User:Behn Flockhardt

Childhood

Stephen Paul Dix is a singer/songwriter, electronic music composer born in Munchen Germany to William and Nina Dix on December 13th 1967. His childhood was spent traveling a great deal as his father served in the armed forces. Stephen lived in Fayetteville North Carolina, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, and Fort Dix New Jersey, before the family settled down in Browns Mills NJ.

Early Music 1985-1993

Stephen was a junior in high school when he recorded his first demo in 1985 as The Tomorrows Project. He formed his first band Natasha in 1986, but was unceremoniously kicked out due to creative differences. In 1987 he formed the band Downstat who were described as a progressive punk band. Downstat is a Christian Science term for underachievement. Downstat recorded an albums worth of material before disbanding in 1988. Stephen then moved to New York city playing folk clubs, and becoming involved with Fast Folk, a group of songwriters who met regularly to perform, and critique each others material. In 1989 Stephen moved back to New Jersey and reunited with Downstat bassist Keith McCurdy to form Martian Scoundrels. The band recorded 3 EP's and a full length album before breaking up in 1993.

Los Angeles Bands 1994 -1998

The Martian Scoundrels CD was never released, in large part due to Stephens disappointment in his vocal performance. He moved to Los Angeles at the end of 1993. He continued to write and record with his new band The Ethereals, having a female vocalist sing his lyrics, first Karen Martin, and then Jenny West Scionti. From 1994 to 1998 the band played Hollywood clubs and released 3 EP's gathered together on the CD Lost ( available at Indie Rhythm ). Stephen also had an electronic music project in the background with Damon Footer. The duo worked together under the unfortunate monicker Pioneers Of A Less Goal Oriented Lifestyle (or P.O.A.L.G.O.L. For short), and then Satellites of Love. Damon and Stephen created a mix of trance, ambient and drum and bass music. In 1998 both The Ethereals and Satellites Of Love disbanded, and Stephen set out on a solo career.

Singer/Songwriter 1999 - 2004

In late 1999 Stephen began sessions on his first solo recording Honey is Sweeter Than Blood. In October 2000 he met Allyson Hall who he married one year later. Honey Is Sweeter Than Blood was released in 2001, followed up in 2002 by his second CD We Are All Sensitive People. Stephens short lived band Brother Orchid ( named after an Edward G. Robinson film he adored )appeared on both of his solo albums. In August of 2002 Stephen and Allyson welcomed their first child Donovan Dix to the world. In 2003 he formed the band Flesh Cartoons. In 2004 the band changed their name to Logan 5 and finished their CD Times Up. The band played live regularly around Los Angeles and now had a CD to promote. In December 2004 Allyson was 3 months pregnant and Stephen had a gig at Genghis Cohen in Los Angeles. The gig went extremely well despite a flurry of personnel changes. Feeling his place was now at home, and disenchanted with trying to keep a band up and running, Stephen decided to focus on home recordings and stop playing live, to everyones surprise he disbanded Logan 5.

Sleep My Baby Sleep/ The Arctic Zone 1994-2008

In 2004 New Age Beverage was released under the name Monkfish. This CD was the first recorded in his home studio The next CD was 2005's Sleep My Baby Sleep. This CD couples his second sons heartbeat with ambient music. This CD was very successful and continues to sell well. In June of 2005 Damon Dix was bornThe next 4 years Stephen recorded as the Arctic Zone releasing 3 CD's Poetry During Wartime (2006), The Mayor Of Tarzana (2007), and Three and Out (2008). In 2008 Stephen was hospitalized and nearly died. After he was released from the hospital, he had to deal with a series of personal problems. The upshot was that toward the end of 2008 he recorded the CD Chaos and Beauty with legendary producer Earle Mankey. The CD chronicles his personal loss, recovery , and ultimate redemption remarkably. It is generally regarded as his best work.

2009 and beyond

In addition to Chaos and Beauty ,Stephen release 2 very experimental CD's anonymously in 2009. The first was Pictures Of The Wreckage by the Air Crash Bureau, the second Disposable Emotions by Bari Neon. Sometime in 2010 we can expect the new CD Ameritronica from the Arctic Zone

You can stay updated and purchase music by visting Stephenpauldix.com

-- www.stephenpauldix.com http://cdbaby.com/cd/stephenpauldix