Steve Anderson (musician)

Stephen John Anderson (born 1969 in Southend-on-Sea) is a British musician, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his work with Kylie Minogue on her tours and albums, and as part of the production group Brothers in Rhythm. He has also worked on songs and albums for many recording artists such as Britney Spears, Westlife, Christophe Willem, Judie Tzuke and Susan Boyle.

Steve Anderson
Portrait photograph of Steve Anderson
Anderson at a show rehearsal in 2012
Background information
Birth nameStephen John Anderson
Also known asSteve Anderson
Born1969 (age 54–55)
Southend-on-Sea, England
GenresPop
Occupations
  • Record producer
  • songwriter
  • musical director
  • arranger
Years active1990–present
LabelsUniversal Publishing
Member ofBrothers in Rhythm

Life and career

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Early years – Brothers in Rhythm

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Remixes and releases

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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 with artists including Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Janet Jackson, Sting and Paul McCartney. Anderson's role at DMC was initially as an apprentice or, as he described it, "tea-boy creating some mixes for their subscription service".[1] 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 been suggested that it later provided inspiration for the successful Harding/Curnow remix of the single.[2] Further, it would lead to Anderson collaborating with Minogue on her ballad "Finer Feelings" in 1991. Recalling the important influence of the band Massive Attack's music at the time, Anderson stated 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 number one singles "Never Forget" and "Sure") and Minogue's debut album for Deconstruction Records in 1994, including "Confide in Me", which he co-wrote and produced.[3] Extensively collaborating with 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 one on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. "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 UK via Stress Records, with vocals from Charvoni, charting at number 51.[5][6]

Production work

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Around the time of the 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 the first single, "Confide in Me", which went to number 2 in the UK charts and signified a "reinvention" of 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—"Love Is Waiting", "Dangerous Game", "Automatic Love" and "Where Is the Feeling?". After the release of "Forever in a Day", Anderson and Seaman concentrated on writing, producing and recording 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 Minogue's sixth studio album, released on 22 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 Seaman concentrate on his DJ career while Anderson consolidated his career in music production, song-writing and theatre.

Production and songwriting

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

After completing Impossible Princess for Minogue in 1997, 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 on 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.

In 2009, he produced "Talk Me Down" for the Irish boy band Westlife's Where We Are album. He also collaborated with Australian singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte on the song "Supersensual" for her number 1 selling album 1000 Stars. He co-wrote and produced the song "Entre Nous et le Sol" for French singer Christophe Willem's album Caféine, 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", which appeared as an album track on Westlife's Gravity album. In the same year he wrote the lead single to Spanish singer Edurne's album Nueva Piel, "Soy Como Soy".

In 2011, he reunited with Christophe Willem, producing his entire Prismophonic album.

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 Westlife's Markus Feehily album Fire and numerous songs for Kylie Minogue's Christmas album, Kylie Christmas.

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

In 2018, he produced and wrote a couple of tracks on the solo debut album of Steps' singer Claire Richards. He also co-produced the debut album "Brave" by 15-year-old Beau Dermott with Cliff Masterson.

Music director – pop concert tours

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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 Minogue's On a Night Like This (2001), KylieFever (2002), Money Can't Buy (2004), Showgirl: The Greatest Hits (2005), Showgirl: The Homecoming (2006–2007), KylieX2008 (2008–2009), For You, for Me (2009), Aphrodite: Les Folies (2011), Anti (2012), Kiss Me Once (2014–2015) and A Kylie Christmas (2015–2016) tours. 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 TV 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

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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, 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:

  • Little Belter (London and UK Tour, 2012)[14]
  • Orchid – Where Desire Blooms (Miami, 2012)[15]
  • Some Girl I Used to Know (Leeds, London West End and UK Tour, 2014)[16][17]
  • The Supreme Fabulettes – Viva La Drag[18] (London West End and UK Tour 2014–2015)
  • Chandelier (Celebrity Cruises, 2015)
  • Elyria[19] (Celebrity Cruises, 2015).

In 2014, it was announced that Anderson was working on a new musical based on the music of 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 Minogue's family company from 2012 indicates that the musical's working title is Lucky: The Kylie Minogue Musical.[22]

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

Discography

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With Brothers in Rhythm

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Singles

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Title Year Peak chart positions Album
UK
[24]
IRE FRA US Dance
[25]
US Dance Sales
"Peace and Harmony" 1990 94 Non-album singles
"Such a Good Feeling" 1991 64 1 14
"Such a Good Feeling"
(reissue)
14 27 50
"Forever and a Day"
(featuring Charvoni)
1994 51 11 53
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

As producer and songwriter (selected discography)

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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)
2000 Hits+ 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 (B-side) 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
2001 Fever 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 Soundtrack 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 Orchestral compilation 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)
2017 Christmas Mark Feehily Studio album Harmoney Entertainment Merry Christmas Baby Producer
River
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
This Christmas
Miss You Most at Christmas Time
O Holy Night
Silent Night (A Capella)
O Holy Night Writer
2018 My Wildest Dreams (album) Claire Richards Studio album Sony Music Forever Ends With You Producer
On My Own
End Before We Start
Deep Waters
Liar
Brave
My Wildest Dreams
Don't Leave Me in This Alone
End Before We Start Writer
My Wildest Dreams
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References

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  1. ^ a b "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. ^ a b 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. 1994. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  6. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th 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. 8 June 2016. 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 14 April 2014.
  25. ^ "Brothers in Rhythm - US Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on 29 November 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  26. ^ a b Kylie Minogue (Liner notes). Kylie Minogue. Deconstruction Records. 1994.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. ^ a b Impossible Princess (CD booklet). Kylie Minogue. Deconstruction Records.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. ^ a b Hits+ (Liner notes). Kylie Minogue. Deconstruction Records. 2000.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  29. ^ a b Light Years (Liner notes). Kylie Minogue. Parlophone Records. 2000.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  30. ^ a b Fever (Liner notes). Kylie Minogue. Parlophone Records. 2001.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)