Getting your start at the famous Café Wha, the same place where Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, among many others, also did, is a pretty good resume line for any musician. Now, after 15 years leading the prestigious house band, BRYAN STEPHENS' time has come to shine as a solo artist. The songwriter-musician's fate changed when Blue Elan Records head, Kirk Pasich, wandered into Café Wha for dinner. After sitting through STEPHENS' set, he approached the singer/songwriter and offered him a record deal, on the spot. STEPHENS' debut album, Village of Dreams, is set for release on July 21 through Blue Elan Records.
STEPHENS, who relocated to New York right after high school to follow his dream of becoming a musician, has been crafting songs for his debut album Village of Dreams. Most of his hook-laden tracks are based on relationships and the roller coaster ride of life we all go through. "They're inspired by the good and the bad," STEPHENS says, "People can relate to the songs since I've been writing about what everyone experiences." The deeply dramatic yet pretty ballad, "Out of Her Mind", was written when STEPHENS was a teenager. "I wrote that when my parents split up," he recalls, "The bleak can be inspiring." As a child of the '90s, STEPHENS grew up on Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. All of these iconic acts made an undeniable impact on him with their dark, brooding rock lyrics and melodies. "Those bands made me want to pick up a guitar. I taught myself how to play Pearl Jam songs on guitar. That's how I learned."Preorder link - Village of Dreams Preorder
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