<> All vocals and instrumentation in the pre-2008 recordings performed and produced by Steve Toy <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Steve Toy and the Extravaganza is ever shifting shape, current musicians include: <>
Steve: vocals, electric, acoustic, classical and lap steel guitars, drums, percussion, synthesizers <>
Brian Hopely: electric fretted and fretless basses, Steinberger upright electric double-bass, Ashbury moon bass, piano/synthesizers, vocals <> Rick French: Drums, percussion ?? frequent appearances by: <> Jack Kolber III: pianos, organs, keys, synths, vocals <> Joe Fisher: S, A, T, & B Saxophones
Influences
Frank Zappa, Ozric Tentacles, Miles Davis, Weather Report, Herbie Hancock, Billy Cobham, George Duke, Chick Corea, Al DiMeola, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Return to Forever, Jaco Pastorius, Pat Metheny, 11th house, Larry Coryell, Eddie Henderson, Hubert Laws, Buddy Rich, Mahavishnu orchestra, Brand X, Earthworks, Earth, Wind, & Fire, Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan, Jeff Beck, Sly and the Family Stone, Chicago('67-'75ish), Paul Simon (with and without Garfunkel), Steve Morse (& the Dixie Dregs), Yes, Jethro Tull, Genesis, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, ELP, Rush, Todd Rundgren's Utopia, Moody Blues, Camel, Gong, Yusuf Islam(Cat Stevens), Deep Purple, Beatles, Floyd, Jimi, Zeppelin, CSNY, Santana, the Doors, the Dead, Allmans, Phish, Littlefeat, Talking Heads, James Brown, Skunk Baxter, Larry Carlton, Alphonse Mouzon, Bernard Purdy, Steve Gadd, Dave Weckl, Adrian Belew, Fela Kuti, Alpha Blondy, Spinal Tap, the Police, Tangerine Dream, Michael Hedges, Stanley Jordan, Steve Tibbetts, Antonio Sanchez, Gavin Harrison, Jeff Norris, Billy Joel, Elton John, U2(80-96), Bruce Springsteen, Radiohead, XTC, Luna, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Alice in Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, Meat Puppets, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jesus Christ Superstar (original recording with Ian Gillan), much other Broadway, Mozart, Bach, Liszt, Handel, Beethoven, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, Haydn, Holst, Chopin, Mendelsohnn, John Williams, videogame music (especially oldschool nintendo- those crazy Japanese progheads from the '80s, gotta love 'em, Konami had the best), and plenty of others that I either forgot or don't have time to keep thinking of and listing for you who already get the idea....
Ok folks, this is it- this band has been seven years in the making, with many detours and obstacles, and periods of study, listening and learning. Actually it really goes back before that. We’ll skip from 3rd grade, back in 1989-90 when I started playing guitar, to the summer after 8th grade (1995) when I took my first full-time spot in a band. After playing in this active “alternative” band the first two years of high school (this was the tail end of the grunge era, the last great time period for real rock music), I found that my musical direction was starting to take form, and was gradually moving away from the styles played by the other local musicians I knew. I was listening to the Beatles, Zeppelin, U2, Hendrix, Blind Melon, Radiohead, not interested in the poppy alternative and urban music that was flooding the radiowaves in the wake of real bands like Soundgarden and Alice in Chains. So to hear my ideas developed into songs I had to start relying on myself. I struggled through my first 4-track recordings in 1997, writing drum and bass parts for the first time in my life. I learned the art of playing through a whole song on drums while hearing the other parts in my head to keep time. I also learned that writing good lyrics and vocal melodies did not come as easily to me as guitar parts, and on thinking or listening back at some of my early attempts I either laugh or shudder depending on the song!
I went to Lehigh University in the fall of 1999, a time where modern rock had really gone bad and classic rock was back, all the old bands finding a fresh burst of touring energy. In addition the jam scene was really getting huge. Turned out that I totally loved the place, it was an amazing scene, a lil’ hippy mecca where we lived wildly and did absolutely everything and anything we pleased. I was surrounded by fanatics of the Dead, Phish, Allman Bros., Hendrix, Floyd, the Doors, and an array of up-and-coming jam bands. I also started really getting into progressive rock groups like Yes, Jethro Tull and Rush, whom I’d only heard bits and pieces of in high school. I really found myself and a sense of identity and confidence at Lehigh, although I came to realize that I did not enjoy anything I was studying enough to make a career out of. So with a heavy heart I left early after probably the 2 best years of my life to date. I knew I had to pursue music full-time, surely I was ready….
So I set out for Austin, TX looking for a band in 2001, confident that I was going to get out there and make something happen. It turned out that Austin was filled with guitar players yet seriously lacking for available drummers, bassists, and the ever elusive keyboard player (there were rumors of keyboardists around the area, but they were about as plentiful as unicorns). So, I started recording the ideas I brought to Austin by myself, drums, guitars, bass, vocals, percussion, one at a time. Now I've since improved a lot on drums and bass, but let me tell you this shit was grueling, especially holed up in a 3rd floor apartment where I had to make every second count (they still eventually moved a cop underneath me, so I had to move out or risk serious repercussions...). In actuality, this was a prolific time for me, as I was still chest deep in psychedelia and my very 'hippy' lifestyle that carried over from college and blossomed in Austin. I also ended up producing recordings of a bunch of different bands' live shows, which was a blast. I never could find a band myself, but I found a million good times, a ton of new (old) music and inspiration for writing more good music, and I recommend the city to anyone looking for a place to visit or move to.
After 2 heady years I decided to move back up to the Northeast out of musical frustration and to try to get something going closer to New York City, where I believed there was more to be had in the way of money and record labels! I took guitarist David Powell with me, and we set up shop in Philly. After playing with several musicians, most notably bassist Brian Hopely and drummer Ken ‘Kenny P’ Peterson, we teamed up with keyboardist Jack Kolber, who knew of drummer/bassist combo Jeff Norris and Bruce Handhurst who were looking for others. We immediately formed a five piece band which somehow came to be known as Arcane Realm, and wrote a bunch of tunes as a band. Now this was a serious prog/fusion/funk period of my life, as I had become burnt out on much of the music that I listened to at Lehigh/Austin, and this was a full-fledged prog band. From 2004 through 2005 we toiled through the writing of 7, 10, 12 minute songs that left little room for error or improvisation. After only a handful of shows it became apparent that this wasn’t working for most of the audience or even all of the band members. Jack walked out during the recording of our demo, and after a few more lifeless rehearsals I realized it was time to play my music again, not something I contributed 20% to.
The band broke up, Bruce disappeared, I lost contact with Jack, and David moved to San Francisco and formed new band Magnus Hitch (who you should check out if you are on the west coast, their link is below). I started playing with Jeff and Brian Hopely - who had also previously played with Jack and Jeff in band Oblong Sun - again, and we started looking for additional musicians. However, by the end of 2005 extraneous events occurred that caused Jeff to move to Florida, and Brian and I slipped out of contact again. Early in 2006 I undertook a couple of production gigs and worked with friend and singer/songwriter Stephanie Fink to arrange and record her music with full instrumentation and backing vocals. During this time I began to write and record fervently again, and largely abandoned the over-complexities of the fusion and prog music I had been playing for shorter songs with more heart and soul behind them. Mind you, there are still traces, but finally I figured out how to write songs that weren’t watered down yet people could still groove to, and I shifted my focus to packing a punch in less time. I reconnected with my rock ‘n’ roll and psychedelic roots, and started listening to a lot more Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan, etc., really well-arranged music.
By early 2007 I had stocked up on some new material and decided it was time to get out there once and for all as Steve Toy, not as the guitar player in some band. No longer would I risk losing good music because every song was pieced together by a bunch of people- anything I wrote was going to be mine to keep no matter who else was playing it with me. I had worked too damn hard at this for most of my life, and the clock was ticking ever louder in my ear as each month passed by. Once again I contacted Brian Hopely, who was ready and waiting, and we started working. It was a slow year due to both of us taking some night classes and working with a couple drummers that didn’t pan out, but by the end of the year Brian had his bass parts down on my demo recordings, I dropped my guitar on his tunes and we focused on getting this damn band together once and for all. In February 2008 we found drummer Rick French (who rocks mammoth balls might I add) and got back in touch with Jack Kolber. We have been rehearsing and recording, and although we are still in the process of adding a horn section, the time has come to step out onstage. And you best believe I am ready. Ladies and gentleman, I’ve watched, waited, listened, learned- I’ve done my homework for 19 years, for myself and all of you- and this is it, this is gonna be good. Come out soon and see for yourself…..
Steve
Thanks for adding Futant Oblivion. I really appreciate the interest, support and friendship. Feel free to download any of my solo instrumentals totally free!
Tunecore somehow managed to f*&k up at their end so the online release has been delayed and heads are rolling all over the place. I'm leaving it to slicethepie to sort. Tediarse!
we're actually going to live north this time because our jobs are north. mine will be off 2222 on the way to the lake and si works by UT. so excited!!! where are you playing at? did you enter that contest? when do i get new music?
Today a young man realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration and that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream and we are the imagination of ourselves.
