MelodicRock Classics is excited to announce a partnership with singer/songwriter/producer STEVEN McCLINTOCK to release a pair of phenomenal melodic rock records to feature the acclaimed singer’s voice.
With over 40 years as a successful musician, singer, songwriter, publisher, producer & manager, Steven McClintock is the owner and driving force behind 37 Records and Management. With over 350 cuts and over 25 films and dozens of TV shows to his credit, Steven is also very involved in publishing with Tim James at McJames Music Inc. with writers like Stephen Petree, Chad Petree, Jeremy Dawson from Shiny Toy Guns and Grammy nominee songwriter Pamela Oland.
The first record in the partnership with Steven is the release of another long-lost classic record for fans of early 80s AOR/pomp rock – the band HEADWAY.
Written and recorded in 1979-1980, HEADWAY’s Self-Titled debut is packed with early 80s style classic rock, with a healthy dose of Toto-esque musical twists and turns and Styx-like pomp, all layered in the sweet vocals of McClintock.
Steven discusses the forming of the band:
“I had just finished up with my duo, Fertitta & McClintock after we were released from our Arista Records/Clive Davis contract, and was looking for a new project. I had formed a studio business with my buddy Michael Mikulka and we were cutting different musicians/songwriters commercially in his Garden Grove garage.
Scott Plunkett (keys) was there recording and told me he was playing at El Paso Cantina in Long Beach with another guy name Bruce Boulanger (guitar).
Mike McKinnon (bass) was working there in another room and they had previously talked about putting a band together. I decided to go see Scott play, he and Bruce brought me upstairs to see Mike, we sat down at a table then and there and decided to put a band together. Just like that.
All we needed was a drummer. Scott was friends with a guy name Chris Stewart and he took the gig as our drummer. We did a LOT of rehearsals because the material we wanted to play was extremely difficult yet going to be brilliant once we got it down! No one in our local scene was doing this type of music. So “Headway” was formed.
That was late 1978. Our first gig was at “The Warehouse” in Newport Beach. The drummer was working a full-time day gig somewhere and wasn’t able to practice, so we hired John “Bones“ McConnell and he became our drummer.
Fairly soon after that, the “Grrr”, Alex Gutierrez, started sitting in with us on congas and “toys” and became part of the group by default. This album is dedicated to him.”
The twelve-track record has been rescued from the vaults, with two ‘official bootleg’ live bonus tracks added to complete the HEADWAY picture.
It is truly a lost gem, which MelodicRock Classics is excited to bring to light finally, after all these years.
Some incredibly old master tapes were supplied by Steven, with MRC in-house remastering master JK Northrup taking over to bring the best sound possible to fans.
