My new single "Nothing Happens" comes out on Friday 9/3! My new album Things Moving On Their Own Together comes out on Tuesday 9/29!! Click here to check out a preview of both from Adobe and Teardrops.
Fall tour dates
I hope you're having a great summer! I've been hard at work preparing for my album release at the end of September, and booking a solo tour for October.
Things Moving On Their Own Together will be available on September 29th, and I posted upcoming tour dates on the SHOWS page. I'll be adding more shows and event details soon, so be sure to check back for updates.
Rock for Love
Rock for Love is a concert series that has been taking place in Memphis, TN every year since 2007. The festival raises money for the Church Health Center, while celebrating Memphis music with performances by some of the city’s best bands and artists. I'll be playing a solo set at Amurica Studios on Friday, September 4th. Check out the complete lineup here...
https://www.facebook.com/events/893066307446528/
Music and Food (two of my favorite things)
The creative process is the same regardless of what field you apply it to. Check out this quote from a recent Washington Post article about the restaurant industry.
"food television has created a pervasive, mistaken perception among young, aspiring chefs that success is earned less through patience and perseverance than it is through sudden fame"
The key words: PATIENCE and PERSEVERANCE.
I'll say it again: PATIENCE and PERSEVERANCE.
One more time: PATIENCE and PERSEVERANCE.
Booking a tour
Being an independent musician requires many skill sets. Interestingly enough, playing playing music is only a part of it. My latest role has been Booking Agent. It's been my unofficial full time job for most of June and July. Gigs are now starting to be confirmed, and my fall tour is looking good. Stay tuned for more details. See you soon!
American Songwriter Magazine
Very excited that American Songwriter featured my latest single "Staying" in their Daily Discovery blog! Here it is...
http://www.americansongwriter.com/2015/07/daily-discovery-stephen-chopek-staying/
Saturday night in Memphis
I'm excited for my gig this Saturday night (July 18) at Otherlands in Memphis! I'm playing a 'songwriters in the round' show with my friends Tony Manard and Harry Koniditsiosis. Richard James will be getting things started at 8:00pm. Click here for the Facebook invitation.
"Staying" featured in Skin Back Alley
My new video for "Staying" was recently featured in Skin Back Alley. Check it out here...
http://skinbackalley.com/2015/06/25/stephen-chopek-shares-official-video-for-new-single-staying/
How I made the "Staying" video.
"Staying" is the new single from my latest EP, On Their Own; the second installment of three releases for 2015. Shortly after moving from New Jersey to Memphis last year, I started filming – my goal was to capture moments as they presented themselves in order to express the spontaneity of that exploration. Locations include Overton Park, the old Hi Tone, and my own backyard. I collected a lot of footage without knowing which song I would use it for. When I decided that 'Staying' was going to be the single, everything fell into place. The video serves as both a visual accompaniment to music, and a love letter to my new home. You can watch "Staying" on the Videos page or right here...
"Staying" video premier!
My new video for "Staying" is out today! Check out the official premier on The Memphis Flyer's Music Video Monday.
Horsing around in Memphis
Here are a few more stills from the filming for "Staying". These were taken at various locations around Midtown Memphis. The official video release date is Monday, June 22nd!
Making the video for "Staying"
I'm putting the finishing touches on the video for "Staying". I started collecting footage in December 2014. The winter days are short, but they provide plenty of light for filming outside. I did some stop motion animation on a big canvas nailed to the garage in my backyard. I didn't have a tripod at the time, so I propped my camera up on a stack of drum cases.
UPDATE: I have a tripod now.
New EP release day!
My new EP, On Their Own, is now available! This is the second installment of my 2015 releases and I'm excited to share it with you. These five songs continue to explore the musical styles and lyrical concepts that were introduced on my previous EP, Things Moving; while at the same time diving deeper into themes of love, spirituality, and politics. You can listen to On Their Own on the MUSIC page.
New video preview
The official video for my new single "Staying" is almost done. Here's a sneak peek.
Drum Battle: John Bonham vs. Tony Allen
John Bonham and Tony Allen are two of my favorite drummer. See what happens when they get in the ring together for a beat battle royale...
https://youtu.be/Cm2WPTU7Tws
New EP, On Their Own, coming soon!
I'm putting the finishing touched on my new EP, On Their Own. It will be out on Tuesday, June 9th. Also working on a video for the first single, "Staying".
Here's a preview of the EP cover art.
"Club Molluska" from Guided By Voices
There's a documentary about the band Guided By Voices called Watch Me Jumpstart, released in 2003. The opening credits features their song "Club Molluska" (from the 1990 album Same Place the Fly Got Smashed ). It's one of my GBV favorites, so I recorded a solo acoustic version. Check it out...
Live at Otherlands
I had a fun gig last Friday at Otherlands in Memphis, TN. It was my first time playing there. Looking forward to doing it again! Here are a few photos...
New single, "Staying" is now available!
My next EP, On Their Own, will be out on June 6th. "Staying" is the new single, and you can hear it TODAY. Click here to listen. I hope you like it. Drop me a line and let me know what you think. Thanks for listening!
"Love Is a Negotiation" drum video
I've been getting a lot of questions about the drum groove on my song, "Love Is a Negotiation", from the Things Moving EP.
Here's a video showing how I played it in the studio.
https://youtu.be/Fw09y8xyvqg