Friends & Other Necessities is the debut LP from multi-talented Swatkins (Steve Watkins), longtime collaborator with Allen Stone, Scary Pockets and many others. For this record, Swatkins called upon his formidable network of musical peers, assembling a collection of songs that celebrate the sorely-needed spirit of collaborative joy. Recorded in live, unflinching one-take rhythm sessions in New Orleans, and then lushly orchestrated in west-coast studios, this album represents the culmination of a journey that has seen Swatkins on the road and playing in front of live audiences for over a decade.
Tracklist and Credits
Friends & Other Necessities
100 Percent
Track 01
Swatkins - Talkbox, bass, guitar, synths
Joey Porter - drum machine, clavinet, synth solo
Written by: Swatkins
Lost & Alive
Track 02
Recorded by Andrew Block at Neutral Sound Studio, New Orleans LA
Swatkins - keyboards, tambourine
Moorea Masa - lead vocals
Raquel Rodriguez - vocals
Deven Trusclair - drums
Nick Campbell - bass
Andrew Block - guitar
Written by: Swatkins, Moorea Masa
More to Learn
(Feat. Eric Krasno)
Track 03
Recorded by
Gus Berry at Jackpot! Recording Studio, Portland OR
Swatkins - Wurlitzer, vocals, tambourine
Allen Stone - lead vocals
Eric Krasno - guitar
Tyrone Hendrix - drums
Peter Knudsen - guitar
André J Zapata - bass
Michael Elson - organ
Raquel Rodriguez - vocals
Written by: Swatkins, Allen Stone, Eric Krasno, Jans Ingber
Lottery
Track 04
Recorded by
Andrew Block at Neutral Sound Studio, New Orleans LA
Swatkins - electric piano, synths
Raquel Rodriguez - lead vocals
Jess Best - vocals, arrangement
Connor Schultze - bass, arrangement
Michael Elson - felted piano
Eric “Benny” Bloom - trumpet
Peter Knudsen - guitar
Written by: Swatkins, Jess Best, Raquel Rodriguez
Until I Get Back
Track 05
Recorded by
Andrew Block at Neutral Sound Studio, New Orleans LA
Swatkins - vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards
Deven Trusclair - drums
Nick Campbell - bass
André J Zapata - bass
Andrew Block - guitar
Written by: Swatkins
Bright Light
Track 06
Swatkins - organ, vocals
Antwaun Stanley - lead vocals
Moorea Masa - vocals
Tyler Thompson - drums
Ryan Lerman - guitar
Jeff Leonard - bass
Written by: Swatkins, Jay Cobb Anderson, Jans Ingber, Antwaun Stanley
Sweet Talk
Track 07
Recorded by
Andrew Block at Neutral Sound Studio, New Orleans LA
Swatkins - keyboards, bass, talkbox
Moorea Masa - lead vocals
Raquel Rodriguez - vocals
Alvin Ford, Jr. - drums
Andrew Block - guitar
Nigel Hall - rhodes
Ryan Zoidis - alto sax solo
Naughty Professor Horns - horn section
Nick Ellman - baritone sax
John Culbreth - trumpet
Ian Bowman - tenor sax
Written by: Swatkins, Moorea Masa
Don't Tell You That Enough
Track 08
Recorded by
Slater Swan at Anjuna Recording Studio, Portland OR
Swatkins - vocals, talkbox, guitar, clavinet
André J Zapata - bass
Sam Brawner - drums
Peter Knudsen - guitar
Michael Elson - organ
Gabriel Mervine - trumpet
Written by: Swatkins
Letting Go
Track 09
Swatkins - keyboards, guitar
Ashley Jayy - vocals
Jans Ingber - percussion
Peter Knudsen - guitar
Jarrod Lawson - rhodes
Written by: Swatkins, Ashley Jayy, Jans Ingber, Jarrod Lawson
Gotta Give It Away (If You're Gonna Keep It)
Track 10
Recorded by
Joshua Fairman at Color Red Studios, Denver CO
Swatkins - lead vocal, talkbox, clavinet, synth solo
Michelangelo Carubba - drums
André J Zapata - bass
Michael Elson - organ
Craig Brodhead - guitar
Moorea Masa - vocals
Jans Ingber - percussion, vocals
Huntertones horns - horn section
Dan White - saxophones
Chris Ott - trombone
Jon Lampley - trumpet
Written by: Swatkins
Media
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Swatkins is a joyful prophet of positivity.
Together with his band, The Positive Agenda, he makes feel-good music for real human beings. This multi-instrumentalist is a master of the talkbox, an old-school analog effect using his larynx to shape the sound of his keyboard synthesizer sent through a vinyl tube. Think of the funky robot voice from "California Love" or the hair-raising harmony intro to "24 Karat Magic." Now picture a throwback dance party with a killer live band playing the deepest grooves imaginable, and you've got a taste of what The Positive Agenda is all about.
Swatkins has long been a fixture on the touring scene in his capacity as a sideman and guest artist. Since joining Allen Stone's band in 2013, he's been around the world many times, becoming an indispensable part of the live show and co-writing many of Allen's most beloved songs. More recently, he has toured on keys with modern funk legends Lettuce, guest-starred with Vulfpeck at NYC's Central Park Summerstage, and joined forces with LA supergroup Scary Pockets and the Frankfurt Radio Big Band. In 2022, Swatkins released a self-produced record, "Friends And Other Necessities," to critical acclaim, landing several tracks in Spotify's "Best Funk Songs" and “Best Retro Songs" playlists.
In addition, Swatkins has performed and/or recorded with: Nikka Costa, Lizzy McAlpine, The Suffers, Willie Nelson, Turkuaz, David Ryan Harris, Marcus King, Jennifer Hartswick, Jamie Lidell, The Motet, Eric Krasno, Liv Warfield (of Prince's New Power Generation), Raquel Rodriguez, Corook, Fruition, Lawrence, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell (of P-Funk/Talking Heads), Leo Nocentelli and George Porter, Jr. (of The Meters), Ariel Posen, Robert Randolph, Jamison Ross, Kamasi Washington, and many more
Swatkins is a joyful prophet of positivity.
Together with his band, The Positive Agenda, he makes feel-good music for real human beings. This multi-instrumentalist is a master of the talkbox, an old-school analog effect using his larynx to shape the sound of his keyboard synthesizer sent through a vinyl tube. Think of the funky robot voice from "California Love" or the hair-raising harmony intro to "24 Karat Magic." Now picture a throwback dance party with a killer live band playing the deepest grooves imaginable, and you've got a taste of what The Positive Agenda is all about.
Swatkins has long been a fixture on the touring scene in his capacity as a sideman and guest artist. Since joining Allen Stone's band in 2013, he's been around the world many times, becoming an indispensable part of the live show and co-writing many of Allen's most beloved songs. More recently, he has toured on keys with modern funk legends Lettuce, guest-starred with Vulfpeck at NYC's Central Park Summerstage, and joined forces with LA supergroup Scary Pockets and the Frankfurt Radio Big Band. In 2022, Swatkins released a self-produced record, "Friends And Other Necessities," to critical acclaim, landing several tracks in Spotify's "Best Funk Songs" and “Best Retro Songs" playlists.
In addition, Swatkins has performed and/or recorded with: Nikka Costa, Lizzy McAlpine, The Suffers, Willie Nelson, Turkuaz, David Ryan Harris, Marcus King, Jennifer Hartswick, Jamie Lidell, The Motet, Eric Krasno, Liv Warfield (of Prince's New Power Generation), Raquel Rodriguez, Corook, Fruition, Lawrence, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell (of P-Funk/Talking Heads), Leo Nocentelli and George Porter, Jr. (of The Meters), Ariel Posen, Robert Randolph, Jamison Ross, Kamasi Washington, and many more
Swatkins is a joyful prophet of positivity.
Together with his band, The Positive Agenda, he makes feel-good music for real human beings. This multi-instrumentalist is a master of the talkbox, an old-school analog effect using his larynx to shape the sound of his keyboard synthesizer sent through a vinyl tube. Think of the funky robot voice from "California Love" or the hair-raising harmony intro to "24 Karat Magic." Now picture a throwback dance party with a killer live band playing the deepest grooves imaginable, and you've got a taste of what The Positive Agenda is all about.
Swatkins has long been a fixture on the touring scene in his capacity as a sideman and guest artist. Since joining Allen Stone's band in 2013, he's been around the world many times, becoming an indispensable part of the live show and co-writing many of Allen's most beloved songs. More recently, he has toured on keys with modern funk legends Lettuce, guest-starred with Vulfpeck at NYC's Central Park Summerstage, and joined forces with LA supergroup Scary Pockets and the Frankfurt Radio Big Band. In 2022, Swatkins released a self-produced record, "Friends And Other Necessities," to critical acclaim, landing several tracks in Spotify's "Best Funk Songs" and “Best Retro Songs" playlists.
In addition, Swatkins has performed and/or recorded with: Nikka Costa, Lizzy McAlpine, The Suffers, Willie Nelson, Turkuaz, David Ryan Harris, Marcus King, Jennifer Hartswick, Jamie Lidell, The Motet, Eric Krasno, Liv Warfield (of Prince's New Power Generation), Raquel Rodriguez, Corook, Fruition, Lawrence, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell (of P-Funk/Talking Heads), Leo Nocentelli and George Porter, Jr. (of The Meters), Ariel Posen, Robert Randolph, Jamison Ross, Kamasi Washington, and many more
