EverTune Featured Artist: Steve Stevens

#EverTuneTV welcomes Steve Stevens, guitarist, songwriter, right-hand man to the great Billy Idol, Grammy Award winner and all-around badass. In this candid conversation, Steve discusses the art of creating memorable guitar parts, the influence of classic rock legends, and translating complex studio arrangements to live performances. He also talks about EverTune’s role in his latest recordings and performances at major events like the Ozzy induction and the Super Bowl. Excerpted from EverTune TV Episode 101 with Matt Blackett.

#EverTuneTV Episode 010: Steve Stevens - YouTube

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#EverTuneTV Episode 010: Steve Stevens

❯❯❯ Time Stamps ❮❮❮

00:03 Intro
00:39 The relationship between a great singer and a great guitarist
03:42 Philosophy on creating memorable guitar parts
05:55 "White Wedding" and the power of the intro
07:02 Influences for song structure (Beatles, Stones, Kinks), melody, lyrics, and arrangement
08:43 How guitar parts can drive an arrangement
10:04 How Jimmy Page and others informed SS's crafting and layering of guitar parts
13:26 Translating studio layers into a live performance
15:01 Creating the middle section to "Eyes Without a Face"
19:31 Using EverTune on The Cage EP
23:52 Using EverTune for the Ozzy induction, the Super Bowl, and outdoor festivals
25:56 What's next, new record, working with Billy Idol, etc

Interview Transcript

Matt (00:03)

Hey everyone, welcome back to #EverTuneTV. I am your host, Matt Blackett, and today I'm joined by Steve Stevens. Guitarist, songwriter, right hand man to the great Billy Idol, Grammy Award winner and all around badass.

Steve (00:27)

Yeah, how much do I owe you for that?

Matt (00:29)

Well, thank you...

Steve (00:30)

That's pretty glowing. Yeah. Great.

Matt (00:31)

Thank you so much for being here. Welcome to #EverTuneTV.

Steve (00:34)

Yeah. My pleasure.

On Guitar Arrangements and Influences

Matt (00:39)

There's just something about the combination of a great singer and a great guitarist. What can you say about that?

Steve (01:11)

...I love the whole process of it... I'm trying to take life's experiences, channel that through the guitar into what the end result should be.

Matt (03:23)

A lot of these guitarists create parts that are super memorable. You've certainly done that with your famous tunes like Rebel Yell and White Wedding.

Steve (04:10)

We always called it “The Flag”. We had to have a great intro, something that let them know the cavalry's coming... It was a guitar exercise that I had from listening to fingerstyle guitar players.

...we said “Yeah, we need a flag”, you know, at the front end of the song.

Creative Process in the Studio

Matt (08:42)

You always have very clever guitar arrangements, with subtle changes throughout a song.

Steve (09:22)

...finding an independent guitar part, came from a lot of different sources...

Using EverTune in Performances

Steve (21:02)

...EverTune really shines when you go to drop tunings... it's great.

Matt (25:55)

What’s next for you?

Steve (26:04)

We've just finished a new full-length Billy Idol record... and we'll be incorporating unique performance opportunities...

Steve is joined by Matt as they discuss life, music, and the importance of loving the process, emphasizing how the artists who have lasted the test of time still cherish their craft.