For over a decade, Steve Young UK has been making waves in the music scene with his heartfelt songwriting. Steve is from Stevenage, England, and recently released an acoustic version of “Dog & Bone” which has already become a fan favorite.
This stripped back rendition was recorded live at Stevenage’s Practice Roomz studio, with American country singer Savannah Gardner and violinist Jade Cuthbert. Particularly interesting about ‘Dog & Bone’ is not just that it came from a songwriting lesson Steve gave to Year 11 student Connor, who ended up writing the second verse.
There’s a raw emotion that really resonates with listeners when you hear the song. Steve’s version of it was an instant hit when he played it for 5,000 fans at the Todd In The Hole Festival and was a hit with a broad audience. This intimate acoustic take has continued to captivate audiences around the world as we await the full band version on Steve’s upcoming 2025 album “Famous for a Day.”
Watch Dog & Bone (Acoustic Version)
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Let’s start with the basics – can you tell us about the song “Dog & Bone” and what inspired you to create an acoustic version?
D&B began life in a music lesson at school. I was teaching a Year 11 how to take a riff and form it into a song and Dog & Bone was born…..The reason for the acoustic version is because we have been playing it live with my Nashville Nights Band (west end country show) and the audience love it so I wanted to get something out ahead of the formal release next year
For those who might not be familiar with British slang, what does “Dog & Bone” mean, and how does it relate to the song’s theme?
So, you are referring to Dog & Bone = Telephone, but that is not actually anything to do with the song. In this case it’s a metaphor about the well known phrase – every dog has his day – in the case of this song ‘the dog was without a bone until you came along’
How does this acoustic rendition differ from the original version of “Dog & Bone”?
The original version, which is still in production, is a full band affair with drums, bass and a banging guitar solo!
Can you walk us through the creative process of filming the music video for this acoustic version?
We only had two hours to do it so we recorded the track first and then set up a mic in the room and played along to what we had recorded. The sound engineer walked around us in a circle – one take!!
Were there any particular challenges or memorable moments during the video shoot?
The main challenge was getting it all done in 2 hours as we had a big show to play that day. The whole process was memorable and we had a lot of fun
The acoustic genre often strips songs down to their essence. Did you discover anything new about “Dog & Bone” when arranging it acoustically?
Just that it was still a really strong and hooky song that people seem to love all round the world..
How would you describe the visual aesthetic of the video, and how does it complement the acoustic sound?
I wanted the video to look and feel as raw as the recording. One iPhone, one mic… just to emphasise the acoustic manner in which it was recorded. The album version has a full HD video featuring the band, my dog and a 1957 Buick 🙂
Are there any Easter eggs or hidden meanings in the video that fans should look out for?
Sorry no… it’s fairly ‘what you see is what you get’ in this instance
You’re known as “Steve Young UK” – how has your British identity influenced your music and this song in particular?
That was out of necessity. Steve Young is my real name and when I finally began writing & releasing music I soon disovered there was a famous US footballer and a veteran songwriter with the same name so I had to add ‘uk’ just to clarify. In hindsight I should have changed my name as it’s still an issue 10 years later. I can’t stand football and the other songwriter has now passed away so it’s quite frustrating. I have always been influenced by American music, my father was a big country & western fan back in the 1950’s. I don’t sound typically British when I sing… i’m not ‘The Streets’ 😉
Who were some of your acoustic influences when creating this version of the song?
I love Eric Clapton – MTV Unplugged but I also listen to a lot of Swamp Blues playlists. As an entertainer I play around 200 acoustic shows a year (it’s the only way to make a living) so it’s just in my DNA to play acoustically
Can fans expect more acoustic renditions of your other tracks in the future?
I expect so – especially if they come to see me live. I play Dog & Bone at almost every gig, Band or Solo
How do you feel the music video format adds to the listener’s experience of “Dog & Bone”?
We live in a world of AI, streaming, Tik Tok – it’s hard for the younger generation to even know what’s real anymore. I hope this video reminds viewers that music is not about fame, stats, views etc it’s also about people with musical instruments, 10,000 hours of practice and an emotional message to convey
Lastly, what do you hope viewers will take away from watching the “Dog & Bone (Acoustic Version)” video?
I’m hoping it will spark an interest in my music so that they then look out for my album Famous For A Day which is out in March 2025
