Byron Bay-based songwriter Steve Tyson was born into a fertile Brisbane music scene. His earliest bands, Gentle Art and Spike, played in underground blues and r&b clubs whilst he was still at school. His two later projects, Rough Red and twentysevens, have released ten albums over the past two and a half decades, and Steve has been a major contributing songwriter for all of these records. Rough Red pioneered the way for Australian bands on the European festival circuit, having performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, Skagen Festival in Denmark, Vikedal Roots Music Festival in Norway, Brosella Festival in Belgium, Bardentreffen Festival in Germany, Skuleberget Festival in Sweden, and the Galway Arts Festival in Ireland.
Steve’s blues/rock band twentysevens was invited to tour the UK in 2006 as support act to legendary British group Status Quo, playing 31 shows in 42 days throughout England, Scotland and Wales, at venues including Wembley Arena.
From three critically acclaimed records released in recent years, and a series of singles released in the past twelve months, Steve and his band deliver blues-infused contemporary folk songs, intimate story-telling one minute, swaggering alt.country the next, but decidedly Australian in content, and scoring reviews such as these..
“…a master song craftsman with a nuanced lyrical touch and strong melodies. ” (Noel Mengel)
“..this album is a tour de force from one of Australia's leading contemporary songwriters.” (Trad & Now)
“Tyson lets his ruined voice and lucid guitars do the talking.” (Phil Stafford, Courier Mail)
“In Tyson’s follow-up to his auspicious debut album, family history again proves a rich source of inspiration, with his smoky singing and skilful guitar…” (Tony Hillier, Weekend Australian)
“...telling tales of home and family, of travel and politics, wrapped in a dark sense of humour that sets him apart from the myriad others plying a similar trade” (Sam Fell, Rhythms)
“Steve Tyson once again delivers a compelling selection of distinctly Australian storytelling.” (Kim Cheshire, Country Update)
Steve’s touring band features a core of rotating players, with the Northern Train Rex featuring Steve on guitars and mandolin, his longtime sidekick Dave “Mash” Parnell on drums, regular touring guitarist Ian “Sal” Shawsmith, and much-loved local musician Jodi Murtha on bass.
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