Steve Tilston
Encyclopedia
Steve Tilston is an English singer-songwriter.
's group "Ship of Fools" (1988), who released one eponymous album on his label. In 1990 he was a session musician on Peter Bellamy
's album "Soldiers Three". By the 1990s he performed frequently with Maggie Boyle
, his on-and-offstage partner at that time. His 1992 album "Of Moor and Mesa" got very positive reviews in the States. This contained his compositions "SlipJigs and Reels" and "Naked Highwayman", which were later recorded by Fairport Convention
. In 1995 he formed Hubris Records. By 1999, he had separated from Maggie Boyle.
and Maartin Allcock. In 2003 there was a slight change of direction as he moved towards melodic jazz with "Such And Such", an album with saxophonist Andy Sheppard
. "Live Hemistry" is not a mis-spelling for "Chemistry" but a live album with many of his best songs, so-named because the live recordings are taken from the UK and Australia, thus from two hemispheres. The Tom Paine Society selected his song "Here's to Tom Paine" as their theme song. His song "Night Owl" was not only recorded by Dolores Keane
, but
was the title of her 1998 album. His songs have been recorded by Fairport Convention, Dolores Keane, The House Band, Peter Bellamy, North Cregg, Bob Fox, John Wright and others. His instrumental styles crosses classical music with Irish and English folk. He also plays an early 19th century instrument called an Arpeggione (bowed guitar). His daughter Martha Tilston
is also a professional singer, son Joe Tilston plays bass and sings for ska-metal band Random Hand
. He has been a tutor at summer camps. In 2007 "Reaching Back" was released. This is a box set of 5 CDs of his songs, with rarities and contributions from Wizz Jones
, Ralph McTell
and Coope Boyes and Simpson
. 2008 saw the release of another solo album 'Ziggurat'. He performed a 40th anniversary concert in Bristol on 23 September 2010 with guests Wizz Jones, Keith Warmington, Brooks Williams, Chris Parkinson, Maggie Boyle, Hugh Bradley, and his children Martha, Joe and Molly.
In 2010 Steve also began working with Yorkshire based band The Durbervilles, with a selection of low key live dates followed by work in the studio. The first fruits of the collaboration was a track on a Bob Dylan
70th birthday tribute album put out by UK label Fat Cat Records http://www.youngerthanthatnow.info. Since then Steve Tilston & The Durbervilles as a touring unit have appeared at various venues in the UK including Cropredy Festival 2011 http://www.fairportconvention.com.
In early Summer 2011, Steve released his new solo album "The Reckoning" on his own Hubris label. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/jul/21/steve-tilston-the-reckoning-review In October 2011, Steve performed 'Oil & Water' from the album on Later With Jools Holland
. He was subsequently interviewed by Jools Holland
"at the piano" and the pair paid homage to the late Bert Jansch
who passed away earlier in the month.
also maintains a folk music career as a solo artist.
In August 2010, it was reported that John Lennon
had penned a letter of support to Tilston in 1971, though it was never delivered. Lennon had been inspired to write to the then 21 year-old folk singer after having read an interview in ZigZag
magazine in which Tilston admitted he feared wealth and fame might negatively affect his songwriting. Tilston did not become aware of the letter’s existence until a collector contacted him in 2005 to verify its authenticity. “Being rich doesn't change your experience in the way you think,” Lennon wrote. It was signed “Love John and Yoko
.”
Early years
Steve Tilston was born in Liverpool and raised in Leicestershire. Tilston was a graphic designer before taking up music in 1971, living in Bristol at the time, where he recorded his first album "An Acoustic Confusion". In the early eighties he ran a folk club with Bert Jansch in New Kings Road, London. 1982's "In For A Penny - In For A Pound" was a rock album, but he soon reverted to quieter music. In 1985 he toured with Ballet Rambert, playing in the on-stage band for 'Sergeant Early's Dream' (and again when the ballet toured England in 2000-2001) as a guitarist and mandolin player. In 1987 he formed his own record label, called "Run River". He was a member of John RenbournJohn Renbourn
John Renbourn is an English guitarist and songwriter. He is possibly best known for his collaboration with guitarist Bert Jansch as well as his work with the folk group Pentangle, although he maintained a solo career before, during and after that band's existence .While most commonly labelled a...
's group "Ship of Fools" (1988), who released one eponymous album on his label. In 1990 he was a session musician on Peter Bellamy
Peter Bellamy
Peter Franklyn Bellamy was an English folk singer. He was a founding member of The Young Tradition but also had a long solo career, recording numerous albums and touring folk clubs and concert halls...
's album "Soldiers Three". By the 1990s he performed frequently with Maggie Boyle
Maggie Boyle
Maggie Boyle is a London-born Irish singer-songwriter.As a youngster she joined the Fulham branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. Later she became an events organiser...
, his on-and-offstage partner at that time. His 1992 album "Of Moor and Mesa" got very positive reviews in the States. This contained his compositions "SlipJigs and Reels" and "Naked Highwayman", which were later recorded by Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
. In 1995 he formed Hubris Records. By 1999, he had separated from Maggie Boyle.
As solo artist
He then joined"WAZ with Pete ZornPete Zorn
Pete Zorn is an American multi-instrumentalist who plays roots music. He is best known as a longstanding member of Richard Thompson's touring band, where he serves as backing vocalist and plays acoustic guitar, mandolin, saxophone, flute, and tin whistle.Although he frequently tours with Thompson,...
and Maartin Allcock. In 2003 there was a slight change of direction as he moved towards melodic jazz with "Such And Such", an album with saxophonist Andy Sheppard
Andy Sheppard
Andy Sheppard is a British jazz saxophonist and composer. He has been awarded several prizes at the British Jazz Awards, and has worked with some notable figures in contemporary jazz, including Gil Evans, Carla Bley, George Russell and Steve Swallow.-Biography:Sheppard was born in Warminster,...
. "Live Hemistry" is not a mis-spelling for "Chemistry" but a live album with many of his best songs, so-named because the live recordings are taken from the UK and Australia, thus from two hemispheres. The Tom Paine Society selected his song "Here's to Tom Paine" as their theme song. His song "Night Owl" was not only recorded by Dolores Keane
Dolores Keane
Dolores Keane is an Irish folk singer and occasional actress. She was a founding member of the successful group De Dannan, and has since embarked on a very successful solo career, establishing herself as one of the most loved interpreters of Irish song.-Background:Keane was born in a small village...
, but
was the title of her 1998 album. His songs have been recorded by Fairport Convention, Dolores Keane, The House Band, Peter Bellamy, North Cregg, Bob Fox, John Wright and others. His instrumental styles crosses classical music with Irish and English folk. He also plays an early 19th century instrument called an Arpeggione (bowed guitar). His daughter Martha Tilston
Martha Tilston
- Biography :Martha Tilston is the daughter of singer-songwriter Steve Tilston and stepdaughter of Irish folk performer Maggie Boyle. Trained as an artist and dramatist, she began her musical career in 2000 as an active presence in Britain's alternative festival scene, particularly as part of the...
is also a professional singer, son Joe Tilston plays bass and sings for ska-metal band Random Hand
Random Hand
Random Hand is a British ska band, formed in Keighley in 2002. Their sound fuses influences from many genres, including ska, reggae, punk rock, metal, hip hop and dub. The band is typically associated with the punk subculture, due to its ethics and lyrical content...
. He has been a tutor at summer camps. In 2007 "Reaching Back" was released. This is a box set of 5 CDs of his songs, with rarities and contributions from Wizz Jones
Wizz Jones
Raymond Ronald Jones better-known as Wizz Jones is an English acoustic guitarist, singer and songwriter. He has been performing since the late 1950s and recording from 1965 to the present...
, Ralph McTell
Ralph McTell
Ralph McTell is an English singer-songwriter and acoustic guitar player who has been an influential figure on the UK folk music scene since the 1960s....
and Coope Boyes and Simpson
Coope Boyes and Simpson
Coope, Boyes and Simpson are an English vocal folk trio, formed around 1990. Their sound is rich and often has unusual vocal harmonies.The group comprises singers Barry Coope, Jim Boyes and Lester Simpson, and almost all of their music is sung entirely a capella, although they have occasionally...
. 2008 saw the release of another solo album 'Ziggurat'. He performed a 40th anniversary concert in Bristol on 23 September 2010 with guests Wizz Jones, Keith Warmington, Brooks Williams, Chris Parkinson, Maggie Boyle, Hugh Bradley, and his children Martha, Joe and Molly.
In 2010 Steve also began working with Yorkshire based band The Durbervilles, with a selection of low key live dates followed by work in the studio. The first fruits of the collaboration was a track on a Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
70th birthday tribute album put out by UK label Fat Cat Records http://www.youngerthanthatnow.info. Since then Steve Tilston & The Durbervilles as a touring unit have appeared at various venues in the UK including Cropredy Festival 2011 http://www.fairportconvention.com.
In early Summer 2011, Steve released his new solo album "The Reckoning" on his own Hubris label. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/jul/21/steve-tilston-the-reckoning-review In October 2011, Steve performed 'Oil & Water' from the album on Later With Jools Holland
Later with Jools Holland
Later... with Jools Holland is a contemporary British music television show hosted by Jools Holland. A spin-off of The Late Show, it has been running in short series since 1992 and is a part of BBC Two's late-night line-up, usually at around 11pm to 12 midnight...
. He was subsequently interviewed by Jools Holland
Jools Holland
Julian Miles "Jools" Holland OBE, DL is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer, and television presenter. He was a founder of the band Squeeze and his work has involved him with many artists including Sting, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Who, David Gilmour and Bono.Holland is a...
"at the piano" and the pair paid homage to the late Bert Jansch
Bert Jansch
Herbert "Bert" Jansch was a Scottish folk musician and founding member of the band Pentangle. He was born in Glasgow and came to prominence in London in the 1960s, as an acoustic guitarist, as well as a singer-songwriter...
who passed away earlier in the month.
Other information
His daughter MarthaMartha Tilston
- Biography :Martha Tilston is the daughter of singer-songwriter Steve Tilston and stepdaughter of Irish folk performer Maggie Boyle. Trained as an artist and dramatist, she began her musical career in 2000 as an active presence in Britain's alternative festival scene, particularly as part of the...
also maintains a folk music career as a solo artist.
In August 2010, it was reported that John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
had penned a letter of support to Tilston in 1971, though it was never delivered. Lennon had been inspired to write to the then 21 year-old folk singer after having read an interview in ZigZag
ZigZag (magazine)
ZigZag was a British rock music magazine. It was started by Pete Frame and the first edition rolled off the printing presses on 16 April 1969...
magazine in which Tilston admitted he feared wealth and fame might negatively affect his songwriting. Tilston did not become aware of the letter’s existence until a collector contacted him in 2005 to verify its authenticity. “Being rich doesn't change your experience in the way you think,” Lennon wrote. It was signed “Love John and Yoko
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
.”
Solo albums
- An Acoustic Confusion (1971) (1997 reissue)
- Collection (1972)
- Songs From the Dress Rehearsal (1977) (2005 reissue)
- In for a Penny, In for a Pound (1982)
- Life by Misadventure (1987)
- Music of O'Carolan (1988)
- Swans at Coole (1990)
- And So It Goes (1995)
- The Greening Wind 1972 - 1992 (Compilation 1999)
- Solorubato (1999)
- Live Hemistry (2001)
- Such and Such (2003)
- Of Many Hands (2005)
- Reaching Back (5 CD Compilation) (2007)
- Ziggurat (2008)
- The Reckoning (2011)
With Maggie Boyle
- Silently the Snow Falls (1988)
- Of Moor and Mesa (1992)
- All Under the Sun (1996)