Episode 11: Interview with Longwave's Steve Schiltz

The DLR Cast

Darren talks with Longwave's Steve Schiltz about his band Longwave, Van Halen, and of course, David Lee Roth! Steve talks about how Eddie's guitar playing was his entry to Van Halen, Dave, and Steve Vai and Jason Becker's catalogs, and how it informed and inspired how own work. Plus, the time Steve and James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins) were incredulous when a younger travel companion hadn't heard of, and subsequently did not get, the greatness of "Hot For Teacher." And Darren tells Steve about the Japanese import of the Spanish-language version of Eat 'Em And Smile, Sonrisa Salvaje (yes, you read that right).

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Steve Schiltz co-founded Longwave in 1999, and by 2002 the band was signed with RCA Records. Longwave’s sophomore album, The Strangest Things, helmed by Flaming Lips producer Dave Fridmann, brought the band’s music to the masses, and international tours with The Strokes, Bloc Party, OK Go and many more followed.

Longwave went on an unofficial hiatus in 2009, after releasing Secrets Are Sinister. After years of collaboration, Schiltz wrote, recorded, mixed and produced Tonight Is The Ghost by himself — the first set of songs from the project that would become Hurricane Bells. The album quickly garnered kind words from critics and a following of fans.

Steve's music has been featured on the soundtrack to The Twilight Saga: New Moon, alongside Death Cab For Cutie, The Killers and more. Hurricane Bells released an EP in 2010 and a second album, Tides And Tales, the following year. Another EP, There’s Nothing Precious in the Past, was also completed. The band toured the States and played to crowds in Japan and India.

Steve has toured with the likes of Albert Hammond Jr., The Pierces, Teddy Thompson and James Iha. His playing and writing can be heard on Blue October’s 2018 hit album I Hope You’re Happy (for which he co-wrote the title song), as well as UK hits by Birdy and Gavin James, and James Bay’s international 2019 hit “Bad”. He's also his own boutique studio, composing music for documentary films and ads for multiple national brands and companies.

In 2019, Longwave reunited and released “If We Ever Live Forever”, followed by “Live At Bowery Ballroom” in 2020. New records by Blue October, Harvard Of The South, and the Japan-only “There’s Nothing Precious In The Past” are all slated for release in 2020.

For more on Steve Schiltz and his music visit SteveSchiltz.com and be sure to check out Darren's work at Paltrowitz.com