Steve Lawler
Encyclopedia
Steve Lawler is a British house music
producer and DJ born in Birmingham
, England
. He has held residences at many popular dance clubs such as Space
, The End
and Twilo
. Because of his successful performances at Space in Ibiza, he has been nicknamed "King of Space". Lawler has released several mix albums and is especially well known for his Lights Out series featured on Boxed
. He currently runs the record label Viva Music. He also founded the now defunct Harlem Records.
from 1990 to 1994. After several parties, the event began to regularly attract over 500 people and eventually earned Lawler appearances at proper clubs.
Lawler's "big break" came in 1995, when DJ Jason Bye asked him to play daily at Ibiza's reputed Café Mambo
of San Antonio
"Sunset strip" fame. Here, he met Darren Hughes of the nightclub Cream
, who signed him to a residency at Cream. In 2000, Steve started his new residency for Darren Hughes, at the infamous Club Home, where Steve Lawler held his own Friday nights Deep South which he ran for 1 year only. He also released the single "Rise In" on Bedrock Records
, which featured vocals from the Reef song Mellow (and previously remixed by Prince Quick) and reached #50 on the UK Singles Chart
and #15 on Billboard
's Hot Dance Music/Club Play. This same year, he was asked by Boxed
to mix the third entry in their Nubreed series, Nubreed 003
. After his Nubreed release, Lawler approached Boxed with the idea for the Lights Out series. In 2001 Lawler started a night in his hometown Birmingham called the Midweek Session, this was run for 12 parties only, running monthly on a Thursday night. Lawler returned to London in 2002 with the beginning of his "Harlem Nights" event at The End
, which has since been changed to "Viva" to reflect Lawler's label VIVa MUSiC. Lawler founded the digital record label
Viva Music in 2005, citing as a reaction to the increased sales in MP3s relative to vinyl and CDs. Lawler himself stopped using vinyl in live sets, exclusively using Serato
/CDs.
Lawler's wife Daniela appeared as a contestant on Come Dine With Me
on Channel 4 between 22 and 26 November 2010.
and The Doors
, citing their dark lyrics and atmosphere. Lawler says that the DJ that was most influential on him was Danny Tenaglia
, admiring his passion and dedication to DJ-ing and clubbers.
Singles
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
producer and DJ born in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, 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...
. He has held residences at many popular dance clubs such as Space
Space (Ibiza nightclub)
Space is a nightclub on Ibizaowned bi STANCA. It was awarded "Best Global Club" at the International Dance Music Awards in 2005 and again in 2006...
, The End
The End (club)
The End was a nightclub in the West End of London, England. Started in December 1995 by DJs Layo Paskin and Mr C, The End was world-renowned. It was also responsible for the label End Recordings....
and Twilo
Twilo
Twilo was an American nightclub in operation from 1995 to 2001 in New York City and from 2006 to 2007 in Miami. The New York location at 530 West 27th Street in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan regularly attracted a crowd of thousands to its warehouse-like dance floor...
. Because of his successful performances at Space in Ibiza, he has been nicknamed "King of Space". Lawler has released several mix albums and is especially well known for his Lights Out series featured on Boxed
Boxed
Boxed was a record label which has released around forty mix albums from DJs such as John Digweed, Nick Warren, and Danny Howells. They are most known for their Global Underground series. After stopping releases due to financial difficulties in 2003, Global Underground Ltd...
. He currently runs the record label Viva Music. He also founded the now defunct Harlem Records.
Biography
Steve Lawler originally gained interest in the music scene around the age of 16, listening to pirate radio stations. Beginning at age 17, Lawler staged a series of illegal parties in a tunnel under the M42 motorwayM42 motorway
The M42 motorway is a major road in England. The motorway runs north east from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to just south west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, passing Redditch, Solihull, the National Exhibition Centre and Tamworth on the way. The section between the M40 and M6 road forms...
from 1990 to 1994. After several parties, the event began to regularly attract over 500 people and eventually earned Lawler appearances at proper clubs.
Lawler's "big break" came in 1995, when DJ Jason Bye asked him to play daily at Ibiza's reputed Café Mambo
Café Mambo
Café Mambo is a bar located in Sant Antoni de Portmany, Ibiza. It is most famous for being the official pre party point for Pacha Ibiza, and hosting some of the most famous DJs in the world including Carl Cox, David Guetta and Swedish House Mafia who have a weekly residency there during the...
of San Antonio
Sant Antoni de Portmany
Sant Antoni de Portmany is a town on the western coast of Ibiza. It is the second-largest town and municipality in Ibiza; an island described by Time Out magazine as "arguably the clubbing capital of the universe"...
"Sunset strip" fame. Here, he met Darren Hughes of the nightclub Cream
Cream (nightclub)
Cream, based at the Nation nightclub in Liverpool, is one of the best-known night clubs in the UK. Cream began life as a weekly house music night at Nation, and ran in this format for 10 years, from October 1992 to June 2002...
, who signed him to a residency at Cream. In 2000, Steve started his new residency for Darren Hughes, at the infamous Club Home, where Steve Lawler held his own Friday nights Deep South which he ran for 1 year only. He also released the single "Rise In" on Bedrock Records
Bedrock Records
thumb|200px|Bedrock RecordsBedrock Records is an English record label for trance, house and techno started by Nick Muir and John Digweed.Its name comes from a nightclub in London that is also called Bedrock. Bedrock Records has released many singles from artists such as Astro & Glyde, Brancaccio &...
, which featured vocals from the Reef song Mellow (and previously remixed by Prince Quick) and reached #50 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
and #15 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Hot Dance Music/Club Play. This same year, he was asked by Boxed
Boxed
Boxed was a record label which has released around forty mix albums from DJs such as John Digweed, Nick Warren, and Danny Howells. They are most known for their Global Underground series. After stopping releases due to financial difficulties in 2003, Global Underground Ltd...
to mix the third entry in their Nubreed series, Nubreed 003
Nubreed 003
Nubreed 003 is a house music mix album in the Nubreed series by Boxed. It is mixed and compiled by Steve Lawler.-Disc 1:#Crowt - Acidfire #Dan Robbins - DBD #Fresh & Low - Especiale #2 Boys 1 Girl - Twisted...
. After his Nubreed release, Lawler approached Boxed with the idea for the Lights Out series. In 2001 Lawler started a night in his hometown Birmingham called the Midweek Session, this was run for 12 parties only, running monthly on a Thursday night. Lawler returned to London in 2002 with the beginning of his "Harlem Nights" event at The End
The End (club)
The End was a nightclub in the West End of London, England. Started in December 1995 by DJs Layo Paskin and Mr C, The End was world-renowned. It was also responsible for the label End Recordings....
, which has since been changed to "Viva" to reflect Lawler's label VIVa MUSiC. Lawler founded the digital record label
Netlabel
A netlabel is a record label that distributes its music through digital audio formats over the Internet...
Viva Music in 2005, citing as a reaction to the increased sales in MP3s relative to vinyl and CDs. Lawler himself stopped using vinyl in live sets, exclusively using Serato
Scratch Live
Scratch Live is a vinyl emulation software application created by New Zealand based Serato Audio Research, distributed by and licensed exclusively to Rane Corporation...
/CDs.
Lawler's wife Daniela appeared as a contestant on Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me is a popular Channel 4 television programme shown in the United Kingdom, produced by Granada Television and first broadcast in January 2005. The show has either four or five amateur chefs competing against each other hosting a dinner party for the other contestants...
on Channel 4 between 22 and 26 November 2010.
Musical genres
Lawler describes his style of house music to be "deep" and "sexy". Others have echoed his sentiments, comparing Lawler's music to disco in terms of attitude. Though he's often named a Tech DJ, Lawler says that he prefers not to fall under any particular genre. Lawler's music is House and Techno, but Lawler maintains that he is against the 1980s electro revival, describing it as "shit in the first place". Of the music Lawler plays, he is known to perform his own edited versions.Influences
Rather than any particular genre or musical groups, Lawler says that his brand of dark house is influenced more by "vices" and dark experiences. He does, however, claim his biggest inspirations as Depeche ModeDepeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
and The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
, citing their dark lyrics and atmosphere. Lawler says that the DJ that was most influential on him was Danny Tenaglia
Danny Tenaglia
Danny Tenaglia is a New York-based DJ and Grammy nominated record producer.-Early life:At the age of ten, Tenaglia first started to collect records. In 1979 he began going to nightclub Paradise Garage, where DJ Larry Levan's genre-less blend of music appealed to him...
, admiring his passion and dedication to DJ-ing and clubbers.
Selected discography
Albums- 2000: Dark Drums (Tide)
- 2000: Nubreed 003Nubreed 003Nubreed 003 is a house music mix album in the Nubreed series by Boxed. It is mixed and compiled by Steve Lawler.-Disc 1:#Crowt - Acidfire #Dan Robbins - DBD #Fresh & Low - Especiale #2 Boys 1 Girl - Twisted...
(BoxedBoxedBoxed was a record label which has released around forty mix albums from DJs such as John Digweed, Nick Warren, and Danny Howells. They are most known for their Global Underground series. After stopping releases due to financial difficulties in 2003, Global Underground Ltd...
) - 2000: Home (INCredibleINCredibleAn understating phrase often used when describing the most incredible person in the world Bonnie Sleeman, Bonnie is also commonly mentioned as the most amazing person in history, stunning, beautiful, and better than Ryan Pasfield. she is also known as Beautiful Bonnie and Super Sleeman.'INCredible...
) - 2001: Dark Drums 2 (Tide)
- 2002: Lights Out (Boxed)
- 2003: Lights Out 2 (Boxed)
- 2005: Lights Out 3 (Global Underground Ltd.)
- 2006: Viva (Ministry of SoundMinistry of SoundMinistry of Sound London, commonly referred to as simply Ministry of Sound or MoS, is a nightclub based in London, United Kingdom and an associated record label. It was ranked fourth in the 2010 DJ Magazine top 100 clubs poll 2010. As well as the nightclub in London, there is another in Egypt and...
) - 2007: Viva London (Renaissance Records, Ultra RecordsUltra RecordsUltra Records is an American independent electronic dance music record label. Ultra was formed in New York City in 1995 by former Polygram and Virgin Records executive Patrick Moxey, who is still currently the owner...
) - 2008: Viva Toronto (Renaissance Records, Ultra Records)
Singles
- 1999: Novacane - "Rainmaker" (Glow Recordings)
- 2000: "Rise In" (BedrockBedrock Recordsthumb|200px|Bedrock RecordsBedrock Records is an English record label for trance, house and techno started by Nick Muir and John Digweed.Its name comes from a nightclub in London that is also called Bedrock. Bedrock Records has released many singles from artists such as Astro & Glyde, Brancaccio &...
) (UK Singles ChartUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#50, BillboardBillboard (magazine)Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Dance Music/Club Play #15/Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales #41) - 2002: "Andante" (Bedrock)
- 2004: "Out At Night" (Subversive)
- 2005: "That Sound" (Beside Music, Joia Records)
- 2006: S.L.A.D.L.Y. - "Unicorn" (VIVa MUSiC)
- 2007: "Courses For Horses" (Renaissance Recordings)
- 2007: "Violet" (Viva Music)
- 2007: "Sleep Walking (Tsuba)
- 2008: "21st Century Ketchup" (Sci-Tec)
- 2008: "Femme Fatale" (Ovum)
- 2009: "Kalimba" (R&S Records)
- 2009: "Carnival" (Tanzbar)
- 2009: "Distrait" (Systematic)
- 2009: "Hocus Pocus" (VIVa MUSiC)
- 2010: "Almerina" (Harthouse)
- 2010: "Gimme Some More" (VIVa MUSiC)