In early 1999, during his down time recovering from heart surgery, Steve decided to get back into recording. The first project was to be a live album featuring the Fringe Locals doing what they do best. So in February/March 1999, after aquiring the appropriate recording gear, three nights were taped. Two nights at the Olde Angel Inn in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario and one night at The Feathers Pub in Toronto. From these tapes Steve had a wealth of music to sift through and mix to produce the album. The tapes and the gear sat all packed up while over the next six months the back shed was converted from a broken down shack to a comfortable, fully featured 24 track recording studio. Once "The Shed Studio" was completed Steve got to work on the tapes. The CD, "Come From the Heart" was released in the spring of 2000 and is doing quite well and is getting a great response.

Just after the Fringe Locals CD was released, a good friend in the advertising business hired Steve to produce a promotional CD for a new drink called Wild Herbs Vodka Coolers. It was to be a project comprised of original music with an acoustic, roots, world beat. Steve got to work right away and began writing and recording the tunes with his tried and true team. Relying on the talents of his old buddies, primarily Eric Mahar, Conrad Kipping and Penner MacKay they finished the project in under two months. Unfortunately it has been difficult for Wild Herbs to get the CD out to the general public due to rediculous liquor laws here in Ontario. However, the good news is that Steve still owns the rights to the tunes and plans to add a few more tunes and re-release them all soon under his own name.

The Fringe Locals at the Angel Inn just after Steve' heart surgery March 1999 recording the live "Come From the Heart" CD- Peter Griffin sitting-in on Drums, and Eric Mahar on left (photo by D.S. Karr)

Workin' it out at The Feathers Pub in Toronto. Left to right: Ed Kopala, Dave Norris & me