Steve Hunter, born June 14, 1948, in Decatur (Illinois), is possibly the best session guitarist in history. The majority probably knows some of his contributions, but probably not that it was his work because most of it was uncredited as was common practice in the profession. The only competitor for the title is his friend Dick Wagner, of course whereas they have both appeared on several immortal records by Lou Reed and Alice Cooper, Hunter edges him out, even if it’s just for the monument to the electric guitar which is the intro that he played for Sweet Jane by Reed, on Rock ‘n Roll Animal.
Steve Hunter started his career early but his first big break didn’t arrive until 1971, when a friend told him that the legendary Mitch Ryder, one of the fathers of the exciting rock scene in Detroit, was looking for guitarists for his new band. Ryder was reforming the Detroit Wheels, and decided to shorten the name to Detroit. in the autumn of 1970 Hunter had a successful audition and Ryder was delighted with his new guitarist. The one chosen to produce the record was a young Canadian, Bob Ezrin who also played keyboards and whose main credential was having got Alice Cooper famous with Love it to Death and I’m Eighteen. The most renowned song on that recording would be a version of Rock and Roll from Lou Reed’s last album with Velvet Underground, Loaded. Steve Hunter did such a spectacular job it seduced the author of the song himself, Lou Reed.
When Bob Ezrin was producing the new Alice Cooper album Billion Dollar Babies, he needed guitarists to occasionally cover for Glen Buxton, the lead guitarist of the group. Hunter can be heard playing solos on the title song, Raped and Freezin’ (the second, after Buxton’s), Unfinished Sweet, Generation Landslide, Sick Things and Hello Hooray.
Hunters next adventure would be the one to bring him fame and recognition. Lou Reed was in London preparing the follow-up album to Transformer and Bob Ezrin was his producer. Reed was clear about who he wanted on guitar, the guy who had played his Rock and Roll just like he wanted it to sound. Hunters parts on songs like How Do You Think It Feels and the final Sad Song are among the best of his career. After that Hunter became one of the most respected session players.
When he was in the studio at Record Plant in NY, recording something for Ezrin in studio A . Ezrin was also executive producer of Get Your Wings, the second effort by the then unknown Aerosmith, who were recording in studio C. On one of the breaks, Jack Douglas, who was working with the Steve Tyler lads, ran into Hunter in the hall and asked him “Do you feel like recording something?”. In an instant Hunter had his Les Paul TV Special plugged into a Fender Tweed Twin amp and was laying down the first solo (the second was recorded by none other than Wagner) of the song Train Kept A-Rollin that was going to be one of the most iconic in their career.
Hunters next step was to get back with Wagner and the band of Rock ‘N Roll Animal. Alice Cooper, the band, were breaking up and the singer and frontman was looking for new players to accompany him. The result was the impressive Welcome to my Nightmare. The band stayed with Cooper until the end of the 70s but the quality of the records and the tours was falling at the same pace as the singer’s drinking habits were rising. But Hunter had time to leave his mark on other places. The most remembered is his work on Solsbury Hill, the first solo record by Peter Gabriel, also produced by Ezrin.
That same year, 1977, he recorded his first solo album Swept Away, produced by the indispensable Ezrin, who gave him his definitive nickname, the ‘deacon’, due to his healthy habits in relation to liquor and drugs.
Artist: Steve Hunter
Album: Swept Away
Year: 1977
Label: Atco
Style: Classic Rock, Instrumental
Format: mp3/320
Tracklist
01 Eight Miles High 5:00
02 Eldorado Street 5:01
03 Goin' Down 2:37
04 Rubber Man 2:54
05 Of All Times To Leave 1:45
06 Jasper St. Viaduct Gitar Rag 1:47
07 Sail On Sailor 4:27
08 Swept Away 4:40
09 Sea Sonata 4:52
10 Deep Blue 2:59
Steve Hunter – Swept Away (1977)
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