Steve Collier

A review from Gary Allen - Tennessee Concerts

A review from Gary Allen

Steve Collier has the eye of the tiger and that's what it takes to have a serious music career. He writes his own songs and plays all the instruments like Sir Paul McCartney did on "McCartney" which is one of my favorite Beatle solo LP's. Stevie Wonder can wear all the hats as well, so he is in good company from the start. He successfully merges different stylings and is the composer/singer/guitarist/drummer/bass guitar and engineer on all these tunes. Serious musicians from the Great White North need to help this dude out. He isn't an octopus :D He writes more than love songs however, check out "Fix Your Swing". They play golf in Canada, eh? By the way, I expect some back bacon in return for this review and some brewskies!

Steve's songs are personal but listener friendly like my favorite track, "Don't Give Me Up" that actually sounds like a sixties style anthem. He couldn't have been alive in the sixties so he is no doubt channeling the British Invasion as one of his many influences. He also had the courage to rank himself with John Bonham as an air drummer. I just stole all Bonham's licks and made them my own by pulling them out of the air and applying physics to the situation. Steve spends less on sticks and gear with his approach and his neighbors don't wish him to move! Irate neighbors will come after you like the Frankenstein villagers.

"Mudslides and Tidal Waves" puts me in the mind of early Led Zeppelin, around the third album. Steve has a welcome and deliberate homespun simplicity that is focused and creative. The melodies are catchy and he has his own style of delivering vocals that at times is very Peter Gabriel, and that's cool. He seems to be the eternal thumbs-aloft optimist after studying his lyrics, and will probably be the guy hamming it up at awards shows and putting up antenna behind the drummer's head. Good
for him. Unless I'm the drummer, of course.

You would never know the piecemeal recording process if I didn't tell you. The songs have the energy of a room full of live musicians. That's not easy to do. I have built songs from the drums up and it takes discipline and quite frankly, talent. A lot of hard turns and interesting production quirks add to the fun and suggest a mischievous spirit lurking behind the songwriting and performance. The collection of songs are cohesive and and the guitar work is imaginative and pleasing. Steve's original songs stand as a true testament that musical skills can blur stylistic boundaries when the product is executed with heart, soul and originality. His treatments of his songs are very reminiscent of one of my favorite rock and roll bands, "The Cars" when they painted their masterpiece, Candy-O.

To his credit, Steve Collier circles his subject in eloquent detail without ever attempting to define with any finality what lies at the heart of his songwriting. In doing so, he has succeeded in creating a compelling appreciation of some remarkable pieces of music. A solid debut showcasing lots of skill that should spare you the sophomore jinx. You only need to follow these up with more of the same and it's living out of a suitcase for you pal. I can lend you one; used of course. You are going to hate the early morning wake up calls to have a chance of going through someones home at 700 mph in a jet plane. I digress. Congratulations on placing so high in my competition and thanks for referring to me respectfully as Mr. Allen. I usually answer to Charlie or Cale's drummer. I look forward to hearing more from you and watching your musical progression.

-Gary Allen (JJ Cale/The Charlie Daniels Band/Stonewall Jackson
- Music City Beat/Tennessee Concerts

A review from Gary Allen

Steve Collier has the eye of the tiger and that's what it takes to have a serious music career. He writes his own songs and plays all the instruments like Sir Paul McCartney did on "McCartney" which is one of my favorite Beatle solo LP's. Stevie Wonder can wear all the hats as well, so he is in good company from the start. He successfully merges different stylings and is the composer/singer/guitarist/drummer/bass guitar and engineer on all these tunes. Serious musicians from the Great White North need to help this dude out. He isn't an octopus :D He writes more than love songs however, check out "Fix Your Swing". They play golf in Canada, eh? By the way, I expect some back bacon in return for this review and some brewskies!

Steve's songs are personal but listener friendly like my favorite track, "Don't Give Me Up" that actually sounds like a sixties style anthem. He couldn't have been alive in the sixties so he is no doubt channeling the British Invasion as one of his many influences. He also had the courage to rank himself with John Bonham as an air drummer. I just stole all Bonham's licks and made them my own by pulling them out of the air and applying physics to the situation. Steve spends less on sticks and gear with his approach and his neighbors don't wish him to move! Irate neighbors will come after you like the Frankenstein villagers.

"Mudslides and Tidal Waves" puts me in the mind of early Led Zeppelin, around the third album. Steve has a welcome and deliberate homespun simplicity that is focused and creative. The melodies are catchy and he has his own style of delivering vocals that at times is very Peter Gabriel, and that's cool. He seems to be the eternal thumbs-aloft optimist after studying his lyrics, and will probably be the guy hamming it up at awards shows and putting up antenna behind the drummer's head. Good
for him. Unless I'm the drummer, of course.

You would never know the piecemeal recording process if I didn't tell you. The songs have the energy of a room full of live musicians. That's not easy to do. I have built songs from the drums up and it takes discipline and quite frankly, talent. A lot of hard turns and interesting production quirks add to the fun and suggest a mischievous spirit lurking behind the songwriting and performance. The collection of songs are cohesive and and the guitar work is imaginative and pleasing. Steve's original songs stand as a true testament that musical skills can blur stylistic boundaries when the product is executed with heart, soul and originality. His treatments of his songs are very reminiscent of one of my favorite rock and roll bands, "The Cars" when they painted their masterpiece, Candy-O.

To his credit, Steve Collier circles his subject in eloquent detail without ever attempting to define with any finality what lies at the heart of his songwriting. In doing so, he has succeeded in creating a compelling appreciation of some remarkable pieces of music. A solid debut showcasing lots of skill that should spare you the sophomore jinx. You only need to follow these up with more of the same and it's living out of a suitcase for you pal. I can lend you one; used of course. You are going to hate the early morning wake up calls to have a chance of going through someones home at 700 mph in a jet plane. I digress. Congratulations on placing so high in my competition and thanks for referring to me respectfully as Mr. Allen. I usually answer to Charlie or Cale's drummer. I look forward to hearing more from you and watching your musical progression.

-Gary Allen (JJ Cale/The Charlie Daniels Band/Stonewall Jackson
- Music City Beat/Tennessee Concerts

'Once in a Lifetime', co-written with Nashville songwriter Sherri Beaumont has earned a Semi Finalist placement in the Song of the Year Contest for 2011. - Song of the Year Contest - 2011

'Once in a Lifetime', co-written with Nashville songwriter Sherri Beaumont has earned a Semi Finalist placement in the Song of the Year Contest for 2011. - Song of the Year Contest - 2011

Steve Collier has received a 'Suggested Artist' placement in the 2010 Song of the Year contest for the song "Don't Give Me Up". - Song of the Year Contest - 2010