Takin' a Walk – "The Brilliance of Live Performance and Flair of Jeremy DeBardi from Steel Beans"

Released: November 4, 2025
Host: Buzz Knight | Guest: Jeremy DeBardi (Steel Beans)

Episode Overview

In this episode of "Takin’ a Walk," host Buzz Knight strolls (literally and figuratively) through a rich, insightful conversation with Jeremy DeBardi, the whirlwind creative force behind Steel Beans. Known for his dazzling one-man-band performances—drumming, playing guitar, and singing simultaneously (often in an open robe)—DeBardi shares his origin story, philosophy on creativity and spirituality, his approach to performance, and reflections on his newly found viral fame and collaborations with industry heavyweights like Anderson .Paak and Troy Van Leeuwen. The episode is a celebration of live music’s unpredictability and the joy of authentic artistic expression.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Take a Walk" Signature Question: Who Would Jeremy Walk With?

[03:01–04:10]

• Jeremy’s answer: Steve Winwood for a walk in the English countryside, to talk about music and spirituality.
  • “I'd walk with Steve Winwood through like an English countryside. Just talk about songs and spirituality.” (Jeremy DeBardi, 03:39)
• Also mentions Zappa and Lennon as inspirations, showing his deep reverence for musical originality.

2. Steve Winwood’s Lasting Influence

[04:11–05:16]

• Jeremy credits Hearing Traffic & Cream as life-changing.
  • “It’s where I found my voice. It's where I learned to project and finally sing without hurting my voice.” (Jeremy DeBardi, 04:22)
• Appreciates Winwood's timeless songwriting even through the heavy production of the 80s.

3. Building the Steel Beans Brand: Uniqueness Born of Necessity

[05:16–07:46]

• Jeremy attributes his unique brand to “the small village it takes to raise somebody”, referencing both supportive figures and his own independent spirit.

  • Early family circumstances kept his “inner child” and “artistic voice” strong.
  • He learned the power of not taking himself too seriously, inspired by Zappa, and embraced being hyper and spastic on stage—channeling icons like Iggy Pop and ODB.

  "I was fortunate enough to make the strengths of all those weaknesses and turn it into, like, I'm still a child, but I'm aging like wine. Because now I'm just refining the same thing I've been working on for 35 years."
  (Jeremy DeBardi, 06:15)

• Humor and not apologizing for his energy are key themes.

  • “Never apologize for any answer, short or long. ... That's why I'm honored and love doing this every day.” (Podcast Host, 07:46)

4. Origins of the One-Man Band: Accidental Genius

[08:14–11:13]

• Jeremy began as a drummer before picking up guitar; started playing both at once because other band members were chronically late.

  “I sat down at the drum set, like, texting them like, where the fuck are you? And I had my guitar around my neck and I just picked up a stick, set the phone down. I just went—started strumming. And I went, oh, I guess that's a thing I could do.”
  (Jeremy DeBardi, 10:24)

• At first, Steel Beans was meant to be a band, but fate (and necessity) turned it into a one-man spectacle.

• “If there was a book how to play drums and guitar, I would have never read that. ... So it's just by path of least resistance and inspiration that that had happened.” (Jeremy DeBardi, 11:04)

• Shows are unpredictable—sometimes he’ll stop mid-song to eat a salad delivered to the stage: “It's pretty obnoxious, to say the least.” (Jeremy DeBardi, 11:10)

5. The Spirit of Risk: Chasing the Dream with $300 and a Viral Hit

[12:37–15:11]

• Jeremy recounts touring with minimal money; just days before a likely bust, a performance video goes viral, filling venues and changing his fortunes:

  “A week before this tour down the coast ... I had a video randomly go viral ... and I would have got halfway down through that and ran out of money, and it would have been a nightmare. So it was really this miracle ... a tour changed my life.”
  (Jeremy DeBardi, 13:18–14:00)

• Reflects on the process: at 35, after 20 years grinding, he was close to settling into life as a lawn care professional—being “artistically and spiritually content.”

• His approach was always more about the music than chasing fame:

  “I've never really chased my career or any of that stuff that much. I just love writing songs. But it was all a big bonus to be like, wow, okay, we'll be right back. And thank God.”
  (Jeremy DeBardi, 14:48)

6. Philosophy & Spirituality in Music

[15:11–17:54]

• Jeremy shares a spiritual but non-religious worldview, with music at the center.

  “But to me, I look at music as my religion. ... It's not unlike a Ouija board or something. You're not writing a song. You're just sharpening your relationship with an instrument.”
  (Jeremy DeBardi, 16:38)

• Believes in being a conduit for ideas—"it's about being a good listener and filtering those ideas through something".

7. Live Shows & New Album

[18:08–20:54]

• Discusses current West Coast tour and performing both solo and with band members on stage.

  “I do 30 minutes of the solo show, and then I have Sean come up on bass and Wes come up on drums. ... Instead of, oh, he sold out, he went solo. I'm doing the reverse. But I'm cognizant that people will be like, ‘Is he just doing a band?’”
  (Jeremy DeBardi, 18:37–19:33)

• Describes differences in crowds:
  • California: attentive, "pin drop silence" when he speaks.
  • Seattle: more socializing, less focused.

8. Viral Fame and Famous Fans

[21:08–23:40]

• Jeremy is astonished by attention from celebrity fans, such as Lenny Kravitz, Jack Black, and Jason Momoa.

  “It blows my mind to post a story of me playing in the snow with my son in the backyard. ... It's like Jack Black and Jason Momoa and Lenny Kravitz. You know, that's insane.”
  (Jeremy DeBardi, 21:27)

• Talks about accepting his place as a peer to musical heroes:

  “If you work hard enough, I'm standing on the shoulders of giants. Like, I don't strive to be famous. I strive to be as good of a songwriter as the Beatles and all these guys that I fucking worship.”
  (Jeremy DeBardi, 22:48)

• Credits Robert DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots) as a friend who grounded him in this new reality.

9. Staying Grounded Around Music Heroes

[23:36–24:22]

• Jeremy reflects on nervousness around peers like Anderson .Paak, and Troy from Queens of the Stone Age—but emphasizes the feeling of community among “artists and weirdos.”

  “There is a little bit of a wow factor when you’re talking to people. You have to overcome that and be like, ‘we’re all artists and weirdos here.’”
  (Jeremy DeBardi, 24:17)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I walk with the dead every night when I write music.” (Jeremy DeBardi, 03:30)
• “I've never really chased my career or any of that stuff that much. I just love writing songs. But it was all a big bonus…” (Jeremy DeBardi, 14:48)
• “You're not writing a song. You're just sharpening your relationship with an instrument.” (Jeremy DeBardi, 16:38)
• “I don't strive to be famous. I strive to be as good of a songwriter as the Beatles and all these guys that I fucking worship…” (Jeremy DeBardi, 22:48)
• “There is a little bit of a wow factor ... You have to overcome that and be like, ‘we’re all artists and weirdos here.’” (Jeremy DeBardi, 24:17)

Key Timestamps

• [03:01] - The "dream walk" question and inspirations
• [04:22] - Steve Winwood’s influence and favorite eras
• [06:15] - Nurturing creativity from childhood, influences of Zappa, Iggy Pop
• [10:24] - The accidental birth of the Steel Beans solo act
• [13:18] - Going viral and taking a leap of faith on the road
• [16:38] - Music as spirituality, the role of the instrument as conduit
• [18:37] - The new live format: solo and band performance
• [21:27] - Celebrities discovering Steel Beans, handling viral fame
• [22:48] - Reconciling ambitions with musical heroes
• [24:17] - Staying real among famous collaborators

Tone & Style

The conversation is playful, honest, and energetic—mirroring Jeremy’s own musical style. Jeremy’s humility and self-deprecating humor shine through, offering refreshing perspectives on originality, risk-taking, and authenticity in music.

Summary Takeaway

This episode is an in-depth, entertaining portrait of Jeremy DeBardi’s journey with Steel Beans: an outsider’s tale of risk, relentless creativity, and the wild unpredictability of live music and viral success. Listeners gain a window into DeBardi’s artistic mind, his grounding in musical tradition, and his spiritual approach to creativity—all while sharing in the joy, awe, and disbelief that accompanies an artist on the rise.