paralyzed with pain, left all alone. And confined to his fate. He – who compares himself to Icarus, the ambitious Greek son who flew too close to the sun that his wings melted and he crashed – started thinking about what happened, how he got here, and what would have been if… There are songs about patriotism and betrayal, war and death, and about love.
We are currently releasing a first EP of six songs, titled “Pieces of Heart.” However, the whole project consists of more than 20 songs or a full, ca. 90 min show – which eventually is intended to be presented as a rock opera.
I would like people who listen to rock music, to stay sharp – rock fans have always been sharp, and there has always been social and political engagement in good music and art – taking a stance on war, freedom, and justice, on human rights, women’s rights, LGBT rights, gun control, and more.
Our “The Warrior” is against war, but also against seduction, betrayal by authority, the abuse of young people and their instincts, to fight and die for old men’s causes.
In your view, what is the biggest issue artists have to deal with?
survive economics – money hungry support industries, like recording studios, concert promoters, venues, publicity, video production, still photography, etc.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Please befriend or follow me on Facebook and Instagram. You can also check my website: www. stefaNCarow.com – I post all our shows ahead of time and will update the final release date for the first EP and others to follow.
Our single ICARUS streams on Spotify and Amazon Music and is available to download on iTunes and others.
The Wende concert takes place on April 5th, 2019 at 7:30 at The Wende Museum in Culver City, Please RSVP on their website: https://www.wendemuseum.org/.
Contact Info:
- Address: 10435 Lindley Ave. #266
Northridge, CA 91326 - Website: www.stefaNCarow.com
- Phone: (818) 421-2414
- Email: info@stefancarow.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stefancarow/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stefan.carow.1
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/12nightmusic/
Image Credit:
Chris Camargo
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
