Steve Anderson (musician)

Steve Anderson

Steve Anderson at a show rehearsal in 2012.
Background information
Birth name Stephen John Anderson
Also known as Steve Anderson
Born 1969
Southend, UK
Origin Southend, UK
Genres Pop
Occupation(s) Record Producer, Songwriter, Musical Director, Arranger
Years active 1990–present
Labels Universal Publishing
Associated acts Brothers in Rhythm

Steve Anderson is a British musician, songwriter and record producer, whose most recognisable work is as Kylie Minogue's collaborator on her tours and previous albums. He has also worked on songs and albums for many recording artists such as Britney Spears, Westlife, Christophe Willem, Judy Tzuke and Susan Boyle, among others.

Life and Career

Early Years – Brothers In Rhythm

Remixes and Releases

Steve Anderson began his musical career at DMC Studios as one half of remix/production team Brothers in Rhythm with Dave Seaman. They went on to work on artists including Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Janet Jackson, Sting and Paul McCartney. Steve's role at DMC was initially as an apprentice or, as he described it, "tea-boy creating some mixes for their subscription service".[1] Steve Anderson's first remix for Kylie Minogue under the DMC label was her 1990 disco single Step Back In Time. Though this remix was not officially serviced, it has ben suggested that it later provided inspiration for the successful Harding/Curnow remix of the Rhythm of Love single.[2] Further, it would lead to Anderson collaborating with Kylie Minogue on her ballad "Finer Feelings" in 1991. Recalling the important influence of the band Massive Attack's music at the time, Anderson states in an interview:

Finer Feelings came from someone at PWL loving what we were doing with Brothers In Rhythm, which up until then had been predominantly house music, so taking on a gorgeous mid tempo was quite a risk but of course we loved the song and just embellished what was there with a whole load of piano, strings and choir… On the original 1992 remix it was purely about making the rhythm section tougher and the orchestration more lush - everyone was influenced by Massive Attack then, so that’s where we were headed” [1]

This led to production work for the Pet Shop Boys, Take That (including the No.1’s Never Forget and Sure) and Kylie Minogue’s debut album for Deconstruction Records in 1994, including Confide In Me which he co-wrote and produced.[3] Extensively collaborating with Dave Seaman, Brothers in Rhythm also had mainstream hits in their own right with Peace and Harmony (1990) and Such a Good Feeling (1991), the latter reaching number 1 in the Billboard Dance Club Songs charts. Peace and Harmony secured greater exposure when it re-appeared as the B-side to Such a Good Feeling.[4] In 1994, the follow-up to Such a Good Feeling, Forever and a Day was released in the U.K via Stress Records, with vocals from Charvoni, charting at number 51..[5][6]

Production Work

Around the time of Brothers In Rhythm release Forever And A Day, Seaman and Anderson featured on the first Kylie Minogue album since leaving her label PWL. The two co-wrote and produced her first single Confide In Me, which went to no. 2 in the U.K charts and signified a “reinvention” of Kylie Minogue’s image and sound.[3]According to Lee Barron, he felt the image of the music video was an example and opening of "Indie Kylie"; an image that later progressed through the work of her 1997 album Impossible Princess.[7] Brothers in Rhythm also produced four additional songs on the album, namely Love is Waiting, Dangerous Game, Automatic Love and Where is the Feeling. After the release of their 1994 Brothers in Rhythm single Forever in a Day, Anderson and Seaman concentrated on writing, producing and recording Kylie Minogue's second album for Deconstruction Records/Sony BMG, Impossible Princess. Temporarily retitled Kylie Minogue in the UK and Europe (following the death of Princess Diana), this was Kylie' sixth studio album, released on 22nd October 1997 by Sony BMG and Deconstruction Records in Japan. Minogue had co-written all the songs on the album, with additional credits in production and composition; the album was also assisted by Dave Ball, Ingo Vauk, Brothers in Rhythm and Rob Dougan, among others. The album received a polarized response from music critics. Commercially, the album reached number 10 in Australia, Scotland and the UK, but was certified Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for physical shipment of 70,000 units.

After the release of Impossible Princess, Brothers in Rhythm continued to collaborate, having their remixes on single releases by D Ream, M People, Placebo, Garbage and Alanis Morissette.

While the Brothers in Rhythm never officially split up, the beginning of the millennium saw Dave Seamen concentrate his D.J career while Steve Anderson consolidate his career in areas of music production, song-writing and theatre.

Production and Songwriting

Steve Anderson has written and co-written songs and produced music for recording artists including Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears, Holly Valance, Take That, Susan Boyle and Delta Goodrem.

After completing Impossible Princess for Minogue in 1997, Steve Anderson continued to write with Minogue for the album that became Light Years. Recalling a sense of freedom during the early period of recording in 1999, Anderson states:

The thing is, when we get together to write we just do what we feel like. We never try to pitch at an album or sound so often we write something we love that happily sits on a b-side and that’s fine with us. If you take something like Harmony for instance - the sun was shining at Real World and we just wanted to do something really bright, warm and summery with a lovely lyric. We knew there was no way it was going to fit on an album but that’s not a good enough reason not to write it.[8]

Released in 2000 through Parlophone and widely seen as Minogue's comeback album, Light Years features three songs composed by Anderson (So Now Goodbye, Butterfly and Bittersweet Goodbye). He also co-wrote Dancefloor and Give It To Me on the follow-up album Fever, which reached the number one slot in the UK, Australian, Austrian, German and Irish album charts and number 3 in the US [Billboard 200].

Anderson also worked on songs for Britney Spears, including "Breathe on Me" for her 2003 album In The Zone and two unreleased songs (State of Grace and Grow) originally intended for her album Blackout.

In 2003, he produced and co-wrote three songs for the Holly Valance album State of Mind, released on Warner Bros. Records. He also co-wrote and produced Everything You Ever Wanted for the English-Irish Pop Girl group Girls Aloud's debut album Sound of the Underground (Polydor / Universal International).

In 2009, he produced Talk Me Down for the Irish boy band Westlife's Where We Are album (S / RCA / Sony Music. He also collaborated with Australian singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte on the song Supersensual for her number 1 selling album 1000 Stars (Sony). He further co-wrote and produced the song Entre Nous et le Sol for French singer Christophe Willem's album Caféine(Columbia Records / Sony Music, which was subsequently released as a single in 2010 with the English-language version of the album, Heartbox with the restored original title, State of Grace.

In 2010, he wrote and produced the song I will reach you, that appeared as an album track on Westlife's Gravity. In the same year he wrote the lead single to Spanish singer Edurne's album Nueva Piel (Sony Music Spain), Soy Como Soy.

In 2011, he was reunited with Christophe Willem, producing his entire Prismophonic album for Columbia / Sony Music.

In 2012, he also produced the English version of Willem's album, Love Shot Me Down. As part of Kylie Minogue's K25 celebrations, Anderson also produced The Abbey Road Sessions album, on which he co-wrote the single Flower.

In 2013 he produced Susan Boyle's Home for Christmas album.

In 2014 he produced Boyle's next album, Hope.

In 2015 he produced songs on the Markus Feehily album Fire and numerous songs for Kylie Minogue's Christmas album, Kylie Christmas (Parlophone).

In 2016 he wrote and produced Paola Iezzi single Lovenight. He also became heavily involved in the production, arrangement and release of new singer Harriet and her self-titled debut album (Brightstar Records). He also produced Boyle's Christmas album A Wonderful World (Syco), featuring covers of Madonna, Robbie Williams and ABBA songs. Anderson also produced Minogue's expanded re-release of her Christmas album, Kylie Christmas: the Snow Queen edition.

Music Director – Pop Concert Tours

Though its chart performance was somewhat lackluster, a key success of Kylie Minogue’s Impossible Princess era was her live tour Intimate and Live in 1998. Performing to sell out shows in Australia and London, Minogue selected Anderson as its musical director for all corresponding concerts. This relationship continues with Anderson providing essential arrangement production work for Kylie Minogue’s On a Night Like This tour (2001), KylieFever tour (2002), Money Can't Buy (2004), Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour (2005), Showgirl: The Homecoming Tour (2006-2007), KylieX2008 (2008-2009), For You, For Me (2009), Aphrodite: Les Folies Tour (2011), Anti Tour (2012), Kiss Me Once Tour (2014-2015) and A Kylie Christmas at the Royal Albert Hall (2015-2016). Outside his live work for Minogue, Anderson has scored the live arrangements for tours and shows by Westlife, Delta Goodrem, Leona Lewis and most recently Lush in October 2016.[9] He has also scored notable radio and T.V shows including Live Lounge for Leona Lewis and Little Mix and An Audience With Kylie Minogue which featured a duet with Kermit the Frog.[10]

Music Supervisor – Theatre

In 2007, alongside working on the Showgirl Tour, Anderson and others from Kylie Minogue's creative team, including choreographer Ashley Wallen, vocal arranger Terry Ronald and creative director William Baker, opened their re-worked version of Jonathan Larson's musical Rent, Rent: Remixed at London's Duke of York's Theatre. The show starred Luke Evans as and Siobhan Donaghy as Mimi. While the show's stripped down adaptation drew criticism, Sam Marlow, theatre critic for the Times, stated

Anderson has done a cracking job of funking up Larson’s score, replacing overweening guitar rock with pumping gay club anthems and diva pop, flavoured with rippling keyboards and electronica.[11]

The same creative team would reunite for several versions of The Hurly Burly Show, a Burlesque Revue playing at various West End theatres between 2010 and 2012, starring the British Neo-Burlesque performer Miss Polly Rae. The show was well received by Theatre critics, with The Daily Telegraph's Charles Spencer giving it a four-star rating, noting the quality of the show's musical numbers, while The Guardian's Michael Billington praised its slick direction.[12][13]

Three successful incarnations of the show led to further theatrical outings for Anderson. Collaborations to date include:

In 2014 it was announced that Anderson was working on a new musical based on the music of Kylie Minogue.[20] In September 2015 Minogue herself confirmed that the musical had "momentum" once again, after being "in talks".[21] A successful trademark registration by Kylie Minogue's family company from 2012 indicates that the musical's working title is Lucky: The Kylie Minogue Musical.[22]

Steve Anderson is currently working on a brand new musical, The Most Beautiful Man In New York, with long time collaborators Ian Masterson and Terry Ronald.[23]

Discography

With Brothers in Rhythm

Singles

Year Single Peak positions Album
UK
[24]
IRE FRA U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play
[25]
U.S. Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
1990 "Peace and Harmony" 94 Singles only
1991 "Such a Good Feeling" 64 1 14
"Such a Good Feeling" (Reissue) 14 27 50
1994 "Forever and a Day" (Present Charvoni) 51 11 53
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

As Producer and Songwriter (selected discography)

Year (UK Release) Release Artist Format Label Song Title(s) Role
1992 Make It On My Own Alison Limerick Single Arista Make It On My Own Writer and Producer
1994 Kylie Minogue Kylie Minogue Studio Album Deconstruction Confide in Me Writer and Producer[26]
Dangerous Game
Automatic Love Producer[26]
Love Is Waiting
Where Is the Feeling?
Confide In Me Single Confide In Me Writer and Producer
1995 Where Is The Feeling? Single Where Is The Feeling? Producer
1997 Some Kind Of Bliss Single Love Takes Over Me (B-Side) Writer and Producer
Did It Again Single Did It Again Writer and Producer
1998 Impossible Princess Studio Album Did It Again Writer and Producer[27]
Cowboy Style
Drunk
Dreams
Too Far Producer[27]
Say Hey
Cowboy Style Single Cowboy Style Writer and Producer
Love Takes Over Me (B-Side)
2000Hits + Compilation Album Confide In Me Writer and Producer[28]
Take Me With You
Stay This Way
Did It Again
Automatic Love (Acoustic version) Producer[28]
If You Don't Love Me
Where Is The Feeling
Spinning Around Single Parlophone Records Cover Me With Kisses (B-Side) Writer and Producer
Paper Dolls (B-Side)
On a Night Like This Single Ocean Blue Writer and Producer
Light Years Studio Album Bittersweet Goodbye Writer and Producer[29]
Butterfly Writer[29]
So Now Goodbye
Please Stay Single Good Life (B-Side) Writer and Producer
Santa Baby (B-Side) Producer
2001Fever Studio Album Give It To Me Writer[30]
Dancefloor Writer and Producer[30]
2002 In Your Eyes Single Never Spoken (B-Side) Writer and Producer
Harmony (B-Side)
Feels So Good Atomic Kitten Studio Album Innocent Feels So Good Writer and Producer
2003 In the Zone Britney Spears Studio Album Jive Records Breathe on me Writer and Producer
State of Mind Holly Valance Studio Album London Records Hypnotic Writer and Producer
Curious
Roll Over
Sound of the Underground Girls Aloud Studio Album Polydor Everything You Ever Wanted Writer and Producer
2004 You Stood Up V Studio Album Universal Stop the Tears Writer
Two Shots Matt Dusk Studio Album Decca Don't Go Looking Writer and Producer
2006 The Magic Roundabout (Music from the Motion Picture) Kylie Minogue Compilation Album Milan Records The Magic Roundabout Vocal Producer
2007 RyanDan (album) RyanDan Studio Album Universal Music Entire album Producer
Dentro Me Writer and Producer
Stay With You Writer and Producer
You Needed Me Writer and Producer
Showgirl: Homecoming Live Kylie Minogue Live Album Parlophone Entire Album Producer
Dreams Writer and Producer
Confide in Me Writer and Producer
Cowboy Style Writer and Producer
Radio 1 Established 1967 Various Artists Compilation album Universal Music Kylie Minogue: Love Is The Drug Vocal Producer
2008 Beautiful People (Soundtrack) Various Artists Compilation Album EMI Kylie Minogue and Dannii Minogue: The Winner Takes It All Producer
2009 Where We Are Westlife Studio Album S, RCA, Sony Music Talk Me Down Producer
1000 Stars Natalie Bassingthwaighte Studio Album Epic Supersensual Writer and Producer
Caféine Christophe Willem Studio Album Columbia Entre Nous et le Sol Writer and Producer
Live In New York Kylie Minogue Live Album Parlophone Entire Album Producer
Confide in Me Writer and Producer
2010 Now Is the Hour Jennifer Rush Studio Album Ariola Ain't Loved You Long Enough Writer and Producer
Safe Westlife Single Syco Please Stay (B-Side) Producer
Heartbox Christophe Willem Studio Album Columbia State of Grace Writer and Producer
Gravity Westlife Studio Album Syco I Will Reach You Writer
Before It's Too Late Writer
Nueva Piel Edurne Single Sony Music Soy Como Soy Writer
Moon On A Mirrorball Judy Tzuke Compilation Album Wrasse Records If (When You Go) Writer and Producer
2011 Cool Christophe Willem Single Sony Music Cool Producer
Prismophonic Studio Album Si Mes Larmes Tombent Writer and Producer
Jamais Du
Ennemis In L.O.V.E.
Je Rejoins La Scene
Le Temps Qu'il Reste
Equilibre
Cool Producer
2012 The Abbey Road Sessions Kylie Minogue Studio Album Parlophone Entire Album Producer
Flower Writer and Producer
Confide in Me Writer and Producer
Flower Kylie Minogue Single Parlophone Flower Writer and Producer
2013 Home for Christmas (Susan Boyle album) Susan Boyle Studio Album Syco Entire Album Producer
2014 Hope Susan Boyle Studio Album Syco Wish You Were Here Producer
I can Only Imagine
Angel
Abide With Me
Imagine
Will The Circle Be Unbroken
Bridge Over Troubled Water
The Impossible Dream
Oh Happy Day
2015 Fire Markus Feehily Studio Album Harmoney Entertainment Love Is a Drug Writer and Producer
Sanctuary
Only You
Love Me Or Leave Me
Wash The Pain Away Writer
Winter Stories Harriet Album n/a Entire Album Producer
Maybe This Christmas Writer and Producer
Kylie Christmas Kylie Minogue Studio Album Parlophone, Warner Bros. Entire Album Producer
100 Degrees Writer and Producer
Oh Santa
Christmas isn't Christmas 'Til You Get Here
2016 100 Degrees (Still Disco To Me) Kylie Minogue and Dannii Minogue Single Parlophone 100 Degrees (Still Disco To Me) Writer and Producer
Lovenight Paola Iezzi Single BMG Rights Management Italy Lovenight Writer and Producer
Broken For You Harriet Single Brightstar Records Broken For You Writer and Producer
First And Last Harriet Single Brightstar Records First And Last Writer and Producer
Harriet Harriet Studio Album Brightstar Records Entire Album Producer
Afterglow Writer and Producer
What's Mine Is Yours
Broken For You
Can I Keep You
First And Last
Permission To Kiss
Unlove You
Love Will Burn
Fly
Whoever You Are
Kylie Christmas: Snow Queen Edition Kylie Minogue Studio Album Parlophone It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year Producer
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Winter Wonderland
Only You
Stay Another Day
Christmas Wrapping
Wonderful Christmastime
I'm Gonna Be Warm This Winter
100 Degrees
Let It Snow
2000 Miles
Santa Baby
Christmas Isn't Christmas 'Til You Get Here
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Oh Santa
Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)

External Links

References

  1. 1 2 "The Steve Anderson K25 Interview". Don't Stop The Pop Blog. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  2. "Track Information: Big Shock Mix". MixKylie. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  3. 1 2 Smith, Sean (2006). Kylie. Pocket. ISBN 1-84739-030-7.
  4. "Dave Seaman". The Beat Magazine. Bali, Indonesia: The Beat Magazine. 20 August 2010. ISSN 1829-9989. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  5. "Brothers in Rhythm Present Charvoni Forever and a Day". Discogs. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  6. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th edition ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 80. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  7. Barron, Lee (2009). Social Theory in Popular Culture. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9781137303899.
  8. "The Steve Anderson Interview Part Two". Don't Stop The Pop. Don't Stop The Pop. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  9. "Music Director Discography". Steve Anderson Productions. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  10. "An Audience with Kylie Minogue". Muppet Central. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  11. "Rent:Remixed". London Theatre. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  12. Spencer, Charles (25 February 2010). "The All New Hurly Burly Show at Leicester Square Theatre". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  13. Billington, Michael (26 February 2010). "Miss Polly Rae: The All New Hurly Burly Show". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  14. Stubbs, Steve. "Little Belter Starring Elouise". Backstage Pass. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  15. "Orchid - Where Desire Blooms". DR Theatrical Management. DR Theatrical Management. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  16. "Some Girl I Used To Know: People". Some Girl I Used To Know. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  17. Foss, Roger (6 February 2014). "Some Girl I Used To Know - Review". The Stage. The Stage. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  18. Vale, Paul (28 June 2013). "The Supreme Fabulettes - Viva la Drag". Musical Theatre Review. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  19. "Elyria". Celebrity Cruises Productions: Elyria. Celebrity Cruises. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  20. Bailey, Leanne. "Are you ready for Kylie Minogue: The Musical?". Glamour. Condé Nast Publishing Ltd. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  21. Howarth, Alice. "Kylie Minogue confirms her musical at NERVO video shoot!". Glamour. Condé Nast Publishing Ltd. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  22. "Lucky: The Kylie Minogue Musical – Registration Details". Justia Trademarks. Justia. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  23. Ronald, Terry. "Terry Ronald: Biography". Terry Ronald. Terry Ronald. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  24. "Official Charts Company: Brothers in Rhythm". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2014-04-14.
  25. "Brothers in Rhythm - US Dance Club Songs". billboard.com. Retrieved 2014-04-14.
  26. 1 2 Kylie Minogue (Liner notes). Kylie Minogue. Deconstruction Records. 1994.
  27. 1 2 Impossible Princess (CD booklet). Kylie Minogue. Deconstruction Records.
  28. 1 2 Hits+ (Liner notes). Kylie Minogue. Deconstruction Records. 2000.
  29. 1 2 Light Years (Liner notes). Kylie Minogue. Parlophone Records. 2000.
  30. 1 2 Fever (Liner notes). Kylie Minogue. Parlophone Records. 2001.
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