Steve Blame

Steve Blame was MTV News Editor and Presenter between 1987 and 1994. During his time at MTV he interviewed all major pop stars from Madonna to McCartney. As the main on-air presenter spearheading MTV's pro-social campaigns Blame would also bring world leaders and religious figures to MTV. Gorbachev, Delors, Peres, and even the Dalai Lama would be asked to comment by Blame on the issues of the day. After leaving MTV in 1994, the former Mathematics and Physics graduate took up residence in Germany where he set up Viva 2. Under his direction the channel won the Gold Art Director's Award for its on-air design in 1996. Today Blame is an international screenwriter and TV format developer based in Cologne. His latest format 'Where is the Money' co-created with Eyeworks and 2STV was nominated for the Rose D'or award in 2005.

Education

Combined Honours Degree: Mathematics and Physics. Exeter University 1980Masters Degree: Screen writing. University of East Anglia 2006

Television Presenter

MTV News (1987-1994)

Presented MTV News Bulletins from the MTV studios in Camden and also on location around Europe.
MTV News at Night; 1987-1994Presented the daily news show. Location reports exploring local music scenes from Germany, U.K., France, Italy Spain, Russia, Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Turkey, Slovenia, Monaco, Sweden, Austria, Norway, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Finland, South Africa, Iceland, and Israel.

MTV's Pro-Social Campaigns (1992 - 1994)

Vote Europe: Live shows urging Europe's youth to vote in the European Elections. Interviews included Jacques Delors, Gorbachev, Dalai Lama, Shimon Peres and Gro Harlem Brundtland. [http://www.iht.com/articles/1994/05/30/lonbook_2.php]

MTV Free Your Mind 1992Live debate about the problem of racism in Europe with studio guests (Campino and Jean-Paul Gaultier amongst others). Filmed interviews included Wolfgang Schauble and Peter Hain MP.
MTV World Aids Day 1987-1994He spearheaded MTV's Aids Awareness campaigns on World Aids Day.
Take the Blame - 1988Weekly six part chat show with co-host Leigh Bowery. Guests included Jackie Collins, The Communards, Boy George, Adam West (Batman), Nina Hagen, Lenny Henry, Leo Sayer, Jean-Michel Jarre and Dolph Lundgren amongst others. The show contained sketches remaking famous movie scenes e.g. Casablanca, Superman and The Sound of Music. Was probably the campest show ever shown on MTV.
MTV's U.S. Video Music Awards (European version)Backstage host from MTV's Video Music Awards from the States. Interviews included Nirvana, Aerosmith, Mick Jagger, Whitney Houston, Annie Lennox, Lenny Kravitz etc.
Reverb - 1988Weekly review show co-presented by Chris Salewicz. This six part seriesr was replaced by Take the Blame.
Madonna in Milan etc.Interview specials: Madonna in Milan, Boy George, Sinéad O'Connor, McCartney and many more.

Viva 2 (1994-1996)

Presenter of Geschmacksache – a weekly format on Viva 2 where artists choose the videos which have inspired them the most in their careers.

Program Director/Executive Producer

Viva 2 1994-1996: Program Director, responsible for the building of Viva 2 in Cologne.
Tango TV (2002): Program Director, responsible for launch of Music Channel in Luxemburg.

TV Appearances

RTL Explosiv. Fronted alternative view features for RTL Saturday evening show incl. The Royal Wedding, The German Test and the Cannes Film Festival.

RTL2: 90s; Pop Sünde (Pop Sins) & 90s; The Pop Years. Appearance on German terrestrial network RTL2

Anniversary appearance on MTV Germany to celebrate 23 years of MTV.Also released on DVD

VOX: Kochduell: Appearance on daytime cook show celebrity version.

PRO 7: Charlotte Roche Show: Cameo role in spoof documentary on 'pop star` Dick Brave.

MTV Europe: 20 years of MTV Special, 2001.

ITV - Simply The Best – a music documentary about Tina Turner, 1992.

Book Contributions

Sue Tilly's "Leigh Bowery: The Life and Times of an Icon" (Hodder & Stoughton)

Article on Music Television for Buch der Musikwirtschaft (Moser/Scheuermann, Josef Keller Verlag)

Acting

30 e November, Swedish anti-racist movie Directed by Daniel Fridell. Plays himself.

Formats

Co-developed with Stefan Grebe and Eyeworks 'Where is the Money?'. Nominated for prestigious Rose D'or award in 2005.

'This Song’s For You' for arte, 1999

Performance

Wordyrappinghoods; Lyric reading of the world's most famous pop songs.With Christian Werner, Andreas Paul, Peter Pardeike & Prof. Robert Rose. Museum für Angewandte Kunst during electronic music festival co-pop in Köln, August 2005

Steve Blame reads William Burroughs: First multi-midia reading William S. Burroughs. With Robert Rose, Andreas Paul, Steve Blame & Christian Werner.Kölner Filmhaus, December 2004

Discography

Give Me Your Love (Je T'aime) 1993 with La Camilla of Army of Lovers.

Interviews

Abba (Benny & Bjorn), ABC, Paula Abdul, AC/DC, Ace of Base, Bryan Adams, Aerosmith, A-Ha, Marc Almond, All Saints, Adam Ant, Joan Armatrading, Arrested Development, Ashford and Simpson, Aswad, Aztec Camera, B-52s, Backstreet Boys, Anita Baker, Arthur Baker, Bananarama, The Bangles, The Beach Boys, Beastie Boys, Beautiful South, Jeff Beck, The Bee Gees, George Benson, Big Country, Black, Black Box, The Black Crowes, Blondie, Bon Jovi, Boney M, David Bowie, Boyz II Men, Billy Bragg, Herman Brood, Bobby Brown, Gro Harlem Brundtland (PM Norway), David Byrne, Cameo, Naomi Campbell, Can, Mariah Carey, Belinda Carlisle, Cher, Tansu Ciller (PM Turkey), Eric Clapton, George Clinton, Joe Cocker, Natalie Cole, Jackie Collins, Phil Collins, The Cummunards, Julian Cope, Cindy Crawford, Crowded House, The Cure, Terence Trent Dárby, De La Soul, Chris de Burgh, Deee-Lite, Jacques Delors (President European Commission), Depeche Mode, Dire Straits, Thomas Dolby, Jason Donovan, Candy Dulfer, Duran Duran, Sheena Easton, Echo & the Bunnymen, Enya, Erasure, Gloria Estefan, Eurythmics, Frank Farian, Bryan Ferry, Fine Young Cannibals, Fleetwood Mac, Frankie goes to Hollywood, Peter Gabriel, Galliano, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Bob Geldof, Genesis, Gipsy Kings, Gary Glitter, Mikhail Gorbachev, The Grateful Dead, Al Green, Nina Hagen, Herbie Hancock, George Harrison, Heaven 17, Hot Chocolate, Whitney Houston, Human League, Ice Cube, Ice T, Billy Idol, Iggy Pop, INXS, Iron Maiden, Chris Isaak, The Jacksons, Janet Jackson, Jesse Jackson, Joe Jackson, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Japan, Derek Jarman, Jean-Michel Jarre, Jesus & Mary Chain, Elton John, Grace Jones, Howard Jones, Quincy Jones, Kid Creole, B.B. King, The Kinks, Eartha Kitt, Lenny Kravitz, Dalai Lama, k.d. lang, Cyndi Lauper, Led Zeppelin, Level 42, Living Colour, Courtney Love, Dolph Lundgren, Paul McCartney, Madonna, Barry Manilow, Malcolm McLaren, MC Solaar, Meat Loaf, John Mellencamp, Metallica, Milli Vanilli, Liza Minnelli, Kylie Minogue, Moby, Motorhead, Alison Moyet, Nana, Neville Brothers, New Kids on the Block, New Order, Nirvana, Billy Ocean, Sinead O´Connor, Alexander O´Neal, Donny Osmond, Robert Palmer, Ru Paul, Shimon Peres (PM Israel), Pet Shop Boys, Pink Floyd, The Pretenders, Queen, Eros Ramazzotti, Chris Rea, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, R.E.M., Lionel Richie, Robbie Robertson, Rolling Stones, John Lydon (Johnny Rotten), Roxette, Run DMC, Leo Sayer, Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Scorpions, Shakespears Sister, William Shatner (Captain Kirk), Simple Minds, Simply Red, Sonic Youth, Soul II Soul, Spandau Ballet, Sparks, Specials, Jam & Spoon, Bruce Springsteen, Lisa Stansfield, Sting, Sharon Stone, The Stranglers, Talking Heads, Tears for Fears, 10CC, Tina Turner, U2, UB40, Underworld, Keith Urban, Midge Ure, Vangelis, Sven Väth, Suzanne Vega, Don Was, Julie Walters, Paul Weller, Adam West (Batman), Wet Wet Wet, The Who, Kim Wilde, Robbie Williams, Stevie Wonder, Yello, ZZ Top, ...

References