Featured Artist
Steph Honde
-Review by Lola Miramar
Steph Honde : Rocker and Artist Extraordinaire
When you look at these superlative “Front Man” works of art, you experience a near photographic quality of detail that channels the raw, salty, gritty, passionate energy of the music, movies, and the artists that have burned it into our life soundtracks and video reels. Here is the madman himself, eyes bulging, jaws dripping, and Ozzy is back in his legendary prime. Zappa’s sardonic, furry gaze captured perfecting, David Bowie,as we last remember him, looking world weary, astro traveled, and infinitely wise, James Hetfield in blood curdling mid-screech, Christopher Walken keeping you in his unwavering, piercing sights, mouth pursed as if he has already decided your demise. Coverdale looks on sternly just about to open the proverbial can of whoop-ass, then Marley appears, bringing mellow island vibes, crooning hypnotically into the mic. Jimmy Hendrix is sharing an intoxicating puff of mother nature with us, Vincent Price and Charles Bronson, both looking lethal as snake venom, you imagine cats wailing and tortured moans in the background. Sting is the tantric, obsessive fantasy many of us had, and this portrait made me have it again, tea in the Sahara, please. In death as in life Lemmy is taking no prisoners and is rendered in perfect volcanic ashy tones, Chris Cornell looks out of the frame pensive, tender and tortured. Freddy Mercury may not have wanted to live forever, but in this portrait, a single crystalline note hangs in the air for eternity. All of these portraits showcase the deepest, truest love for the genre, and real reverence for those artists who best exemplify rock-n-roll, American cinema, and an unquenchable lust for life. For true fans, these astonishing portraits are a must!
The music of Steph Honde is what you would expect from the brilliant artist behind these candid, vivid portraits. A return to what is at the heart of the music: passion, angst, heartbreak, betrayal, retribution, the searing and wailing guitar, the seductive growling and loving declarations of a rock idol. No techno gimmicks here, no coy lyrics, just straight forward storytelling, as honest and uncompromising as the stark black and white portraits. This artist comes across as a man you could really talk to. Listen in and let down your hair, you will find yourself smiling, you needed something real…