Stephen Kellogg (CT)
Stephen Kellogg claims that when he was growing up, his musical interests were divided between his father’s record collection, which was devoted to ’70s singer/songwriters like Jim Croce and Cat Stevens, the Eagles and The Band – a massive influence – and his sister’s rock & roll discs, dominated by hair metal acts like Bon Jovi and Mötley Crüe.
In a curious way, Kellogg’s music represents a meeting point between these two styles, with songs that delve deep into the personal, but make room for a sense of fun – while the music, which is intelligent and intimate, is also full of passion and electricity.
Says Kellogg, “My music has been described as Americana, Country-Rock, Folk, Singer/Songwriter, and, somehow, pop. I have always thought of it as American-rock n’ roll… Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with showmanship and acts that put on great concerts. Sometimes that meant Van Halen, other times it meant the Grateful Dead, and most recently it’s probably more to do with John Prine… Although it’s been pointed out to me by one quite popular publication that I’m “no Bruce Springsteen”, I’ve decided to continue making music anyway.”
In 2012, when his band of a decade went on hiatus, it heralded in a year of change for the singer. The musical result of this tumultuous period was Blunderstone Rookery – the title from the boyhood home of his favorite character in his favorite book, David Copperfield. “I loved working on Blunderstone Rookery more than any album I’ve ever made and it’s my ninth studio effort. It was a fresh process. One that began with the exciting notion, “what if I say exactly what I want to say” and ended with me handing my father a vinyl copy to add to his record collection. That, after all, is why I do this.”
