Steve Lawler

Infobox Musical artist


Img_size = 150
Name = Steve Lawler
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born = Birmingham, England
Origin =
Instrument =
Genre = House
Tribal house
Occupation = Disc jockey
Record producer
Years_active =
Label = Harlem Records, Viva Music
Associated_acts = S.L.A.D.L.Y.
URL = http://www.djstevelawler.com/

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".cite web|url = http://dancemusic.about.com/od/remixersproducers/a/SteveLawlerInt.htm |last = Angelo |first = Gregory T. |title = Steve Lawler Interview |work = Metro Mix Radio reprinted by About.com |accessdate=2007-07-30] cite web|url = http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=389&IssueNum=23 |title= This Disco Rocks: Steve Lawler’s new mix-CD captures tribal house’s dark side |last = Romero |first = Dennis |date=2003-11-13 |accessdate=2007-07-30 |work = LA Citybeat] 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.

Biography

Steve Lawler originally gained interest in the music scene around the age of 16, listening to pirate radio stations.cite web|url=http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid416421199/bclid340457680/bctid392158750 |work=A3tv |title = DJ Profile: Steve Lawler |accessdate=2007-07-31] Beginning at age 17, Lawler staged a series of illegal parties in a tunnel under the M42 motorway from 1990 to 1994.cite web|url= http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:h9fqxqukld0e~T1 |title = Steve Lawler >> Biography |accessdate=2007-07-30 |last = Birchmeier |first = Jason |work=Allmusic] cite web|url =http://www.clubplanet.com/news/archive/steve_lawler_interview.asp |title = Steve Lawler Interview |date=2005-10-07 |accessdate=2007-07-30 |last = Rashidzada |first = Mira |work=Clubplanet.com] 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 Cafe Mambo of San Antonio "Sunset strip" fame.cite web|url = http://www.jivemagazine.com/article.php?pid=28 |title = Steve Lawler |date=2001-08-29 |accessdate=2007-07-31 |author = Jewels |work = JIVE Magazine] Here, he met Darren Hughes of the nightclub Cream, who signed him to a residency at Cream. In 2000, he released the single "Rise In" on Bedrock Records, which featured vocals by Prince Quick and reached #50 on the UK Singles Chart and #15 on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play.cite web|url=http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=9359 |work=Chartstats.com |accessdate=2007-07-30 |title= Chart Stats: Steve Lawler] cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:h9fqxqukld0e~T5 |work=Allmusic |accessdate=2007-07-30 |title=Steve Lawler >> Charts & Awards] 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.cite web|url= http://dancemusic.about.com/od/djs/a/IntSteveLawler.htm |work=About.com |last = Nelsen |first = Scott |accessdate=2007-07-30 |title=Steve Lawler Interview] Lawler returned to London in 2002 with the beginning of his "Harlem Nights" event at The End, which has since been changed to "Viva Harlem Nights" to reflect Lawler's label Viva.cite web|url = http://www.djstevelawler.com/LawlerPress/SteveLawler_Bio.pdf |work=Djstevelawler.com |accessdate=2007-07-31 |title =Steve Lawler Biography |date=2007-06-01] cite web|url = http://www.trancesound.net/divershtml/news/news/2007/interview_with_steve_lawler.html |work = Trancesound.net |date=2007-10-25 |accessdate=2008-09-06 |title = Interview with Steve Lawler |last = Lukacs |first = Cosmin] 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 CDs.

Musical genres

Lawler describes his style of house music to be "filthy" and "sleazy". Others have echoed his sentiments, comparing Lawler's music to disco in terms of attitude. Though he's often named a progressive house DJ, Lawler says that he prefers not to fall under any particular genre. Lawler's music often has elements of 1980s electro music and electroclash, 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.cite web|url = http://www.progressive-sounds.com/artists/Steve-Lawler/Steve-Lawler-interview-6-2002.asp |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070426164223/http://www.progressive-sounds.com/artists/Steve-Lawler/Steve-Lawler-interview-6-2002.asp |accessdate=2007-07-31 |archivedate = 2007-04-26 |title = Steve Lawler Interview |work = Progressive-Sounds |date=2002-06-01]

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 Mode and The Doors, citing their dark lyrics and atmosphere. Lawler says that the DJ most influential on him is Danny Tenaglia, admiring his passion and dedication to DJ-ing and clubbers.

elected discography

;Albums
*2000: "Dark Drums" (Tide)
*2000: "Nubreed 003" (Boxed)
*2000: "Home" (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 Sound)
*2007: "Viva London" (Renaissance Records, Ultra Records)
*2008: "Viva Toronto" (Renaissance Records, Ultra Records)

;Singles
*1999: Novacane - "Rainmaker" (Glow Recordings)
*2000: "Rise In" (Bedrock) (UK Singles Chart #50, Billboard 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)
*2007: "Courses For Horses" (Renaissance Recordings)
*2007: "Violet" (Viva Music)

References

External links

* [http://www.djstevelawler.com/ Official Website]
*Discogs artist|artist=Steve+Lawler
*MusicBrainz artist|id=ecef802a-5acb-4349-ac7b-b6de2c2106bf|name=Steve Lawler
* [http://www.troonik.com/r/3/155/steve-lawler.aspx Steve Lawler Tracklisting Archive]