Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Dawson.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’m a Los Angeles-based full time-guitar player who also sings & plays bass (like a ‘real’ bass player) – but Brooklyn, NY-born & raised in Elmont, which is a suburb, 20 minutes outside Manhattan – very close to the hub of the world but a galaxy away from it… But I’ve always been fascinated by the mystery of how we enter this world with a predisposed gift. And when one recognizes that gift & then has the confidence to pursue it, life changes in a huge way & I’m grateful I acted on it at such a young age.
In 1977, I heard/saw KISS & by six years old, acquired a drum set. I then saw them in 1979 at New York’s Nassau Coliseum & was hooked. My parents introduced me to the R & R of the 1950s & I loved Chuck Berry & Duane Eddy but like most kids born around 1970, KISS was our Beatles… But I ultimately was seduced by the electric guitar & by age 11, had gotten one. I finally felt ‘free’ & haven’t looked back since. And that, for the most part, is the divine seed that I recall being sown.
The 1970’s & 80’s rock & roll/soul connection has never left me but sonically, I initially recall being captivated by Tom Scholz & Eddie Van Halen’s guitar sounds/playing, which to an eight years old kid, sounded like aliens were landing on my roof. I definitely saw colors when I heard those two guitar players! Then enter the church of Frank Zappa, Rush, Joni Mitchell, Paul Westerberg & The Replacements, Sly & The Family Stone, AC/DC, Yes, Beatles, Stones, Cheech & Chong, Chris Cornell, David Bowie, Steve Vai, Stevie Wonder & beyond. I feel these artists can go toe-to-toe with anyone & off the cuff, connect with them the most.
Well… I began playing NY clubs, parties, etc. for no money & had no interest in attending college so in 1993, quit my crappy job & at 21 years old began the real hustle, ultimately landing private guitar students & a paid position at NYC’s MAGIC SHOP STUDIO in Soho – check out Dave Grohl’s ‘Sonic Highways’ final episode #8. I then formed the band BAD ASS FRANKLIN, which was a costume-adorned, wildly energetic rock & soul 5-piece that embodied the spirit of Zappa’s Mothers Of Invention, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ween & Kiss. We were an instant hit in NYC & no one could touch us. We played everywhere to consistently packed rooms – notably CBGB, Wetlands, Continental, New Music Cafe, AKA, Mercury Lounge, Pyramid, Brownies, Coney Island High – & all are long gone, as expected. We had the most devoted fans a band could hope for & it was a magical era that saved me from what otherwise was an extremely dark time in my life. BAD ASS FRANKLIN only gained local success in NYC, so once the band folded, I moved into NYC full-time & began re-hustling for hired gun gigs & sessions.
That led me to working with countless bands/artists as the hired-gun-guitar-guy, which then led me to playing with some notable ones like Ronnie Spector, CJ Ramone, Jesse Malin, Joan Jett’s Blackhearts (Thommy Price), John Cameron Mitchell & Lena Hall (Hedwig & The Angry Inch), Leif Garrett & Muzz Skillings (Living Colour). I’ve even performed with actor Alan Cumming, which is a direct result of that NYC rock/pop-meets Theater-Broadway overlap. Experiences like performing on The Tonight Show w/ Jay Leno, Late Night w/ Conan O’Brien, The Late Late Show w/ Craig Ferguson are all a real joy, among doing some real legendary venues/shows – Carnegie Hall with Bruce Springsteen, Austin City Limits Festival with Bjork & The Killers – getting to do stuff like this is cool! No complaints, there.
But all of that has led to me now living a newly inspired & revived life in Los Angeles, after over 28 professional & personal years of music making & life-living in NYC. In short, I needed a radical change in my life or I would die. I gradually became beyond miserable & could not adjust to the changes there. I refused to just accept it & become what I call a ‘lifer’. The lead-up to relocating to Los Angeles is a very long story but I began plotting out what I was going to do & eventually left NY in 2016 & moved to LA on my 44th birthday – May 4th. I also first left for Las Vegas 7 months prior on October 4th – so the number ‘4’ has been a bit of an exclamation point for me the past five years haha…
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course, the roads have not all been smooth. Many of my struggles in my formative years were very tough but I always loved what I was doing, so I could ultimately sleep at night & wake up in the morning. And although I tore it up quite a bit, I was lucky to have not developed crippling habits which lead to that downward spiral. A big struggle was almost convincing myself that I was too old to leave my home & start over – leave my roots, my musical network, my family & friends. Everything. So that alone was NOT smooth. It took a lot of courage for someone wired like me to leave NYC. I relocated to Los Angeles with not ONE gig. Not a penny coming in. I hit a few real hard bumps the first 3-4 months in LA but stuck with my decision & still feel it was the right choice to stay. I gradually began to land various gigs, stayed patient & also kept the promises I made to myself before I landed at LAX.
Long story short, I get the calls, I tour a bit with GRAMMY Nominated blues/Americana/Blue Elan artist Janiva Magness, do some touring with the BEST Rolling Stones Tribute Band out there (never did the tribute scene but these guys are killer), play with some of the baddest musicians in LA & have played with a lot of fantastic artists here. The past few years, I’ve found myself rockin’ out with Dee Snider (Twisted Sister), Bill Burr (he plays drums), Stephen Perkins from Janes Addiction, Steven Adler (Guns & Roses),Dug Pinnick from Kings X, among many others. I spend a lot of nights at The Whisky’s Ultimate Jam Night & Soundcheck Live at Lucky Strike, hanging & jamming with incredible people. And coming soon at the Palace Theater, we’ve got the Rock Against MS Benefit, where I’ll be with Robbie Krieger, Steve Stevens, Steve Lukather & Orianthi, among a lot more great people. So the struggles are worth seeing through.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
My primary business is being a touring/session guitar player, who sings well, plays lap steel & electric bass, along with teaching guitar privately & recording sessions I do on my Pro Tools / Digidesign setup. But I’m most proud of my own music, as that’s really me at my most inventive & creative. I’ve focused on experimental instrumentals the past few years, as that’s what I’ve been feeling. And all the current material is on my SoundCloud & YouTube. Humbly, I think the stuff is unique & hope some others can also dig it. The stuff is also very editable & can easily work in films, commercials or even video games. I generally really like what I write & record. And although I’m a guitar player & the music is ‘guitar’-driven, it’s not noodly, guitar player-type music. It’s somewhat electronic – ish, with focus on unique, oddball sounds & arrangements with hypnotic bass lines. That turns me on. So I’m definitely set apart from your typical guitar community person.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
My personal belief is that everyone measures success differently but remaining myself no matter who I am around works for me, regardless of professional or personal situations. Honesty, not arrogant cockiness, is a quality that I can live with. I tend to have a direct character to my personality but it’s just my Tony Manero/New York character taking over lol. But I do have proper class & table manners… Also, I’ve never been a liar or greedy, never tried to get something for nothing from anyone & I generally give everyone the benefit of the doubt because you never know when someone is ‘temporarily’ insane & god knows I have been. I have a real stubborn side & once in a while, do have to give that a kick to the ground to keep it in check. So I think we all could benefit well from responding rather than reacting. And forgiveness is definitely a GREAT characteristic. I’ve screwed up but never truly beat myself up over my mistakes or became bitter. That’s a good characteristic which I hope to stick to & feel others should. Ultimately, I feel being the master of ones own fate, counting on oneself & the right kind of humility is essential to some sort of happiness, peace, success & satisfaction because I believe being a true co-dependent could prove fatal, more often that not. And not everyone was born the same, so empathy is another excellent human quality that we should all focus on – artists and non-artists. And there is a difference in the two, believe me. I’m also more collaborative than competitive, but that is my choice to be that way. Huge egos propel & fuel people into full-on control freaks but I personally have no room for that. I also still like to have a good time! Hanging onto that inner, inspired child keeps one passionate, creative & young. At least that’s what I believe is nature’s success. And if one has that, I believe they’ll live a better life.
Contact Info:
- Website: stevedawson.net
- Email: stevenedawson@outlook.com
- Instagram: stevegtrdawson
- Other: https://soundcloud.com/stevedawsonlosangeles
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