Where to begin with Stepps? How about with my Snakes Alive entry: "Snakes Alive were a group that I discovered in my early CDRWL research days. There was much question of its authenticity at the time, especially given the obvious photoshop cover. But it was real, a demo pressing from a circle of Australian musicians who had access to a recording studio and took advantage of it."
At the time of that writing I wasn't aware that Stepps were related to Snakes Alive. In those same "early research days", I was also introduced to Stepps. In fact I think it was a couple of years beforehand. I had no context for what I was hearing - and when I started doing research, there was no data to be found. You have to remember that the internet was rife with disinformation about obscure progressive rock bands in those days. Remember Art Jackson's Atrocity? I remember one blog had dozens of unknowns, only to find out (quickly thank goodness) that the person behind it was recording obscure CDs and renaming the groups and titles, and adding unique artwork. Why? For laughs one presumes. Or he was a sociopath, who knows. And this doesn't even count the more obvious pranks from the 90s like the phony baloney Psi-Fi series of "obscure Krautrock records released only in museums" - that people believe to this day! As noted about a lot of these situations, the music tends to hold up well even if the backstory falls apart. It's in this kind of environment I hear Waltz for Tiger Joe. Is it even real? When I have doubts like that, I begin to sour on the music.
Today, the truth has come to light. Sure enough it was real, and the story is plausible. This circle of Australian musicians basically recorded three different albums under three different band monikers. Two were released as demos. Snakes Alive and Stepps achieved test pressings, and only Stepps had original artwork. Australia in the early 70s was considerably more isolated than today, so it's understandable how music like this remained unknown. Of course, one could say the same about many a group here in the States in a less isolated situation. So how did this group of musicians record anything? One of the movers and shakers of the bunch was a recording engineer at EMI Australia. So like Tom Nehls, access time in a recording studio gives one an opportunity to experiment.
Stepps were the final incarnation of the "group". The first was Aragorn, who did not release anything real time, and I'll be covering their album soon enough. At this stage, the band had moved over to a Canterbury like sound. The liner notes accurately describe the music as not only similar to Hatfield and the North, but really more like Belgium's Cos. And he rightfully uses a great word to describe their very feminine singer: Coquettish. In the couple of photos of her, you see a very beautiful young lady with long straight hair that goes down to her waist. Essentially a dream girl of the early 70s. Worth mentioning all of this because the album gives off this naive and harmless playfulness as they flirt with you, the listener. So yes, this album is all about the Canterbury scene.
The CD adds one bonus track from the same recording session, plus four tracks from an earlier instrumental incarnation of Stepps before Bernie Morgan joined them. Honestly it sounds like a later version of the band as the jazz rock is lighter and watered down, much more typical of something you might hear in the late 70s. But the data says different.
Essential for Canterbury fans.
Ownership: CD: 2022 Merry-Go-Round (Korea). Jewel case release with two sets of liners notes in English. Includes five bonus tracks in aggregate. Superb all around.
2010; 12/10/23 (new entry)
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