Interview with Universal Dropout frontman Steve Alex

As the frontman for the Tampa based band 4 Star Riot, Steve Alex is no stranger to the music scene. With his newest project Universal Dropout he switches gears a little bit going from the power pop/rock sound of Four Star Riot to a more R&B/ Bluesy sound that suits him well. Described as “that classic blend of sensitivity and swagger, Alex cites influences that range from soul men like Prince, Sly Stone, Stevie Wonder, and Terrence Trent Darby to rockers like Elvis Costello, Springsteen, and the Stones. I recently sat down with Steve Alex to discuss his newest project and his plans for Universal Dropout.

Are you someone who writes songs all the time?
Steve: Not really, songwriting comes in waves. When I get on a roll, I can write something every day. Not that what I write every day is ALL good, but a lot of it will stick. Then, on the other side of the coin, I can also go for months without a single new melody. Sometimes, after a lot of time has passed since I’ve written, I’ll force myself to start working on something, and that will lead to a new wave of creativity which can last for a couple of weeks. Nowadays it’s hard to find the time to stay fully active with songwriting. I used to write more regimented, almost like I was on the clock. With my family, and the bands that I am in playing live shows all the time and the day job, it’s sometimes hard to stay focused.

What benchmarks do you use to determine when you’ve written a good song or to determine when a song is finished for you?
Steve: The best songs usually come rather quickly, almost all at once. A melody, a central theme, and the whole thing is loosely formed within 20 minutes or so. The energy is channeled, as if it writes itself. I don’t have to force it. Those are the ones that I tend to like best. They are usually the songs with the catchy melodies that I can immediately hear in my head. I tend to gravitate toward the simple catchy pop songs for some reason. Probably has something to do with being a C Student. No, really they just feel more natural, not labored. I certainly like the more complicated stuff at times, but the simple songs are the ones that usually hold up over time. Sometimes, we will labor over the recording or production of the song, and it’s hard to know where to stop, but that is another story. So, I don’t think that answered the question. What was the question? Actually I don’t know when I’ve written a good song. I just know that I usually like the ones that come to me quickly, and those tend to be the ones that people tell me they like best as well.

What usually sparks you to write a new song?
Steve: The result is the reward. It’s like giving birth to something, that would otherwise not exist. The feeling that I get when I write a new song is really such a high, it’s an awesome feeling. Knowing I will have that feeling soon if I start writing a song, will motivate me to start writing. Sometimes I’ll just sit down in the studio and see what comes out. And knowing that something will happen and some kind of new music will be born is motivation for me to write.

How do you think your live performances are different than your albums?
Steve: A lot rougher around the edges. But probably a lot more energetic, actually, definitely more energetic than the recordings. I think people prefer the live experience to recordings. The little mistakes can be forgiven and even add new life to a recorded version of a song which is permanent, and predictable. Once you have heard a recording, you know it, the next time you hear it, it will be the exact same thing. With a live show, every night is a little different. That is exciting to me.

What was the first concert you ever went to?
Steve: You’re gonna love this :: Ratt/Poison @ USF Sundome

What is in your car stereo right now?
Steve: A collection of Prince B-Sides, Springsteen – Greetings from Asbury Park, various CDRs of songs I am learning to cover, a Vocal Warm-up exercise CD that I use on my way to shows, and an iPod mini with 1000 songs.

What has been the most memorable moment of your career so far?
Steve: I think it was opening the first 97X Next Big Thing Concert at Coachman Park in Clearwater, being the only local band to share the same stage as Lit, Sugarcult, Jimmy Eat World, Sum41, and a bunch of other national acts for the Festival’s 12 hour concert in which there were 18000 in attendance. And the fact that we were the first band to play at the festival, which has become a huge annual event. Man, I was nervous that morning. Once it got started it all felt pretty normal though, the crowd dug it, treated us like we weren’t just local boys, and before I knew it, we were off the stage. I learned a lot that day about how to play a rock show, from about 17 other bands who were at the peak of their careers. It was my epiphany.

Are there any tracks that are your personal favorites or that have some good stories behind them?
Steve: The song Anticipation on the Universal Dropout CD was written in the months prior to my first son being born. Not that the song is about his birth, but at that time, it seemed my wife and I were constantly in a state of waiting. The constant waiting for what was to come next, when would it happen, would everything be ok, etc. it made this song one of those, which I spoke of before, that just wrote itself, without me having to force too much, and it really expressed the way I felt at the time.

What message, if any, do you want them to walk away with after listening to your record?
Steve: I don’t think I want to send any message, really. I just want to provide an escape for a short while. Whether at a show, or listening to a recording, I hope that people can enjoy my music for what it is, use it to escape and leave their worlds for a moment.

Tell me about the new CD (Universal Dropout)?
Steve: This is a project I started in the months during Four Star Riot’s self inflicted hiatus back in the beginning of 2004. The guys were feeling the strain of being an unsigned rock band, playing a lot of shows, often for not a lot of money. It all became too much, so we took a little break. I began recording some songs in my spare room at home. It began like all of the demos that I usually bring to the band, however this time around, I took more care to play in time, and not make so many mistakes. I then began to form the songs with textures and everything else, and the record just started to blossom from there. I knew I wanted to have some other folks input on it, so I enlisted help of a few friends from the Bay Area music scene. That also gave me the confidence to complete the project. I went to Steve Connelly at Zen Studios to mix the songs, his input was crucial. He made certain good things stand out and removed some of the whacked stuff that I wasn’t paying attention to. The songs on UD are stylistically more poppy and funky, and less rocking than the music FSR usually makes. I wanted to be free to make songs without the restriction of fitting into a certain genre. Since I still consider Four Star Riot my main project, I’m viewing this CD as more of a side project, and I’m going to just see what happens with it, and hope people like it, but not worry too much about the outcome. Perhaps I’ll start on another at some point.

Are there any plans for a tour?
Steve: Not yet. I can’t afford it on my own right now. Too many bills to pay and two little boys to raise. But hell, I would love nothing more than to play in a different city every night. I will do it one of these days, just not this year.

What’s next for Elba?
Steve: Right now, I am working with Four Star Riot on some new songs, which we will begin recording later this year. I also have a full CD of demos that I wrote this summer, which the band likely won’t be using, so some of those songs may turn into a follow-up solo CD before too long. Like I said, writing usually coming in waves for me, It seems like production does too. I don’t like to begin working on a project unless I am prepared to complete it as well. Once I start something, I gotta finish it. For the rest of the fall, I’ll be playing the live circuit here in the Bay Area and Central Florida, with Four Star Riot and the Vodkanauts (the other band that I front). But who knows, I might start recording new stuff at any time.  [ END ]