Steve Bonham of Steve Bonham and The Long Road Interview by Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International Magazine & Radio Show
Lamitschka: Music has many new
fans throughout Europe who may be hearing about you for the first time.
How would you describe yourself and the music you play to someone who
has never seen or heard you?
Answer: Renegade
Americana, Anglo-American, Roots? It’s hard to pin down the compelling,
distinctive high energy music of Steve Bonham and The
Long Road. It’s a swampy brew of styles mixed from both sides of the
ocean, characterised by sharp lyrics, great melodies and the fab sound
of acoustic instruments being played with passion and purpose. It’s a
kind of music that appeals to the outlaw in us
all. It features as fine a bunch of rogues as ever hit a recording
studio. As well as Steve Bonham, The Long Road consists of Chris ‘The
Bishop’ Lydon on piano and tuba, Kev Moore on bass, guitar and drums,
and John Humphreys on guitar, resonator, banjo and
fiddle. Between them they can muster decades of experience on the road
and in the studio fired with a shared passion for acoustic music from
both sides of the Atlantic and a commitment to create something
compelling and memorable.
Lamitschka: How was the last year for you? What were your highlights?
Answer: It
was an amazing year – we released two complimentary albums_ The Girl
With The Rattlesnake Heart and Reliance and my new book about hitting
the trail in America – A Beautiful Broken
Dream – was published. On top of
that I think we really nailed as a band what The Long Road was all about
this year. I have always been a sucker for the sound of acoustic
instruments played raw and real with a rock’n;roll
heart and a folk / country soul – like the very early Rod Stewart (
You Wear It Well; Mandolin Wind; Maggie May etc . We got that there this
year and its magic
😊 !
On top of that things have really taken off in a big way with fab reviews and tours of the US and Germany lined up/
Lamitschka: What is your latest CD and how’s it doing?
Answer: Both
the CDs seem to have really struck a chord with DJs and listeners – we
have even made the charts down in Louisiana this week !
Lamitschka: How did you choose the title for the CD? Is there a story behind the name?
Answer: The
Girl With The Rattlesnake Heart is named after a song I wrote with Kev
in the band which is getting loads of airplay and views on YouTube.
Reliance
is a place in the Appalachian forests and mountains which was a kind
of Rivendell I stumbled across after 12 days on the trail. It was a
santuary in the midst of madness.
Lamitschka: Do you write the songs yourself? If not, how do you go about finding the songs for your CD?
Answer:
All but one of the songs on Rattlesnake is by either by myself alone or co-written with Kev or The Bishop.
For
many years I have been a bit of a vagabond heading out ,mostly on my
two feet along the backways and byways. There is a ‘truth’ in journeying
that I find compelling – to take
to the trail ‘opens’ you out to chance and serendipity – the wonderful
world of accidental meetings and encounters. It’s about getting the
dirt under your finger nails, the blisters on your feet in the quixotic
compelling attempt to see the world through
other eyes. The outputs of this? Albums such as ‘The Moon’s High Tide ,
Songsmith and now with compadres in The Long Road: The Girl With The
Rattlesnake Heart and Reliance. And books like A Little Nostalgia for
Freedom and now , ‘A Beautiful Broken Dream.'”
Lamitschka: Please tell us about the songs on your album (influences, etc).
Answer: Oh
so much: Americana; Blues; Ray Davies of the Kinks; Steve Earle and
Townes Van Zandt; Fairport Convention have been friends for years. As I
mentioned
ealry Rod Stewart; and really rootsy stuff cajun; rockabilly; probably a
bit of Irish in there too … Johnny Cash of course
Lamitschka: What is the difference between your last CD and your current one?
Answer: As
I said I think these two albums plus the book ( the whole thing is
known as The Gone to Look for America Project ) is where everything came
together. Kev Moore – who has played
with Christie, Saxon and others – really helped consolidate the edge
to where we were going.
Lamitschka: Your current single
is being played by radio. What do you feel is special about this song
that makes people want to hear it?
Answer: The
Girl With The Rattlesnake Heart seems connect with a lot od people in
different ways. It’s got its own voice but knows where its coming from !
It’s a hooky as hell and lyrics draw
you in.
Lamitschka: What will your next single be?
Answer: Oh I don’t know just yet either Last in Line or Sally in Blue Flames I think.
Lamitschka: How much creative control do you have over your music?
Answer: It’s a band effort with the amazing Stuart Jones at Woodworms Studios making up the 5th member of the team.
Lamitschka: Who inspires you musically and how deep do your musical roots run?
Answer:
As well as
the musical hero’s above I think I am really shaped by books like
‚Bound for Glory by Woody Guthrie; On the Road by Jack Kerouac etc. Many
of my freinds are explorers of one kind or another.
To me buting a guitar at 15 and teaching myself to play it was an act
of liberation which still fires me up so may years later. The song
‚Won’t lay my guitar down‘ on the Rattlesnake album by Kev and Me is
about this.
Lamitschka: What inspired you to become a songwriter?
Answer: I was shit at learning other people’s songs !
Lamitschka: What can your fans expect to see when they see you in concert?
Answer: Passion, humour, great melodies, songs that that take you high and bring out the inner outlaw !
Lamitschka: Many music fans
today get their information about artists online. Do you have your own
website and what will fans find there?
Answer: www.vagabondphilospher.com or stevebonham01 on Facebook
Lamitschka: What’s your favorite song that you wish you could have recorded?
Answer: Lay Lady Lay
Lamitschka: What message would you like to send your European fans?
Answer: Connect !