Steven Lawrence "Steve" Wynn (born February 21, 1960) is an American songwriter. He led the band The Dream Syndicate from 1981 to 1989 in Los Angeles, afterward began a solo career, and then reformed The Dream Syndicate in 2012.
Wynn broke up The Dream Syndicate in 1989 to redefine (or "undefine") himself, and has since released a number of solo albums exploring various musical styles. His first solo album, Kerosene Man (on which Dream Syndicate bassist Mark Walton played also) included a duet with Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde, backing work by bassist Fernando Saunders, drummer D. J. Bonebrake from the L.A. punk band X, Howe Gelb of Giant Sand and saxophonist Steve Berlin from Los Lobos. Peter Buck, from R.E.M., played on its follow-up, Dazzling Display, and co-wrote the title song. After 1994's Fluorescent, he left Los Angeles for New York.Backing on Melting in the Dark (1996) was provided by the Boston band Come.
Here Come the Miracles (2001) was his best-selling solo album to date, and the best-reviewed, appearing at year's end on numerous critical Top Ten lists.
In 1985, Wynn wrote a collection of songs with Dan Stuart of Green on Red, and recorded and released them as Danny & Dusty. In the 1990s, he was a part of the indie supergroup Gutterball along with Stephen McCarthy of The Long Ryders, Bob Rupe of The Silos and Cracker, and Bryan Harvey and Johnny Hott of House of Freaks.
In 1993, Wynn worked with singer-songwriter Sam Lapides producing Dream Syndicate song "Burn" for Lapides' band Ghosthouse. They later recorded a live version of the song. He wrote the song "Black Magic" for Ghosthouse's album "Thing Called Life". Then in 2001 he worked with Lapides again, providing vocals and guitar work on another Dream Syndicate song "Merittville" which was released by Inbetweens Records.
The double CD From a Man of Mysteries: A Steve Wynn Tribute was released by the German label Blue Rose in 2004 and features Wynn's songs performed by the likes of Concrete Blonde, the Silos, Chuck Prophet, The Minus 5, Russ Tolman of True West and others.
On August 26, 2007, Wynn debuted a new band, Hazel Motes (the same name as the protagonist of Flannery O'Connor's novel Wise Blood), at Magnetic Fields in Brooklyn, New York. In 2008, he formed The Baseball Project with Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey, and his wife, drummer Linda Pitmon.
In 2014, Wynn took part in the making of Whipping The Devil Back, the second album by the Italian singer-songwriter Guy Littell. For the occasion he played harmonica on the title track.
Steven Lawrence "Steve" Wynn (born February 21, 1960) is an American songwriter. He led the band The Dream Syndicate from 1981 to 1989 in Los Angeles, afterward began a solo career, and then reformed The Dream Syndicate in 2012.
Wynn broke up The Dream Syndicate in 1989 to redefine (or "undefine") himself, and has since released a number of solo albums exploring various musical styles. His first solo album, Kerosene Man (on which Dream Syndicate bassist Mark Walton played also) included a duet with Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde, backing work by bassist Fernando Saunders, drummer D. J. Bonebrake from the L.A. punk band X, Howe Gelb of Giant Sand and saxophonist Steve Berlin from Los Lobos. Peter Buck, from R.E.M., played on its follow-up, Dazzling Display, and co-wrote the title song. After 1994's Fluorescent, he left Los Angeles for New York.Backing on Melting in the Dark (1996) was provided by the Boston band Come.
Here Come the Miracles (2001) was his best-selling solo album to date, and the best-reviewed, appearing at year's end on numerous critical Top Ten lists.
In 1985, Wynn wrote a collection of songs with Dan Stuart of Green on Red, and recorded and released them as Danny & Dusty. In the 1990s, he was a part of the indie supergroup Gutterball along with Stephen McCarthy of The Long Ryders, Bob Rupe of The Silos and Cracker, and Bryan Harvey and Johnny Hott of House of Freaks.
In 1993, Wynn worked with singer-songwriter Sam Lapides producing Dream Syndicate song "Burn" for Lapides' band Ghosthouse. They later recorded a live version of the song. He wrote the song "Black Magic" for Ghosthouse's album "Thing Called Life". Then in 2001 he worked with Lapides again, providing vocals and guitar work on another Dream Syndicate song "Merittville" which was released by Inbetweens Records.
The double CD From a Man of Mysteries: A Steve Wynn Tribute was released by the German label Blue Rose in 2004 and features Wynn's songs performed by the likes of Concrete Blonde, the Silos, Chuck Prophet, The Minus 5, Russ Tolman of True West and others.
On August 26, 2007, Wynn debuted a new band, Hazel Motes (the same name as the protagonist of Flannery O'Connor's novel Wise Blood), at Magnetic Fields in Brooklyn, New York. In 2008, he formed The Baseball Project with Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey, and his wife, drummer Linda Pitmon.
In 2014, Wynn took part in the making of Whipping The Devil Back, the second album by the Italian singer-songwriter Guy Littell. For the occasion he played harmonica on the title track.