Steve Walsh (disc jockey)
Encyclopedia
Steve Walsh was a British
disc jockey
. He died following a car crash in Ibiza
, Spain
.
Walsh began his radio
career at the first soul music
pirate radio
station, Radio Invicta
, alongside his friend, the late Bob Tomalski
. From there he moved on to JFM (a London soul pirate station), where his style first began to shine through. Walsh also guested on Dave Brown's soul show once a month on BBC Radio Kent. He then decided that if he was to further his career he would have to be completely legal, and leave pirate radio. An opportunity came up at the new Independent Local Radio
station, County Sound in Guildford
.
He returned to London
with the launch of Radio London
's Soul Night Out. At the same time he was approached by Capital Radio
, having covered one Saturday on Greg Edwards's Soul Spectrum when Edwards was ill. This led to six months on Capital Radio with a slot in the small hours of Sunday. The two stations became uneasy about sharing the same DJ, and eventually Walsh went to BBC Radio London to host the Sunday 7-9pm show and later added a second slot on Mondays.
Although he made an impact in the radio world, Walsh will be best remembered for his live work in nightclub
s. His version
of The Fatback Band's "I Found Lovin'" was archetypal of the genre of 'South London Soul'. Walsh worked with Tony Blackburn
to bring soul music
to a wider audience.
Walsh died on 3 July 1988 after being injured in a car crash in Ibiza, where he was filming a music video
. He returned to London
where he underwent further surgery on his leg. He then suffered a heart attack
and died before returning to Ibiza.
His only publicly known relatives are Paul & Liam Gray (brothers-in-law) and Richard Lindsay (cousin once removed).
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
. He died following a car crash in Ibiza
Ibiza
Ibiza or Eivissa is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses. Its largest cities are Ibiza...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Walsh began his radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
career at the first soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
pirate radio
Pirate radio
Pirate radio is illegal or unregulated radio transmission. The term is most commonly used to describe illegal broadcasting for entertainment or political purposes, but is also sometimes used for illegal two-way radio operation...
station, Radio Invicta
Radio Invicta
Radio Invicta is the name of more than one radio station:*Radio Invicta, 1960s offshore station, later known as KING Radio and finally Radio 390*Radio Invicta , 1970s/1980s pirate station in London...
, alongside his friend, the late Bob Tomalski
Bob Tomalski
Bob Tomalski , was a "gadget guru",broadcaster, longtime proponent of radio broadcasting freedom and journalist....
. From there he moved on to JFM (a London soul pirate station), where his style first began to shine through. Walsh also guested on Dave Brown's soul show once a month on BBC Radio Kent. He then decided that if he was to further his career he would have to be completely legal, and leave pirate radio. An opportunity came up at the new Independent Local Radio
Independent Local Radio
Independent Local Radio is the collective name given to commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom. The same name is used for Independent Local Radio in Ireland.-Development of ILR:...
station, County Sound in Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
.
He returned to 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...
with the launch of Radio London
Radio London
Radio London may refer to one of the following radio stations:*A popular name for the BBC World Service in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II*The station now known as BBC London 94.9...
's Soul Night Out. At the same time he was approached by Capital Radio
Capital Radio
Capital London is a London based radio station which launched on 16 October 1973 and is owned by Global Radio. On 3 January 2011 it formed part of the nine station Capital radio network.- Pre-launch :...
, having covered one Saturday on Greg Edwards's Soul Spectrum when Edwards was ill. This led to six months on Capital Radio with a slot in the small hours of Sunday. The two stations became uneasy about sharing the same DJ, and eventually Walsh went to BBC Radio London to host the Sunday 7-9pm show and later added a second slot on Mondays.
Although he made an impact in the radio world, Walsh will be best remembered for his live work in nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s. His version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of The Fatback Band's "I Found Lovin'" was archetypal of the genre of 'South London Soul'. Walsh worked with Tony Blackburn
Tony Blackburn
Tony Blackburn is an English disc jockey, who broadcast on the "pirate" stations Radio Caroline and Radio London in the 1960s and was the first disc jockey to broadcast on BBC Radio 1 in 1967. In 2002 he was the winner of the ITV reality TV programme I'm a Celebrity.....
to bring soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
to a wider audience.
Walsh died on 3 July 1988 after being injured in a car crash in Ibiza, where he was filming a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
. He returned to 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...
where he underwent further surgery on his leg. He then suffered a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
and died before returning to Ibiza.
His only publicly known relatives are Paul & Liam Gray (brothers-in-law) and Richard Lindsay (cousin once removed).
Discography
- "I Found Lovin'" - UKUK 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 ...
#9 (1987) - "Let's Get Together Tonite" UK # 74 (1987)
- "Ain't No Stopping Us Now (Party for the World)" UK #44 (1988)