Bill Steer
Encyclopedia
Bill Steer (born 3 December 1969 in Stockton-on-Tees
, England
) is an English
guitar player, and a founder of British
Metal
band Carcass
. He is considered a pioneer and an essential contributor to grindcore
due to his involvement in Napalm Death
and Carcass
, two of the most important bands of the genre.
Steer was ranked #92 out of 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists of All Time by Guitar World
.
He was a guitarist
for Napalm Death
from 1987-1989. He played guitars in Carcass
from 1985-1995. He played guitar with Michael Amott
, whom he inspired to form his own bands. After the demise of Carcass he started his own band Firebird
, which is inspired by 1970s rock music. Steer also plays guitar in the band Gentlemans Pistols
and with New Wave of British Heavy Metal
veterans Angel Witch
. Steer currently resides in London
, UK.
Steer also appeared along with Jeffrey Walker
(bassist/vocalist of Carcass) in an episode of the Sci-Fi comedy Red Dwarf
. He performed as the drummer of the band Smeg and the Heads named Dobbin in series 3 episode 5 "Timeslides
".
In addition to Steer's guitar prowess, he is well known for naming his solos on earlier Carcass albums (example: "Maim to Please" by W.G. Steer from Tools of the Trade
).
In 2008 Steer reunited with his Carcass bandmates (except for drummer Ken Owen
, who suffered a cerebral hemorrhage in 1999; Daniel Erlandsson
was tapped to play drums in his place) to play at several European festivals such as Wacken '08
. In an interview, Steer mentioned that a new Carcass album could hardly be possible. The Carcass reunion show schedule continued through to 2010, playing festivals and headlining a small US tour in 2009. It is currently unknown whether the band will reunite again for more shows.
In 2010 Bill hosted a show at the internet radio station, TotalRock
.
Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees is a market town in north east England. It is the major settlement in the unitary authority and borough of Stockton-on-Tees. For ceremonial purposes, the borough is split between County Durham and North Yorkshire as it also incorporates a number of smaller towns including...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
guitar player, and a founder of British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Carcass
Carcass (band)
Carcass are an extreme metal band from England, who formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1995. A reunion was enacted in 2008 without one of its original members, drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons....
. He is considered a pioneer and an essential contributor to grindcore
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
due to his involvement in Napalm Death
Napalm Death
Napalm Death are a death metal band formed in Birmingham, England in 1981. While none of its original members remain in the group, the lineup of vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway, bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mitch Harris and drummer Danny Herrera has remained consistent for most of the band's ...
and Carcass
Carcass (band)
Carcass are an extreme metal band from England, who formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1995. A reunion was enacted in 2008 without one of its original members, drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons....
, two of the most important bands of the genre.
Steer was ranked #92 out of 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists of All Time by Guitar World
Guitar World
Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
.
He was a guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
for Napalm Death
Napalm Death
Napalm Death are a death metal band formed in Birmingham, England in 1981. While none of its original members remain in the group, the lineup of vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway, bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mitch Harris and drummer Danny Herrera has remained consistent for most of the band's ...
from 1987-1989. He played guitars in Carcass
Carcass (band)
Carcass are an extreme metal band from England, who formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1995. A reunion was enacted in 2008 without one of its original members, drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons....
from 1985-1995. He played guitar with Michael Amott
Michael Amott
Michael Amott is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a member of the death metal band Carcass. He is the older brother of Christopher Amott...
, whom he inspired to form his own bands. After the demise of Carcass he started his own band Firebird
Firebird (band)
Firebird is a British blues-rock power trio founded by Bill Steer in 1999. The music style, reminiscent of seventies rock bands such as Cream, is a radical departure from Steer's previous work with grindcore pioneers Napalm Death and death metal band Carcass....
, which is inspired by 1970s rock music. Steer also plays guitar in the band Gentlemans Pistols
Gentlemans Pistols
- History :Gentlemans Pistols were formed in 2003 as a three-piece by singer/guitarist James Atkinson , bassist Douglas McLaughlan and drummer Simon Mawson, although this line-up played only one gig before the replacement of Simon Mawson by Adam Clarke in 2004...
and with New Wave of British Heavy Metal
New Wave of British Heavy Metal
The New Wave of British Heavy Metal was a heavy metal movement that started in the late 1970s, in Britain, and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. The movement developed as a reaction in part to the decline of early heavy metal bands such as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Black...
veterans Angel Witch
Angel Witch
Angel Witch is a British heavy metal band which formed in London, England in 1977 as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement.-Biography:...
. Steer currently resides in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, UK.
Steer also appeared along with Jeffrey Walker
Jeffrey Walker
Jeffrey Walker is a bass guitarist and vocalist from Windle, St Helens, UK. He is best known for his work with the death metal / grindcore band Carcass for which he is also the main lyricist. Before Carcass, he played in the punk band the Electro Hippies. After the demise of Carcass, he went on to...
(bassist/vocalist of Carcass) in an episode of the Sci-Fi comedy Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
. He performed as the drummer of the band Smeg and the Heads named Dobbin in series 3 episode 5 "Timeslides
Timeslides
"Timeslides" is the fifth episode of science fiction sit-com Red Dwarf Series III, and the seventeenth in the series run. It premiered on the British television channel BBC2 on 12 December 1989. Written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, and directed by Ed Bye, the plot deals with Lister's desire to...
".
In addition to Steer's guitar prowess, he is well known for naming his solos on earlier Carcass albums (example: "Maim to Please" by W.G. Steer from Tools of the Trade
Tools of the Trade
Tools of the Trade is an EP by Carcass. It was released through Earache Records in 1992 .-Track listing:-Other appearances:The EP is wholly contained on the compilation album Gods of Grind and the limited edition 2008 dualdisc reissue of Necroticism - Descanting the Insalubrious. It also appears on...
).
In 2008 Steer reunited with his Carcass bandmates (except for drummer Ken Owen
Ken Owen
Ken Owen is an English drummer. He was born in Billinge, and grew up in Gayton, Merseyside. He is best known as one of the founding members of Carcass, for which he also handled some of the vocals. After the band broke up in 1995, he started Blackstar, along with two other Carcass members...
, who suffered a cerebral hemorrhage in 1999; Daniel Erlandsson
Daniel Erlandsson
Daniel John Erlandsson is the drummer in the melodic death metal band Arch Enemy.His early work includes drumming on the In Flames album Subterranean...
was tapped to play drums in his place) to play at several European festivals such as Wacken '08
Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air is a summer open air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...
. In an interview, Steer mentioned that a new Carcass album could hardly be possible. The Carcass reunion show schedule continued through to 2010, playing festivals and headlining a small US tour in 2009. It is currently unknown whether the band will reunite again for more shows.
In 2010 Bill hosted a show at the internet radio station, TotalRock
TotalRock
TotalRock is a radio station based in London, England. The station first started in 1997 as Rock Radio Network , changing name to TotalRock in 2000...
.