Stevie Steve and the Spanners

Stevie Steve and the Spanners is an occasional foray into roots/folk music. The first album was released in October 2021. Out on all the usual platforms: Spotify, YouTube, Apple. Also a 50 limited CDR.

Here are the sleeve notes. 

Stevie Steve and the Spanners
Call me old fashioned but....

1. Someday
2. Mary Ryley
3. Nottingham Folk
4. Last Great Wish
5. A Book
6. Harold and the Midget
7. Sacred Idleness
8. Apathy
9. Spanner in the Works

Recorded at The Mouse House Studio 2020 & 2021, except "Spanner in the Works" which was recorded at Whisk Studio in 2014. The percussion was recorded by Sam Howard at The Curien Mansion and the keyboards and digital instruments were recorded by Steve Howard at Whisk Studio, as were extra vocal tracks. Mouse House sessions were engineered by Tony Foster. Album mix and post production by Sam Howard at The Curien Mansion who also engineered the original "Spanner in the Works" session. Mastered by JP Braddock. Cover design by Mixup from an idea by Daniel Chatto-James. Produced by Steve Howard. Whisk Records SP2101, 2021.

Steve Howard: Lead vocals, Backing vocals, Keyboards, Synths, digital Accordion on 3 & 5
Ben Bennett: Guitar 1,2,3,5,6,7,8, Lead vocal on "Sacred Idleness"
Wayne Evans: Bass, Double bass on "Last Great Wish", Backing vocals
Tony Foster: Guitar 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, Harmonica, Backing vocals
Sam Howard: Percussion on 1,3,4,5,6,8, Electric Piano on "Apathy"
Mark Joseph: Cajon on 2 & 7
Paul Asher: Accordion on "Mary Ryley", Violin on "Sacred Idleness"
Jon Harris: Guitar on "Spanner in the Works"
Tracey Beeby: Saxophone on "Spanner in the Works"
Kimberley Roman-Lees: Backing vocals on "Spanner in the Works"

Music:
1,3,5,6,8: Bennett, Evans, Foster, Howard, Howard
4: Evans, Foster, Howard, Howard
2,7: Asher, Bennett, Evans, Foster, Steve Howard, Joseph
9: Beeby, Harris, Steve Howard, Roman-Lees

Lyrics by Steve Howard except "Sacred Idleness" by Ben Bennett.

The idea for this band was spawned in 2014 when I wrote a song "Spanner in the Works" in an attempt to find a folk or roots type feeling, a style to which I hadn't applied my limited talents to before. Whether it succeeded or not is debatable, but I recorded a version at Whisk Studio with the help of Jon Harris, Tracey Beeby and Kimberly Roman-Lees. At the same time Jon and I started to practice a folk/roots version of Just Can't Get Enough by Depeche Mode, but it was shelved and the whole idea was laid to rest.

Guitarist and singer Jon has been at the coal face of rock and roll since his teens and had a band career with such luminaries as The Presidents Men, Kings of Oblivion, Seven Little Sisters, The Fab Two, Fez and Toasted Frog. We first met and crossed swords when I joined Ian Bearder's "Fez" in 2008, contributing to two albums during our period in the band. Tracey has worked on many of my albums for the past fifteen years. He has played saxophone across the genres with Aistaguca, The Beeston Big Band, Metropolis and The Ska's. His instinctive approach and willingness to apply his talents to any idea brings a spontaneous and compelling blend to my diverse sounds. I met Kim in Los Angeles where she lives and works with my old school friend Graham Lees. They run Studio 47ONE8, own Duenier Productions and Kim writes and sings with Virgo Serena. Although not on the album Graham is a great support in my musical efforts and therefore an honorary spanner. Graham played guitar in the 70's and 80's with Art Failure and The French before laying down his guitar and applying his skills to the role of a sound engineer, working for and touring with everyone from The Fall, Sam Fox and Radiohead.

A year or so after the "Spanner in the Works" song I met guitarist Lloyd Sutton "Ben" Bennett at Tony Foster's Mouse House Studio and started to watch his group The Lincolnshire Poacher All Stars (The Guffrits when they play elsewhere), that also features Wayne Evans, Tony Foster, Mark Joseph and Paul Asher and the nucleus of this band are also known as The Mouse House Cats. I also contribute to Ben's "Tom-Taylor Trash" annual Christmas CD of songs and comedic banter. Ben, a solo songwriter, formed "El Gecko" around 2003 with Phil Jackson and Dave Sidebottom soon joined, along with Mark Joseph. It was the influence of his song writing and guitar playing that reignited my interest in recording some more rootsy odes and laments and I used the dual talents of Ben and bass player Wayne Evans to prompt me into writing a few new songs. Ben contributes one of his own songs "Sacred Idleness" to this album. I first saw Wayne, back in 1974 with Nottingham stalwarts Gaffa who I saw playing at the Imperial Hotel and the "Extravaganza" on the bandstand at Victoria Embankment. Wayne's career in music started in the late sixties with The Tadpole Lane And District County Council Charity Band and Hi Bred Mishap and after Gaffa he has entertained far and wide with The Florida Snow Shifters, The Marcel Marceau Sound and Mas Y Mas. A spirited song writer and musician Wayne still plays today with The Last Pedestrians, The Lincolnshire Poacher All Stars and The Mouse House Cats. A life in music has seen guitarist Tony Foster travel the world, play and record with a roll call of acts that include Spiritualized, Julian Cope, Dave Gahan & Soulsavers, Rob Wyatt, Youth, Girls Aloud, Be-One and Olive and share the stage with some of the musical greats. However, it is his selfless attitude that is his greatest asset always helping and encouraging me in my often wayward musical ideas. Keeping it in the family, Sam Howard provides percussion. Operating solo as The Ratt King, we first worked in 2005 as The Blackmarket Sound and he has helped on many of my projects as both an independent and refined ear and using his expertise and patience to find a mix in the cacophony of sound I often produce.

For my part, I write a song or two every now and again, sing and tickle the ivories even if those ivories are made of some 21st century plastic and the sounds are electronically produced. I've played with many groups and musicians, but recent adventures include Fez, The Barons Boys, Howard Foster Esquire, Sharp Thorns and Instant Whip. It is my great honour to have made this new album with The Spanners, friends without whom these ideas might never see the light of day.

Stevie Steve, 2021

Wayne, Tony, Ben, Paul, Mark and Steve. 2020 

Graham, Kim, Tracey, Steve and Jon. 2014