Steven Delopoulos
By Brad East
WHEN: 1997-present (Burlap to Cashmere), 2003-present (solo)
CULPRITS: Steven Delopoulos, John Philippidis (BTC)
ALBUMS: Live at the Bitter End EP (BTC; 1997); Anybody Out There? (BTC; 1998); Me Died Blue (2003); Straightjacket (2007); As If Love Was a Sword: Noisetrade Exclusive B-Sides (2008)
HOW: I usually have a distinct memory of how I came upon some favorite band, but all I remember of discovering Burlap to Cashmere is some mishmash of Napster, middle school, and slowly putting together their full catalogue of songs by download, friend, and collection until it was (however unfortunate for its brevity) complete. Then I inadvertently saw Steven Delopoulos, lead singer and guitarist (and apparent creative driver) for what I presumed was a dead Burlap, open for an act in Austin around 2003 or so, and found and bought his solo debut. I’ve kept up with this singular talent since then, even as he strangely continues to loiter in relative obscurity.
WHY: The combination of bold vocals, unique guitar skills, identifiable place in a long and proud musical tradition, poetic oddity, and Eastern ethnic and religious sensibilities come together to form more than a decade’s worth of work that, if not always exemplary (though it usually is), is never uninteresting. I do not know of anyone who says, does, and sounds like what Steven Delopoulos has been saying, doing, and creating in the last ten years.
SONGS: Most of Delopoulos’ songs aren’t lengthy, so there was little I wanted that I had to cut. Perhaps controversially (to his enormous fanbase? I don’t know), I included songs from Burlap to Cashmere’s only album, but because he was such an enormous creative force for the band, and because they only produced a single album together — though supposedly they are at work on a second LP as we speak — and because the style and sound of the songs mesh so well with the development of his other work, I felt it was the right thing to do. I also drew on last year’s collection of B-Sides released exclusively by NoiseTrade, which regrettably won’t be included on the iMix below.
LINK: Click on the list below to see the 80MFL iMix, where you can listen to samples, download what sounds good, or get the whole thing!
80 MINUTES FOR LIFE 
Steven is one of the most talented people that I know. It’s great to see him get the recognition that he deserves. Talent like his only comes once in a lifetime, and it is truly a God-breathed thing! Praise God for Steven Delopoulos! …and his cousin, Johnny, who can play the heck out of that guitar!!!!