Steve Bays is a big time sound nerd. However, he’s also a big time legitimate rock star. The trajectory of his luminescent career arks from his days as the indie-rock-god-sex-panther-frontman of the internationally loved band, Hot Hot Heat, to his present, more laid back, life in his native Canada as a producer, mix engineer, writer, collaborator and overall all things music geek. After touring for over a decade, sweating through the crouches of his skinny jeans, and swooning young scenesters into absolute vomit-riddled-rock-star hysteria, he’s settled down to a life of less travel in Vancouver. His carbonated pace, however, has all but gone flat.

Building his own studio and accumulating palisades of vintage gear, he’s widened his focus to include two new bands, as well as being heavily involved in countless other projects over the last year. Having just finished a new Hot Hot Heat album, he has also been signed to Last Gang Records for one of his new projects, Fur Trade, and is finishing up an album with friends/collaborators Hawksley Workman and Ryan Dahle, called Mounties. He has his sonic little hands in a bunch of new albums including an incredible sounding album by James Younger. Creatively, Steve is a huge slut.