Steele FC
Steele FC, like most of us, has been trying to keep it real and stay busy during this bizarre and tumultuous 2020. Since the start of the year, he’s been through a few name changes, but he’s now settled on Steele FC, a name that reflects his love of soccer. He’s also immersed himself in writing and recording his debut EP, which is set for release early next year. In the interim, he shared one of our favorite tracks in recent memory, “Save Room,” a third-person account of finding love in New York City that’s overflowing with hooks and fuzz.
We caught up with Steele to chat about his background in music, his recent name changes, “Save Room,” and what’s on the horizon:
Take us back a little bit. What were some of your first experiences playing music? How’d you get your start?
I started playing music as a child. When I was 2, my dad got me a pair of drumsticks, and he’d lay out newspaper on the sofa, and I’d bang on it to Tears for Fears. I sat behind a kit when was 7, and got my first kit for my 8th birthday! The obsession grew from there. Music was always playing in the house, and I was always bopping along to it.
You’ve started performing solo somewhat recently. You’re also the drummer of The Britanys. What other projects were you involved with before setting out on your own with Steele FC?
I spent my adolescence playing drums in my older sister’s friend’s bands. When I was 13, I was playing live shows behind the kit, with older band members. They were all 18, and I was just tagging along. When I was in high school I played with college students. When I went to college I formed the Britanys with Lucas, and we did our thing! It was the first time I had played with people my age, and in this last year, I’ve experienced my first foray as a frontman. New experiences are fun!
You’ve gone through a couple of name changes. How’d you land on Steele FC and why?
My last name got me in a little bit of trouble, for its striking similarity to an esteemed music venue in Brooklyn. When I changed my name, I spent time deliberating on a fun title, that kept “Steele” involved. I love sports, especially soccer, and all of my live band members play on sports teams with me, so FC seemed a logical, and comical, conclusion.
It’s been a pretty weird year. How have you been spending your time? Have you been in NYC for most of the year or did you spend time elsewhere?
I’ve been in New York for the bulk. In May I relocated to the Catskills, where I found my inner mountain man. It was my first time out of New York City for more than two weeks, and it was an eye-opening experience. My routine has changed somewhat, but with this layoff in terms of physical and social labor, I’ve been able to treat music as a full-time job so to speak. I spend a lot of time strategizing, and writing, recording, and shooting things. I recorded an EP with Drew Vandenberg and Jacob Faber, which will be released in early 2021. Apart from figuring out new ways to grow musically with the glaring absence of live music, I have been working on my soccer technique, boxing, and long-distance running.
You just dropped a new video for “Save Room.” What was the process behind creating the video? What was the inspiration?
My close friend and soccer teammate, Jules Muir, had a move to Mexico City planned. I wanted to shoot a video with him, and we had planned to document his trip to CDMX as a key component of the video. The same week he moved, the global lockdown took place, and he was left to explore the city alone. He documented that experience, by shooting life from a distance, and then we added bits of myself in because narcissism reigns supreme. It kind of worked out, with the clips of me playing alone cutting in and out of the footage of the world at large. In my opinion, the contrasting video examples of isolation help drive home the 3rd person narrative of the lyrics, and show the endless similarities of all of humankind.
The song is also really interesting, as the lyrics are written in a third-person narrative style. Why’d you decide to write the lyrics like this? How do you typically approach writing lyrics?
I usually write the lyrics after the rest of the song has been written. I am a big fan of third-person viewpoints in songwriting and wanted to try my own take on that. I was inspired by the viewpoints of Blur and the Kinks - “For Tomorrow” and “Waterloo Sunset” specifically. I think third-person can be a powerful way to get across a point, and meditate on society in general. Hopefully, I did it some justice!
What’s the story behind “Save Room”?
It’s about modern romance in the city essentially. How people treat other people, how emotions are played with, how dating is almost more of a game of poker than natural instincts, and how much we hide to avoid being hurt and how that fear ends up hurting our partners. There are endless tv shows, movies, books, and songs about dating in New York City, and I wanted to try my hand at reflecting on that. Channeling and embellishing some personal fears and experiences through a third-person view.
What's does your songwriting process typically look like?
I’ll start with chords, then loop them, write a lead line, craft a drum beat, add bass, re-record the guitar chords and lead lines, then I’ll sit on the track for a day or two, listening to it in transit, etc, while I go about my daily life. I come up with vocal melodies in my head as I listen to the skeleton and then write around the melody. It’s usually always finished on a train or walking to something I need to be doing.
You’re releasing an EP soon. What can people expect?
Big riffs and tones. It sounds way bigger than I could have imagined. The songs take on a different feeling than in previous recordings. On some songs, my friend and live band partner Sean aka Fat Trout Trailer Park, plays guitar, and together we combine leads. It kind of has a southern twang in moments, so I dubbed us, two vegan dweebs, as the “Almond Brothers”. On a serious note, I think the EP sounds very mature and “real”.
You’re a big sports fan. Who are some of your favorite teams to follow? Have they brought your grief or happiness recently?
I’ve been a Knicks fan my whole life, and they’ve done nothing except teach me about disappointment and grief. They’ve been great practice for understanding some of the real world dread and anxieties of adulthood. For soccer, I am a fan of Arsenal FC, who also are great at disappointing. I’m loyal, and I have spent most of my life arguing in both of their defense.
Who are some NYC-based artists that you’re digging right now?
Sunflower Bean, Fat Trout Trailer Park, The Muckers, Been Stellar, Native Sun, and this really cool underground band called The Strokes.
What’s next?
EP out 2021, world domination 2022, and then, the first musician to get a lifetime Adidas sponsorship for playing soccer in 2023.
You can stream “Save Room” on your platform of choice. Keep up with Steele FC by liking them on Facebook and following them on Instagram.
