Delicate Steve is the stage name of musician Steve Marion, an American multi-instrumentalist who leads the band of the same name. Delicate Steve's sound has been described as hand-crafted with elements of
progressive rock
Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. I ...
surf rock
Surf music (or surf rock, surf pop, or surf guitar) is a genre of rock music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Southern California. It was especially popular from 1958 to 1964 in two major forms. The first is instrumental su ...
and
1970s pop
Year 197 ( CXCVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Magius and Rufinus (or, less frequently, year 950 ''Ab urbe condi ...
. Marion has collaborated with a wide range of artists in a variety of styles and genres, performing live and recording in-studio with artists such as The Black Keys,
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...
Mac DeMarco
MacBriare Samuel Lanyon DeMarco (born Vernor Winfield MacBriare Smith IV; April 30, 1990) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer. DeMarco has released six full-length studio albums, his debut '' Rock and Roll Night ...
Fredon Township, New Jersey
Fredon Township ( ) is a township in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 3,235, a decrease of 202 over the previous decade.Pope John XXIII Regional High School in 2005;
Warner Brothers
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
had signed his band to a recording deal while he was still in high school.
After opening for Yeasayer at New York City's Governors Island in summer 2010 and a residency at Brooklyn club Union Pool, the band attracted media and record label attention. That year, Delicate Steve signed to Luaka Bop, who released the "Butterfly" 7" single, backed with a cover of
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band, formed in London in 1967. Fleetwood Mac were founded by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Jeremy Spencer, before bassist John McVie joined the line-up for their epo ...
's "
Albatross
Albatrosses, of the biological family Diomedeidae, are large seabirds related to the procellariids, storm petrels, and diving petrels in the order Procellariiformes (the tubenoses). They range widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pac ...
" on the
B-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...
.
''Wondervisions'' (2011)
On January 25, 2011, Delicate Steve's debut album, ''Wondervisions'', was released on Luaka Bop. The entirety of the album was recorded by Marion in his bedroom and quickly gained the attention of critics, becoming a "Critics' Choice" selection of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' as well as being included on NPR's "Favorite Songs of 2011".
For the release of ''Wondervisions'', author Chuck Klosterman wrote a fictional biography of Delicate Steve. The bio was originally published anonymously and was mostly taken as fact by fans and press, but was exposed in a feature news story on NPR's ''
All Things Considered
''All Things Considered'' (''ATC'') is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio (NPR). It was the first news program on NPR, premiering on May 3, 1971. It is broadcast live on NPR affiliated stations in the United ...
''.
''Positive Force'' (2012)
In July 2012, Delicate Steve's sophomore record, ''Positive Force'', was released on Luaka Bop. The album quickly received high praise, including an 84 from '' Filter'', an 8.5 from '' Paste'', a 7.6 in '' Pitchfork'' and a 7 from ''
Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally ...
''.
For promotion of ''Positive Force'', a legitimate biography of the band was written by
Michael Azerrad
Michael Azerrad is an American author, music journalist, editor, and musician. A graduate of Columbia University, he has written for publications such as ''Spin'', ''Rolling Stone'', and ''The New York Times''. Azerrad's 1993 biography '' Come a ...
, author of '' Our Band Could Be Your Life''.
On September 3, 2014, the band issued a free digital sampler EP, titled ''Multiple Moods Sampler'', via
Bandcamp
Bandcamp is an American online audio distribution platform founded in 2007 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with headquarters in Oakland, California, US. On March 2, 2022, Bandcamp ...
.
''Live in Las Vegas'' (2015)
Following the release of ''Positive Force'', the band toured with Tame Impala,
Mac DeMarco
MacBriare Samuel Lanyon DeMarco (born Vernor Winfield MacBriare Smith IV; April 30, 1990) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer. DeMarco has released six full-length studio albums, his debut '' Rock and Roll Night ...
,
Dirty Projectors
Dirty Projectors is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2002. The band is the project of singer-songwriter David Longstreth, who has served as the band's sole constant member throughout numerous line-up changes. The ...
, Tune-Yards and Yeasayer. While supporting Tame Impala on their US tour, a live album was recorded at a November 13, 2014 show at the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas. ''Live in Las Vegas'' was released on March 3, 2015.
''This Is Steve'' (2017)
In 2016, Delicate Steve signed to
Anti-
Anti- is an American record label founded in 1999 as a sister label to Epitaph Records. While Epitaph's focus has mostly been on punk rock, Anti-'s roster includes gospel (Mavis Staples), country (Merle Haggard), hip hop ( Sage Francis, The C ...
and toured with
Cass McCombs
Cass McCombs (born November 13, 1977 in California) is an American musician and songwriter. Since 2002 he has released ten albums, an EP and a B-sides compilation under his own name. McCombs’ music blends elements of many styles including Amer ...
. In January 2017, the band's third album, ''This Is Steve'', was released on Anti-. The album was recorded entirely by Marion at Outlier Inn studios in Woodridge, NY in 11 days.
''Till I Burn Up'' (2019)
In 2019, Delicate Steve released ''Till I Burn Up'' on
Anti-
Anti- is an American record label founded in 1999 as a sister label to Epitaph Records. While Epitaph's focus has mostly been on punk rock, Anti-'s roster includes gospel (Mavis Staples), country (Merle Haggard), hip hop ( Sage Francis, The C ...
. The album is marked by an exploration of experimental elements and guitar tones inspired in part by
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
’s vocals on ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'', particularly the use of distorted and Auto-Tuned room mics. Later in 2019, West would go on to sample ''Wally Wilder'', a track from Delicate Steve’s 2012 release, ''Positive Force.''
Collaborations
As a guitarist, Marion has performed live on stage with Mac DeMarco, Kimbra, Built to Spill, Yeasayer, Dirty Projectors,
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of t ...
Dr. Dog
Dr. Dog is an American rock band based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Its lineup consists of Toby Leaman (bass guitar), Scott McMicken (lead guitar), Frank McElroy (rhythm guitar), Zach Miller (keyboard), Eric Slick ( drums), and ...
Kyp Malone
David Kyp Joel Malone (born February 27, 1973) is an American multi-instrumentalist and member of the bands TV on the Radio, Iran, Rain Machine, and Ice Balloons.
Biography
Malone grew up in Moon Township, Pennsylvania and moved to New Jersey for ...
Akron/Family
Akron/Family were an American folk-influenced experimental rock band active from 2002 to 2013. Former members have lived in Portland, Oregon; Los Angeles, California; and Joshua Tree, California.
Music and history
Though each member of the ban ...
Fang Island
Fang Island was an American indie rock band formed in Providence, Rhode Island, and based in Brooklyn, New York. The group consisted of the guitarists Jason Bartell and Chris Georges, the bass guitarist Brock Hengin and the drummer Marc St. Sauv ...
,
Sondre Lerche
Sondre Lerche (; born 5 September 1982) is a Norwegian singer, songwriter and guitarist, now based in Los Angeles, California. He has released nine studio albums.
Early life
Growing up in a suburb of Bergen, Lerche was heavily influenced by 1980 ...
, Nicole Atkins and Seltzer Boys (a supergroup consisting of Yeasayer and Suckers members).
Marion also collaborated with
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...
on his 2015 album '' Stranger to Stranger''.
In 2017, Marion joined the Growlers as a guitarist for their '' City Club'' world tour.
Marion collaborated with Amen Dunes to record guitar on the 2018 album ''Freedom''. The record was met with positive critical acclaim, earning the title of “Best New Music” from ''Pitchfork''. ''
Uproxx
''Uproxx'' (stylized in all caps) is an entertainment and popular culture news website. It was founded in 2008 by Jarret Myer and Brian Brater, and acquired by Woven Digital (later renamed Uproxx Media Group) in 2014. The site's target audience ...
'' critic Steven Hyden wrote, "With Marion’s understated but assertive guitar acting as the album's focal point, ''Freedom'' recalls the arena-ready, widescreen sweep of U2 or the Verve".
In 2019, Marion joined The Black Keys as a guitarist on their “Let’s Rock” tour.
Anti-
Anti- is an American record label founded in 1999 as a sister label to Epitaph Records. While Epitaph's focus has mostly been on punk rock, Anti-'s roster includes gospel (Mavis Staples), country (Merle Haggard), hip hop ( Sage Francis, The C ...
)
*''The Christmas Album'' (2018,
Anti-
Anti- is an American record label founded in 1999 as a sister label to Epitaph Records. While Epitaph's focus has mostly been on punk rock, Anti-'s roster includes gospel (Mavis Staples), country (Merle Haggard), hip hop ( Sage Francis, The C ...
)
*''Till I Burn Up'' (2019,
Anti-
Anti- is an American record label founded in 1999 as a sister label to Epitaph Records. While Epitaph's focus has mostly been on punk rock, Anti-'s roster includes gospel (Mavis Staples), country (Merle Haggard), hip hop ( Sage Francis, The C ...
)
*''After Hours'' (2022,
Anti-
Anti- is an American record label founded in 1999 as a sister label to Epitaph Records. While Epitaph's focus has mostly been on punk rock, Anti-'s roster includes gospel (Mavis Staples), country (Merle Haggard), hip hop ( Sage Francis, The C ...
)
EPs
* ''Cowboy Stories'' (2017, Anti-)
Singles
* "Butterfly" 7" (2011, Luaka Bop)
* "Many Moods" digital with Zach Hill (2011, self-released)
* "Valerie" 7" with Ra Ra Riot (2012,
Barsuk Records
Barsuk Records ( ) is an independent record label based in Seattle, Washington, that was founded by the members of the band This Busy Monster, Christopher Possanza and Josh Rosenfeld, in 1998 to release their band's material. Its logo is a drawi ...
)
* "Further Out" 7 with Callers (2012, Western Vinyl)
Live albums
* ''Live in Las Vegas'' (2015, self-released)
Compilation EPs
*''Multiple Moods Sampler'' digital EP (2014, self-released)
Compilation appearances
*"I'm Just Beginning to Live" (
Jonathan Richman
Jonathan Michael Richman (born May 16, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. In 1970, he founded the Modern Lovers, an influential proto-punk band. Since the mid-1970s, Richman has worked either solo or with low-key acoustic an ...
cover) on ''Panache Mixtape Series - Vol. 2'' (2014)
*“Hallelujah - Live” (
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death, and romantic relationships. He was inducted in ...
cover) on ''Sincerely, L. Cohen: A Live Celebration of Leonard Cohen'' (2017)
Merge Records
Merge Records is an independent record label based in Durham, North Carolina. It was founded in 1989 by Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan. It began as an outlet for music from their band Superchunk and music created by friends, and has expanded ...
)
*
Sondre Lerche
Sondre Lerche (; born 5 September 1982) is a Norwegian singer, songwriter and guitarist, now based in Los Angeles, California. He has released nine studio albums.
Early life
Growing up in a suburb of Bergen, Lerche was heavily influenced by 1980 ...
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...
Mute Records
Mute Records is a British independent record label owned and founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller. It has featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Depeche Mode, Erasure, Einstürzende Neubauten, Fad Gadget, Goldfrapp, Grin ...