Union Recording Co. — Gastonia, NC
Steven Fiore, musician and producer, has a catalog of great music and now has been a helping hand with other artists creating their visions and music. It was a treat to sit down with Steven and chat about his story and how music became his passion. I’ve been listening to Young Mister for years and always missed the chance to see them perform when I was living in New York. I saw them perform at Snug Harbor in Charlotte a few years ago; it was just a full-circle moment. Listening to the self-titled album on vinyl and seeing it performed live was one of those beautiful feelings as a fan. So, let’s get into it; how did it all start for Steven? “I grew up in Charleston. I jumped around. I went from Charleston to Boston, returned for a little while, and met my wife, and all bets were off. I went to Los Angeles for a bit, and we did long distance. I was trying to salvage a publishing deal I had. I was there for about seven months and moved back to the East Coast, and my wife got a job in Chapel Hill, we moved there so North Carolina has been home for a while.”
Where did the music journey begin? What was the spark that inspired you to pick up the guitar and start playing? “Well, I’ve actually been unraveling that in therapy — it’s been fun. The biggest part was I’ve always been into music. I got into pop country in the 90’s because that’s what my parents listened to. Brooks & Dunn and all of that good stuff, and I always wanted to be in that world. Going to concerts, seeing all of the lights and tour buses, I wanted to do that. From there, I got into pop music in the 90’s, and when I started listening to The Beatles, that was the real push for me to pick up a guitar. That taste in music lasted and stayed, but then I fell hard into the rock era of Creed (laughs), but it's all part of the journey.”
Did you have ambitions of touring or writing when you first started to play guitar? “I didn’t really understand the concept of someone else writing a song and an artist playing it, and I wanted to be the guy; I wanted to write my own music. That filled the gaps of all of the insecurities I had, so the guitar was my superpower, and I leaned hard into that. I think it's the same for a lot of us. Even if it's not been discovered, there’s a thing that’s missing for us and its a way to help us express that. Music gives us the opportunity to be honest in ways that we may not be otherwise.”
Now, with owning the recording studio, do you see more of a drive in production or recording, or do you want to write your stuff and still play and tour? “I see it as an equal path. In this day and age, with music, you need to have a lot of different avenues to make a living doing it. You need a lot of irons in the fire. For me, I like writing, I like producing, I like playing. I like playing the role of being an art director for an artist. My goal when I quit my job last year was to create a bunch of services that I love to do that involve music that allows me to live my life and earn a living. It's a means of finding what you love, capitalizing on it, and trying a million different versions of it.”
You mentioned quitting your job. What was that like? Were you ready for it, or was it a hard or scary point? “So I was a Creative Director. I did corporate design. I’ve been doing that since 2016. My first album came out, and I got this job with a real estate/tech company. They sold the company, and I accepted a creative director role elsewhere. I was happy; I had a big-boy job, making a lot of money, and this was all I wanted. I had the feeling of being an agency man and I had a whole week of happiness, and then there were problems with the agency, but in reality, I would have never been happy. There is always something missing when I’m not doing music. I feel the happiest doing this.”
Was it hard to make that jump? “Yes, my gosh, I was so scared. My manager said you’ll be able to quit your job next year, and I thought he was crazy. But I had enough stuff going on, and it was time. I jumped, they say jump and the net will appear. Well, it was time. I had people traveling here to record with me, which was great. I was just doing it at my house, too. My buddy Justin called me to say he had this space and wanted to open a studio. We were both on the fence about it for a few months, and we finally made the decision to do it and open it up, and it was the best choice.”
How do you look at the albums you released? That self-titled record still shines for a lot of your fans. "It's funny, the self-titled is my least favorite, and it's the most iconic of the name Young Mister and most well-received — it's everything to people who listen to me. ‘This is Where We Are Now’ and 'Sudden Swoon' are my favorites and mean a lot to me. It was my first venture into self production, and I was just raw and real on those records. That first album and experience was so special, we did that record in Charleston, it was just a magical time. The way we made it was great, the way it came out was great, but I can't explain it; I think it was just a time capsule. Making that record, I didn't realize it then, but I could never continue this sound. It was just a one-time thing, and I wasn't going to make another record like that. To me I'm always a songwriter first and artist second so the songs are always like whatever hits, it’s not necessarily all cohesive. I can't just write things that don't feel right. That first album felt authentic then and not now."
What proud moment stands out to you and has shaped you into the person you are today? “I always go back to the times when I worked outside music. I think about those years sometimes as a bag full of regrets, but it's not. It is what made me the functional human being that I am now. I wouldn’t have known how to run my art as a business without those times. I would have just been lost without taking that time away from music. That moment when my publishing deal failed, and accepting that and then moving on and doing something else for a little while made me a much stronger artist and person. It’s funny you ask that question; I’ve been breaking this down in therapy. I feel like that is the moment that really shaped me, and credit goes to my wife, who gave me the strength to believe that I could do that.”
Are you a goal-driven person? ”I have goals, but they are just abstract, I guess. I want to be more successful, whatever that means. I want to sell more tickets and produce bigger things; I want to max out whatever success I can in this life. There is a great Bill Withers quote. “Set your sights on amazing; before you get to amazing, you’re going to have to pass through alright. Once you get to alright, stop and take a good look around because that’s what might become your amazing.” I try to always keep that fresh with me. You can manifest all you want but if you go through life always remembering to stop sometimes and take a look at where you are and be grateful for everything that’s there, you are just set up for more success moving into the future.”
What lessons do you take with you that you’ve learned along the way? “Answer emails. (Laughs). But respond to people. It doesn’t matter if it's a yes or no, but always respond to people who reach out. My ADHD kicks in, and it's a challenge. it might take me a while, but I will respond. Say yes to things and show up. Show up ready to do it.
What’s next? How do you feel about your next release? “I want to be excited about it, but the reality of releasing music at my level is that it's going to pop or it's not. Recently, it hasn’t been that or had any big release. I’m excited about it because I’ve worked so hard on this EP, and I just want to get it out into the world for people to hear it. Having hopes and dreams for it is fine but what I learned is that you need to just make it for you, put it out and be excited for just that one moment."
