Album Notes

The driving force behind Maidenhead is vocalist/guitarist Gary Stein, who is also the main composer of the group. Stein began composing songs for the "Dear Raquel" record in 1997, and the songs are a culmination of upbeat, feel good rock n' roll, power pop tunes with great hooks, melody, and harmonies! The sound is strongly based around the guitar and can be powerful as well as melodic. Songwriting is where Stein, who is bent on perfection, focuses his energy. In his own words he says, "I think the key ingredient to a record is the songwriting. If you don't have great songs, you will never make a great record."
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Queen, The Beatles, Cheap Trick, Tommy Shaw (Styx), and Tommy Keene are Stein's biggest musical influences. Several of the songs on "Dear Raquel" (of which Gary plays the guitars and layers a lot of the vocals himself) are reminiscent of his influences.