Success comes calling for local musician
By ANN MARIE McQUEEN, Ottawa Sun
Steve Gardiner has always wanted to make it in the music business. Two years ago, after a tragedy folded his latest band, he all but gave up.
It was then others seemed to start trying for him.
People may best remember Gardiner from bands such as In and Out and Thermocline, but it was an independent solo CD the Cornwall-born singer/guitarist recorded in 2000 that led to his current resurgence.
When Thermocline fell apart after bassist Jason Young’s sudden death, Gardiner packed up his musical equipment. He was working at Ikea, trying to forget about the industry altogether, when he got an important call.
The manager of a band which had opened for Thermocline was on the other end.
Having heard that first solo CD, he encouraged Gardiner to put together a demo and send it to Russell Broom — Jann Arden’s guitarist and a producer in Calgary.
“So I did the demo,” said Gardiner. “It was the worst demo I ever did. There was no packaging, I don’t think I even wrote on the label.”
That didn’t stop Broom from calling after he got it, full of praise and urging Gardiner to fly west and make a record.
Gardiner, who describes himself as “pretty conservative,” for a musician, was glad he took a chance.
“It’s so bizarre because he interpreted everything I did on that demo, took it to the next level and interpreted it the same way I would if I had more experience as a producer,” he said.
Broom encouraged Bob and Clint Moffat of The Moffats to fill in on bass and drums on Gardiner’s CD.
Later, Ottawa’s High Time Music financed the making of the album.
Gardiner is now releasing the 13-track alternative/classic rock mix Sonic Levelling independently while shopping for a label.
“I’ve had so much privilege over the last two years for a guy who was ready to pack it in,” he said. “The more I tried, the harder it got. When I finally let it go, that’s when things started to happen.”
Gardiner will perform during his CD release party at Barrymore’s on Friday.