Steven James is a singer/songwriter who's lyrical style and melodic bent often gets him compared to the likes of Elvis Costello, Crowded House or REM. He's a veteran of many LA area bands, and his songwriting has spanned almost two-and-a-half decades, creating a rich catalog of material

Similar Artists

David Gray, Five for Fighting, REM, Travis, Ryan Adams, Gin Blossoms

Influences

Elvis Costello, Crowded House, REM, Paul Westerberg, Lennon & McCartney, Joe Jackson

Bio

“Pull your chair close little one, I’d like to take some of your time, ‘Cause finally after all these years I’m confessing to my crime,” sneers Steven James, the self-described Snake Oil Salesman on his third independent release in as many years. The new CD, entitled Life Starts Now, makes one wonder if his biggest crime is refusing to surrender the relative comfort of his full-time position as an art director and not more ambitiously pursue his craft as a most literate singer-songwriter.
James, a veteran of several LA bands including All About Steve, Beyond Belief and Cryin’ Out Loud, has skipped the club scene this time out and headed straight to the studio with some new tunes and a few of his old classics.
For Life Starts Now, he’s recruited classically trained guitarist Steve McKnight, who’s many credits include a stint as lead guitarist for IRS recording artists “Cry Wolf,” and collaborations with artists as diverse as Dweezil Zappa and Neil Turbin. To fill out the bottom end, he’s hooked up with long-time cohort Raymond Esparza on bass, who also plays with the 12-piece latin ensemble Brotherhood, in addition to the blues band known as Rebirth. To keep matters steady, he’s once again enlisted Scott Sadlon on drums, who’s partnering with James goes back to their mid-‘90s power pop band, All About Steve, and who currently plays with LA scenesters How to Win At Life. On organ, you’ll hear Herman Jackson, who’s played with everyone from Rod Stewart to Stevie Wonder, and pr