I tried to change my name to "Captain Lighting and His Amazing Bolts" but no one took me seriously, so I'm stuck with my name. I guess the most significant thing is I am now Stephen and not "Steve."

I play occasionally at coffee house situations and with a band mostly for political fundraisers. The porch concerts are pretty special to me. The three that I have done (they are annual affairs) are the most fun I have playing.

The internet has really opened up the markets, and I have become aware of tons of artists that I'd neve find in the Best Buy bins or at Target.

In a heartbeat. I'm not going to be elitist here.

I knocked around the Christian Rock scene for a couple years, playing with a good band and doing approximately 25 shows. That slowly ground to a halt. Highlights were a gig at the New Union (from which most of my live cd is culled from), as well as playing many churches. The most steady gig I have is our annual porch concert which is a fundraiser for our local Democratic Senate District. (My songs sometimes have a political bent). The Christian music industry tends to be as commercial as the secular industry, and you are really limited in what you can write. I don't label myself that way anymore.

I recently contributed music to a local film LIVING ROOM FRAGILE, a film by Phil Holt, as well as another Holt Project THE BALLAD OF LENNY LEATHERHEAD. I contributed solo guitar on Canadian singer/songwriter Lana Rose's CD. I also have done various recording projects with various acoustic groups producing CDs for a few of them.

I have released 10 independent CDs, including one solo guitar cd.

I rock (except when I don't).

I draw a lot of my musical influences from folk, classic rock, and the "singer/songwriter" model, such as Cat Stevens, Todd Snider, or Bruce Cockburn. Bob Dylan though the mid eighties remains vital to me. Other influences out there are Deep Purple, The Beatles, The Kinks, Charlie Maguire, Peter Case, Al Stewart, Jethro Tull, Blackmore's Night, Sex Pistols, Arlo Guthrie, Buddy Guy, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Pearls Before Swine, George Harrison, Bert Jansch, Leo Kottke, Liquid Mind, Alex DeGrassi, Michael Gulezian, Frank Zappa, The Sweet, Lyle Lovett, among many others.

I love Itasca State Park in Minnesota, headwaters of the Mississippi. It is a spiritual place for me. Small towns in North Dakota rank up there for me too.

Marshall and Beheringer condenser mics, older Crate Vintage Club amp, Digitech effects, Fender Strat, Gibson Les Paul, Ovation UKII, Crafter Acoustic, Ovation Acoustic, Ibanzez Artcore hollow body, Dean electric guitar of unknown origin (I payed 40.00 for it), Ibanez SD bass, Roland Performance Synth. Behringer PA equipment. Record with Magix Music Studio 7, Mixdown with Soundclick. Oh, and a generic drum kit.

Buy my stuff. Play it over and over. Like fine wine, it ages well.