Steve B.
Whenever I am going through a very difficult time the first thing I do is stop and take a deep breath. I look for solutions and act on them. I spend a moment praying and asking God for guidance. I do my best to take care of myself physically and mentally with proper diet, martial arts and working out. I ask advice from those whose opinions I respect. Always remaining calm, I do my absolute best to keep my bad temper in check. I have never let it get out of hand at all. I try to not act out of emotion. Emotional responses are often the start of bad decisions. I also confide in my wife a lot as she is very grounded and knows me very well. The most important thing I do is pray and talk to God.
About Me
Webster’s defines a blaze as: “…an intensely burning fire…sudden burst of flame…dazzling display….” Musician extraordinaire, Steve Blaze, has undeniably earned his label “blaze.” This multi-faceted musician’s talents include songwriting, singing, producing, engineering and the ability to play several instruments; but he is most noted for his signature fiery guitar style which has catapulted him to international recognition.
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Steve broke into the music scene at a very early age. He received his first guitar at age seven, took lessons for a brief time and then became a self-taught accomplished musician. He won multiple talent shows playing classical and flamenco guitar. As a young teen he was asked to perform on a local television show which aired on New Orleans’ CBS affiliate. He played in several bands while in high school and formed his own band Oz which became quite popular to the local scene. When Steve was nineteen years old Jim Dandy, the legendary vocalist for Black Oak Arkansas, asked him to join his solo band and to play on his first solo album. Blaze played on the album but graciously declined joining the band to pursue Lillian Axe.
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At the age of twenty-one Steve formed Lillian Axe. After opening shows for Zebra, Lillian Axe came into their own headlining shows followed by an ever-growing fan base. Steve serves as major songwriter, lead guitarist and backing vocalist for Lillian Axe. His intense stage presence is the catalyst for his fiery guitar style which continues to mesmerize audiences today. Lillian Axe caught the attention of Robbin Crosby (of Ratt, who is also a producer) who produced the band’s self-titled CD for MCA Records. Following the self-titled CD, Lillian Axe released ‘Love and War” followed by a highly successful tour spreading their music worldwide. The band was
picked up by IRS/Grand Slamm records and released “Out of the Darkness Into the Light” which is a compilation of their two previous CD’s which were no longer available from MCA. A new CD, “Poetic Justice”, was released followed by “Psychoschizophrenia”. The band received massive airplay including 4 MTV videos, and they have sold over 700,000 albums. After over 12 years of extensive touring spanning over 20 countries, the band decided to take a hiatus. They regrouped in 1999 and released “Fields of Yesterday”. Lillian Axe continues to tour and their enormous fan base is still rapidly growing. These fans stay loyal to the band’s website www.lillianaxe.com and various chat groups on the internet.
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During Lillian Axe’s hiatus Steve Blaze continued pursuing his musical dreams and in 1995 Near Life Experience was born. This band is fronted by Blaze and showcases his many talents including lead vocals. NLE’s repertoire, consisting of over 100 original songs, grows continuously and they have released five CD’s which have sold over 10,000 copies solely through live shows and the band’s website www.nlesecretsociety.com . Their massive fan base which includes many Lillian Axe fans loyally support NLE’s website, fan club and chat groups. The band is presently seeking the right label to make their home.
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In the latter part of 2000 Steve Blaze received a phone call and flew to New York to audition for a reunion tour of the 80’s band Angel. He won the audition and is currently touring the world as a member of Angel with a studio CD forthcoming.
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While continuing as a member in Lillian Axe and Angel, and fronting Near Life Experience, Blaze is working on a solo CD. This project is an autobiographical musical journey documenting his life. The CD is exclusively Blaze; he performs all vocals, instruments, songwriting, as well as engineering and producing. It will be available to fans at live shows and via the internet.
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Steve Blaze is no stranger to all aspects of the industry. He has done hundreds of worldwide radio, internet and print interviews from fanzines to major publications such as Metal Edge, Hit Parader, Creem, RIP, Kerrang, SPIN, Burrn!, Metal Hammer, and Rock Hard. Blaze personally endorsed Jackson-Charvel, Ibanez, Parker, Washburn, and Robin guitars, S.I.T. Strings, Mesa/Boogie Amps, Johnson Amps, and Morely Effects; he has appeared in Ibanez and Jackson guitar ads for major music publications. In addition to MTV videos, Steve has made several television appearances from PBS concerts, to an ABC news story, to the Jerry Springer Show.
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Blaze is an exceptional songwriter characterized by his timeless, enigmatic melodies intertwined with soul gratifying lyrics. His passion for classical music and his openness to all forms of music serve as inspiration for his mystical compositions. He is a flexible musician in that he not only listens to all forms of music but can play them as well. Steve credits some of his heroes as Alice Cooper, Kiss, Ozzy Osbourne, Queen, Styx, Kansas and Black Sabbath among others. He is a founding and current member of his highly successful Black Sabbath Tribute band, Black Earth.
Steve Blaze’s limitations are infinite and has been accurately described by his ad for Ibanez Guitars: “Stevie Blaze, the first of a new breed with a fresh approach to rock and roll….”