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Episode 25 - Steve Harley
Manage episode 377266262 series 3463183
Episode 25 - Steve Harley
Episode 25 - Steve Harley - Songwriting For Songwriters Podcast
Steve began his singing career "floor-spotting" (singing for free as a
member of the audience) in London folk clubs in 1971/72. He sang at LES
COUSINS, BUNJIE'S and THE TROUBADOUR on nights featuring JOHN MARTIN,
RALPH McTELL, MARTIN CARTHY and JULIE FELIX, all leading lights of the
London folk movement at the time.
He later joined folk band ODIN
as rhythm guitarist and co-singer, which was where he met the first
COCKNEY REBEL violinist, JOHN CROCKER. However, the folk scene proved a
little tame for Mr Harley and, as he was constantly writing songs,
formed COCKNEY REBEL as a vehicle for his own work. It was here that
Steve and STUART ELLIOTT first met and worked together. Stuart drums
with Steve's band on record and on tour from time to time to this day.
The
band signed to EMI for a guaranteed three album deal in 1972 and
released THE HUMAN MENAGERIE early in '73. From this collection, a
single, SEBASTIAN, became a huge European hit, staying at NUMBER ONE in
HOLLAND and BELGIUM for many weeks. Other COCKNEY REBEL and/or STEVE
HARLEY albums are: THE PSYCHOMODO, THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, TIMELESS
FLIGHT, LOVE'S A PRIMA DONNA, FACE TO FACE (LIVE), HOBO WITH A GRIN,
THE CANDIDATE (all EMI), YES YOU CAN (1992), POETIC JUSTICE (1996) and
THE QUALITY OF MERCY released in late 2005, plus 2 other Live acoustic
CDs, STRIPPED TO THE BARE BONES TO THE and ANYTIME!
One Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel single, MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND
SEE ME), reached NUMBER ONE in 1975 in the UK and many European
countries and is regularly voted among the top singles in the history of
the charts, which covers six decades of releases. The Performing Rights
Society has confirmed MAKE ME SMILE one of the most played records in
British broadcasting.
The song has been covered MORE THAN 100
TIMES in seven languages and has been featured in several movies
including THE FULL MONTY (whose soundtrack album went TRIPLE PLATINUM in
the UK, and PLATINUM in the USA and Australia), VELVET GOLDMINE, BEST
and SAVING GRACE. The song has also been used on more than twenty TV and
radio advertising campaigns around the world.
Steve's other
chart singles include, JUDY TEEN, MR SOFT, MR RAFFLES (MAN, IT WAS
MEAN), HERE COMES THE SUN, LOVE'S A PRIMA DONNA, IRRESISTIBLE, PHANTOM
OF THE OPERA (with SARAH BRIGHTMAN) and A FRIEND FOR LIFE.
During
the eighties, Steve took time out from the rock world as his two
children were going through their formative years but did perform on
stage, albeit the legitimate stage. He starred as the C16th playwright
Christopher Marlowe, in the musical-drama MARLOWE, which ran
off-Broadway and in London. Steve's performance was described by one
leading critic as "a major and moving performance."
Steve has written lyrics for several other artists, including his old
friend ROD STEWART who has called him "One of the finest lyricists the
UK has ever produced."
And Steve still plays many Live concerts most years.
48 episodes
Manage episode 377266262 series 3463183
Episode 25 - Steve Harley
Episode 25 - Steve Harley - Songwriting For Songwriters Podcast
Steve began his singing career "floor-spotting" (singing for free as a
member of the audience) in London folk clubs in 1971/72. He sang at LES
COUSINS, BUNJIE'S and THE TROUBADOUR on nights featuring JOHN MARTIN,
RALPH McTELL, MARTIN CARTHY and JULIE FELIX, all leading lights of the
London folk movement at the time.
He later joined folk band ODIN
as rhythm guitarist and co-singer, which was where he met the first
COCKNEY REBEL violinist, JOHN CROCKER. However, the folk scene proved a
little tame for Mr Harley and, as he was constantly writing songs,
formed COCKNEY REBEL as a vehicle for his own work. It was here that
Steve and STUART ELLIOTT first met and worked together. Stuart drums
with Steve's band on record and on tour from time to time to this day.
The
band signed to EMI for a guaranteed three album deal in 1972 and
released THE HUMAN MENAGERIE early in '73. From this collection, a
single, SEBASTIAN, became a huge European hit, staying at NUMBER ONE in
HOLLAND and BELGIUM for many weeks. Other COCKNEY REBEL and/or STEVE
HARLEY albums are: THE PSYCHOMODO, THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, TIMELESS
FLIGHT, LOVE'S A PRIMA DONNA, FACE TO FACE (LIVE), HOBO WITH A GRIN,
THE CANDIDATE (all EMI), YES YOU CAN (1992), POETIC JUSTICE (1996) and
THE QUALITY OF MERCY released in late 2005, plus 2 other Live acoustic
CDs, STRIPPED TO THE BARE BONES TO THE and ANYTIME!
One Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel single, MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND
SEE ME), reached NUMBER ONE in 1975 in the UK and many European
countries and is regularly voted among the top singles in the history of
the charts, which covers six decades of releases. The Performing Rights
Society has confirmed MAKE ME SMILE one of the most played records in
British broadcasting.
The song has been covered MORE THAN 100
TIMES in seven languages and has been featured in several movies
including THE FULL MONTY (whose soundtrack album went TRIPLE PLATINUM in
the UK, and PLATINUM in the USA and Australia), VELVET GOLDMINE, BEST
and SAVING GRACE. The song has also been used on more than twenty TV and
radio advertising campaigns around the world.
Steve's other
chart singles include, JUDY TEEN, MR SOFT, MR RAFFLES (MAN, IT WAS
MEAN), HERE COMES THE SUN, LOVE'S A PRIMA DONNA, IRRESISTIBLE, PHANTOM
OF THE OPERA (with SARAH BRIGHTMAN) and A FRIEND FOR LIFE.
During
the eighties, Steve took time out from the rock world as his two
children were going through their formative years but did perform on
stage, albeit the legitimate stage. He starred as the C16th playwright
Christopher Marlowe, in the musical-drama MARLOWE, which ran
off-Broadway and in London. Steve's performance was described by one
leading critic as "a major and moving performance."
Steve has written lyrics for several other artists, including his old
friend ROD STEWART who has called him "One of the finest lyricists the
UK has ever produced."
And Steve still plays many Live concerts most years.
48 episodes
All episodes
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