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Stephen J. Atkins was born Chet Johnson, into a family of Appalacian coal miners. His childhood was the subject of an ABC after-school special entitled "Coal Miner's Son." Raised on Appalacian folk music, Steve often joined in on family musical get togethers, playing guitar, mandolin, fiddle and bassoon. When a stint in the army brought him to England, his life was changed one night while AWOL. He's spotted a want ad stating: "Wanted: Guitar player from rock combo. Must be weird." Steve knew this was his big chance. He skipped base to make the audition, which went so well he ended up writing several song with the band while they jammed till dawn. When he finally got back to base, he was disciplined and sent to a "police action" to control warring factions in northeastern Lichtenstein. He never saw John, Paul & Ringo again. They, meanwhile, searched all of England to find a replacement, settling on some bloke named George. He couldn't play, but he looked kinda like Steve, and that was enough.
During his stint in the Army, Steve was in several popular military bands, including "The Delta Company Dynamos", "The 16th Regiment Marchers" and the controversial "3rd Battalion Buttheads" in which the members dressed as the top brass. Upon his release from the stockade, Steve returned to the U.S., grew his hair, hitchhiked across the nation, forming several short-lived bands. At one point he joined Motley Crue as a second guitarist, but was fired for insisting on technical perfection at the expense of the intense emotional performances the band was so well known for. After catching his performance with Don Ho in a New England honky-tonk during the height of the Falklands war, John Hutchinson (Mr. Jack) linked up with him and blues history was made. Be sure to listen closely for the influence of Brittney Spears' music in Stephen J's guitar solos. | ||||||
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