Steve Tilston

Steve Tilston (born 6th March, 1950) is an English singer-songwriter.

Early years

Steve Tilston was born in Liverpool and raised in Leicestershire. Tilston was a graphic designer before taking up music in 1971. 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 soonreverted 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). It was his skill as a guitarist and mandolin player, not as a dancer, that brought this about. In 1987 heformed his own record label, called "Run River". He was a member of John Renbourn'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 frequentlywith Maggie Boyle, his parter (on and off stage) 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 another record label, "Hubris Records". By 1999 he had separated from Maggie Boyle.

Solo again

He then joined "WAZ" with Pete Zorn 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, butwas the title of her 1998 album. His songs have been recorded by The House Band, Peter Bellamy Bob Fox 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 is a guitarist in ska-punk 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'.

Discography

* An Acoustic Confusion (1971)
* Collection (1972)
* Songs From the Dress Rehearsal (1977)
* 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)
* Solourubato (1999)
* Live Hemistry (2001)
* Such and Such (2003)
* Songs from the Dress Rehearsal (2005)
* Of Many Hands (2005)
* Reaching Back (5 CD Compilation) (2007)
* Ziggurat (2008)

Albums - Steve Tilston and Maggie Boyle.
* Silently the Snow Falls (1988)
* Of Moor and Mesa (1992)
* All Under the Sun (1996)

As a member of WAZ
* Fully Chromatic (1999)

References

* [http://www.getreadytorock.com/features/steve_tilston.htm Biography]
* [http://music.aol.com/artist/steve-tilston/27083/main AOL]