Stevie Harrold
Influences ....
My earliest influences were not poets but singer song writers , who were all by definition, great poets .
My first album was Don McLean's American Pie and the title song , Vincent and other great songs on that record were beautiful and captivating . You didn't need the music , the lyrics were so original and McLean was a master story teller . Bridge of Troubled Water was another album played over and over...we had no choice , we only owned the two records !
I heard my big brother Jim playing "The only living boy in New York " on stage at our school and that had a lasting effect on me . With Jim's encouragement and the loan of his guitar I started out playing when I was 16 and we are both still passionate about playing ...here we are live in LA ...!
A writer only needs one idea , one thought , one spark of emotion to build an entire song or poem .
Once I picked up the guitar then Dylan and the Beatles offered a treasure trove of amazing songs to study and absorb . You can't beat playing an instrument to motivate you to study words.
Studying English Literature at school introduced me to Rupert Brooke and Wilfred Owen . Brooke wrote one of my favourite poems , 'The Soldier ' , but it was Owen who blew your mind . With pen and paper Owen painted the horror and brutality of war in relentless and unapologetic imagery .
And lastly my sincere thanks to my dear Mum June who sadly passed away on Valentine's day 2018. My Mum always quietly encouraged writing and playing music . She loved to play piano, especially the standards and was an accomplished musician . God Bless you Mum , you were the best and will always be in our hearts xx
