EricSteffensen Mistwalker: Going to Disneyland



By Traci Nubalo

This week we welcome EricSteffensen Mistwalker to our pages.I first saw Eric perform a few months ago when I wandered into my friend Dottie Iceberg‘s wonderful folk room Guthrie‘s. It was a Sunday morning and I was pleasantly surprised by a great crowd. After my usual round of hello’s I clicked the sound on and when the first notes hit my ears I felt this article begin to write itself.

Eric Steffensen hails from Salt Lake City in that other world we sometimes are confronted with. He’s an excellent instrumentalist, an accomplished singer and a very strong in the songwriting department. I would classify Eric as a “journeyman” musician. (I know, I know - Lao Tse says, “Comparisons are odious.” But the old Chinaman didn’t face a weekly deadline with only ideas and words at his disposal!) I should further explain: I intend “journeyman” to be taken in the British meaning: a tradesman who has completed his or her formal training and is working in the field completing work on their professional edge.
So Eric is working very hard toward perfection in his craft: to be a working singer/songwriter. If you don’t know how difficult such a process is try this: just tell a joke at a crowded dinner table. Now imagine doing that - effectively - for an hour or two! Then toss in playing guitar, just for good measure. Catch my drift?
Traci Nubalo: Eric, how long have you been playing in Second Life?EricSteffensen Mistwalker: My first show was May 9 2009, so just over a year

.TN: How did you find out about SL music?
ES: Great question! I found out about SL and SL music at the same time. I was reading CNN.com on a break at work and there was an article about musicians performing in a virtual world. I hadn't heard of SL before then, but wanted to start performing more, so it seemed like something I'd like to try.
TN: Were you gigging in rl at that time?
ES: A little, but not very much. Aside from open mics, I was playing maybe three or four shows a year, mostly at a coffee shop here in Salt Lake called Alchemy Coffee. I'm also friends with a couple of bands in town and sometimes they invite me to open for them.
TN: You clearly have more than a year's worth of originals built up.
ES: Oh yes, I've been writing for about ten years now, off and on.
TN: I find your originals to be strong and representative of your sound, for the most part.
ES: Thank you, it's the originals I'm most passionate about, although the covers are fun and allow me to mix it up.
TN: So - for our techie readers - what guitar(s) do you play in SL?
ES: I've got two acoustic guitars I use. One is a Taylor 310 CE. I keep that in an open D minor tuning and the other is a Blueridge I bought used for a super reasonable price that I'm completely in love with. That one doesn't need humidifying and the electronics sound great to me. Gives me a lot of sound for a small body guitar.
TN: Do you run straight into the board?
ES: I run a line into a breakout box and mic the guitars. I’m trying to go for a more natural acoustic sound.TN: Yes. Successfully, I'd say.
ES: Thank you. Eventually I will expand it to stereo mics but not yet.
TN: Any effects at all?
ES: Just light reverb and some EQ - all done in software.
TN: Great. Your strumming gives a hard, chunky feel. I really like the coloration that hard strumming can provide.
ES: True, as long as its not an hour of hard strumming for me. LOL But thank you. I have a lot of rock influences.
TN: Like who?
ES: My major influences are Smashing Pumpkins, REM, Eric Clapton and a lot of other rock over the past 40 years.
TN: I should mention here that the new listener will find you to be quite adept at fingerpicking as well.
ES: Thank you. I actually was fingerpicking before I ever learned to strum.
TN: Yes, your right hand is very strong in that senseI really enjoy the sound variation in mixing between the two styles. I have to say - your playlist is among the more adventurous that I've seen here.
ES: Well thank you! I try to challenge myself, but also try to keep some fan favorites on there as well.
TN: I couldn't believe you had the confidence to cover the Queen song “We Are The Champions” the other night. It was awesome!
ES: hehe, I have a fan who is a huge Saints fan and he asked me to learn it. The trickiest part of that song is the vocals.

Traci looks right into the camera and silently mouths the words, “Queen has tricky vocals? Who knew?”

This discussion of Eric’s strumming technique is not a small issue, as the guitarists out there will agree. By playing very hard with the right hand the chords are sonically compressed into a tighter arrangement, giving it that chunky sound that I mentioned. (Think the acoustic guitar part on The Who’s “Pinball Wizard”). It’s a tough technique to learn and even tougher to execute correctly on demand.

TN: Another interesting "deconstruction" that you do is Purple Haze.
ES: Yes, I figured not a lot of people would try that on Acoustic guitar.
TN: Exactly. But it breaks it down very well into simpler musical components. And your fans love it. Especially if you growl. LOL
ES: Yes, they seem to like that lately and yes Purple Haze is a song I've always done that with.
TN: I'm very impressed with your fan base and the relationship that's there.
ES: They are great. When I noticed that people were coming back to my shows I was totally floored. I haven't worked RL as hard as I worked here so it was a pleasant surprise to see that people enjoyed the music enough to come back. I had recordings on the internet for years, but there was no way to tell who was listening.
TN: Well, you seem to have hit on some key elements with your fans: the mix of originals/covers; a good mix of instrumental styles; and communicating that, yes, we are having fun.
ES: Well thanks, there's a part of me that realizes that performing is more than about just the music, it's about entertaining folks.
TN: Yesssss. I wish more players understood that. Okay...ready for Desert Island Disk?
ES: Sure.
TN: If you were stranded somewhere what three music disks would you want with you? And why?
ES: *pause* Smashing Pumpkins - “Siamese Dream”
TN: Good choice!
ES: Actually, SP was the band that after listening to lots and lots that I decided to start learning how to play their songs. At the time I lived in the dorms in college and played in the dorm lobby quite a bit but Smashing Pumpkins was very challenging and I wouldn't play the way I do today without them and that album. Next…Eric Clapton - “Unplugged“.
TN: Oh one of my faves.
ES: Yes, a couple of the songs in my setlist are from that album. Pretty much the same reason, but that album was even earlier in helping me realize I want to play guitar. In fact, as I was learning I was given the sheet music as a gift.TN: Awesome.
ES: And last - Foo Fighters - “Echoes, Patience, Silence and Grace”.
TN: In that collection Clapton demonstrates how much of a guitar sound is in the hands, not in the wood.
ES: Oh, absolutely. Although give Clapton wood he likes (aka Blackie) and he's in heaven!
TN: So, three great choices.
ES: Foo Fighters - there’s something about Dave Grohl's songwriting lately that I find very inspiring.His sound is so full but has some classic charm that reminds me a lot of John Lennon. It’s hard to explain why.
TN: Great observation. Interesting - both artists are notoriously sensitive, even uncomfortable with their own work.
ES: Hmmm interesting, I think when you constantly challenge yourself that's a given. You always believe you can push it to the next level.
TN: Interesting.
ES: Hey, do I get my guitar on the desert island?
TN: Sure. Why not?
ES: Awesome. See, not so limited for music now! haha
TN: Where do your compositional ideas come from?
ES: Most of the time I sit down with the guitar and just tune out, not try to play anything specific and when I hear something I like I try to go with it. It’s actually the easiest part of my writing. Occasionally I'll learn new chords by learning covers but that's rare
TN: Do you labor over the lyrics?
ES: Yes - a lot of labor over the lyrics, and more specifically the topic of a song. Once I've found a topic I really want to write about, the lyrics come easier.
TN: That makes sense - the muse has struck by then.

ES: But there are a million love songs out there, so if it is a love song I try to make sure it is unique enough - a different perspective
TN: Yes. *pause* LOL This little delay...Christopher135Quan was IMing. He said to say hello. LOL
ES: Oh, he’s a great musician.
TN: That's what he said abut you. I like him. We’re working on his interview for VIRTUAL TIMES, actually.
ES: Tell him hi from me. He was at the Villa Lobos show after you left the other night.
TN: I saw him there, actually.
ES: Oh awesome. I lose track of time up there sometimes.
TN: Of course. The stage is truly a place like no other place. And your love of performing is a big factor in your success.
ES: Yes.There's such great support of live music in Second Life.

This seeming interruption by Chris Quan’s IM points out another strong point about Eric’s work. He is liked and respected by the other working artists here in SL. The real camaraderie between the two of them in this brief little exchange was endearing. And it’s something I see all over the grid here.

TN: So what's upcoming for Eric?
ES: I'm going to be at the Chicago Jam, June 25 -27 meeting a lot of other SL performers and fans in RL.really looking forward to that. Some folks will be there that I've known online for about a year that I'll get to meet finally
TN: Awesome.
ES: Also, this past year in SL has helped me polish my performances quite a bit. I'm hoping to take that and perform more around town here in Salt Lake City more often. And eventually, And hopefully this fallI'll get back in the studio and finish my second album that I started last year. The first five songs are the Forge My Own Road EP right now.
TN: Great! What will the title be?
ES: Title will probably change when it's a full album.
TN: Okay. You raise a good point, though, about the synergy between playing live and playing in SL. Many SL performers tell me that playing here is really good for their live chops.
ES: Yes, there are weeks I've played ten shows here. So if I play that much and practice, I'm getting 2 - 3 hours a day of practice.
TN: Yep. Okay, one last item. This is your chance to speak directly to your fans - old and new. What would you like to say to them?
ES: This isn’t the question where I’m supposed to exclaim “I’m going to Disneyland!” is it? On a more serious note, I made a choice to perform music because I believe its one of the best ways that I can bring happiness into people’s lives. I sincerely believe that many of the fine performers in Second Life are here for the same reason and that’s why I’d like to encourage people to support SL live music. There’s so much talent here. I feel humbled on a regular basis and honored to play alongside so many artists that deserve to be heard.Linden Lab has expressed a desire to make live music a “killer app”. There is a lot that they can do, but I think it’s up to us as residents of Second Life to make that a reality. We can do that by continuing to build a buzz around the music scene both inworld and out. Ultimately, I believe that creating this buzz is good for our residents and businesses because it draws in more people.What’s the best way to do that? Attending shows! Take a chance and go listen to some artists you’ve never heard before. If you like what you hear, send personal invites to friends. If you blog or use social media, let people know what performers you like. When you’re at shows, interact with the performer! Second Life allows you to do that in ways that no other performance medium allows for…and it’s almost always appreciated. Donations are always appreciated (especially for venues who have fixed costs), but never required, so please don’t be afraid to enjoy SL music even if you don’t have lots of L$. And finally, have fun!

I couldn’t have said it better, although this I will add: be sure to put Eric Steffensen on your list of “must see” musicians. You won’t regret it!


Paradorn Ansar: Giving 100%


by Traci Nubalo

One of the newer faces in the Second Life music scene is that of Paradorn Ansar. Para, as his fans call him, is a Dutch singer/songwriter who is building a solid fan base behind his excellent live performances at some of the better venues inworld. At the first show I saw of his, I was first impressed with his deep, rich voice. Backing himself up with some very tasty guitar, Para treated his audience to a very interesting mix of styles and moods. While primarily doing country songs, his fans are often thrilled by his diverse selection of “cross-over covers”, one of the many factors giving Para such a wide audience appeal.

I invited Para to sit with me in our new VIRTUAL TIMES offices at Insight College.

Traci Nubalo: So, let's warm up with some tech talk.
Paradorn Ansar: Okay, hit me.
TN: What guitar(s) do you use here in SL?
PA: I mainly use the Takamine guitar.
TN: It's acoustic/electric?
PA: Acoustic. I love that sound.
TN: Okay - is it mic'd or straight to the board?
PA: It has a built in mic.
TN: What effects do you use? You have such a lovely sound.
PA: Almost none; I just add a little effect from the mixer.
TN: It's a very present sound. I find it delightful; very live. It also seems to survive the bandwidth issue very well.
PA: That’s good. I always wonder. I don't know how you guys hear it.
TN: Plus you have both a nice soft playing style with the ability to power a bit as needed.
PA: Yes. I'm not playing with a pick. I use my fingers only.
TN: What's your training?
PA: The street; friends. I used the “look and listen and try” method.
TN: Prior to SL what were you doing musically?
PA: I've been playing in bands since I was 17 and kept doing so up until now.
TN: Country music?
PA: I started with country. Then country/southern rock. After that I joined a blues/rock band. I still play in that band. Music is a never-ending love for me.
TN: Are you able to do music for a living?
PA: Nah. I have a full daytime job as a customs officer.

Struggling to repress the image of a tall, handsome Dutchman crooning “Folsom Prison Blues” while rooting through my luggage caused me to abruptly shift gears.

TN: Para, have you ever played Desert Island Disk?
PA: Can't say I have.
TN: Well, if you were stranded on a desert island what three music disks would you want to have with you?
PA: “Desperado” by The Eagles, “Pocket Full of Gold” by Vince Gill and any record from Linda Ronstadt.
TN: Excellent choices
PA: My heroes!
TN: Care to elaborate? Why those three?
PA: The thing they all have in common is the close harmony vocals. Sends chills down my spine. It's just heartfelt music for me.
TN: Yes. And of course the Eagles vocals are all over many of the Ronstadt records.
PA: Yeps. In fact, I discovered the Eagles by listening to Linda Ronstadt.

This response was not at all surprising to me, given that the man possesses a truly gorgeous singing voice. One of my great wishes would be to hear him with tasteful harmony backing. The deep timbre and presence he carries vocally would open the field wide for a rich, full California-rock-style backup treatment. One other small-but-pleasing aspect to Para’s vocals: I can often “hear” him smiling as he sings. This great love of performance comes through in his voice so directly that I find myself just smiling and singing along - tight harmonies, of course!

TN: You are relatively new to SL music right, Para?
PA: Yes, I am. At first i didn't know there was such a thing as live music; I was busy discovering SL. But by accident I landed in a ballroom and there was a guy singing there. That was the first time. Between that and me singing on SL took six months or so.
TN: And how long ago did you begin singing here?
PA: Pfff. Let's see. It’s been four or five months ago I guess.
TN: Well, you seem to be growing in popularity.
PA: Is that so? Cool! You know, my main goal is to have fun.
TN: In talking to some of your fans, one thing they like is your voice. You have a deep, baritone-type singing voice.
PA: Well, it's quite relaxing singing like this.
TN: Let's talk about your song list. How do you select your material?
PA: Mainly the songs are those which I'm comfortable with. I like a lot of songs. And sometimes I get requests from fans. If I like the song and I can do it, I‘ll add it.
TN: One thing i enjoy about your material is the variety. It's not all country.
PA: Nope. But they are all songs I like to sing. I don't like only country, or only blues.
TN: Yes, you do something like John Denver's "Sunshine on my Shoulders." It crosses over. Or "Pancho and Lefty" from the great Townes Van Zandt.
PA: I even have a U2 song on my list - “Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.“
TN: You play a mean version of Dylan‘s "Knocking on Heavens Door", one of my all time favorites.
PA: Yes. That’s played in a thousand different ways. It’s a very cool song.
TN: Yes it is. So, being Dutch, how does the time difference impact your work here?
PA: Well, for one thing, I know some American and Australian venues who would like to have me, but they can't fit me in. So I'm planning to play on Saturdays or Sundays a few times so maybe that way I can play for them.
TN: This would be a real treat for the fans. One thing I know is that your wonderful Dutch accent seems to be popular with some of your American fans here - including me!
PA: Thank you! I‘ll tell you a secret: I was very nervous about that accent.
TN: I think it's a fun part of your show.
PA: Well, as long as I can keep having fun I go along.

Another fun highlight of Paradorn’s concert set is a hilarious version of David Allen Coe’s “The Rodeo Song.” It’s a hoot watching Para sing the most X-rated lyrics in SL using that gorgeous Dutch accent.

TN: It’s very obvious that you are having the time of your life singing, Para. And I see your audiences joining right in with you! I predict great success for you here in SL. Last question: This is your chance to speak directly to your SL fans; what would you like to say to them?
PA: I love their loyalty and support. And I always give myself 100%, even if there are only two people listening to me. That's a promise!

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