At the age of 79, Robert Stefans has proven that dreams never truly fade away with his debut album, “Eclectic Menagerie.” This remarkable album is a testament to Stefans’ lifelong dream of creating and sharing music. With a soothing blend of soft rock melodies and masterful acoustic arrangements, “Eclectic Menagerie” invites listeners on a heartfelt journey through Stefans’ life experiences.
Stefans’ warm and comforting voice resonates with authenticity, painting vivid pictures through his poetic lyrics. In an exclusive interview, he shared insights into his life and inspiration, emphasizing the importance of pursuing one’s dreams regardless of age. His music serves as a reminder that passion knows no bounds and can manifest at any stage in life. “Eclectic Menagerie” is a testament to the enduring power of creativity and the fulfillment that comes from pursuing one’s true calling:
Tell us who you are and how you started to make music!
I am Robert Stefan Spich, Polish American, and Roman Catholic born in New Jersey. Working class Polish immigrant family.
I have a BA in International Relations; MBA/PhD from U. of Washington; and am also a professor of international management at UCLA, retired; I had much international travel and worked abroad as a professor.
My music background:
> Mom played music, radio, and records 8 hours a day!
> Basic piano lessons for 2 years, jazz piano lessons for 3 years…still play today
>Choir singing in high school lead to serious choral singing my whole adult life; sang Brahms Requiem, Fall of 2022
>Learned guitar living 2 years in a Chilean village in the Andes Mtns while a member of the Peace Corps
>Always have rhythm or a tune going on in my head!!
What inspires you to write music?
As a classical music fan, I always “threatened” to someday write a symphony!! In fact, I now write 2-3 songs a week, depending on inspiration from many sources.
Reading and Writing poetry for over 40 years showed me the musicality of much of poetry; this helps me write my lyrics;
When I play piano, I experiment by playing in different keys and modes…out of this free playing often comes a song;
There is no life without music!!
What is your creative process?
A song opportunity begins with an idea suggested by a poem, an article in a magazine, a comment in a conversation, or a quote from literature. All the themes of life, living and dying that we experience every day. Dilemmas, contradictions, love and deception, heroism, cowardice, broken promises etc…. It all starts with the first line !… This sets the paths of development and suggests what is to follow.
If the song needs to rhyme, that requires searches for rhyming words. The need to have a good rhyming scheme helps to shape the lines, the rhythm of the song and even the story in the lyrics. Songs, especially popular songs, need to have rhymes so people can anticipate where the song is going and help them remember the song.
The hook, as they call it, can be in a repeating chorus or some catchy set of words easy to remember. The hook is often the most important part of a popular song. All songs have to have a hook and a good hook is not easy to write!
When writing the lyrics, I always have a guitar or keyboard at hand and use it to begin shaping the tune. Many repetitions are needed before the song takes on an acceptable musicality.
We then meet, and support musicians, producers and myself to refine the song and record a working version. Mixing comes last.
Can you describe your latest release?
The latest release is my first album, Eclectic Mengerie. There are 12 songs on this release. The songs are really quite eclectic in both the lyrics and story as well as the music. Most are quite easy and fun to sing. A few are more of the heart and love. There is something for everyone in this album.
Example: Please Don’t Answer the Phone (Joan) was a quirky take on the common threats of a marriage breakup. Here the husband does NOT want to talk with his wife but must coordinate with her to take care of the kids. The wife is a very independent woman which stymies the husband’s actions. It’s a fast pace song and the hook comes in the first stanza of the song.
What do you plan for the future?
Being a senior citizen, I am hoping for a new day, every day. Right now, I just have great fun writing songs. I think I have enough for maybe 2 more albums. I do not contemplate a folk/country/pop star career at my age. I would like to see some of my songs picked up by the real music stars out there, just for the fun of seeing them shared with a larger audience. If circumstances are right, I will perform in limited public venues when I can. Otherwise, I will just keep cranking out new songs as long as possible.
