I am actually very lucky to have many musical partners...writers and musicians...Chester Drowers is my favorite cohort.
Influences
I am influenced musically by cats like Tower of Power, XTC, EWF,Ornette Coleman, P-Funk,The Venture Brothers,Django Reinhardt, David Sylvian,Iggy Pop,Son Music,Curtis Mayfield, Weather Report,The Who,Dali,Ryuichi Sakamoto, Virgin Prunes, Led Zep, Spock's Beard, Jaco Pastorius, (early) Echo and The Bunnymen,70s Funk,Mick Karn, Kate Bush,Killing Joke,Asylum Street Spankers, James "Blood" Ulmer, Fela Kuti, Kevin Gilbert,Tom Jones,Porqupine Tree,Prince,ARU,Chihuly,Nick Lowe,Mingus, Monk, Defunkt, Stranglers,Bunuel,Tom Waits, Miles Davis, Jeff Beck, John McLaughlin,Tim Finn,Bowie, Diamanda Galas,Peter Gabriel and many of my musician friends..... I am a slave to the groove!
The Story that I’m sticking’ to.
I began my music career at the tender age of 4 playing a rather Blue Cheer-esque version of a song I had made up on ukelele…the result of my ranting and raving made me 85 cent richer and pointed me directly to my lifes path…music.
I forged on, taking guitar lessons at age six…my mom, in her most Florence Henderson like way, tried to help me along with my studies but it was evident; this Mexican Brady was kicking music hard and was not going to stop until I needed a new pair of Keds.
I continued to play music in my teens, feeding on a steady diet of Parliament Funkadelic, EWF, the Bar-Kays and WAR…if you know wadda mean.
My friends in high school, were as big an influence as any and opened my head up to bands like The Sex Pistols, XTC, Talking Heads, The Jam, U2, Echo and The Bunnymen, and David Bowie, man was I ready to be in a band!
Upon finishing school, I switched from guitar to the mighty bass, and formed a band with some like minded pals… The Playground Slap, taking the 80’s by storm, we wrote some crazy music and played a ton along with bands like Fishbone, Ministry, Midnight Oil, The Untouchables and The Bears among others. We were able to record my very first piece of vinyl (yes, vinyl!) and got radio airplay…woo hoo!
Years later, and a bunch of recordings as a studio rat under my belt, I joined a band called HateRomance (Imagine Bob Dylan playing in a band with Pink Floyd, The Replacements, all at Miles Davis studio) we were wooed by several labels (RCA, Interscope, etc.) but after 4 years we made a career decision to split up…we still are great friends.
The 90s brought me to the doorstep of The Cloud Merchants, rather successful bunch of Christian music fellas… got a record deal (Salt Music Inc…straight outta the Tulsa Bible belt!) we sold an obscene amount of Cds and toured around the US, and were in quite a few ‘Godzenes”, but money turned this band into smelly cheese, after 4 busy years of backbiting, I left for greener pastures.
I was very fortunate after this to be dropped into the middle of the San Diego Acoustic Singer Songwriter Explosion, being one of the only bassists amongst all this wealth of talent was a feather in my cap, I shared the stage with folks like Gregory Page, Mary Dolan, Carlos Olmeda, Dave Howard and with my own group, The Wild Truth, along with my buddy Sven Erik Seaholm, who is a monster producer in his own right… “We tune, because we care!”…Thanks Jeff Berkley!
I got the producing bug during my stint as an A&R director for an online music label, SpinRecords.com where I learned about the nuts and bolts of the industry; after a year and a half, the company president embezzled millions and with a POOF! It all went up in flames…ah, the music business…this experience taught me a valid lesson, take your destiny into your own hands so, The Modern Bakery Music was born.
I produce in an organic fashion, on analog and digital formats; whatever it takes to make the music right. A main component of producing is listening…because all the secrets will be told...why a song was written…why an artist does what they do...then I use whatever experiences I have had to create a proper table to sit at and feast.
And after all that has gone on in my life, I firmly realize now that God has been at my side the whole time...so now, we hang out quite a lot.
I can be seen , in my natural habitat, collaborating with as many great musicians and creative types as possible.
I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4
My new record just came out this week on I-Tunes and CD Baby. I have included a video talking about the record, hope you enjoy it! Please leave us some feedback to let us know what you think! Thanks for your support.
-Ray Stephenson
PS: This album would make a great stocking stuffer ;)
Hi my friend, I hope you find yourself happy, healthy and busy. I have just put up three tracks on my player and ask that you kindly check them out and let me know what you think of them. The first was written for my Daughter and is entitled "AMY'S OCEAN" which should chill you all out after a hard days work. The second is called "CHASING THE FANTASY" which will definately wake you up again afterwards, haha.... and the third is entitled "TRANQUILITY",.. which speaks for it's self. Anyway....Throw an ear on them for me, and let me know what you think my friend,..because after all, if my friends won't listen.... Who will eh, haha. Sending Peace, and Respect to your good self, and I thank you for your continuing support and friendship............... Stay close eh! BISCUIT
PS.... If you have the time, Please check out my other tracks too.... Thank you.
Hi! I've just uploaded a new demo track of my all bass waltz "Angel" as well as new demos of "Soulmates" and "And at the Going Down of the Sun" I hope you will get to check them out and let me know what you think :)
Close your eyes, take a deep breath and press play.. perfect for your relaxing time, 989chill is out now with brazilian composer and performer Celso Ricardi. Get Chilled!!!
I've just uploaded a couple of new demo tracks, "Lullaby" a tune I recorded with my Spector fretted bass and "Soulmates" a new rough demo recorded with my Zon Hyperbass. I hope you will get to check them out and tell me what you think :)
Hey I've made more updates to my myspace. I've added three brand new tracks "Ad Vitam Aeturnam" , "The Meaning of Times Passing" , "Are We Smoking'?" and brand new recording of "Two Minds"........Hope you get to check them out and let me know what you think :)
Today I would like to let you know about two print magazines in Germany I'm writing for.
"Living Line Dance", reporting about line dance and country music, and "Folk Magazine", reporting about folk and country music. The magazines are high respected in Europe. They offer you a good chance to publicize yourself in Europe and Germany.
For more information, please contact me at MySpace or send email to Ch.Lamitschka@t-online.de with the headline "Advertise at Living Line Dance and Folk Magazine".
Online Now!
