Steve Romig

Artist Information

Biography

Melbourne musician, Steve Romig, has been singing and writing songs since he was 15.
He just won three awardsin the Vic/Tas Blues awards for Song, Band and Artist of the Year! He recently also won the Jazz/Blues category of the International Unisong Competition, the Blues category of the prestigious International Song Competition (2005) as well as scooping the Blues award in the Billboard Song contest and was a finalist in the Independent Music Awards. The songs are on his upcoming album "The Friday Sessions" to be released soon.

Steve has performed on stage with many industry illuminati, including Renee Geyer, Darryl Braithwaite and James Reyne. He has sung in many kinds of bands and many configurations - solo, duo, trio, 8 piece band, in Australia, Taiwan and Japan.

His Cd "Touch" was recorded at Melbourne's prestigious Metropolis Studios by even more prestigious engineer Doug Brady (triple Aria Award winner). "Touch" was released in 2004.

Australian singing sensation, John Farnham, recorded Steve's song "Take You Back" in 1999 . It was included on Farnham's "Anthology 3" CD. In 2003 "Sometimes" was included on his 2003 multi-award winning CD "The Last Time". Farnham was inducted into the Australian Record Industry Association's Hall of Fame and also won the ARIA for Best Adult Contemporary Album. So it was a great honour to be associated with this wonderful success.

Steve fell off his bike and broke his neck in April 2005 but is back on his feet (or in the "feetal position" as he says) and, judging by the awards, industry and audience response to this new batch of songs, his long overdue star is ready to rise.

Steve is playing around Melbourne solo and with his band at good venues and music festivals.

Instrumentation

Steve Romig
Lead vocal/guitar
Mike Kelly
Keyboards/backing and lead vocals
Mark Belcastro
Drums
Jamie Weyers
Bass
Kate Johnston
Lead and backing vocals
Jeff Zambellis
Lead guitar/ Backing vocals

Discography

14 track album "The Friday Sessions" is ready for release. 4 international awards, various national awards.
14 song "Touch", released nationally 2004, is available for purchase or order at over 1,000 record stores Australia wide and on internet stores as well for overseas purchasers.

Touch was recorded with Doug Brady, Mike Brady, Mike Kelly, Kay Harrison, Norm Falvo, Peter Badenoch, Joe Creighton and James Uluave.

Review of "Sometimes" : TAXI International Publishing.
"What a beautiful song. I love the juxtaposing sounds, the warm thick guitar with the bright bluesy guitar, the strings in the chorus. The lyric is superb and your voical texture is so warm, thick and rich. Just beautiful. The first listen I have to admit I was just waiting for something to critique, for something to jump as strange, but nothing did. And while writing this I'm listening I'm wishing I could just listen because the 2nd time is even sweeter. Bravo! Lovely lovely job!

and
"Solid, evocative lyrics, and tight musical arrangements, delivered with plenty of panache"

Streaming tracks and samples on website.

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Official Website

http://www.steveromig.com

Links

• MySpace

Audio

• Way Down Homeless Blues
  Listen  
• SteveRomig Band MedleyDemo
  Listen  
• Better Man
  Listen  
• Everybody's got their way
  Listen  
• Turn Up Your Radio
  Listen  
• Body On My Mind
  Listen  
• She's Alright
  Listen  
• Backdoor Man
  Listen  
• Lonely
  Listen  
• Please,Please,Please
  Listen  
• Take You Back
  Listen  
• Come My Children
  Listen  
• Raft
  Listen  
• Rock My Soul
  Listen  
• I always will
  Listen  
• Back note boogie
  Listen  
• Sassafras Shuffle
  Listen  
• Classical Goose
  Listen  
• Take me to the sea
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Better Man
• Way Down Homeless Blues
• Body on my Mind
• Everybody’s Got Their Way
• Please,Please,Please
• Take You Back
• Come my Children
• Lonely
• Raft
• Sometimes
• Rock my soul
• I always will
• Take me to the sea

Video

Steve Romig band Live at Capers

Photo Gallery

Press

• The Friday Sessions MBAS Review [+ Show ]
  

  STEVE ROMIG The Friday Sessions Independent. Melbourne Blues Association Society "BluesLetter"...STEVE ROMIG
  The Friday Sessions
  Independent.
  Melbourne Blues Association Society "BluesLetter"
  www.steveromig.com
  
  Well, what a pearler of an album. It has all the essential ingredients, wonderfully written and composed songs, great musicianship, spot on production and the man can sing! From the opening track you are hooked. Reminiscent of Ry Cooder’s work on the Crossroads soundtrack, Romig heads deep into the south, merging blues and gospel with “Way down homeless blues.” It introduces you to his rich, earthy voice, meaningful, emotion inspiring songs and his talented support crew. The crew includes Mike Kelly, backing vocals, percussion, keyboards, bodhran, drums, washboard and hammond, Kaye Harrison, backing vocals, Chris Prank, piano, piano accordion and stalwarts, Jim Keays on harmonica and Wilbur Wilde on sax. Romig himself though is no slacker, taking on vocals, guitars, drum programming, bass, contrabass, percussion and pens 11 of the 14 tracks. I can see some eyes rolling with the mention of drum machine, but this album proves what soulful music can be achieved via the digital medium, it can highly enhance musicality, if used wisely.
  
  Even the three covers on the album fit like a glove. A reworking of the Masters Apprentice’s classic “Turn up your radio” gets the Romig make-over, being respectful to the original whilst leading it astray! Big Bill Broonzy gets the nod with a traditional version of “Key to the Highway” and cohort Mike Kelly adds a track “Mama’s little babies,” showing just what a talent he is too!
  
  It is certainly a musical journey, there are some killer blues tracks but the whole spectrum of roots music is covered. Romig uses the blues as a solid trellis with everything from gospel through to soul, reggae to jazz, folk to r’n’b, all entwining in and around the trellis, just as it should. A variety of people and instruments come on board but are well captained by Romig’s voice and lyrics, every song produces something new and different and you are soon waiting in anticipation for the next track to see what unfolds.
  
  There’s no point in describing all the songs, I’d be writing a thesis, this album just needs to be listened to.
  
  For a snap peak check out some of the tunes at www.myspace.com/steveromig
  
  Rooster
  

• The ISC Blues Category Aussie Winner 2006! [+ Show ]
  

  International Blues Award to Aussie Winner !! Melbourne singer-songwriter Steve Romig has won the...International Blues Award to Aussie Winner !!
  
  Melbourne singer-songwriter Steve Romig has won the first prize in the Blues category of the prestigious International Song Competition run out of Nashville, the songwriting capital of the US.
  
  Romig's winning song "Way Down Homeless Blues" was inspired by the plight of the homeless in Japan where Romig spent several months performing in 2003.
  
  Almost 15,000 amateur and professional songwriters from 82 countries participated in the 2005 competition, consolidating ISC's status as the leading songwriting event globally. It is one of the few competitions to have a Blues category without putting it together with Jazz or some other style.
  
  Judges for the competition included Tom Waits, Steve Vai, Macy Gray, Joss Stone, LeAnn Rimes, Charlie Musselwhite, Bruce Iglauer (Founder/President, Alligator Records)and Thomas Brooman (Co-Founder/Artistic Director, WOMAD.
  
  The prize is a timely windfall for Romig who says "Now I can afford to get my album mastered ".
  
  Romig also won a national Musicoz Blues Award last December. His album "The Friday Sessions" is due out later in 2006 and on the strength of these awards it will draw interest nationally and internationally. He has written songs covered by John Farnham, and played with many luminaries of the Australian Music scene including Tommy Emmanuel, Darryl Braithwaite and Renee Geyer. His website is www.steveromig.com .
  
  Visit http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners.htm to hear all of ISC's winners.
  
  

• Review 2005 Billy Pinnell [+ Show ]
  

  After a long apprenticeship as a backing musician and opening act for Renee Geyer, Tommy Emmanue...
  
  After a long apprenticeship as a backing musician and opening act for Renee Geyer, Tommy Emmanuel and Daryl Braithwaite, singer / songwriter / guitarist Steve Romig finally takes centre stage with his excellent debut release. A singer / musician of Romig's caliber could have taken the easy route on his first journey into sololand, Instead he?s shown flair and imagination in his choice of arrangements on fourteen original songs.
  
  The gospel / blues inspired 'Daddy Come Down' features a sparse dobro. Acoustic slide accompanies his voice on "Sometimes".
  
  Mike Rudd's bluesy harmonica bobs up on "Night And Day" and there's a Chinese violin on "Take You Back".
  
  "Ain't Gonna Be Your Dog" is a nod to Big Joe Turner, while "I Wanna Touch You" and "Old Friend" are vehicles for Romig's strong, melodic voice.
  
  One of this year' standout debuts heralds the arrival of a talented all-rounder.
  
  ~Bill Pinnell~

• Review March 2004 [+ Show ]
  

  There's not a single thing you could flaw in this recording. It really is a quietly confident and...
  There's not a single thing you could flaw in this recording. It really is a quietly confident and beautifully executed piece of work. Romig has managed to capture some incredible 'real' sounds, especially in the dynamics and tones of his guitar playing.
  
  You could file "Touch" under any branch of adult oriented music you like, and you still couldn't put a finger on what it is he does. Fans of anyone from Simply Red, Simon and Garfunkle and the modern gospel/ blues- influenced acts will find him a real treat. He is undoubtedly a gifted singer and songwriter, and I have to say, tracks like 'Sometimes' have enough to make you close your eyes and reconsider things in your own life. Any piece of music that can do that is testimony to this man's heart.
  
  There are funkier bloozier tracks that definitely have groove and a sense of fun- but Romig's true talent shines in the slower moments where it's just his soulful husky voice and resonant strings of his instrument.
  
  I advise those of you after the kind of music they just don't make anymore to seek him out on www.steveromig.com. You will be rewarded in the listening.
  
  

Setlist

Originals
Blues Set
Way Down Homeless Blues
Everybody's Got Their Way
Sometimes
Be Nice to Me
Daddy Come Down (Delta Blues)
Better Man (Rock)
Ain't Gonna Be Your Dog (Country)
You Rock My World (Gospel)
Real Love (Gospel)
Lonely Blues
Backdoor Man
My Soul's Beloved
Leavin' here today
Please, Please, Please

Ballads
Take You Back
I Wanna Touch You
On Western Bay
Nobody Stays in Love Anymore
Old Friend
Hardline
Tender Moments
Sleep
The Mistress
Body on my Mind

Covers
Key to the Highway
Turn Up your radio
Friday on my mind
Lela
songs by Simon and Garfunkle,
James Taylor,
Billy Joel,
Elton John,
Stevie Wonder,
Eric Clapton,
The Beatles
Ray Charles
Eva Cassidy
Ella Fitzgerald
Elvis Costello
Elvis Presley
and many more.

Basic Requirements

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