In the about section, you will see two names referenced as being responsible for Music You Need To Hear: myself and Steven Michael Shore. I met Steven in 1991 along with my brother, Ralph, and my friend, Brian, as we studied at a place called Trebas Institute after I had left Chino Police Department wondering what my next career step would be.
Steven was somewhat larger than life by reputation (though you wouldn’t know it by talking with him), having worked with a couple of bands who left a sizeable mark on the new wave scene, as well as having contacts with some of the larger record labels based in Los Angeles during the early 1990s. He was teaching contract management at the time, and as I professed to having an interest in Russian culture and had known about some avant-garde music coming out of the Soviet Union at the time, we soon became friends.
He had established a Russian-American cooperation called Aprelevka Sound, and Steven would talk with me about upcoming releases and archival series, while I would make suggestions to him regarding music to bring into what was then the Commonwealth of Independent States.
After the company dissolved, we would lose touch off and on over the years for brief periods, but every single time I ran into him, he was working on something new. He had founded a lobby group called the Alliance For American Innovation, whose mission was to aggressively protect copyright overseas and he made a wealth of contacts doing so.
We would part ways again until he started working with an American techno duo and he asked if we could find distribution for them. I gave him all the contacts I had, and as I understood it, he managed to secure some vinyl distribution for said band.
As Steven grew older, we would call each other frequently, even while I was overseas. He was always up for making deals, and it was something that kept him going until the very end. It was actually he who came up with the idea of starting a blog, as he had wanted to do one last project with me. He seemed to be genuinely proud of the blog as it took shape, and always supported the site financially as well as morally.
I didn’t know until about two years ago that he had been a pastor for some years in the Church of Christ, Scientist. We would talk about ancient Christian history which fascinated him, as he had never had an opportunity to study it before. He was as much a student of history and culture as he was a teacher.
Most importantly, he was a good friend, and excellent mentor, and always had a kind word and a wry smile and joke for those he would meet, even at the nursing home he resided in until yesterday.
In his honor, and to get my bearings back, I will take a week or two off from doing any reviews. Perhaps after Orthodox Easter (May 5), I will go back to blogging full-time.
Goodbye, old friend. May we meet again in peaceful climes one day.
Hi there! I was a student of Mr. Shore’s while in attendance of a class of his when he was teaching in Salinas – he had been living I believe in Carmel at the time. He was a very intelligent man who left quite the impression and someone I had talked to when I could. Even moreso, I always felt like every time I did talk to him outside of a classroom, it was like a lesson in itself haha.
Thank you for sharing this. His name happened to pop into my head today and to hear of his passing is unfortunate as I was thinking of the religions of the world class I took from him. I am forever grateful for his sincerity and authenticity that he always showed.
Thank you for your kind words, Ino. So many of us who either worked with him or studied under him have fond memories of Steven. He was truly a light to many.