Steve D. Perspective on Cortez the Killer
I`m Steve D. Mayor, guitar player and music producer at ToBS Tonstudio in Braunschweig (Germany). While my focus is to produce talents like Monika Barsi (singer from Hungary), Vojetech (singer and composer from Czech) or the hardrock band "The Grey", I instantly study music theory to enhance my musical perspective. The productions I run are mainly in the genres of Rock, Pop and Dance (EDM). In my free time I play guitar in a Jazz band. So, my life is full of music.
I never have been a great fan of Neil Young, BUT after hearing him play "Cortez the Killer" live in Londons Hyde Park, I couldn't get the song out of my head. Back in the studio, I sat down and recorded this great piece of rock ballad in my own way. In 2024, I've loaded Cortez into my studio again to have Monika Barsi sing it. What a beautiful voice! After recording and mixing, I gave it to a Nashville Mastering engineer, and the vibe is really great now.
Its a generic Rock song in the slowest possible beat, telling a rather sad story with much empathy and feelings. Tried to let my guitar sing.
Joe Satriani, the best guitar player on earth.
In my music, whether a full orchestra or a more band-like arrangement is playing, I want the guitar to get a good place in any song again. In many modern productions, I miss instruments played live by real musicians, and the guitar is my main instrument since I was 16. It must not be the fastest run, the coolest lick, but the guitar provides the chance to play beautiful and catching hook lines and melodies.
Yes I practice on my guitar every day for some hours. Its the only way how you may be able to translate musical ideas into melodies and songs.
Enthusiasm, passion and honesty
In the genre of EDM, I give the guitar a new place, rather than finding new samples or synth sounds. A guitar played live and with power gives the listener a great level of energy.
I have been the CEO of AMIGA Technologies, at that time the best computer for making movies and music.
