A few minutes before the show ended, the waitor brought us the check. We didn’t have time to wait to pay with our credit cards, so we just dug deep into our wallets for the last cash. Then, after the last song, we grabbed all our stuff and went straight to the door on the left side of the stage where Josie (Stevens, Steve’s wife) had said she would pick us up to escort us backstage.

Funny enough, before she showed up, another guy came over and asked “You’re here for the interview – right?” 
“THE Interview”? It wasn’t “You’re here for an interview, right?” So, apparently, people knew we were coming. That’s nice, makes things a lot more easier than when you have to deal with people who are trying to throw you out because they think you’re some fan sniffing around the backstage door. 

Anyway. Josie came out to pick us up, just like she had said. She had already warned me that it would be a small dressing room, but when I saw it, I still couldn’t believe how super-mini-small it actually was…! You walked through a short hallway, then right in front was this tiny little area with a table and two chairs, most guests had to stand up. The hall/corridor continued to the left and around the “dressing room” then out to something that looked like a restaurant kitchen.

– It’s a little crowded, friends and family is here. He’ll be with you guys in a few minutes, ok? said Josie and walked off.

Man, it was really packed back there, to say the least. The family and friends-meet-and-greet didn’t take long, probably because there were fans waiting outside for the “official” meet and greet where Steve was to sign stuff and have his picture taken with people.
One of the guests backstage was an older gentleman with grey hair that might have been Steve’s father or some other close relative, they had very similar features. Who knows. I didn’t ask. :-)

When there’s friends and family, I’d rather stay out of the way until the timing is better. I just feel that when musicians get to meet their closest friends and family members, the last thing they want to have around in that particular moment, is some reporter wanting to do an interview. :-)

Sebastian’s cousin was there, she was talking with Beatrice, I just overheard the conversation being something about museums, but don’t ask me what, I didn’t pry. :)

Sebastian was talking somewhere in there, you can never miss Baz, he’s not exactly the quiet type. :) He looked happy to see me. “Daniela! You’re fucking WILD! I knew that if anybody was gonna sing Youth Gone Wild with me, it’d be you!” 

Well – me and the other big fan from Jersey who had been freezing his ass off outside the Iridium since 4 in the afternoon. :) 

He was complaining about his hair being messed up and asked Josie if she had a dryer, but she only had a flattening iron – so he went for that. He plugged it in, and then had to go get something, so he gave the iron to Beatrice, to hold til he got back.

You’d have to smile a little at the absurd situation. Backstage in a jazz club on Broadway, with Steve Stevens and Sebastian Bach – and the photographer ends up holding a flattening iron for no apparent reason. When the guitarplayer, Pete, walked in, he found her standing there with the iron and no Sebastian was in sight.

– You need to fix your hair? he asked her.
– Oh well you know… After all that headbanging and all, I felt I had to straighten it out…! she joked.

Not sure if he believed that though. :) Sebastian came back and started fixing his hair, when I suddenly spotted a black CAT! I guess it wasn’t weird enough already. Let’s throw a cat into the equation as well. The kittie was very friendly, wanted to be petted so I didn’t mind things were taking a while.

[Black cat in the dressing room at the Iridium – checking out the gear..! :-)]

Beatrice pointed out that it was already 10.20 PM,
20 minutes past the start of the second gig actually. It didn’t look like the interview was going to happen right there and then. So when Josie and Steve came back, I suggested we’d give it a try after the second set. 

– Yeah, I think that would be a lot better, I’ll be more relaxed, said Steve.

Josie took off to see how she could arrange for us to stay and see the second set too. It took her five minutes tops, and she got back to show us to our seats. She apologised that we “had to” see the second show as well. I for one couldn’t be happier because I LOVED the concept and the show, this was a bonus and a treat. Never mind the table was right next to the ladies room, and people kept running back and forth all the time. Apart from that – perfect seats! In only a few minutes…!

Once again a waitor approached us and went: “You were here for the interview, right?” There we go again – “THE interview”…… We didn’t have to spend another 10 bucks which was the minimum, so that was a relief at least.

Second show was even better than the first. Relaxed, yet energetic, fun and inspiring. Loved it.

After the second set, we went to the stage door again. Sebastian was entertaining in the “dressing room” again and Josie pointed at Steve who was way in the back, in that “kitchen” talking to somebody. I figured we’d wait until he was done. 

There were some old, dusty chairs back there, no table, no nothing, very humble to say the least. This is the kind of place that any local band knows only too well. It’s cool to see that Steve doesnt have a problem with this stuff, no snobby attitude whatsoever.

The cat was purring during the interview, buffing and puffing, wanting more attention. Steve was superduper-nice, very down to earth, very easy to talk to. Very likeable person. He seemed to be enjoying the interview, cause when I said I was done – when I heard Baz yelling in the background, probably getting the party started – I didn’t want to keep Steve from joinig them. 

But Steve was comfortable with the situation. “Noo, no it’s no problem, keep going!”

I knew there would be very little time so I had picked only the most important questions, I was done. In the meantime, Josie came in to let Steve know there was a LONG line of people outside waiting for him. He asked what my plans were for my New York stay. I said that I was leaving next morning, I was only here to see this gig.

He stopped, put his hand on his chest and with a small little bow he went: “I’m honored….”

Another nice gesture. No bigshot attitude to be found anywhere. Just a humble and nice guy. Same thing with Josie, she looks like this glamour girl you would expect to be stuck up and full of herself. She definitely wasn’t. Some people you just automatically like – and I spontaneously liked Steve and Josie. They left and Sebastian was out there talking to the guys of Nightranger who had dropped by. 

– Hey Daniela! I sang for you! Did you hear it!? Fuck I can’t remember which song, but did you hear it? he asked.

I honestly hadn’t. I thought he meant that he sang it “for me”, as in dedicating to by looking or something like that. But Beatrice explained to me later that he had changed the lyrics in one of the songs to contain “Daniela”. I never heard that.

When we had packed our stuff, I just stuck my nose through the crowd to say bye to Sebastian.

– Bye Baz – see you at Sweden Rock!

It wasn’t easy plowing through the crowd outside. Josie wasn’t exaggerating when she said there were a LOT of people waiting for Steve. They were both posing with fans, so they were busy to say the least when we left. I just said thank you and waved to them as we left the building.

I feel that this was one of those evenings I’ll never forget. It was just so unique, had a great vibe on- and offstage, cool people everywhere, great show – unusual venue…. I loved everything about it.

And I got a great interview too. It was a pleasure talking to Steve – planning on having the interview done this weekend. :) 

But just as a little “teaser” – here’s Steve telling the story about how Sebastian and him COULD, potentially, have been working together already back in 1988……!