2000: The 1996 compilation cassette APHELION was released as a CD-R on Rob Andrews’s Transfer label (TRM7).
2001: The compilation cassette A CHANGE FOR THE DIFFERENT, originally released in 1991, was reissued as a CD-R on Rob Andrews’s Transfer label (TRJ 6).
In 2000, I began working on a follow-up to CONVERGENCE, continuing in a similar progressive rock vein. I had composed and prepared the material for recording a new album, which was to be titled SUNSETS OF SUMMERS PAST, when circumstances dictated a change of direction.
Owing to growing demand for more of my earlier cassette material, Cyclops Records decided that I should compile a follow-up to the RIDING THE STORM CD. This time, however, I decided to completely re-record and rearrange the selected tracks rather than simply reissue the original recordings. The resulting album, OPENER OF THE WAYS, was released in June 2002.
I also prepared a new, extended arrangement of LAST LIGHT for inclusion on that year’s Cyclops Sampler CD. Unfortunately, it was dropped at the final hurdle (again!), as the album was already exceeding its maximum running time.
OPENER OF THE WAYS
June 2002 | Cyclops CD | CYCL 123
(New recordings and arrangements of previously released cassette album tracks)
2002: The compilation cassette ESCAPE FROM THE CAGE VOL. 3: IMAGES OF INFINITY, originally released in 1993, was reissued as a CD-R on the Auricle label (AMSCDR 009).
ASHTAR
With Linda Hillman
2003 | Auricle limited edition CD-R | AMCDR 028
(Remastered version of Eye Tapes EYE 004)
2004: A previously unreleased track from my archives, recorded in 1978 and titled MOON DRONE, appeared on the Auricle CD-R ¿DRONSZ? (AMCDR 038), compiled by Alan Freeman.
2005: The alternative version of LAST LIGHT, originally recorded for OPENER OF THE WAYS but not included on the album, was briefly made available on the short-lived PORTALS IV album, overseen by Chris “Etherfysh” Christou. Rain, of CERULEAN BLUE fame, remastered the track.
DREAMFAST
I have long been a great admirer of the film composer John Barry. Throughout the 1990s, I had recorded several albums’ worth of material inspired by the spirit of his 1960s film scores, particularly their jazz influences and emphasis on melody, drama, adventure and mystery. Despite having accumulated a considerable amount of music, none of this material had ever seen the light of day.
However, a fortunate chain of events eventually provided me with the opportunity to realise my ambition of recording an album influenced by John Barry’s distinctive musical style.
In 2005, Lew Fisher, a founding member of the US-based Progressive Music Society, purchased my OPENER OF THE WAYS album, having been attracted by its cover artwork. Thankfully, he was not disappointed when he heard the music! Lew subsequently invited me to become a member of the society.
Shortly afterwards, a UK-based writer, singer, musician and producer named Rain also joined. Rain had previously released the critically acclaimed album CERULEAN BLUE, and we soon struck up a friendship.
Later in 2005, artist and film director Bruce Wood, President of Dreamfast Cinema, also joined the society. Bruce expressed an interest in establishing his own record label and signing new artists. I therefore sent him a demo recording of some of my John Barry-influenced music. Having enjoyed what he heard, Bruce suggested that I record an album as though it were the soundtrack to an imaginary film, and offered me a recording contract to bring the project to fruition.
Rain agreed to produce the album and, with financial backing from Dreamfast and the benefit of Rain’s contacts within the music industry, it was possible to bring together some exceptionally talented musicians to perform on the recordings:
- Iain Ballamy – Tenor and Soprano Saxophone. Iain received the BBC Radio 3 Award for Innovation at the 2001 British Jazz Awards and was also a member of Earthworks, the band led by former Yes and King Crimson drummer Bill Bruford.
- Gareth Davies – Flute and Alto Flute. Principal Flute of the London Symphony Orchestra and Professor of Flute at the Royal Academy of Music.
- Darryll Davison – Cello. Son of conductor Arthur Davison CBE.
- Phil Morgan – Viola and Violin. Former member of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC Philharmonia.
- Rain – Bass and Guitar. He also produced and mastered the album.
- Myself – Keyboards, Drums and Percussion.
By March 2006, my most ambitious album to date, THE WORLD OVER, was complete. It first became available for digital download in the United States in August 2006, followed by its release on CD through US retailers on 5 September 2006.
Unfortunately, the album initially encountered distribution and availability problems when the distributors went bankrupt. However, a new distribution agreement was eventually secured, and the album was relaunched on 9 January 2007.
Plans were also underway for a live concert in London to promote the album, but sadly these had to be abandoned when the financial backing fell through.
THE WORLD OVER
2006 | Dreamfast Cinema CD | DF003
In February 2007, Terry Hawke of Radio HFM 102.3 FM in the UK approached me to compose a theme tune for his Chill Out Sessions radio programme and live DJ performances. The resulting composition, HAWKETRONIQUE, received its first broadcast on Saturday 7 April 2007 and subsequently became the regular opening theme for DJ Hawke’s Saturday night show, remaining so until Terry’s retirement.
Linda and I were later invited into the HFM studios for a live interview on 5 May 2007.
Below: Terry and Steve in the HFM studio.
As well as being a DJ, Terry was also an author of several science-fiction narratives. In 2007, he suggested that I might incorporate some of his stories into one of my musical projects. I had already been considering a space rock-themed album for some time, and early in 2009 I began sketching out several musical ideas, laying the foundations for what would eventually become a new project – THE TRANCE DIMENSIONALS.
June 2007: I played electric guitar on four tracks on THE MYSTIC & THE MACHINE by the US-based Alpha Wave Movement. The album was subsequently released later that year on the Harmonic Resonance Recordings label (HRR 070901).
RA
My involvement with Ra can be traced back to 1988, when I attended Electronica in London. Land of Yrx were also performing at the event, and it was there that I first met their bassist, Rob Andrews.
At Rob’s invitation, I subsequently contributed to several compilation albums, and he later became signed to Cyclops Records himself.
In 2004, Rob invited me to play keyboards on a new project he was developing with guitarist and keyboard player David Groves. David had previously worked with Rob on his 2002 Cyclops album THE HOST.
Rob eventually decided to expand the project into a fully fledged group, with all three of us contributing to the writing and arrangements. With Rob on bass, David on lead guitar and myself on keyboards, the line-up was completed by drummer Dai Rees.
In December 2006, Cyclops Records released the CYCLOPS SAMPLER 6 CD, with a track LAST FAREWELLS from our soon to be released album WAKE.
RA – WAKE
June 2007 | Cyclops CD | CYCL 162
In January 2009, the second Ra album, RISING, was released. Rather than being a conventional follow-up to WAKE, it was a compilation of previously unreleased solo recordings by the members of the group, together with new versions of previously released material.
I contributed two solo tracks: OVER THE EDGE, which had originally been recorded during the CONVERGENCE album sessions in 1998, and a newly edited version of EYES OF JANUS, originally released in 1991 on the A CHANGE FOR THE DIFFERENT album.
RA – RISING
January 2009 | Cyclops CD | CYCL 169
ETHERICOM
In 2009, I established my own label, ETHERICOM, with the intention of making my archive recordings available to a wider audience.
My first release was my debut album, FROM DISTANT SHORES, originally recorded and released in 1983. It was issued in 2009 as a limited-edition CD-R (now deleted), featuring an additional 27 minutes of music comprising five previously unreleased tracks recorded during the same period as the original album.