SAMO HURT (AKA David G.A. Stephenson)

David G.A. Stephenson (British; born 1959; presently living in Colchester, UK) uses music and the inspiration of (mostly American) painters, sculptors and architects to create his art. The year 2000 saw the release of his cult CD single – a song celebrating the work of Los Angeles artist Ed Ruscha - ‘I Want To Hang Out With Ed Ruscha’. Since then Stephenson has written and recorded a whole series of ‘Americana-art-songs’.

For his 2007 ‘Americana Artrockers’ show at the esteemed Inverleith House in Edinburgh, Stephenson produced videos to accompany five of his ‘art-songs’, one of which was recorded with Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth (of Talking Heads/Tom Tom Club fame) – a paean to the graffiti artist/fine art painter star Jean-Michel Basquiat entitled ‘SAMO (Undiscovered Genius of the Mississippi Delta)’. This has led Stephenson on a quest to find out more about the possible existence of a blues-singing, art-loving railroad man named Samo Hurt.

Stephenson now has a blues writing/performance project called SAMO HURT. One of its earliest incarnations was as part of Stephenson’s 2009 Americana Suburban Artrocker exhibition/installation at the Suburban (in Oak Park, Chicago, USA) – a song and video ‘Frank Lloyd Wright Work Song Blues’.

Recently, Stephenson (who met Bettina Hubby at an Art Fair at the Chateau Marmont over 12 years ago) has been very inspired by the Get Hubbied project, and reading about the chosen couple Bec and Ruben. In his guise of SAMO HURT he has specially penned and recorded ‘The Hubbied Wedding Ballad of Bec and Ruben’.

August 2011

IF YOU ARE COMING TO THE WEDDING, DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS SONG!!! Let it be a surprise

And here, the lyrics (though the song will be alive only when heard)

The Hubbied Wedding Ballad of Bec and Ruben [Lyrics: David G.A. Stephenson]

Your family is amazing; I love your Mum and Dad Your family’s amazing; I love your Mum and Dad A family of love gets you through the good and the bad Hubby artists work like a family, smiling and glad

From the farm to the city; small town in between From the farm to the city; small town in between Honour and beauty can clearly be seen The House of Love is smiling and always swept clean

Paddle on the canals of Venice, CA Paddle on the canals of Venice, CA Nothing could stop us being engaged that day Diamond ring serious soul smiling our way

A door has opened, captured and designed A door has opened, captured and designed The decisive moment, beyond fashion refined Love is a flowering plant smiling pure and kind

A journey of romantic recreation now starts A journey of romantic recreation now starts Time to Get Hubbied at the Center for the Arts And feel the love of everybody’s smiling hearts