Steve

 

Steve started playing in bands in the 70's; inspired to pick up the guitar after seeing the Sensational Alex Harvey Band featuring the one known as Zal.

Steve debuted at a local youth club with his mate Steve Scott - latterly bass player with power-pop Manchester band ‘The Trend' and played in garage heavy metal bands like Warlord. His first serious gigs took place in the late ‘70's  in his native Manchester with founder members of the Manchester Musicians Collective, No Change. Other Collective luminaries were A Certain Ratio, The Passage, The Hoax, Durutti Column, Frantic Elevators (featuring a young Mick Hucknall) and Joy Division - later to become New Order.

The Collective held court at Manchester's famous Band on the Wall, where Steve would play gigs with No Change and legendary blues pioneer Victor Brox - himself in the original stage production of Jesus Christ Superstar and allegedly playing and recording with Hendrix, Alexis Korner, Aynsley Dunbar's Retaliation and a whole host of others. The lead guitarist in No Change - 'Nick Clarke' - went on to form the hard gigging Yes Sir, while Steve was asked to join the Frantic Elevators - "I didn't because they were crap". Amongst the high spots playing with Victor and No Change were playing Deeply Vale - the Glastonbury of the North - and extensive gigging throughout the North West of England.

Steve packed in playing for what seemed an eternity, such is domesticity and the reality of having to sell your guitars for a ‘better life' of home ownership and drudgery. Moving to York, Steve saw Zal play in the Sensational Party Boys - guitar time again!! This time around, with guitar worn very low in an East Village stance, saw the formation and leadership of a series of punk/pop bands including Ask Alice, Gunner Graham, Monodrone and HoneyTrap - the latter enjoying great reviews and a following through the North East - and supporting touring bands like the UK Subs, 999, The Lurkers, Crazyhead and The Godfathers. HoneyTrap's 'On the Town' CD is now sought after and rare to find - and the name was so good that a female duo stole it to use for some ill-fated attack on the Eurovision Song Contest - yes, they were that good! The Amplifires have been a long time coming but  Steve has, with Sharon, David and Ruth, formed a band to be proud of - a band formed to play original material, fast and loud together with an eclectic mix of covers which both excite and stimulate the band

Someone asked Steve recently why and how he managed to play the guitar so low and in his best Mancunian accent, often exaggerated to near Shameless proportions announced "Because I can!

 STEVE'S GEAR

Steve is a confirmed Gibson, Yamaha, Heritage and Marshall user. He thinks that effects are gay (apart from Bad Horsie Wahs of course). Here's the current line up:

  GUITARS

  • 1981 Gibson Les Paul Heritage Standard 80 Elite (main guitar);
  • 1978 Gibson Les Paul 'Standardised' Deluxe Gold Top - bought from Matt Davies (Funeral For A Friend);
  • 2000 Les Paul Standard - flame;
  • 2004 Les Paul Studio - black
  • 2002 Gibson 'Voodoo' SG - loaded with EMG's;
  • 1996 Heritage H535 - Antique Sunburst;
  • 1995 Heritage H535 - Natural - loaded with SD's;
  • 1979 Yamaha SG 1000S (second guitar) in cherry sunburst;
  • 1978 Yamaha SG500 in black;
  • 1978 Yamaha SA2000 in cherry;
  • 1982 Yamaha SA800 in black;
  • 200? Hamer special;
  • 2006 Taylor 110E - the cheap one but sounds and plays great;
  • Yamaha CPX8 - the Compass series with adjustable on-board condenser mic and undersaddle piezo;
  • Blundell Custom - 2nd guitar he made in March 1977 and at my mate Doug's house;
  • USA GUITAR #1 - Hamer Special -  flame top early 90's;  

USA Tour 2009 - Boogie, Hamer and Les Paul having a chat about the upcoming datesUSA Tour 2009 - Boogie, Hamer and Les Paul having a chat about the upcoming dates

      

     

AMPLIFICATION 

  • Marshall Mesa Boogie Nomad 100 combo, flightcased;
  • Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo head, flightcased;
  • Mesa Boogie Rectifier 4 x 12;
  • Mesa Boogie rectifier 2 x 12; 
  • Marshall 'Anniversary' 6100 valve head (blue 1992 issue), flightcased;
  • Marshall 'Anniversary' 6900A 4 x 12 cab (blue 1992 issue);
  • Blackstar HT Dual all valve pedal;
  • Mesa Boogie V-twin pre-amp - rack mount;
  • Marshall 6101LM combo;
  • USA AMP #1 - Mesa Boogie DC-5, 50 watt 1 x 12 combo, flightcased and residing in Pennsylvania awaiting the "Amplifires Scorch America (again) Tour" feted for September 2010.

OTHER

  • 2 x AKG rack ‘guitar bug' (green) wireless systems - 4 x bugs;
  • 1 x AKG SR40/GB40 (blue) wireless system - 3 x bugs;
  • Digitech GSP 21 rack effects (a bit silly really as I only use it for occasional reverb which my Dual Rectifier head does not have onboard - still, it fills the space in the SKB shallow rack);
  • Loads of custom printed Steve Clayton picks/plectrums - 1.52mm guage (before the Wah and the Digitech the only effects I used);
  • 2 x Morley 'Bad Horsie' wah (why?);
  • Morley 'Classic' Wah (wahay!!!!!!!!!!!);
  • Boss phase pedal; 
  • Various Leatherman tools and Maglite torches;
  • Cables everywhere - including spares;
  • Bits of string, brown paper and endless rolls of gaffer tape;
  • Purple ‘Lennon' sunglasses;
  • Auf De Maur wristband - lost somewhere in the USA, probably a souvenir for someone;
  • An answer for everything;
  • Attitude;
  • K&M Newcastle Brown Holder (chrome plated);

    • A D'addario pint pot - USA pint so only 16 fluid ounces;

  • Intelli-thing clip on chromatic tuner x 2;
  • Peterson Stroborack tuner;
  • Granite BMW K1200S for those "I must cross a continent" moments;
  • 2nd 'vocal' PA comprising 2 2x10" Martin Subs, pair of Logic mid/tops powered by cheapo Peavey PV2600 amps and run with an 8 input Soundcraft Spirit Live desk - a PA for those "must go in a car" moments.

RECORDING STUDIO

 This in my house. I live in a 250 year old weavers cottage in Derbyshire. The top floor has a compact recording 'studio' whilst allowing me to watch films - old video and DVD as well a TV. All the kit used to be by my front doow and was a pain in the arse to set up and take down. OK, the recorded stuff we have isn't the greatest yet but we are getting there and have learned not to trust other people/ So here's what The Amps have for the next album:

  • Alesis HD24 24 track hard disc recorder - we can do with 16 usually, not being Fleetwood Mac. Or Coldplay;
  • Alesis HD24 live recording - there is one in a mobile rack and yes, we have two;
  • Alesis ADAT XT 20 8 - track x 2 machines giving tape archive and a great interactive feel; 
  • Yamaha 2 x 31 band Graphic x 2;
  • Behringer 2 x 31 band graphic;
  • Yamaha 2 x 15 band graphic;
  • Behringer patch bay - help, how do you use these things!
  • Behringer Composer compressor/gate x 3;
  • Focusrite Trakmaster;
  • Focusrite Compounder;
  • Alesis XT - the original;
  • Alesis Quadreverb - the original;
  • Alesis Midiverb III; 
  • Alesis Midiverb IV;
  • Lexicon Alex;
  • Behringer Ultrafex - mastering;
  • Behringer Powerplay Headphone amp - absolutely great;
  • Sony JE-510 and Sony JE-520;
  • HHB CD-850R and Burn-it;
  • Alesis Monitor One's and RA150 power amp;
  • Arcam hi-fi; mission speakers and Pro-ject turntable;
  • AKG and Shure mics - Rode M3x2, AKG2000B, AKG3000, AKGD5 x 3, AKG D112, Samson Q Kick, Shure SM57 x 4, SM58, PM45 x 3, ATM Midnight Blues + others;
  • SE Reflexion Shield - vocal;
  • SE Reflexion Shield - instrument; 
  • SE Studio Boom Stand;
  • A couple of pop shields;
  • Sharon's Gonk aka 'Green Gimp Boy;
  • Loads of Cables;
  • Loads of Guitars;
  • Wall-hangings on the wall and, steady on now, wall hangings on the ceiling;
  • Uplighters from IKEA;
  • A bean bag - 70's retro vibe;
  • Wide screen tele, hard disc video recorder, VCR and 2 x DVD players - LG and Marantz.

 My top floor is a bit like a Panic Room, and there is more, I lock myself in with the Amps recordings when frightened & scare myself more. 

HOPES FOR THE FUTURE

The re-establishment of sustainable manufacturing capacity in the UK providing meaningful skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled 'real work' for people. The development of green industries and technologies in the UK so that we can lead the world by technical innovation rather than killing people. An end to the politically motivated destructive selfishness in our society that started in 1979 and persists to this day. Margaret Thatcher popping her clogs - if it means having to suffer bugger all on TV except snivelling psychophants - BRING IT ON!!!! And then Tebbitt. Oh, and "love in a peaceful world" as Paul Rodgers so wonderfully sang back in the 1970's.

 And please, please no more X-Factor or Big Brother! It is SHITE  - and, Hi Jack from KIC FM - so are The Pussy Cat Dolls!

 'Big Society' - another load of ideological SHITE - stop formal service provision to the people who most need it and are least able to pay for it to enable them to volunteer to provide services to the most needy and least able to pay for it. Get real and get the electoral reforms in - let's have a model of participatory democracy NOW!