One of the best selling popular music artists of the 1980s, Shakin Stevens is set to launch his 12th album, Echoes of our Times at HMV Cardiff at mid-day on Saturday September 17 with a signing session.
Echoes of Our Times grew from Stevens’ realisation that he knew very little about the background of his family the stories of his ancestors’ loves and lives lost, and their struggles to survive. Research revealed tales of poverty and strife in the Cornish copper mines, of bravery and loss in war, of philanthropic preachers and stoic Salvationists, of children suffering and of family secrets and feuds.
The uncovered stories became the inspiration for many of the songs that make up the new album. Having touched on most styles of music during his career (including blues, rhythm & blues, country and Cajun), the new songs were in fact a big departure for Stevens. “I have never before written a song that is so personal,” he says, “Some of the tracks directly relate to stories and situations about my family past, while others are more of a social comment relating to the world that my ancestors, and we, live in”
Known as an entertainer and performer, with 33 hit singles and 4 UK no. 1s to his name, Echoes Of Our Time is Shakin’ Stevens most personal album to date. “I would say that, in retrospect, in finding the origins of my family I have gone back to the roots of my music,” he says.
For further details of the HMV Cardiff signing session visit their website here.