The Birth of Stevie and the Saints

"Stevie and the Saints..a Vision..a Van..and Fat Boys on a Mission"

1986 LA was the epicenter of a growing number of metal bands. They seem to be everywhere. Out of this period would come some of that music's greatest. Metllica, Megadeth, Ratt,Slayer,Motley Crue (dare I mention Poison) Iron Maiden and Guns and Roses. In the Christian music scene there were just as many although not nearly as well known outside the scene. Many of the bands played the same venues. The big boys on the block were Stryper. I heard about them when I first got to LA and was still in school. They were an amazing band..and weird looking..yellow and black stripped spandex..and more hair spray and lipstick than I ever saw at church.
They took a lot of flack for being what they were. But look at this, they were the first out front openly Christian band that got signed to a secular label something nearly unheard of back then. They toured with secular bands, filled concert halls and put on a totally professional show replete with lights,bombs and big amps...everything you would want to see in a metal show and all of it glorified GOD..I know I went to see them..the only other show I ever saw that was as good and packed the house as well(I saw both these at the Universal amphitheater) was Petra...one of my faves since I first got saved. What they did was raise the bar for all of us. They crossed the line and proved that a Christian metal band could sell out halls,sell a million records and not sell their souls to do so. Boys if you ever read this...you got huevos!!! big bad spiritual huevos!!! thank you Jesus.
There would be many in LA that would follow and I would find myself knee deep in that scene. Bands like Vengeance who would record their first demo at my future producers studio and would have their debut the same night as the Saints. Barren Cross, Neon Cross, White Cross(a lot of cross bands..it would not have surprised me if there had been,the cross and the switch blade,cross word puzzle and skull and cross bones)Jordan, from Seattle my buddy Dave's band Bloodgood. Guardian, X-Sinner,Trilogy and the list would go on and on....lots and lots of metal bands..
I had played in a few bands after GIT when finally it dawned on me..I write my own songs and I have my stuff strait as much as these guys do. So in 1986 I made a decision. I would form my own band. It was simple. Lisa and Terry had been kind enough to give me a key to the church. I had set up the Boogie there and was playing for church every sunday so I had a place to rehearse. I would sometimes go there and crank it up all alone and come up with ideas for some of my first songs.
As I surveyed the Christian music scene of the day I saw many versions of bands like Sabbath,Led Zep,Journey, Ozzy,Deep Purple..Christian versions of secular bands...I asked myself one simple question...WHERE WERE THE BLUES?..other than Darrel Mansfield...there wasn't any, no guitar driven bands were doing it. Where were the Christian versions of Stevie Ray Vaughn?Muddy Waters?Jimi Hendrix? ZZ Top? BB King?....I saw none!....They were my true hero's...they were the real influence on me as well as George Benson and Joe Pass....so who was doing that kind of music??? the answer..NO ONE...not until then...little did I know what I was about to do would continue way beyond those years of struggle and toil in the trenches.
My concept was simple. A couple of guitars a bass player drums and hopefully someone with a van. None of which I had. But here is what I did have. A Call ,A Vision, and an Education from GIT as well as someplace to practice. I just needed the right guys. I was not really looking for great musicians as I was looking for great servants. Guys with a heart for God and a desire to serve Him. I had the time,talent,education and expertise to help someone be a better musician but someone with a servants heart was in God's hands. I met the first guy thru a friend. John, played guitar and a little bit of keyboards and HAD A VAN! We started out at the church and auditioned a few other guys I gotten to know. What I really needed was a drummer and bass player.
We were working on some tunes one night when in walked this heavy set guy with glasses. He wasn't there to play he was actually returning some drum gear that he had borrowed. I offered to have him set in. And it clicked. He had a good feel and steady meter. I made him an offer on the spot. He told me he didn't think he could do it because of his commitment at his church but he'd think about it. John Tinker ...I'd nick name him JT for short cause we already had another John in the band and every-time I'd say John I'd get twin replies. JT would tell me latter that part of his reluctance at first was his home church was anti-rock of any sort Christian or not..but he remembers thinking this as he drove away..."You know you're going back there...that guy can play!" He would turn out to a tremendous blessing both as a friend and brother and as a great drummer. There were two other pieces to this pie that were yet to come. I got a call from a bass player who someone had told what we were doing and he wanted to come down and sit in. I had set up an audition with a fella who worked with a buddy of mine that worked for Sparrow records. Sparrow was one of the larger record labels for Christian music of that day and by now their head accountant was going to the church. I tried to set things up so this wouldn't be a cattle call. Problem was the first guy showed up anyway. So I had these two guys standing there, a bit awkward. Kenny Kuhn was a simple uncomplicated kid of 23 at the time. He showed up in a beat to crap Toyota, a bass on the cheap end and a single speaker comb bass amp. The other guy was sporting a high end bass serious pro gear and all of it in a brand new car. Who do you think I went with...Kenny. The other guy was a better player but there was something at the end of that night Kenny said to me...simple..Just let me know if you can use me or not..as I drove away the humility of that comment struck a chord..I had found our bass player.
As we settled in I had just a hand full of songs, may be half a dozen. We started working on them. I was trying to get a friend from church to be our singer so as he and I would work on the songs he kept telling me I sang my songs fine...I was not convinced having been told my whole life I couldn't sing..play guitar! yea..sing...nooooo. Well this friend of mine had a girlfriend who I think didn't like the idea of him in the band so he finally said this..."Steve you sing your songs fine so I'm gonna quit..now you have to sing "That night I showed up to rehearsal and told the boys..much to my own consternation..not only would I play but I would try my best to sing..I got a dubious look from JT. So I wound up writing,singing and playing all the lead guitar. What I would realize was I could sing what I wrote and if I could "feel it" I could deliver it.
There we were. 4 guys in a store front church with hardly a nickel between us. I had a Vision...and I would preach it to the guys constantly..and I was careful not let any doubt,or anything negative fester. I felt like God had given me the seed and I would hover over it and feed it on faith till it grew and bloomed. The thing with a Vision is it becomes contagious..The more you say it, the more you lift it up, the more faith you put into it before long those around you will see it too. I knew then to be successful we all would have be on the same page,thinking the same thing saying, the same thing ,and moving in unity as a team, a tribe and a platoon because failure was just outside the door. And I wasn't gonna let it come in a spoil the soil. One Vision,One Heart,One Mind. That Vision was to go where others wouldn't,Be a light in the dark, Reach out to the downtrodden and forgotten, and use the music to present HOPE.
Not far from where I lived was this cool little funky used clothes store. "Suitably Yours" LA was just full of little shops like that and it was so frustrating being over weight and trying to buy stage clothes..(our joke was they don't make spandex in triple x sizes) One day I was in the shop looking through the "extra large" rack when a blueish green pin striped suit caught my eye. I pulled it out and it looked like it mights fit..legs didn't seem to long..I held it up close and thought..."Um maybe"now sitting atop the circular clothes rack right in front of this suit was a french beret. I thought "Hey this is cool I wonder if it fits" I tried it on and it fit perfect. Then I tried on the suit and it fit as if it had been made just for me..not a very easy thing seeing as how I was 5'8" 260 pounds. The pants were cut just the right length not to tight in the waist, the coat arms were not to long or short the back had plenty of room to move...an image..the suit,the beret ,a skinny tie and some cheap sunglasses ..an image that would remain with me the rest of my life(although I have a ridicules collection of Fedoras as well) It was like God had handed me my own "coat of many colors" and said...."Now you look like you sound" BLUSEY!
We decided that to many bands never get out of the garage so we set a date to play our first gig. Halloween 1986...the official birth of "Stevie and the Saints". I hand drew flyers and hands outs, I took a sheet and made our banner (I used up half a dozen magic markers) and just to be different I spelled it "Steevie and the Saints". JT or Tink as we would begin to start calling him managed to piece together some lights and a PA system form the ancient stuff the church had. I even recall we had a drum riser of sorts. There we were Long John(cause he was tall and skinny) JT, Kenny "the kid"(cause he was the youngster of the band) and Me..We hit that little stage to a surprising packed house(not hard to do with a church that only held about 50 people tops) and the gig went off like clock work. It was funny cause during the show and afterward camera's were clicking away. That has been this odd thing with me my whole life with the guitar...There was always someone either taking pictures or taping me..not many working stiff can point to a box that has my entire life on tape or photo.
There would be one more player in this story who would be the final piece to our little rock and roll circus. Long John was friendly with Pastor Ralph Torrez of Pasadena 4 square(who I would eventually call my pastor) They were assisting with a Rose Bowl out reach. For many years there had been a ministry run by a pastor/street preacher named Ray Zigler. Ray was a big fella with a sunny smile and a commanding presence who could preach the walls down. He was the only guy on the Rose Bowl Parade route with a "live" music permit and had been coming there with a mobile stage for years to minister. The Rose Bowl on New Years day was a big event. People from all over the south land would come and camp out for the night to get good seats to watch the parade then go to the football game....what it was was a five mile long party...you name it you could find it there in spades. And in the middle of this Ray would set up the stage have some Christian bands and preach..a scene custom made for Stevie and the Saints...we got a spot on the bill and showed up...this was like our 3rd or 4th gig.
That night was a stand out for us..freaks everywhere, all kinds of bands, ex-gang members testifying there was this "Strong man" who blew up a hot water bottle till it exploded! They even had puppets..One of the guys running the show had this interesting pop band..Face of Five..he was a some what short guy sporting a biker jacket and a union jack dew rag. His name..Ken Roberts. First impressions? A bit of a cynic, not real friendly but he seemed to like us. Little did I know he'd would become a close friend and a major part of our future..God moves in strange ways. Ken had been around the LA music scene for years as a producer,engineer and player. He was a walking dictionary of the British invasion from the Beatles to Punk. And had even had a song stolen that he had submitted to a very well known pop singer who will remain nameless. What he said he liked about us besides the music was off stage we were one of the easiest bands to work with,humble with a good attitude and no drama. We were there to serve. I witnessed an amazing night of "real" gritty street ministry and felt right at home.
For the next year we would gig anywhere we could(our saying in the band back then was "We'd play for the opening of a garage") One gig stands out during that early time. In Hollywood there was a ministry called ''The Holy Ghost Repair Service" I had read about this place right in the middle of all the weirdness of Hollywood. They had a little club called "The Oasis" and frankly I was not a little bit in awe of the place. The founder had passed away from cancer at a mere 37 years of age and at the time we played there his widow and her new husband were trying to keep the place afloat. There were 3 things that stood out about this gig for me. One when I first met her and her new husband my gut reaction was..."What are you two doing here?"...under white bread in the dictionary it said "See them" She looked like the local Baptist church receptionist and he looked like a used car salesman...I could tell they had neither passion nor purpose for this once vibrant ministry...not 30 seconds after our set started she sent me a note informing me that we were far to loud..so I turned down..at a break this "sister" yanked me outside in the pouring rain and began to yell at me..about the volume, the style...yada yada yada...I'm standing there thinking..."Lady we are playing here for free..came on our own nickel..it's raining and you really are "showing me some "Christian Love" you ought to be ashamed of yourself"...so I go back and try to buck up and share the love of Christ with those that were there. At the end of the night her boyfriend/husband used car salesman gives me a lecture on the importance of seeking God before we play and inviting God's presence....I guess this home boy was taking out Suzy sweet lips laundry while me and the boys were downstairs for a good 30 minutes worshipping God and doing just that...preparing for war..needless to say we didn't play there again after that..there was one high point for me during that night...as I was tuning my guitar before the gig...this guy walks up to me and asks if "Darrell Mansfield" was going to be there that night...I look up and go "Sorry tonight you get Stevie and the Saints"...he looks disappointed and asked if I was sure Darrell wouldn't be there..I told that brother I didn't think so but if he did I would be just as thrilled and honored as he would to get a chance to play with one of my heros...the guy walks away still looking disappointed...despite the bummer that gig turned out to be for me..after we were done and as depressed as I was. While I was tearing down my gear this brother comes up to me and asks..."What are you guys called again?...I go Stevie and the Saints"...he writes it down shakes my hand smiles warmly and says...."I'm gonna remember you guys and be looking for you!!! At least one guy liked us that night. Also Mr used car salesman got a hot cup of coffee thrown at him that night..I guess the Hollywood crazies didn't like his brand of white-bread Christianity..Just another night in Hollywood...meanwhile I was so bummed that I skipped the next rehearsal...Tink and the boys showed up at my house and really encouraged me...literally lifting me from my depression...it was then we decided it was time to try to move into the clubs and away from churches...these were becoming my true friends ad beloved brothers...
We were invited back to play the Rose Bowl gig again. Ken would tell me later that he was impressed with three things about us a year later..first we had all the same guys in the band..back then the average life of any LA band was two months..second...we still had the same laid back servant attitude,no drama and once again...we tore the roof off the place...Ken told me later he said to himself..I WANNA WORK WITH THESE GUYS!! On top of that we were funny and made him laugh...something he didn't do a whole lot back then...
We got a call from ken a few months latter. he was doing a show at this club in San Pedro called "The Waters Club"back then there was this stupid scam called "Pay to Play" promoters would rent a club and charge the bands to show case in the hope that some industry types would discover them..This gig was a bit different..Ken was only asking to 100 bucks per band to keep the club happy. It would be the debut of a few new bands from a church that was a ministry that catered to the heavy metal crowd..Sanctuary..and Bob Beeman..the pastor..Bob was one of the sweetest guys I ever met ...his family were the Beeman gum family and he had once been a member of the New Christie Minstrels he had started a ministry to club kids,punks and head bangers.
The guys in the band at first were a bit dubious about paying to play...I said this to my boys.."lets pray...and if we have so much as a slightly uncomfortable itch over this we'll pass"
We began to pray and the moment I closed my eyes I had another of those moments. I felt the peace of God all over me like a cheap suit. I absolutely KNEW this was the right thing to do. We all did. So I contacted Ken and made the arrangements. A few days prior to the gig Long John,JT and I went down to visit the club,check it out, see what kind of cliental hung out there. I remember seeing this band from Texas playing there. The band had more Marshall's and Ampegs than I had ever seen before..I was not very impressed and I try to not to be too harsh in judging other bands. The club itself could easily hold 800 to 900 people. It had a stage 6 feet off the dance floor and a drum riser another 5 feet above the stage.Very large stage probably 40 to 50 feet long and a good 25 to 30 feet deep...plenty of room for a bunch a fat guys to run around on. What impressed me was the house PA. It was huge,high end and crystal clear. Ran from a booth dead center 60 feet from the pit. This was a serious departure from cheesy little Peavey PA's and tiny little churches I had grown up with.
The day of the gig we showed up ready to set up. Showcase gigs in those days went like this the Headliner set up first,did a sound check then the other bands would follow. So you would have bands and their gear set up one by one and as they would do their set off the stage their gear would go and the next guys would be up. The openers being the last to set up. Because we all had day jobs we nearly always requested to be the last to set up. so we do our thing and be home in time for the "Carson".
This was a whole new scene for me.Frankly it was exciting. Some of the other bands had piles and piles of gear. I watched this one bass player make half a dozen trips to his truck,set up this mountain of cabinets,amps and such then find out it wouldn't work!(turned out to be a 2 dollar battery in his cordless) our was decidedly on the humble side. I had my little Boogie(although I think we rented a spare cabinet that night)Tink was playing on a set that cost him 300.00 that he had rebuilt using better hard wear. Long John had some sort of Fender and the kid had up graded to a Sunn with two 18 inch cabs..bought it from the former bass player from "The Second Chapter of Acts" the seminal Christian band from the 70's. Those 18's could move some air. We could set up and be ready to rock in under 15 minutes. Simple...like the music of the Saints. Like I said this was all new..they even gave us our own dressing room..no more changing in the back of the van.
Show time was 9 o'clock. We show up and get into the stage clothes and as we are standing there,I'm looking around. There are all these metal heads and glam boys dressed in spandex ,hair spray and make up. here were are a bunch of fat boys dressed in suits. Talk about contrast. Ken was running around back stage getting ready to run the house sound,making sure the stage was set. I look at him an recall saying"Dude I'm not sure how we are going to go over here..we're not a metal band" he just smiles and says "Don't worry we'll see what happens"..we pause to pray..and then I start feeling it...that surge..the fire in my soul...ready to ignite... We hit the stage wondering what was gonna happen and POW...the crowd runs...RUNS to the front of the stage and starts shouting us on....I look over my shoulder at Tink..he's smilling like the cat that just ate the canary...and I knew...KNEW...this crowd...this stage ...and this moment..was MINE...I OWNED THEM!..THEY WERE IN MY BACK POCKET ...and off we went.....That night I played like a man ON FIRE! cause I was..I pulled out all the stops..every trick in the book.. I ran from one side of the stage to the other I would turn to Tink and point while I did pull offs on my strat..then jump as the kid did the same ending the song!!..and the crowd egged us on...I guess they were starved for some boogie and some blues...a performance, a set and a guitar solo should be like a good pentecostal preacher...use equal parts hollering and shouting with whispers and moans..peaks and valleys. We had arranged our set accordingly.
By the time I slowed things down for a slow blues tune the crowd was ready for a breather...and midway thru my solo they were almost literaly eating out of my hand drinking it up like thirsty sponges.
We had a "showcase song" this was our bring it home barn burner. "Holy Roller Blues". A song I heard on my first Christian night at Disneyland by a band called "Servant" I took it added a verse and gave it a ZZ Top grove..I made it boogie..we kicked it off with a slide guitar intro and went for it. This was a tune I would use to introduce the "Boys In the Band" ..."The Saints"...each of them could take a ride but honestly the guys were never much for showing off..they left that up to me..."On guitar and keys Long John"..Drums.."The master of Disaster..JT...on bass we call him "the Kid" ...I recall this was the first time Tink introduced me as "The Master Blaster on the Stratocaster" Stevie !!!... I feel this FIRE in my soul that feels as if I'm about to explode. I RUN to the edge of the stage, head held back in total abandon standing on my tippy toes ripping away like a rabid dog in butcher shop!! finally we come out of the solo into the last verse,"They call me a Jesus Freak...what they say is true"..."they call me a Jesus Freak what they say is true"....But there one thing I got to know!!.....then silence..."There is one thing I got to know!!!!!"WHOSE FREAK ARE YOU!!!!boom boom boom and I turn..Tink and I lock eyes and I just keep going and going rattling spit fire lick after lick...stretching the ending and milking it for all it's worth...I am "Dancing in the Fire" and I wasn't alone..the band and the crowd were "in it to dig it" right along side of me! Tink's looking at me grinning away and probably thinking "where is he going?"by now I'm GONE...it's "Warp Speed Mister Zulu"..I end it with a jump and several more notes and a whammey bar dive bomb and turn to face the crowd, but before I could say goodnight they are shouting for more!!..."One More Song...One More Song...One more Song"...so we did an encore..tore up some more real-estate...and headed back stage...Ken is standing there...smiling ear to ear..and goes "They ain't gonna forget YOU ANYTIME SOON"...frankly I was hot ,sweaty,needed a smoke,wanted a cheese burger and felt like a million bucks...it was good to be "Stevie" that night. I sat back and watched the other bands as we packed up and got ready to go. As we were walking out the door Ken stops us and says"After the smoke clears I'll call you in a couple of weeks"...I got a call the very next day.."Stevie we have to talk!" Thus began our recroding career and a band that would continue to live on with no effort of our own for 25 years.