Steadman (band)

Steadman were a British indie rock band, formed in Hastings in 1998. The band's original name was The Dharmas, but they changed the name after they cancelled their contract with the label Arista, and signed with lead singer Simon Steadman's own label, Freeloader Recordings. Steadman's first album, Loser Friendly, was released in the United Kingdom in 2000. Steadman released their second album, Revive, in 2003, which was produced by Alain Johannes and Natasha Shneider.

Personnel

• Simon Steadman (lead vocals and guitar)
• Russel Field (drums and vocals)
• David Walton (bass)
• Paul Phillips (guitar), replaced by James Board
• Ellie Wyatt (strings and keyboard), replaced by Chris Murphy

History

Steadman on there.com. Left to right: Russel, Chris, Simon, David, James

Influenced by the Britpop-bands Oasis and Radiohead, Steadman were also been compared to The Verve. Despite their lack of success, Steadman did receive many good reviews, most notably from Sir Paul McCartney, who endorsed the band in a handwritten note handed to them after showing up at one of their gigs in the United Kingdom. McCartney expressed particular interest in the band's song "Carried", and a written quote from McCartney posted on the Steadman website reads:

"The band Steadman have the songs, the musicianship, the energy and the enthusiasm to blow the top off any club, or arena, and if given a listen, have that rare quality
--the ability to deliver!--
I like this band!
P. McCartney"

The band has played shows with acts including Jason Mraz, Jet, Ash, Ian McCulloch of Echo & the Bunnymen, Feeder, Michelle Branch and Stereolab. Their music has been featured on The Sims 2: University ("Come On") as well as the films Love Wrecked ("Wave Goodbye"), New York Minute ("Wave Goodbye"), Failure to Launch ("Forget My Heart"), Slither ("Sad World") and According to Spencer ("Come Alive"), and has received airplay on several US radio stations.

In addition the band appeared as themselves on the TV Shows Smallville, Charmed, Las Vegas, Judging Amy and Black Sash, and American Dreams as the Dave Clark Five, as well as guest spots on The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn and The Sharon Osbourne Show. They also played a concert in a virtual world MMORPG known as There.com on 16 November 2003. The band played their songs on a stage in the There Headquarters while their corresponding avatars played virtual instruments and sang in There.

In Mid 2005 Steadman released all their music as free downloads on their website under a Creative Commons licence.

Discography

The Dharmas album (unreleased, pre-Steadman era)

Recorded for Arista, but never released due to internal problems. Though not officially a Steadman album, it featured mostly the same personnel.

Track listing

1. Natural Satisfaction
2. Fly Again
3. Lifelong Shiner
4. Save Them
5. Letters To A Loved One .m
6. All Our Summer Days
7. What If
8. Book Inside You
9. High Altitude
10. Whole Earth (Live)
11. Raise Yer Head (Live) .mp
12. Shake Up
13. Channel Hopper
14. If It Happens Again
15. No Time To Celebrate
16. 1000 Points Of Light

Loser Friendly (2000)

Loser Friendly the band's first album as Steadman. This album was released by Steadman's own label, "Freeloader Recordings", in 2000. Loser Friendly sold approximately 2000 copies through Freeloader Recordings.

Track listing

1. Cut Me Loose
2. Let Down
3. No Control
4. Life of Leisure
5. Oceans of You
6. World Too Late
7. Satellite
8. Whirlwind
9. No Big Deal
10. stml [Short-Term Memory Loss]
11. Saviour
12. Love/Hate Everything
13. Come Alive

• review on all-music guide

Revive (2003 album)

Steadman's most popular album to date, the track "Wave Goodbye" on this album was featured in television shows, movies, and soundtracks such as Smallville, and New York Minute. The track "No Big Deal" was also featured on Charmed.

Track listing

1. The Bitter End
2. Carried
3. No Big Deal
4. Good to Go
5. Wave Goodbye
6. Live It Up
7. Come Alive
8. Sun Lotion
9. Two Together
10. Create Your Fate
11. Next Life
12. Revive
13. City of the Living Dead ["hidden" track]

• review on all-music guide

External links

• Steadman's Myspace page
• Steadman collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive

Interviews

• It's All About the Music interview October 2003 with Simon Steadman