Stevie Agnew

Thousands of bar gigs in the making, this beautifully crafted debut from Dunfermline’s Stevie Agnew is a feast of human-size tales of working-class struggle, war, loss, regret, love and bare-knuckle boxing.

Early Life

Stevie really had little choice about his future career! Still inspired by his father, Pete Agnew of rock legends Nazareth, Stevie recalls, “Growing up, there were always guitars, basses and drums around the house.  Music was everywhere, it just seemed natural”. Stevie got his first guitar for his 6th birthday and hasn’t stopped playing since.

Honouring his father’s influence, Stevie said“I’ve gotta thank him, many sons put on their father’s shoes and go to work… I just did the same. 

Stevie was hooked early on rock ‘n’ roll and in particular, Bruce Springsteen. “For me, Springsteen is as good and as big as it gets, he’s got it all, great lyrics, great structure, open, frank, honest and musical. He sets the standard.”

For the past 20 years, Stevie has gigged relentlessly around his native Scotland, playing and singing solo and for many different bands, gripping audiences with his gravelly baritone, tellingly described as ‘a cocktail of grit and Drambuie.’

Debut Album

Wreckin’ Yard is written with drummer Chris Smith. “We shared our ideas and, for the most part, Chris wrote the lyrics and I wrote the tunes. It took meeting Chris to find my sound. I have written and released songs before, but they just didn’t sit well with me. In ‘Wreckin’ Yard’ I know where I’m headed because I can see where I’ve been”.

Wreckin’ Yard features 13 original Americana story songs. The musicianship is superb and the lyrics are poetic and considered. Have your hankies ready for Winter Rain and Heavy Duty, sombre affairs dealing in turn with the loss of a partner to cancer and the futility of war. The Pugilist (The Ballad of Maxie Mann)tells the story of a bare-knuckle boxer from Birmingham. The album has a distinct Country Blues feel with guitars, harmonica, fiddles, banjos, pedal steel and Dobro; there are also two wonderful duets and a fishing tale for good measure.