Steepwater
Band
The
Chicago-bred trios organic, hard-driving synthesis of gutsy hard
rock, gritty Delta blues, soulful backwoods boogie and down-home
psychedelia has taken its hometown by storm. The frenzied power of
the band's live shows has won them a fiercely loyal fan base, and
their last CD Dharmakaya (produced by Sean Slade & Paul
Kolderie Radiohead, Uncle Tupelo, Hole, Warren Zevon) received
substantial airplay across the Midwest, including Chicago's
influential WXRT.
The Steepwater Band (guitarist / vocalist Jeff Massey, bassist
Tod Bowers and drummer Joseph Winters) have played
together since their teens in various rock and blues combos. The
three musicians united to form The Steepwater Band in 1998, taking
the name from a barge Massey spotted in Lake Michigan.
The young trio quickly found their own voice, progressing from covering
Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, and John Lee Hooker songs to writing
and performing their own compelling originals. From the beginning,
The Steepwater Band has been a relentless performing unit,
playing an average of 125 shows per year -- headlining such
prestigious Chicago venues as the Metro and the Double Door -- while
expanding their touring base throughout the Midwest and beyond.
The band made its European debut in 2005, performing at the Azkena Rock
Festival in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, and has shared bills with acts as
diverse as Buddy Guy, Wilco, Govt' Mule, Cheap Trick, Umphreys McGee,
and Deep Purple.
Revelation Sunday clearly draws the roadmap of The Steepwater Bands musical
drive and direction. The songs on the record range from
straight-ahead roots-rockers like Collision and Steel Sky, to a
composition of Indian flavor called Dance Me A Number. They even
dabble in pop-sensibility on the infectiously catchy Halo, along with
the beautifully melodic A Lot Of Love Around. Brand new and
collectively written as a band, the song sequence on Revelation
Sunday takes the listener on an aural trip through the bands
present, while offering a glimpse of what might be in store for their
future.
The creative electricity and contagious energy of the band is equally
evident in their live performances, as their shows have been
well-received by critics and fans alike. Its the unpretentious
devotion to their music, and their commitment to achieving their
musical goals without compromising the integrity of their musical
vision, that makes The Steepwater Band such a refreshing discovery.
WHAT
THE PRESS THINKS ABOUT THE STEEPWATER BAND...
"Classic
influences but no nostalgia...these guys are fresher than most of
what gets passed off as 'new' these days."
~ Richard
Milne, WXRT Radio, Chicago
"Taking
a spin with Chicago sons The Steepwater Band and their latest release
'Revelation Sunday' is akin to traversing the backroads of American
rock and blues, then crossing the pond for a close look at how
certain British rock gods purveyed that music."
~ Ward
Meeker, Vintage Guitar Magazine
"On
'Revelation Sunday,' Steepwater sound more focused, more salivatingly
hungry than at any time in the past. These are the rawest, heaviest
tracks they've ever laid down...Hound Dog Taylor would have loved
this, R.L. Burnside, too. It's what you'll put on when you're doing
straight shots and engaging in questionable behavior."
~
Dennis Cook, Jambase.com
"Integrity
as the only direction when creating music from the heart -- something
truly rare these days, but an obvious fact if you're talking about
The Steepwater Band."
~ Azkena Rock Festival, Spain
"If
Janis Joplin and Ronnie Van Zant were booking a band to play on a
serene summer night and the Allman Brothers were unavailable, it
would without question be The Steepwater Band."
~ Mack
Rawden, Cinema Blend Music
"Not
only do these longhairs know their Johnny Winter and their Johnnie
Walker, they sure as shootin' dish it out in a nuclear hoedown of
dirty fuzztone lead and slide guitar riffs."
~ Creem
Magazine
"Jeff
Masseys dirty sounding, masterful slide work reminded me of Exile On
Main Street era Stones. The band's sound is firmly entrenched in the
roots of the blues; however they also up the ante by throwing tinges
of psychedelia and country into the mix and the sound is absolutely
massive and in your face at all times."
~
Ryan Sparks, Classic Rock Revisited
"The
Steepwater Band is firmly entrenched within the scope of their
influences. If you like hard rock, Delta blues and southern
boogie you will definitely enjoy this band."
~ Zane Ewton,
RockWorld
"In
a time when old-fashioned rock and roll is coming back in style, The
Steepwater Band is a cut above the rest of the field."
~ Pop
Culture Press, Austin, TX
"This
band has traveled a long and winding musical road. From the
Delta to the electrified blues of Chicago, across the Atlantic to the
blues-inspired rock of the Stones, Zeppelin and Free before making
their way back through the Texas roadhouses."
~
Bluesbunny.com, United Kingdom
