Album Notes

Stephen "Schnitzy" Schneider started playing guitar and writing songs immediately after watching "A Hard Day's Night" seven times in a row. Soon thereafter, Stephen found himself with long hair, a fringed, buckskin jacket and a gig playing lead guitar with such infamous Livingston, NJ garage bands as: The Spiral and the notorious Strawberry Alarm Clock cover-band, Stonehenge. Although these bands did boast several appearances at the local Y and gigs at more than one budget Bar Mitzvah, Stephen's failure to score with long-time crush, Kathy Sheehan, led him to soberly reevaluate his appeal as a rock-god.

In college, however, a steady stream of hallucinogenic drugs and warm beer spurred Stephen to once again pick up his trusty "axe" and resume annoying innocent people with his "music." Playing with the legendary Ithaca bar band, Bub Fuff & Jigs, Stephen rediscovered the joy of songwriting. This joy was short-lived, however, thanks to his subsequent failure to score with long-time crush, Adrianne Cappelle.

Following a stint in a Florida penal colony for impersonating an actual musician, Stephen went on to write many more tediously derivative songs. Indeed, it is still somewhat of a mystery to Stephen why he was ever awarded a prize at the prestigious American Songwriters Festival. (Allegations of judge bribery were unsubstantiated and remain so to this day.)

Then, despite the fact that it seems to have had no noticeable influence on any other musical artist one can think of, Fire Island (the little barrier island just south of Long Island, NY... and The Hamptons' poor relation) inexplicably became the inspiration that drove Stephen to create his most ambitious - some might even say: "irksome" - collection of song treasures: "Great Balls of Fire Island." Comprised of 13 original-ish compositions written and performed by the artist himself, Great Balls is Stephen's heart-felt attempt to musically articulate the many moods and seasons of this beautiful and much-beloved vacation paradise. And, although this pivotal work will certainly motivate many people to share thoughts about the isle with their friends, "Great Balls of Fire Island" is also bound to motivate certain other people to share thoughts about litigation with their attorneys.

Many musical styles and genres can be experienced on "Great Balls of Fire Island", so you are bound to hate something, no matter what your taste. The "Magical Mystery Tour" of its time, this fabulous CD captures Fire Island life in such memorable classics as: "We're Not All Gay", "The Hamptons Suck", "The Fire Island Blues", "Check Your Schmekle", "Convenient Summer Love" and many more.

Today, fans of Mr. Schneider will be delighted to hear that a strange nerve disorder has recently rendered him incapable of strumming the guitar without itching. How this unattractive affliction will affect Stephen's musical career is anybody's guess. What is certain, sadly, is how it will affect his chances of scoring with long-time crush, Reese Witherspoon.