Spotlight On

Steve Wynn: a music and memoir grand slam


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Today, the Spotlight shines On trailblazing songwriter and now memoirist Steve Wynn.

Steve first hit public consciousness in the early 1980s with his band The Dream Syndicate, frequently mentioned in the same breath as REM and The Replacements as the pioneers of American indie rock.

The Dream Syndicate’s initial run did not outlast the decade that birthed them, but Steve’s career did, with over 30 years of solo albums and collaborations to his credit—including a relaunched Dream Syndicate in the early 2010s.

Steve’s latest projects are something of a pair—I Wouldn’t Say It If It Wasn’t True, a memoir recounting his early life through the initial run of The Dream Syndicate, and Make It Right, a new album of music inspired by the writing and reflections for the book.

Our conversation spanned Steve’s formative years, his musical relationships over time, his process, roads not taken, and a glimpse into his near-term future activities, which include a bunch of time on the road promoting the book and dates with the indie rock “supergroup” The Baseball Project.

(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Steve Wynn’s album Make It Right)

Dig Deeper

  • Visit Steve Wynn at stevewynn.net
  • Purchase Steve Wynn’s memoir I Wouldn’t Say It If It Wasn’t True from Bandcamp or Amazon
  • Purchase Steve Wynn’s album Make It Right from Fire RecordsQobuz, or Bandcamp, and listen on your streaming platform of choice
  • Follow Steve Wynn on InstagramFacebook, YouTube, and Twitter (X)
  • Dig into this episode’s complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com

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Spotlight OnBy Lawrence Peryer

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