Steve Almaas

Music

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General Info

Genre: Alternative / Americana / Roots Music
Location NEW YORK, New York, US
Profile Views: 28832
Last Login: 9/2/2010
Member Since 6/27/2006
Website www.stevealmaas.com
Record Label Parasol Records: http://www.parasol.com/labels/pa
Type of Label Indie
Bio
.. .. .. .......... .. .. ..Proclamation.. .. .. WHEREAS, in the words of “indie” music industry shaker and mover, Peter Jesperson at New West Records, “The Suicide Commandos are THE Granddaddy’s of the Minneapolis/St. Paul music scene that later bred The Suburbs, Husker Du, The Replacements, Soul Asylum and The Jayhawks;” and .. .. Whereas The Suicide Commandos put the Minneapolis Music scene on the map; and .. .. Whereas The Suicide Commandos carved a path where there was none before. Many of the Minneapolis bands that went onto big success may not have done so without the Commandos having done so; and .. .. WHEREAS The Suicide Commandos, like other rock bands of the late ‘70s, such as The Ramones in New York, and other “punk bands,” like The Sex Pistols in England, helped shape a rock ‘n roll renaissance by peeling back to the basics with a swell sense of humor and rock history; and .. .. WHEREAS The Suicide Commandos helped propel the commercial viability of new, independent labels by taking risks on non-major labels and meeting a hunger in the market for a new rock spirit among fans and music entrepreneurs alike; and .. .. WHEREAS The Commandos, as they were known fondly by fans and media alike, indulged in consistently producing entertaining nights out in now-legendary downtown bars, such as The Longhorn, with, what The Commandos called in their own original rocker, “Complicated Fun; and .. .. WHEREAS this loud, fast trio was among the earliest subjects of pioneering rock video filmmaker Chuck Statler (Devo, Elvis Costello, et al.) with its song “Burn It Down,” thus helping to expand the rock video genre (even though the house in the video was one they rehearsed in….); and .. .. WHEREAS drummer Dave Ahl, bassist Steve Almaas and guitarist Chris Osgood have continued to contribute to music culture through their professional careers by teaching (Almaas), creating studios (Ahl) and working with musicians and artists at Springboard for the Arts and students and McNally Smith College of Music (Osgood); and .. .. WHEREAS The Suicide Commandos continue to ROCK special occasions and events for the benefit and enjoyment of the people— 30-plus years after their initial reign! .. .. Now, Therefore I, R.T. Rybak, Mayor of the City of Minneapolis do hereby declare Saturday, November 7, 2009 as: .. .. The Suicide Commandos Day in the City of Minneapolis .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .......... .. .. .......... .. .. .. .. .......... .. .. .......... .. .. ..On March 17th, Capital/EMI will be re-releasing the two IRS Beat Rodeo albums for digital download.. .. .. .. .. .......... .. .. .......... .. .. .......... .. .. ..A great night was had by all at the Laura Kennedy benefit in Minneapolis 1/17/09.. .. .. .......... .. .. ....Click Here To View the Suicide Commandos w/ David Thomas - Final Solution - January 17th, 2009 - Minneapolis, MN.... .. .. ....Click Here To View Pere Ubu's David Thomas backed by The Suicide Commandos 1/17/09 Minneapolis.... .. .. .............. .. .. .............. ..Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song,.. A medley of extemporanea;.. And love is a thing that can never go wrong;.. And I am Marie of Romania..... Dorothy Parker, Not So Deep as a Well (1937)...... ....Click here for Pointless Questions asked of Steve Almaas.... .. ....Click here for STEVE ALMAAS LIVE at the 331 CLUB August 2007.... .. .. ..The Suicide Commandos: Attacking The Beat.. .. ..August 26th, 2007.. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. ..I'll Wait.. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. ....Click here for a Q&A with Steve Almaas of The Suicide Commandos.... .. .. .......... .. .. .. .. ..Check out excerpts from the Steve's Suicide Commandos memoir at: ..myspace.com/suicidecommandos.... .. .. .. .. ..Minneapolis born and bred, Steve Almaas began his musical career as one-third of the seminal punk rock band, The Suicide Commandos. Upon arriving in New York City, he became part of the thriving post-punk scene that included The dB's, The Bush Tetras, Mitch Easter, The Bongos and The New York Rocker. His next musical venture was an exploration of the sources of the music he loved: Beat Rodeo was an acclaimed amalgam of country, folk, punk, soul and rock and roll. These elements continue to fuel the music he makes today..... .. .. ............ .. .. .......... .. .. ............ .. .. ................ .. .. .......... .. .. .."You Showed Me" Personnel .. .. .. Drums - Andy Action .. .. Bass -Mark Sidgwick .. .. Pedal Steel - Jon Graboff .. .. Guitars - Chris Maxwell, Mitch Easter, Steve Almaas .. .. Percussion - Phil Hernandez .. .. Keyboards - Matt Martin, Steve Almaas .. .. Vocals - Steve Almaas, Ali Smith .. .. ...... .. .. ..MyGen.. ..Profile Generator.. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Members
An army of one... .. .. STATUS .. .. Smitten .. .. STAR SIGN .. .. Leo .. .. SMOKE .. .. I enjoy a cigar at the end of the day. .. .. DRINK .. .. I'm not above a small potable... .. .. EDUCATION .. .. College Graduate .. .. EXTRACURRICULAR .. .. To calm my nerves, I go running; to calm my soul, I go wandering. .. .. .. .. INFLUENCES .. .. ..The New Yorker.. .......... .. .. ..Miss P.. .............. Carl LaFong, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Laurel & Hardy, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Buddy Holly, Charlie Chaplin, The Everly Brothers, Elvis, Little Richard, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Woody Guthrie, Goffin/King, Doc Watson, Miles Davis, Mark Twain, Bing Crosby, Clellan Card, Billie Holliday, Louis Armstrong, Dolly Parton, Henry Miller, Penn/Oldham, Jimmie Rodgers, W.C. Fields, The Carter Family, The Johnny Burnette Rock n' Roll Trio, James Finlayson, "Spider" John Koerner, Kurt Vonnegut, Muddy Waters, Charles Simic, Little Walter, Curtis Mayfield, Howlin' Wolf, Boudleaux & Felice Bryant, Duane Allman, Gore Vidal, The Grateful Dead, The Who, Otis Redding, Robertson Davies, Gram Parsons, Marvin Gaye, Greenwich/Barry, The Four Tops, Roger Miller, John Lee Hooker, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, The Byrds, The Marx Brothers, Preston Sturges, Milan Kundera, Django Reinhardt, Charlie Parker, John Fowles, The Crusher, Jean-Luc Godard, Federico Fellini , Frank Sinatra, Paulo Freire, Ray Davies, Orson Welles, Shel Silverstein, The Binghamton/McCale Band, Booker T & the MGs, Woody Allen, Brian Wilson, Aretha Franklin, Patti Smith, The Staple Singers, The Monkees, Smokey Robinson, The Supremes, Pablo Neruda, Alison Anders, Leadbelly, Billy Wilder, Luis Buñuel, Townes Van Zandt, The Harder They Come, The Mothers of Invention, Pilar Limosner, Solveig Almaas and every great musician I've run into along the way... .. ..
Influences
..MY MOM.. .......... .. .. ..MY SWEET PEA.. .......... .. .. .......... .. .. .......... .. .. ....VIDEOS .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. ....From I.R.S. Records "The Cutting Edge" aired on MTV 1985 "Just Friends".... .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. ....1986 Beat Rodeo "New Love".... .. .. ............ .. .. .. .. .. ....>.. .. .. ....1983 Beat Rodeo "What's The Matter".... .. .. ............ .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. ....1977 Suicide Commandos "Burn it Down".... .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. ....2002 Steve Almaas & Ali Smith "Shrunken Head".... .. ..
Sounds Like
"A milkshake laced with rum."