Steve Harley (born Stephen Malcolm Ronald Nice; 27 February 1951
) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as frontman of the rock group
Cockney Rebel
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel are a British glam rock band from the early 1970s from London. Their music covers a range of styles from pop to progressive rock. Over the years they have had five albums in the UK Albums Chart and twelve singles in ...
,
with whom he still
tours
Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Indre-et-Loire. The Communes of France, commune of Tours had 136,463 ...
, albeit with frequent and significant personnel changes.
Early life
Harley was born in 1951 in
Deptford
Deptford is an area on the south bank of the River Thames in southeast London, within the London Borough of Lewisham. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne. From the mid 16th century to the late 19th it was home to Deptford Dock ...
, London, the second of five children. His father was a
milkman
Milk delivery is a delivery service dedicated to supplying milk. This service typically delivers milk in bottles or cartons directly to customers' homes. This service is performed by a milkman, milkwoman, or milk deliverer. (In contrast, a cow ...
and his mother a semi-professional
jazz singer.
During the summer of 1953, Harley contracted
polio
Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...
, causing him to spend four years in hospital between the ages of three and 16. He underwent two major surgeries in 1963 and 1966. After recovering from the first operation at the age of 12, Harley was introduced to the poetry of
T. S. Eliot and
D. H. Lawrence
David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English writer, novelist, poet and essayist. His works reflect on modernity, industrialization, sexuality, emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. His best-k ...
, the prose of
John Steinbeck
John Ernst Steinbeck Jr. (; February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was an American writer and the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature winner "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social ...
,
Virginia Woolf
Adeline Virginia Woolf (; ; 25 January 1882 28 March 1941) was an English writer, considered one of the most important modernist 20th-century authors and a pioneer in the use of stream of consciousness as a narrative device.
Woolf was born i ...
and
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style—which he termed the iceberg theory—had a strong influence on 20th-century fic ...
, and the music of
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
, which inspired him to a career of words and music.
From the age of nine, Harley began taking classical violin lessons and would later play as part of his grammar school orchestra. Aged 10, he began learning the guitar after receiving a Spanish nylon-strung guitar from his parents at Christmas. Harley was a pupil at Edmund Waller Primary School in
New Cross, London
New Cross is an area in south east London, England, south-east of Charing Cross in the London Borough of Lewisham and the SE14 postcode district. New Cross is near St Johns, Telegraph Hill, Nunhead, Peckham, Brockley, Deptford and Greenwi ...
. He then attended
Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham Boys' Grammar School until he was 17. He left school without completing his advanced level exams.
Career
In 1968, at the age of 17, Harley began his first full-time job, working as a trainee accountant with the ''
Daily Express
The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first published as a broadsheet i ...
'' – despite having gained only 24% in his mock O-level maths exam. From there he progressed to become a reporter. After being interviewed by several newspaper editors, Harley signed to train with Essex County Newspapers. Over three years, Harley worked at the ''Essex County Standard'', the ''Braintree and Witham Times'', the ''Maldon and Burnham Standard'' and the ''Colchester Evening Gazette''. He later returned to London to work for the ''
East London Advertiser
The ''East London Advertiser'' is a weekly local newspaper in east London, England covering primarily the borough of Tower Hamlets. It was formed in late 2011 by Archant's merging of ''The Docklands'' and the ''East London Advertiser''. The ''Ea ...
'' (''ELA''). Harley became disillusioned with the job when his editor insisted he write a report on a shoplifter who had absentmindedly walked out with a tin of soup and a tin of baked beans. Taking advice from his union representative, he stopped wearing a tie, grew his hair and was duly sacked. Among many of Harley's peers who went on to gain successful careers in national journalism were
John Blake and
Richard Madeley
Richard Holt Madeley ( born 13 May 1956) is an English television presenter and writer. Alongside his wife Judy Finnigan, he presented '' This Morning'' and the chat show ''Richard & Judy''. Madeley's solo projects include the ITV series '' Fort ...
; the latter took over Harley's desk at the ''ELA'' in 1972.
Harley started his musical career playing in bars and
clubs
Club may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Club'' (magazine)
* Club, a ''Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' character
* Clubs (suit), a suit of playing cards
* Club music
* "Club", by Kelsea Ballerini from the album ''kelsea''
Brands and enterprises
...
in 1971, mainly at
folk
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Folk Plus or Fol ...
venues on open-mike nights. He sang at
Les Cousins,
Bunjies
Bunjies Coffee House & Folk Cellar was a cafe situated at 27 Litchfield Street (just off Charing Cross Road), London WC2. Opened in 1953 or 1954, it was one of the original ''folk cafés'' of the 1950s and 1960s. Below the café, in a 400-year-old ...
and
The Troubadour on nights featuring
John Martyn
Iain David McGeachy (11 September 1948 – 29 January 2009), known professionally as John Martyn, was a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Over a 40-year career, he released 23 studio albums, and received frequent critical acclaim. ...
,
Ralph McTell
Ralph McTell (born Ralph May, 3 December 1944) is an English singer-songwriter and acoustic guitar player who has been an influential figure on the UK folk music scene since the 1960s. McTell is best known for his song " Streets of London" (19 ...
,
Martin Carthy
Martin Carthy MBE (born 21 May 1941) is an English folk singer and guitarist who has remained one of the most influential figures in British traditional music, inspiring contemporaries such as Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, and later artists such as ...
and
Julie Felix
Julie Ann Felix (June 14, 1938 – March 22, 2020) was an American-British folk singer and recording artist who achieved success, particularly on British television, in the late 1960s and early 1970s. She later performed and released albums on h ...
, who were all popular musicians within the London folk movement of the time. In 1971, he auditioned for the folk band Odin as rhythm guitarist and co-singer, which was where he met Jean-Paul Crocker, who would become the first Cockney Rebel violinist. Harley began
busking
Street performance or busking is the act of performing in public places for gratuities. In many countries, the rewards are generally in the form of money but other gratuities such as food, drink or gifts may be given. Street performance is pr ...
around London in 1972, including on the
Underground
Underground most commonly refers to:
* Subterranea (geography), the regions beneath the surface of the Earth
Underground may also refer to:
Places
* The Underground (Boston), a music club in the Allston neighborhood of Boston
* The Underground (S ...
and in
Portobello Road
Portobello Road is a street in the Notting Hill district of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in west London. It runs almost the length of Notting Hill from south to north, roughly parallel with Ladbroke Grove. On Saturdays it is ...
, whilst also writing songs. After the folk scene proved not to be his preference, he formed the band Cockney Rebel in late 1972 as a vehicle for his own work.
Cockney Rebel 1972–77
![Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - TopPop 1974 5](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Steve_Harley_%26_Cockney_Rebel_-_TopPop_1974_5.png)
The original Cockney Rebel consisted of Harley, Crocker, drummer
Stuart Elliott, bassist
Paul Jeffreys
Paul Avron Jeffreys (13 February 1952 – 21 December 1988) was an English rock musician. He played bass guitar in Cockney Rebel between 1972 and 1974, working on the group's first two albums, and later worked with a number of British bands, i ...
and guitarist Nick Jones. Jones was soon replaced by Pete Newnham; however, Harley felt the band did not need electric guitar, particularly with the arrival of keyboardist Milton Reame-James. They settled on the combination of Crocker's electric violin and Reame-James' Fender
Rhodes piano
The Rhodes piano (also known as the Fender Rhodes piano) is an electric piano invented by Harold Rhodes, which became popular in the 1970s. Like a conventional piano, the Rhodes generates sound with keys and hammers, but instead of strings, t ...
.
During 1972, representatives of Cockney Rebel began to send demo tapes to various labels.
Mickie Most
Michael Peter Hayes (20 June 1938 – 30 May 2003), known as Mickie Most, was an English record producer behind scores of hit singles for acts such as the Animals, Herman's Hermits, the Nashville Teens, Donovan, Lulu, Suzi Quatro, Hot Chocolate ...
discovered the band at a London nightclub known as
The Speakeasy Club
The Speakeasy Club, also known as The Speak, was a club situated at 48 Margaret Street, London, England, and served as a late-night meeting place for the music industry from 1966 to June 1978. The club took its name and theme from the speakeasie ...
and offered them their first contract with his RAK Publishing. In turn this influenced the
A&R personnel at
EMI Records
EMI Records (formerly EMI Records Ltd.) is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British flagship label by the music company of the same name in 1972, and launched in January 1973 as the succ ...
, who then offered the band a three-album deal. With producer Neil Harrison, Cockney Rebel recorded their debut album, ''
The Human Menagerie
''The Human Menagerie'' is the debut studio album by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, Cockney Rebel, which was released by EMI Records, EMI in 1973. It was produced by Neil Harrison.
Background
After training as a journalist for three years, Steve ...
'', during June and July 1973. Their debut single "
Sebastian
Sebastian may refer to:
People
* Sebastian (name), including a list of persons with the name
Arts, entertainment, and media
Films and television
* ''Sebastian'' (1968 film), British spy film
* ''Sebastian'' (1995 film), Swedish drama film
...
" became a hit across Europe, but failed to chart in the UK. When released in November 1973, ''The Human Menagerie'' suffered a similar fate. Despite the lack of commercial success, the album was critically well-received and soon gained cult status.
''The Human Menagerie''s lack of success led EMI to feel that the band had yet to record a potential hit single. In response, Harley went away to re-work the unrecorded song "
Judy Teen
"Judy Teen" is a song by the British rock band Cockney Rebel, fronted by Steve Harley. It was released as a non-album single in 1974, and became the band's first UK hit, after their debut single, " Sebastian", was only a hit in continental Europ ...
", with the objective of making it single material. "Judy Teen" was released in March 1974 and peaked at No. 5 in the UK.
During February and March 1974, the band recorded their second album ''
The Psychomodo
''The Psychomodo'' is the second studio album by Cockney Rebel, which was released by EMI in 1974. It was produced by Steve Harley and Alan Parsons.
Background
Cockney Rebel's debut album, '' The Human Menagerie'', was released in 1973 and fail ...
'', which was produced by Harley and Alan Parsons. Released in June, the album peaked at No. 8 in the UK.
From May until July the band embarked on a major UK tour to promote the album; tensions grew among them as the tour progressed. On 18 July they received a 'Gold Award' for outstanding new act of 1974; a week later, with the tour finished, several members left over the disagreements.
Crocker, Reame-James and Jeffreys chose to quit, having unsuccessfully demanded to write material for the group despite the initial understanding that Harley was the sole songwriter. Following the band's split, the single "
Mr. Soft
"Mr. Soft" is a song by the British rock band Cockney Rebel, fronted by Steve Harley, which was released in 1974 as the second single from their second studio album ''The Psychomodo''. The song was written by Harley, and produced by Harley and Al ...
", taken from ''The Psychomodo'', reached No. 8 in the UK.
Left without a permanent band, Harley soon began auditioning new musicians. Meanwhile, Harley and Parsons worked with Dutch singer
Yvonne Keeley
Yvonne Keeley (born Yvonne Paaij, 6 September 1952) is a Dutch pop music singer. She is the sister of Patricia Paay.
She began her career as a session singer in the music industry in London. She was the girlfriend of Steve Harley of Steve ...
in the studio. In August 1974, EMI released her version of "
Tumbling Down Tumbling Down may refer to:
* "Tumbling Down" (Cockney Rebel song), 1974
* "Tumbling Down" (Tessanne Chin song), 2013
* "Tumblin' Down" (Blind Melon song), 2008
* "Tumblin' Down" (Ziggy Marley song), 1988
* " Komm, süsser Tod", a song from the sou ...
" as a single, backed by another Cockney Rebel cover, "Loretta's Tale". During September, Harley recorded his debut solo single "
Big Big Deal
"Big Big Deal" is a song by the British singer-songwriter Steve Harley, which was released as his debut, non-album solo single in 1974. The song, which was written and produced by Harley, would be his last release before scoring the UK number on ...
", which was released in November. The song failed to enter the UK Top 50; however, it did enter the unnumbered BMRB's UK Breakers chart.
By this time, a new line-up of Cockney Rebel had been finalised. With original drummer Stuart Elliott remaining in the band, the new line-up included guitarist
Jim Cregan
James Cregan (born 9 March 1946) is an English rock guitarist and bassist, best known for his associations with Family, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel and Rod Stewart. Cregan is a former husband of the singer Linda Lewis and worked with her as a r ...
, keyboard player
Duncan Mackay and bassist George Ford. Renamed Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, they recorded the album ''
The Best Years of Our Lives
''The Best Years of Our Lives'' (also known as ''Glory for Me'' and ''Home Again'') is a 1946 American epic drama film directed by William Wyler, and starring Myrna Loy, Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo and Harold Russ ...
'' in November and December 1974, with Harley and Parsons again producing.
In January 1975, the lead single from the forthcoming album, "
Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)
"Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" is a song by the British rock band Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, which was released in 1975 by EMI as the lead single from the band's third studio album ''The Best Years of Our Lives''. The song was written b ...
", was released. Becoming the band's biggest hit, the song reached the number one spot on the UK Chart in February and received a UK Silver certification that month. It was also Harley's only chart entry in America, reaching No. 96 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976. In a 2002 television interview, Harley described how the lyrics were directed at the former band members who, he felt, had abandoned him. As of 2015, the song has sold around 1.5 million copies in the UK. The Performing Rights Society have confirmed the song as one of the most played records in British broadcasting, while over 120 cover versions of the song have been recorded by other artists.
''The Best Years of Our Lives'' was released in March 1975, reaching No. 5 in the UK. The second single from the album, "
Mr. Raffles (Man, It Was Mean)
"Mr. Raffles (Man, It Was Mean)" is a song by the British rock band Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, which was released in 1975 as the second and final single from their third studio album ''The Best Years of Our Lives''. The song was written by Har ...
", was also a success, reaching No. 13.
The band embarked on a UK and European tour to promote the album. During the summer, the band recorded their fourth studio album ''
Timeless Flight
''Timeless Flight'' is the fourth studio album by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, which was released by EMI in 1976. It was written and produced by Steve Harley.
Background
Harley began writing material for ''Timeless Flight'' while Steve Harley & ...
''. Around the same period Harley also produced Dutch singer
Patricia Paay
Patricia Anglaia Margareth Paaij (born 7 April 1949), best known as Patricia Paay, is a Dutch singer, radio host, glamour model and television personality. In the Netherlands, she is well known for her musical career, which spans over four decade ...
's album ''
Beam of Light'', with members of Cockney Rebel performing on many of the tracks. Later in the year, Harley and the band went on tour in the US as a support act to
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhythm ...
. As the band had not achieved commercial success in the States, the compilation ''
A Closer Look'' was released exclusively for the American market.
''Timeless Flight'' was released in February 1976, and became a Top 20 UK success, peaking at No. 18; however, the two singles "
Black or White
"Black or White" is a single by the American singer Michael Jackson. It was released by Epic Records on November 11, 1991, as the first single from Jackson's eighth studio album, ''Dangerous'' (1991). Jackson wrote, composed, and produced it w ...
" and "
White, White Dove
"White, White Dove" is a song by the British rock band Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, which was released in 1976 as the second and final single from their fourth studio album ''Timeless Flight''. The song was written and produced by Harley.
Backg ...
" failed to reach the UK Top 50. They reached No. 2 and No. 6 on the BMRB's UK Breakers Chart respectively.
Another UK and European tour followed the album's release. Between June and September 1976, the band recorded their fifth album ''
Love's a Prima Donna
''Love's a Prima Donna'' is the fifth studio album by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, which was released by EMI in 1976. It was produced by Harley, and would be the band's last album before splitting in 1977.
Background
Harley began writing mate ...
''. In July they released a cover of George Harrison's "
Here Comes the Sun
"Here Comes the Sun" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1969 album ''Abbey Road''. It was written by George Harrison and is one of his best-known compositions. Harrison wrote the song in early 1969 at the country house o ...
", which reached No. 10 in the UK and became the band's last Top 40 single, discounting later re-releases of "Make Me Smile". ''Love's a Prima Donna'' was released in October 1976 and peaked at No. 28 in the UK. It also spawned a second charting single; "
(I Believe) Love's a Prima Donna", which reached No. 41.
In America, "
(Love) Compared with You" was released as a single. During August and September 1976, Mackay recorded his second solo album ''
Score'', which was released in 1977. Harley wrote the lyrics to four tracks, and provided lead vocals on "Time is No Healer".
In November 1976, Harley provided backing vocals on
T. Rex's song "
Dandy in the Underworld
''Dandy in the Underworld'' is the twelfth and final studio album by English rock band T. Rex. It was released on 11 March 1977 by record label EMI. It reached No. 26 in the UK charts, the band's highest-charting album since 1974's ''Zinc Allo ...
", which was released as a single from the album of the
same name in 1977. In December 1976, the band embarked on an eight-date UK tour to promote ''Love's a Prima Donna''. During the early part of 1977, Harley provided lead vocals on
The Alan Parsons Project
The Alan Parsons Project was a British rock band active between 1975 and 1990, whose core membership consisted of producer, audio engineer, musician and composer Alan Parsons and singer, songwriter and pianist Eric Woolfson. They were accompanie ...
's song "The Voice" for their album ''I Robot''. In July, Harley disbanded Cockney Rebel, the announcement of which was followed by the release of a live album, ''
Face to Face: A Live Recording'', which reached No. 40 and spawned the single "
The Best Years of Our Lives
''The Best Years of Our Lives'' (also known as ''Glory for Me'' and ''Home Again'') is a 1946 American epic drama film directed by William Wyler, and starring Myrna Loy, Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo and Harold Russ ...
".
Beginnings of solo career 1977–79
With Cockney Rebel's split, Harley signed to EMI for a further three years and began recording his debut solo album. He flew to Los Angeles in February 1978 to complete it and soon decided to emigrate to the US. He purchased a house in
Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Bev ...
and stayed there for nearly a year to gain new experience and inspirations. However, Harley later admitted that during his time in America he was never inspired to write a single song. The album ''
Hobo with a Grin
''Hobo with a Grin'' is the debut solo album by British singer-songwriter Steve Harley, which was released by EMI in 1978. The album was produced by Harley, except for " Roll the Dice", which was produced by Michael J. Jackson. Jackson also act ...
'' was released in July 1978, but was a commercial failure. The lead single "
Roll the Dice" failed to chart, as did the second single, a remixed version of "
Someone's Coming
"Someone's Coming" is a song by the British singer-songwriter Steve Harley, which was released in 1979 as the second and final single from his 1978 debut solo album ''Hobo with a Grin''. It was written by Harley and Jo Partridge, and produced b ...
", which was released in early 1979. On the album, the track "Amerika the Brave" featured
Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan ( ; born Mark Feld; 30 September 1947 – 16 September 1977) was an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was a pioneer of the glam rock movement in the early 1970s with his band T. Rex. Bolan was posthumously inducted int ...
's last studio performance, recorded shortly before his fatal car accident.
Harley returned to London at the end of 1978. In February 1979, he recorded his second solo album ''
The Candidate''. On 12 May, Harley and
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and activist. He rose to fame as the original lead singer of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis in 1975, he launched ...
appeared as guest stars at one of
Kate Bush
Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and dancer. In 1978, at the age of 19, she topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks with her debut single "Wuthering Heights (song), Wuthering Heights", ...
's
Hammersmith Odeon
The Hammersmith Apollo, currently called the Eventim Apollo for sponsorship reasons, and formerly known as the Hammersmith Odeon, is a live entertainment performance venue, originally built as a cinema called the Gaumont Palace. Located in Ha ...
concerts during her
Tour of Life. The show was staged as a benefit concert for the family of lighting technician Bill Duffield, who had died after a tragic fall earlier on Bush's tour. Duffield had previously worked for Harley and Gabriel. The concert was Harley's first performance on stage for over two years. Released in September, ''The Candidate'' was another commercial failure, although its single "
Freedom's Prisoner
"Freedom's Prisoner" is a song by British singer-songwriter Steve Harley, which was released in 1979 as the only single from his second solo album '' The Candidate''. The song, which was written and produced by Harley and Jimmy Horowitz, reached ...
" was moderately successful, peaking at No. 58.
In October, Harley performed a one-off show at the Hammersmith Odeon.
Following the disappointing sales of ''The Candidate'', EMI dropped Harley from their label.
1980–89
During the 1980s, which he would later describe as his "wilderness years", Harley took time out from the music business while his two children were growing up. In 1980 he formed a new line-up of Cockney Rebel for a short UK tour in July, followed by a UK Christmas tour. The latter tour followed the release of the compilation ''
The Best of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel
''The Best of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel'' is a compilation album by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, which was released in 1980. It features material from the original line-up of Cockney Rebel, the Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel line-up, and two tr ...
'' in November. During the same year "
Somebody Special" and "
Gi' Me Wings", two songs co-written by Harley, were released by
Rod Stewart
Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British rock and pop singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish and English ancestry. With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the best-selling ...
on his 1980 album ''
Foolish Behaviour
'' Foolish Behaviour '' is Rod Stewart's tenth studio album, released on 21 November 1980 on the Riva label in the United Kingdom (RVLP 11) and on Warner Bros. Records in both The United States (HS 3485) and Germany (WB 56 865). The tracks we ...
''. "Somebody Special", as the album's third single in 1981, reached No. 71 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and "Gi' Me Wings" reached No. 45 on the ''Billboard''
Top Rock Tracks
Mainstream Rock is a music chart in '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the United States, a category that combines the formats of active rock and heritage rock. The chart was launched in ...
chart.
In 1981, Harley was approached by
Rick Wakeman
Richard Christopher Wakeman (born 18 May 1949) is an English keyboardist best known as a former member of the progressive rock band Yes across five tenures between 1971 and 2004, and for his solo albums released in the 1970s.
Born and raised ...
to provide vocals on the song "No Name" for Wakeman's album ''
1984
Events
January
* January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888.
* January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeast A ...
''. He also made an appearance to perform the song at Wakeman's concert at the Hammersmith Odeon. Harley and his band would embark on another small UK tour during Christmas 1981. In March 1982, the band released the non-album single "
I Can't Even Touch You
"I Can't Even Touch You" is a song by the British singer-songwriter Steve Harley, which was released in 1982 as a non-album single under his band's name Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel. The song was written by Harley and produced by Midge Ure.
B ...
". Produced by
Midge Ure
James Ure (born 10 October 1953) is a Scottish musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. His stage name, Midge, is a phonetic reversal of Jim, the diminutive form of his actual name. Ure enjoyed particular success in the 1970s and 1980s ...
, the song failed to chart, despite expectations that it would become a hit.
In August 1982, Harley made his acting debut as the 16th-century playwright
Christopher Marlowe
Christopher Marlowe, also known as Kit Marlowe (; baptised 26 February 156430 May 1593), was an English playwright, poet and translator of the Elizabethan era. Marlowe is among the most famous of the Elizabethan playwrights. Based upon the ...
in the rock musical ''Marlowe'' at the John Crawford Adams Playhouse at
Hofstra University
Hofstra University is a private university in Hempstead, New York. It is Long Island's largest private university. Hofstra originated in 1935 as an extension of New York University (NYU) under the name Nassau College – Hofstra Memorial of Ne ...
,
Hempstead, New York
The Town of Hempstead (also known historically as South Hempstead) is the largest of the three Administrative divisions of New York#Town, towns in Nassau County, New York, Nassau County (alongside North Hempstead, New York, North Hempstead and Oys ...
. Cockney Rebel played a one-off concert in London in June 1983, and Harley also released the single "
Ballerina (Prima Donna)
"Ballerina (Prima Donna)" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Steve Harley, released by Stiletto Records as a non-album single in 1983. The song, written and produced by Mike Batt, reached number 51 in the UK Singles Chart.
Backgro ...
", which was written and produced by
Mike Batt
Michael Philip Batt, LVO (born 6 February 1949) is an English singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, record producer, director and conductor. He was formerly the Deputy Chairman of the British Phonographic Industry.
Having achieved substantial ...
. It was one of Harley's most successful singles of the decade, peaking at No. 51 in the UK.
In July, the band appeared at the Reading Festival. In December 1984, Harley and his band played a one-off concert at the
Camden Palace
Camden may refer to:
People
* Camden (surname), a surname of English origin
* Camden Joy (born 1964), American writer
* Camden Toy (born 1957), American actor
Places Australia
* Camden, New South Wales
* Camden, Rosehill, a heritage resi ...
in London. It proved to be the band's last show until 1989, and was filmed for a special TV broadcast. It was also released on VHS in 1985, titled ''
Live from London''.
In 1985, Harley signed a five-album recording contract with
RAK Records and recorded "
Irresistible" with
Mickie Most
Michael Peter Hayes (20 June 1938 – 30 May 2003), known as Mickie Most, was an English record producer behind scores of hit singles for acts such as the Animals, Herman's Hermits, the Nashville Teens, Donovan, Lulu, Suzi Quatro, Hot Chocolate ...
as producer. Released as his debut single for the label in June 1985, it peaked at No. 81 in the UK.
Harley had originally offered the song to
Rod Stewart
Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British rock and pop singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish and English ancestry. With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the best-selling ...
, who encouraged Harley to record it in the hope that it would put him back in the charts. Later that year, Mike Batt suggested that Harley sing the
title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title.
Title track may al ...
of the upcoming ''
The Phantom of the Opera
''The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pierr ...
'' musical.
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musicals, ...
had decided to record and release a single to promote the upcoming musical. Agreeing to audition, Harley was given the job and soon recorded the song with
Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman (born 14 August 1960) is an English classical crossover soprano singer, actress and dancer.
Brightman began her career as a member of the dance troupe Hot Gossip and released several disco singles as a solo performer. In 1981, ...
. The song reached No. 7 in the UK charts in January 1986. A music video was also created, featuring Harley as the Phantom. A prime candidate for the role in the musical, Harley soon auditioned to play the Phantom. Successful in getting the part, he then spent five months working on the role, including rehearsal with producer
Hal Prince
Harold Smith Prince (born Harold Smith; January 30, 1928 – July 31, 2019), commonly known as Hal Prince, was an American theatre director and producer known for his work in musical theatre.
One of the foremost figures in 20th century America ...
. He was later surprised when he ended up being replaced by
Michael Crawford
Michael Patrick Smith, (born 19 January 1942), known professionally as Michael Crawford, is an English tenor, actor and comedian.
Crawford is best known for playing both the hapless Frank Spencer in the sitcom ''Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'' an ...
.
While rehearsing for the musical, Harley released the non-album single "
Heartbeat Like Thunder
"Heartbeat Like Thunder" is a song by British singer-songwriter Steve Harley, released in 1986 by RAK as a non-album single. The song was written by Harley and ex-Cockney Rebel keyboardist Duncan Mackay, and produced by Mickie Most.
Backgrou ...
" in April 1986, though it was a commercial failure. In June 1986, a newly remixed version of "Irresistible" appeared as a single. Released as the lead single from Harley's forthcoming solo album ''El Gran Senor'', the single failed to chart. Shortly afterwards, RAK folded and was sold to EMI, leaving the album to be shelved. Later that year, Harley starred again as Marlowe when the musical of the same name ran in London. Harley's performance was described by one leading critic as "a major and moving performance."
During the same period, Harley undertook an English 'A' level course, to which he devoted three hours of study each day. He passed in June 1987 with a 'B' grade.
In 1988, Batt approached Harley to provide vocals on his song "
Whatever You Believe", alongside
Jon Anderson
John Roy Anderson (born 25 October 1944) is an English singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the lead singer of the progressive rock band Yes, which he formed in 1968 with bassist Chris Squire. He was a member of the band across thre ...
. On 3 May 1988, the trio performed the song at a live TV broadcast at Battersea Park in London, as part of the Thames/LWT charity fundraising effort for the
ITV Telethon
The ITV Telethons were three charity telethons organised and televised in the United Kingdom by the ITV network. They took place in 1988, 1990 and 1992. Each lasted for 27 hours and all were hosted by Michael Aspel. The final telethon in July 1 ...
. Later in November, a studio version was released as a charity TV tie-in single under the name Anderson, Harley & Batt. It did not chart. Following its use in a successful TV advert for Trebor Softmints, "Mr Soft" was re-issued as a single in 1988, but also failed to chart.
In 1989, Harley assembled a new line-up of Cockney Rebel and began touring in the UK and Europe.
The band's return to touring was a success and has led Harley to continue performing with various incarnations of Cockney Rebel to the present day. To promote the 1989 summer tour, Harley released the solo single "
When I'm with You", which had been recorded in early 1989 with ex-Cockney Rebel members Duncan Mackay and Jim Cregan at London's Point Studios.
Later in October, a VHS using concert footage from the tour was released under the title ''
The Come Back, All is Forgiven Tour: Live''.
In late 1989, Harley was scheduled to play the title role in a feature film based on the true story of
John 'Babbacombe' Lee, an Englishman famous for surviving three attempts to hang him for murder. However, the film never raised the necessary funding and the project was cancelled in the early 1990s.
1990–99
Throughout 1989 and 1990, Harley continued recording material and working on a new album. During 1990, Harley also contributed to the album ''Poetry in Motion'' by providing lead vocals on the track "Harrow on the Hill". The album consisted of fourteen tracks featuring the words of
Sir John Betjeman
Sir John Betjeman (; 28 August 190619 May 1984) was an English poet, writer, and broadcaster. He was Poet Laureate from 1972 until his death. He was a founding member of The Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architecture, ...
and music by
Mike Read
Michael David Kenneth Read (born 1 March 1947) is an English radio disc jockey, writer, journalist and television presenter. Read has been a broadcaster since 1976, best known for having been a DJ with BBC Radio 1, and television host for musi ...
. In October 1991, Harley was invited to play Night of the Proms, where he performed "Sebastian" and "Make Me Smile".
By the early 1990s, Harley and his band had established themselves as a major live act across Europe. In 1992, EMI released a new compilation album, ''
Make Me Smile – The Best of Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel'', along with a re-issue of "Make Me Smile" as a single, which reached No. 46 in the UK.
Harley's solo album ''
Yes You Can
''Yes You Can'' was a Canadian children's television series broadcast on CBC Television from 1980 to 1983. Hosted by singer Kevin Gillis, and co-hosted by Trevor Bruneau and Tammy Bourne, the half-hour live-action series was sports-themed and ...
'' was released in Europe in 1992 and the UK in 1993. The album featured a mix of older songs dating from the ''El Gran Senor'' period, as well as some newer tracks. In Europe, "Irresistible" was released as a single from the album, while "
Star for a Week (Dino)" was released as a UK promotional single in 1993.
In 1995, the live compilation ''
Live at the BBC
{{Unreferenced, date=May 2019, bot=noref (GreenC bot)
Live at the BBC or BBC Recordings are recordings originally made for or by BBC Radio 1. Many recordings were released under several name variants.
Live at the BBC
*Live at the BBC (The Beatles ...
'' was released; it included some early Cockney Rebel sessions from 1974, as well as a 1992 session. The same year saw a re-issue of "Make Me Smile" reach No. 33 in the UK.
Harley released a new studio album, ''
Poetic Justice
Poetic justice, also called poetic irony, is a literary device with which ultimately virtue is rewarded and misdeeds are punished. In modern literature, it is often accompanied by an ironic twist of fate related to the character's own action, henc ...
'', in 1996, which was a critical success. In 1997, he participated in the Granada
Men & Motors
Men & Motors was a men's lifestyle television channel in the UK. It was the last remaining station operated by the former Granada Sky Broadcasting joint venture, set up by Granada Television (now part of ITV plc) and satellite broadcaster Briti ...
TV music quiz show ''Elvis Has Just Left the Building'', hosted by
Mike Sweeney
Michael John Sweeney (born July 22, 1973) is a former Major League Baseball designated hitter and first baseman. Sweeney played his first 13 seasons in the majors with the Kansas City Royals, first as a catcher, then at first base and designated ...
, with
Noddy Holder
Neville John "Noddy" Holder (born 15 June 1946) is an English musician. He was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the English band Slade, one of the UK's most successful acts of the 1970s. Known for his unique and powerful voice, Holder co ...
and
Clint Boon
Clinton David Boon (born 28 June 1959) is an English musician, DJ and radio presenter. Boon originally rose to fame as the keyboard player (and sometimes vocalist) of Inspiral Carpets.
Music career
Born in Oldham, Lancashire, Boon joined the Ins ...
as team captains.
In 1998, Harley embarked on his first acoustic tour "Stripped to the Bare Bones". Alongside Cockney Rebel violinist/guitarist
Nick Pynn
Nick Pynn is a British musician and composer noted for his use of bass pedals and live looping with electroacoustic stringed instruments. He has been described as an ‘avant folk’ artist, whose early interests were in world folk and experiment ...
, the pair played over a hundred dates, including fifty-four concerts in the UK alone. Coinciding with the tour was the release of the new compilation album ''
More Than Somewhat – The Very Best of Steve Harley'', which reached No. 82 in the UK.
In September 1999, the live acoustic album ''
Stripped to the Bare Bones'' was released, which had been recorded at
The Jazz Café
The Jazz Cafe is a music venue in Camden Town, London. It opened in 1990 on the former premises of a branch of Barclays Bank and has had several owners throughout its history as a music venue.
In 2020 the Jazz Cafe celebrates its 30th year, h ...
in London during March 1998. In 1999, the new compilation ''
The Cream of Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel'' was released, which would later reach No. 21 on the UK Budget Albums Chart in 2006.
In 1999, Harley began presenting the
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering th ...
programme ''The Sounds of the Seventies'', with the first series that year featuring eight editions. He also formed his own label "Comeuppance" that year.
2000–09
![Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, Guilfest 2004 (11861687336)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Steve_Harley_%26_Cockney_Rebel%2C_Guilfest_2004_%2811861687336%29.jpg)
In 2000, Harley re-issued his first two solo albums ''Hobo with a Grin'' and ''The Candidate'' on CD through Comeuppance, while in March–May he embarked the acoustic tour "Stripped Again", accompanied by Cockney Rebel guitarist
Robbie Gladwell
Robert "Robbie" Gladwell (born 16 June 1950), also known as Dr Robert, is an English rock and blues guitarist from London. He has been described as "one of Suffolk's most renowned musicians.
Music career
Gladwell has played with numerous band ...
. That same year saw the airing of the second series of ''The Sounds of the Seventies'' show, which had twelve editions across 2000. Following high listening figures for the first two series, Harley accepted the BBC's offer to present the show all-year round. To accommodate his touring schedule, Harley began the new deal by pre-recording three shows at a time. The show continued for the next eight years, with the last programme airing on 27 March 2008. The show reached an audience of over 400,000 weekly.
In 2000, Harley started working on a new studio album and began talks with various record companies. Although no album would surface for a few years, the single "
A Friend for Life" was released in April 2001. It reached No. 125 in the UK.
Co-written with Jim Cregan, Harley had offered the song to Rod Stewart, who would later record a version for his 2015 album ''
Another Country''. In 2001, Harley and the band embarked on their first tour in four years, which was named "Back with the Band".
Since 2002, Harley has been involved with the charity
Mines Advisory Group
The Mines Advisory Group (MAG) is a non-governmental organization that assists people affected by landmines, unexploded ordnance, and small arms and light weapons.
MAG takes a humanitarian approach to landmine action. They focus on the impact ...
. He later became an Ambassador for the charity and has led two fundraising treks; one around Cambodia in 2002 and the other across Death Valley in 2007.
During 2002, Harley was also awarded a Gold Badge of Merit by the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters. In 2003, Harley released the acoustic live album ''
Acoustic and Pure: Live'', featuring recordings from various UK concerts played during the previous autumn with Cregan. Towards the end of the year, Harley travelled to Cologne to collaborate with German artist Guido Dossche on the song "Ich Bin Gott", which was released as a single in Germany in 2004.
In 2004, the live album ''
Anytime! (A Live Set)
''Anytime! (A Live Set)'' is a live acoustic album by Steve Harley, released under the name The Steve Harley Band and featuring members of the Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel line-up of the time. It was released in 2004.
Background
Following the ...
'' was released under the name The Steve Harley Band. During June of that year, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel played at the
Isle of Wight Festival
The Isle of Wight Festival is a British music festival which takes place annually in Newport on the Isle of Wight, England. It was originally a counterculture event held from 1968 to 1970.
The 1970 event was by far the largest of these early ...
. The full performance was released on DVD in 2005, titled ''
Live at the Isle of Wight Festival''. In June 2005, a newly recorded version of "Make Me Smile" was released, dubbed as the "30th Anniversary Re-mix", which reached No. 55 in the UK.
A new studio album, ''
The Quality of Mercy'', was released in 2005, which was Harley's first studio album to be released under the Cockney Rebel name since 1976. To promote the album, the band embarked on their biggest UK and European tour since the 1970s, with over 50 dates set between September–December. The album was a critical success and also charted at No. 40 in Norway in early 2006. The album included "A Friend for Life", while "
The Last Goodbye" was released from it as a single in 2006. It reached No. 186 in the UK,
and No. 21 on the UK Independent Singles Chart.
In 2006, EMI released a CD box-set compilation album spanning Cockney Rebel and Harley's solo work, titled ''
The Cockney Rebel - A Steve Harley Anthology''. In 2007, Harley starred with Mike Bennett in the West End premiere of the
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett (; 13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989) was an Irish novelist, dramatist, short story writer, theatre director, poet, and literary translator. His literary and theatrical work features bleak, impersonal and tragicomic expe ...
plays ''
Rough for Theatre I'' and ''
Rough for Theatre II
''Rough for Theatre II'' (also known simply as ''Theatre II'') is a short play by Samuel Beckett. "Although this discarded piece of theatre is dated 'circa 1960' in ''End and Odds'', a manuscript from two years earlier exists in Trinity College, D ...
''. The plays ran for a week in July at London's
Arts Theatre
The Arts Theatre is a theatre in Great Newport Street, in Westminster, Central London.
History
It opened on 20 April 1927 as a members-only club for the performance of unlicensed plays, thus avoiding theatre censorship by the Lord Chamberl ...
. In 2008, Harley released his first book ''The Impression of Being Relaxed''. Published by Halstar, it is a collection of diary entries Harley had published on his website between 2000 and 2008. In 2009, Harley received a Special Award from
Childline Rocks for his work for charity at the ''
Classic Rock
Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, primar ...
'' magazine Award ceremony at London's
Park Lane Hotel
The Sheraton Grand London Park Lane is a 5 Star hotel on Piccadilly, London.
The hotel opened in 1927 as The Park Lane Hotel to designs by architects Adie, Button and Partners, in a grand Art Deco style, and was constructed by the developer ...
. His work raising money for the Mines Advisory group and several schools for Disabled Children were cited in a speech delivered by blues guitarist
Joe Bonamassa
Joseph Leonard Bonamassa ( ; born May 8, 1977) is an American blues rock guitarist, singer and songwriter. He started his career at age twelve, when he opened for B.B. King. Since 2000, Bonamassa has released fifteen solo albums through his inde ...
.
2010–present
![Steve Harley May 2014 Live The Concert At The Kings Festival](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Steve_Harley_May_2014_Live_The_Concert_At_The_Kings_Festival.jpg)
During September and October 2009, Harley and his band returned to the studio to record a new album at Leeders Farm Residential Studios. In May 2010, Harley released his new studio album ''
Stranger Comes to Town'', which peaked at No. 187 in the UK. Described by Harley as a protest album, two digital singles were released from the album; "
Faith & Virtue" and "
For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn". Earlier that year in February, Harley, a self-confessed technophobe, attributed poor literacy rates and the moral corrosion of British society to modern technology.
['']The Daily Politics
''Daily Politics'' was a BBC Television programme which aired between 6 January, 2003 and 24 July, 2018, presented by Andrew Neil and Jo Coburn. ''Daily Politics'' took an in-depth review of the daily events in both Westminster and other areas a ...
'', BBC, 24 February 2010
In April 2012, Harley teamed up with Australian guitarist
Joe Matera
Joe Matera is an Australian guitarist, rock journalist and author. In addition to a solo career, Matera is the guitarist in the Sweden-based rock band Rough Rockers, and was formerly the lead guitarist of Australian famous pop rock band Geisha ...
and embarked on a promotional tour of Australia. The pair made a number of appearances on radio and TV, performing live acoustic sessions. This included the SBS TV show
RocKwiz, Noise 11 TV and Melbourne radio station Gold FM 104.3. In October 2012, EMI released a remastered four-disc box-set anthology compilation ''
Cavaliers: An Anthology 1973-1974'', which chronicled the recording career of the original Cockney Rebel line-up.
On 24 November 2012, Harley and his band, along with the Orchestra of the Swan and their Chamber Choir, performed the first two Cockney Rebel albums ''The Human Menagerie'' and ''The Psychomodo'' in their entirety for the first time. A live double-CD and DVD was released in October 2013 of this performance, titled ''
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
''. The album peaked at No. 158 in the UK and No. 36 on the UK Independent Albums Chart. In 2014, Harley and the band performed the same show again four times in the UK.
In January 2015, "Make Me Smile" re-charted at No. 72 in the UK, after ''
Top Gear
Top Gear may refer to:
* "Top gear", the highest gear available in a vehicle's manual transmission
Television
* ''Top Gear'' (1977 TV series), a British motoring magazine programme
* ''Top Gear'' (2002 TV series), a relaunched version of the or ...
'' presenters
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson (born 11 April 1960) is an English broadcaster, journalist, game show host and writer who specialises in Driving, motoring. He is best known for the motoring programmes ''Top Gear (2002 TV series), Top Gear'' an ...
,
Richard Hammond
Richard Mark Hammond (born 19 December 1969) is an English journalist, television presenter, mechanic, and writer. He is best known for co-hosting the BBC Two motoring programme ''Top Gear'' from 2002 until 2015 with Jeremy Clarkson and Jame ...
and
James May
James Daniel May (born 16 January 1963) is an English television presenter and journalist. He is best known as a co-presenter of the motoring programme ''Top Gear (2002 TV series), Top Gear'' alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond from ...
urged viewers to download the song, as part of their discussion that Harley had recently received a speeding fine. Later in September, Harley's first new song of five years, "
Ordinary People
''Ordinary People'' is a 1980 American drama film directed by Robert Redford in his directorial debut. The screenplay by Alvin Sargent is based on the 1976 novel of the same name by Judith Guest. The film follows the disintegration of an upper ...
", was released as a single on iTunes. In November, Harley and the surviving members of the original second line-up of Cockney Rebel, embarked on a 16-date UK tour to celebrate the 40th anniversary of ''The Best Years of Our Lives'' album. On the tour, the band were backed by the
MonaLisa Twins.
In 2015, Harley pledged to help raise funds for a new memorial to his late friend
Mick Ronson
Michael Ronson (26 May 1946 – 29 April 1993) was an English musician, songwriter, arranger, and producer. He achieved critical and commercial success working with David Bowie as the guitarist of the Spiders from Mars. He was a session music ...
. In April 2016, Harley played for free at the
Hull City Hall
Hull City Hall is a civic building located in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Located in Queen Victoria Square in the city centre, it is a Grade II* listed building.
History
The hall, which was designed by Hull's City arc ...
to help kick-start the appeal. In November 2016, Harley was one of a number of musicians who teamed up with British Members of Parliament and the Royal Opera House Thurrock Community Chorus to record a charity version of the Rolling Stones song "
You Can't Always Get What You Want
"You Can't Always Get What You Want" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones on their 1969 album ''Let It Bleed''. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it was named as the 100th greatest song of all time by ''Rolling Stone'' ...
" in memory of Labour MP
Jo Cox
Helen Joanne Cox ( Leadbeater; 22 June 1974 – 16 June 2016) was a British politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Batley and Spen from May 2015 until her murder in June 2016. She was a member of the Labour Party.
Born in B ...
. The song was released by Chrysalis Records in December 2016, with all proceedings going to the Jo Cox Foundation. It reached No. 136 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 24 on the UK Singles Sales Chart and No. 9 on the Top 30 Indie Singles Chart.
After the success of 1998 and 1999's respective 'Stripped To The Bare Bones' and 'Stripped Again' tours, Harley would continue to tour in an acoustic format. Firstly with Jim Cregan and a selection of other members of Cockney Rebel, depending on the exact date of the show, in 2002. This format produced 2003's '
Acoustic and Pure: Live' album. With the exception of the 2015 reunion, which was in the full band format, Cregan would next join Harley for 2 acoustic shows in March 2020, which otherwise featured Harley performing alone. In 2003 and 2004, the 5-piece acoustic line-up that played 2004's '
Anytime! (A Live Set)
''Anytime! (A Live Set)'' is a live acoustic album by Steve Harley, released under the name The Steve Harley Band and featuring members of the Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel line-up of the time. It was released in 2004.
Background
Following the ...
' album was put together, featuring Lascelles on percussion, Gladwell on lead guitar, Wickens on violin/guitar, and Anderson on double bass. In 2005 and 2006, this format was used in Holland and Belgium while promoting 2005's '
The Quality Of Mercy' album, and these shows are notable for featuring significant rearrangements of some of the songs from the album, which were never played during concerts in England. These shows were played without Anderson. Between 2010 and 2019 these concerts were revived as a 3-man line-up, with Harley alongside Wickens and Lascelles (this time on keyboards and percussion, as per his role in the full rock band shows). These shows were originally marketed as the '3-man acoustic show' before being renamed to 'Acoustic Trio' in 2016. The shows in 2010 were marketed as an 'Acoustic Set', as they were the first acoustic shows since 2004. This format was phased out in 2020 - in order to promote Harley's new album '
Uncovered'- in favour of a revived 4-man line-up, though with David Delarre on lead guitar, and Oli Hayhurst on double bass, with Harley and Wickens reprising their roles. The
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
delayed most of the shows on this tour - with only the first 9 played as planned. Two shows were however played in late-September 2020, both in the acoustic trio format, though Hayhurst accompanied the trio on the second of these shows. In addition, Harley held an online
Q and
A session via
Zoom Videoconferencing in mid-December 2020, and will hold another in late-November 2021.
![Steve Harley and wife (Dorothy Harley) 2005](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Steve_Harley_and_wife_%28Dorothy_Harley%29_2005.jpg)
In the aftermath of the 2020 pandemic, Harley's live shows eventually resumed in July 2021. The set-lists for these shows are notable in that they include much material that has been left unplayed for, in some cases, almost 30 years.
Personal life
Harley lives in
North Essex with his wife, Dorothy, whom he married at
Marylebone Register Office in February 1981. They have two children, Kerr and Greta. In 1991, the pair celebrated their tenth anniversary with a wedding blessing ceremony at their local church in
Belchamp Otten
Belchamp Otten is a village and civil parish in Essex, England. It is located approximately west of Sudbury, Suffolk and is north-northeast from the county town of Chelmsford. It is near Belchamp St Paul
Belchamp St Paul is a village and c ...
, Essex.
Harley has been involved in racehorse ownership since 1984, and racing has become his main pastime.
Partial discography
Studio albums
* ''
The Human Menagerie
''The Human Menagerie'' is the debut studio album by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, Cockney Rebel, which was released by EMI Records, EMI in 1973. It was produced by Neil Harrison.
Background
After training as a journalist for three years, Steve ...
'' (1973) (as Cockney Rebel)
* ''
The Psychomodo
''The Psychomodo'' is the second studio album by Cockney Rebel, which was released by EMI in 1974. It was produced by Steve Harley and Alan Parsons.
Background
Cockney Rebel's debut album, '' The Human Menagerie'', was released in 1973 and fail ...
'' (1974) (as Cockney Rebel)
* ''
The Best Years of Our Lives
''The Best Years of Our Lives'' (also known as ''Glory for Me'' and ''Home Again'') is a 1946 American epic drama film directed by William Wyler, and starring Myrna Loy, Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo and Harold Russ ...
'' (1975) (as Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel)
* ''
Timeless Flight
''Timeless Flight'' is the fourth studio album by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, which was released by EMI in 1976. It was written and produced by Steve Harley.
Background
Harley began writing material for ''Timeless Flight'' while Steve Harley & ...
'' (1976) (as Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel)
* ''
Love's a Prima Donna
''Love's a Prima Donna'' is the fifth studio album by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, which was released by EMI in 1976. It was produced by Harley, and would be the band's last album before splitting in 1977.
Background
Harley began writing mate ...
'' (1976) (as Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel)
* ''
Hobo with a Grin
''Hobo with a Grin'' is the debut solo album by British singer-songwriter Steve Harley, which was released by EMI in 1978. The album was produced by Harley, except for " Roll the Dice", which was produced by Michael J. Jackson. Jackson also act ...
'' (1978)
* ''
The Candidate'' (1979)
* ''
Yes You Can
''Yes You Can'' was a Canadian children's television series broadcast on CBC Television from 1980 to 1983. Hosted by singer Kevin Gillis, and co-hosted by Trevor Bruneau and Tammy Bourne, the half-hour live-action series was sports-themed and ...
'' (1992)
* ''
Poetic Justice
Poetic justice, also called poetic irony, is a literary device with which ultimately virtue is rewarded and misdeeds are punished. In modern literature, it is often accompanied by an ironic twist of fate related to the character's own action, henc ...
'' (1996)
* ''
The Quality of Mercy'' (2005) (as Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel)
* ''
Stranger Comes to Town'' (2010)
* ''
Uncovered'' (2020)
References
External links
BBC Radio 2 BiographyOfficial Steve Harley website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harley, Steve
1951 births
Living people
People from Deptford
English male singers
English radio presenters
English rock singers
English songwriters
Rak Records artists
People with polio
Glam rock musicians
Musicians from Kent
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel members
British male songwriters