Bill Stevenson (musician)
Bill Stevenson | |
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Stevenson performing with the Descendents in 2014 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | John William Stevenson |
Born | Torrance, California, U.S. | September 10, 1963
Genres | Punk rock, hardcore punk |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, producer, engineer |
Instrument(s) | Drums, percussion, vocals, guitar |
Years active | 1978–present |
Labels | Orca, New Alliance, SST, Cruz, Interscope, Epitaph, Fat Wreck Chords, Rise |
John William "Bill" Stevenson (born September 10, 1963) is an American musician and record producer. He is the drummer, main songwriter, and the only constant for the California punk rock group Descendents since its inception. In late December 1981 he played a few concerts with Black Flag because their drummer ROBO was detained in England after a tour there. He went on to record with Black Flag on several of their albums until 1985. After this he focused his attention on Descendents and played with them until Milo Aukerman left in 1987. After Milo had left, Bill and the others from Descendents, Karl Alvarez and Stephen Egerton, got singer Dave Smalley of Dag Nasty and formed All. All went on to have two more singers, Scott Reynolds (1989–1993) and Chad Price (1993–present). Aukerman came back to do the 1996 album Everything Sucks, the 2004 album Cool to Be You and the newest, 2016's Hypercaffium Spazzinate. All and Descendents continue to tour between Stevenson's and Aukerman's respective careers as a recording engineer and a biochemist. Stevenson was born in Torrance, California and attended Mira Costa High School, with fellow members of the Descendents.[1]
Stevenson, along with Jason Livermore are the founders of the recording studio "The Blasting Room" in Fort Collins, Colorado. Currently, Stevenson is involved in Russ Rankin's side project Only Crime with former members of GWAR and Converge.
In 2005, he became a member of instrumental group The Mag Seven, and produced the group's album.[2]
One of Stevenson's most recent works is producing Rise Against's seventh studio album, The Black Market, which was released July 15, 2014, As I Lay Dying's Awakened as well as the recent NOFX album Self Entitled.[3][4][5] In August 2007, he revealed plans to produce and play drums on an album by The Lemonheads.[6][7]
Early life
Bill Stevenson (birth name; John William Stevenson) was born on September 10, 1963. Stevenson grew up mostly with his father, Steve. Stevenson's mother was an alcoholic. He describes his father as a cold man but there for him. His father worked two jobs for 22 hours out of the day and came home to give Stevenson food and put him to bed. At around 14 or 15 Stevenson started working for Keith Morris's father as a fisherman. Stevenson attended Mira Costa High School with his Descendents bandmates.[8]
Selected discography
See also
- Descendents - Hypercaffium Spazzinate - (2016) Drums, producer, engineer
- Descendents – Cool to Be You (2004) Drums, producer, Backing Vocals
- Descendents – 'Merican (2004) Drums, producer, Backing Vocals
- All/Descendents – Live Plus One [2 CD Split] (2001) Drums, producer
- All – Problematic (2000) Drums, producer
- All – ALL (1999) Drums, producer
- All – Mass Nerder (1998) Drums, producer
- Descendents – Everything Sucks (1996) Drums, producer
- All – Pummel (1995) Drums, producer
- All – Breaking Things (1993) Drums, producer
- All – Percolater (1992) Drums, producer
- Descendents – Somery (1991) Drums, producer, Artwork
- All – Allroy Saves (1990) Drums, producer, Backing Vocals
- All – Trailblazer (1990) Drums, producer
- Black Flag – I Can See You (1989) Drums
- All – Allroy's Revenge (1989) Drums, producer
- All – Allroy for Prez (1988) Drums, producer
- All – Allroy Sez (1988) Drums, producer
- Descendents – Hallraker (1988) Drums, producer
- Black Flag – Wasted...Again (1987) Drums
- Descendents – Liveage (1988) Drums, producer
- Descendents – ALL (1987) Drums, producer
- Descendents – Enjoy! (1986) Drums, engineer, Backing Vocals
- Descendents – I Don't Want to Grow Up (1985) Drums, engineer, Backing Vocals
- Minuteflag – MinuteFlag (1985) Drums
- Black Flag – In My Head (1985) Drums, producer
- Black Flag – The Process of Weeding Out (1985) Drums, producer
- Black Flag – Loose Nut (1985) Drums, producer, Backing Vocals
- Black Flag – Live '84 (1984) Drums, Mixing
- Black Flag – Slip It In (1984) Drums, producer
- Black Flag – Family Man (1984) Drums, engineer
- Black Flag – My War (1984) Drums, producer
- Black Flag – TV Party (1982) Drums
- Descendents – Milo Goes to College (1982) Drums, Backing Vocals
- Descendents – Fat (1981) Drums, Backing Vocals
- Descendents – Ride the Wild/It's a Hectic World single (1979) Drums, producer
References
- ^ Spurrier, Jeff. "DESCENDENTS HANG OUT IN NEVER-NEVER LAND", Los Angeles Times, January 5, 1986. Accessed January 10, 2008.
- ^ "ALL? No, the Mag Seven!". Alternative Press. October 14, 2005. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
- ^ "NOFX reveal 'Self Entitled'". Punknews.org. July 19, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
- ^ "NOFX's new album named 'Self-Entitled'; pre-order live now". Alternative Press. July 19, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
- ^ "NOFX Announce New Album "Self Entitled"". Alter the Press!. July 19, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
- ^ Lemonheads full length, reissue due next year, Punknews.org, November 16, 2007.
- ^ Stevenson talks about next Lemonheads album, Punknews.org, August 21, 2007.
- ^ filmage.vhx.tv/packages/filmage-film-trailer-only/videos/filmage-the-story-of-descendentsall-stereo
- Albums produced by Bill Stevenson (musician)
- 1963 births
- American male film actors
- American record producers
- American rock drummers
- Living people
- Descendents members
- Black Flag (band) members
- Hardcore punk musicians
- All (band) members
- Musicians from Torrance, California
- American punk rock drummers
- American male drummers
- Only Crime members
- American audio engineers
- Punk rock record producers