BY NICOLE HOYE 

BRISBANE — With the empty lyrics of bubblegum pop music artists like Britney Spears and NSync hogging the mainstream music charts and airwaves, selling millions of albums worldwide, Steve Towson's debut album In a Shattered State is welcome relief.

Brisbane-based Towson, who refuses to tag himself with any political label, knows there is a definite need for social change. What he hopes to achieve through his music is to raise awareness.

“It's a sad thing that there are so many people with no compassion for their fellow human beings. Look at the Australian government's refugee prisons. If our government had respect for basic human rights, they wouldn't be there”, Towson states.

Towson believes music can be powerful if it can convey messages to its listeners. His style is based on no-one in particular. He can play several instruments, but his first love is the guitar. The entire album is electric, with just Steve and his guitar (and an occasional harmonica) belting out songs with clear anti-corporate, pro-peace and pro-love messages.

Mainstream media is another aspect of capitalist society that Towson loathes, as the track, “Who Do You Believe?”, makes clear. Perhaps to soften the edge of the more political songs, there are several love songs on the album. He finds a happy medium in “15 minutes of your Love”, a comical, anti-corporate love song.

Towson's calling card is the well-known “When the Revolution Comes”, which earned him a place on the Brisbane community radio station 4ZZZ's top 20 for 2001.

He is relentless in spreading his message and is prolific in the Brisbane live-music scene, and plays gigs anywhere from Toowoomba to Melbourne. He also practices what he preaches, doing plenty of benefit gigs and supporting progressive causes. Towson's second album is already in the making.

To order a copy of In a Shattered State, email <stevetowson@yahoo.com>.

From Green Left Weekly, July 3, 2002.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page. 

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