With the release of “Candy Cigarettes,” the latest album from Leon III, musician and Howler Brothers co-founder Andy Stepanian continues to explore the winding paths of creativity. From the band’s expansive, psychedelic-tinged rock to the inspiration he finds on a trail or a quiet river, Stepanian shares why trusting the process remains at the heart of everything he does.

For Andy Stepanian, creativity has never been about following a straight line. As a founding member of Leon III and co-founder of Austin-based outdoor apparel brand Howler Brothers, he has spent years moving between music, entrepreneurship and the natural world, finding unexpected connections between the things that inspire him. His approach is less about fitting into a particular mold and more about remaining open to wherever an idea might lead.

That spirit is evident in “Candy Cigarettes,” the latest release from Leon III, the long-running musical collaboration between Stepanian and Mason Brent. Drawing on elements of psychedelic rock, Americana, folk and classic rock, the band creates richly textured songs that reward listeners willing to slow down and explore their layers. Their newest material reflects a creative partnership that has developed over more than two decades, one built on experimentation, instinct and a shared willingness to follow a song wherever it goes.

Outside the studio, Stepanian brings that same curiosity to the outdoors. Whether running the trails, finding inspiration in the natural world or fly-fishing on a winding Western river, he values the kind of quiet that allows ideas to surface on their own. It’s a philosophy that feels equally at home in the recording studio and in the landscapes that continually find their way into his lyrics.

We spoke with Stepanian about the evolution of Leon III, the creative thinking behind “Candy Cigarettes” and “Brushstrokes,” building Howler Brothers from the ground up, and why sometimes the best thing you can do for a song is simply get outside and let it find its way.

LETTING THE SONGS LEAD

Leon III recently released “Candy Cigarettes.” What does this album represent for you and Mason, and how does it reflect where you are as artists today?

Mason and I aren’t brothers, but we do have a long, long history of collaborating together on all kinds of things. I think we’ve been playing music together since before the turn of the century. During those 26-plus years, our output has certainly evolved to a place where we do a lot of experimenting with sounds, song structures and even methods of recording.

In the end, I think “Candy Cigarettes” is the next step in this journey, and it feels like the band is really content to follow the songs down whatever rabbit hole they choose to lead us. We’re not trying to be anything other than a band with really cool songs.

I think that freedom comes from having worked together for so long. You develop a certain trust in one another, and you become less concerned with trying to prove something or fit into a particular category. At this point, we can experiment and take chances without worrying too much about where the music is supposed to land. The songs can be strange, familiar, expansive or simple, depending on what they need to be. That willingness to let the music dictate the direction is a big part of what keeps the process exciting for us.

PAINTING WITH SOUND

Your new song “Brushstrokes” has a distinctive sound and atmosphere. What inspired the song, and what does the title mean to you?

I don’t know if I can point to a moment or specific thing that inspired the song. It’s more of a collage of images centered around the theme of abstraction. In a lot of ways, the song is about what it’s like for me to write songs. Making mountains from brushstrokes. Pulling a rabbit from a hat. That sort of thing. I always hope listeners can gather their own meaning from a song that’s maybe not even close to what it means to me.

There’s something interesting about the way a song comes together from seemingly unrelated pieces. You might start with a phrase, an image or a musical idea that doesn’t appear to have much significance on its own. Then, as you keep working, those fragments begin to connect and take on a life of their own. Eventually, something emerges that feels complete, even if you can’t entirely explain how you got there. That’s part of the magic of making music for me.

I also like the idea that a song doesn’t have to communicate one fixed meaning. Once it’s out in the world, listeners bring their own experiences and interpretations to it. If someone hears “Brushstrokes” and finds a completely different story in it than the one I had in mind, I think that’s a wonderful thing.

WIDESCREEN ROCK FOR PATIENT LISTENERS

Leon III has developed a sound that blends elements of psychedelic rock, Americana, folk and classic rock. How would you describe the band’s musical identity to someone hearing you for the first time?

Leon III makes panoramic, widescreen rock ’n’ roll for patient listeners who are willing to dig into the layers.

I think that description gets at what we’re trying to do. We like music that reveals itself over time, where you can return to a song and notice something you didn’t hear before. There’s room for atmosphere and experimentation, but at the end of the day, we still want the songs to be great songs. We’re interested in creating something that feels expansive without losing the human element at its center.

TRUSTING THE PROCESS

After releasing several albums, what have you learned about making records that you wish you had known when Leon III first started?

We have been making records together for a long time, as I mentioned. Before Leon III, we were in a band called Wrinkle Neck Mules that had more of a country bent. Over the years, we have just learned to let the songs lead the process. Whenever you try to make a song into something specific, it probably will not work. Or it will sound forced. If you just relax and let the song lead you, the results will be great.

I think that’s probably one of the biggest lessons you learn by doing something for a long time. Early on, it’s easy to get caught up in the idea of what you want a record to sound like or what direction you think a band should take. But sometimes those expectations can get in the way of what the music is actually trying to become. You have to be willing to recognize when an idea isn’t working and let go of it, even if you were initially excited about it.

The more comfortable you become with the process, the easier it is to follow your instincts. You can spend less time trying to force an outcome and more time paying attention to what’s happening in the room. For us, that openness has become an important part of making records.

BUILDING A BRAND FROM THE GROUND UP

You’re also the co-founder of Howler Brothers, the Austin-based outdoor apparel company. How did you become involved with Howler Brothers, and what drew you to the brand?

I co-founded Howler Brothers with my friend and old Wrinkle Neck Mules bandmate, Chase Heard. So I’ve been involved since before day one. The whole thing came about because we both loved a lot of the same surf and skate brands as kids and wanted to try and bring some of that ethos to outdoor apparel. We had no idea what we were doing when we started or any notion it would become a real brand. It’s been a wild and fun ride.

What appealed to us was the opportunity to take the things we loved about those brands and bring them into a different world. Surf and skate culture had a certain irreverence and sense of fun that we wanted to preserve, while creating clothing that made sense for spending time outdoors. We weren’t coming at it with a traditional apparel-industry background or a master plan for building a business. We were simply excited about the idea and wanted to see what we could make of it.

In some ways, starting a company and making music have more in common than you might think. Both require a willingness to experiment, a lot of patience and the ability to learn as you go. You start with an idea, make something, see how people respond and figure out what comes next. The fact that Howler Brothers has grown into something much bigger than we initially imagined has made the experience especially rewarding.

FINDING INSPIRATION OUTSIDE

Music and the outdoors seem to share an important place in your life. Do you see a connection between spending time outdoors and the way you approach creativity and songwriting?

Absolutely. Lyrically, there are countless references to the natural world throughout my songs. Birds. Mountains. Bodies of water. Stars. I think I might reference the wind in pretty much every song I’ve written, so I maybe need to stop doing that! I clear my head a lot outdoors, and that usually opens the gate for songs. I actually write a lot of songs while running or trail running. It’s a great place to just zone out and work lyrics over and over again.

There’s something about being outside that helps me get out of my own way. When I’m running, I’m not sitting down and trying to force myself to write a song. My mind can wander, and sometimes a line or an idea will start to take shape without much effort. I can turn it over in my head, repeat it a few times and see whether it has any staying power. By the time I get home, I might have a lyric or a fragment of something worth pursuing.

I’m also drawn to the natural world as a source of imagery. Those landscapes and little details find their way into songs because they’re part of how I experience the world. I don’t necessarily set out to write about nature, but it’s always there in the background. And while I may need to find a few new ways to write about the wind, I suspect those outdoor influences will continue to show up in the music.

THE NEXT CHAPTER OF LEON III

After “Candy Cigarettes” and “Brushstrokes,” what are you most excited about next for Leon III—more recording, touring, or exploring something completely different?

I think creating songs in the recording studio is the thing we love the most. So I guess I will say just finding the inspiration to create another batch of songs we like and want to record.

For us, the exciting part is getting back into that creative space and discovering what comes next. We don’t necessarily need to have a big plan for the next record or decide in advance what it should sound like. We just need to keep finding ideas that excite us and give ourselves the time and freedom to develop them. After all these years, there’s still something really satisfying about starting with a blank slate and seeing what happens when we begin putting things together.

FOLLOWING THE FLOW

On a more personal note, if you could take one day away from music and work and spend it anywhere outdoors, what would that day look like?

When Mason and I are together outdoors, we tend to like to go fly-fishing. A lot of times that takes place in Idaho or Wyoming on a river like the Snake, Teton or Green. Sure, the fishing part is fun, but much of it is just floating through the scene and enjoying the flow of the river and silence. I recommend it.

I think that’s what makes those days so appealing. You’re moving through a beautiful place, paying attention to the river and the landscape, and there’s no real need to fill the silence with conversation or anything else. You can enjoy the fishing, but you can also just be there and take it all in. It’s a nice contrast to the demands of work and the creative process, where you’re constantly thinking about what you’re making or what you need to do next.

Sometimes it’s enough to get outside, spend time with a friend and let the day unfold on its own. There’s a lot to be said for that kind of simplicity.

SOCIAL MEDIA

You can follow the band and connect with Andy Stepanian here:https://www.leoniii.com/live

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Cover Photo courtesy Andy Stepanian.

Bob Valleau is a regular entertainment writer for Texas Lifestyle Magazine.