Steve Ellis
Ellis in 2022
Background information
Birth nameStephen John Ellis
Born (1950-04-07) 7 April 1950
Edgware, Middlesex
Years active1965–present
Websitesteveellis.co.uk

Stephen John Ellis (born 7 April 1950) is an English rock/pop singer. His biggest success was with the band Love Affair in the late 1960s.

Early life

Stephen John Ellis was born in Edgware, Middlesex. When his career as a professional musician took off, he was working part-time at a Co-op.[1]

Career

Love Affair

When Ellis left his first band, the Clifton Bystanders, he formed his first band as the lead vocalist,which was called Soul Survivors, formed when he was fifteen.[2] The Soul Survivors formed into Love Affair in 1966, with Rex Brayley, Mick Jackson, Lynton Guest, and Maurice Bacon. A few months later, in early 1967, the band released their first two singles, including "Everlasting Love", a song that knocked The Beatles' "Hello, Goodbye" off the number one spot on British charts. Love Affair would go on to have more commercial success, with songs such as "A Day Without Love", "Rainbow Valley", and "Bringing on Back the Good Times".[3]

In 1967, Ellis and the band were arrested for climbing the statue of Eros at Piccadilly Circus.[4] They were each fined £12 for the crime.[4] Ellis later felt that Love Affair had run its course, and he left in December 1969 for a solo career: "We never really made it big anywhere but Britain and I think that if we had started to happen in America, I wouldn't have left".[5]

Widowmaker

Ellis subsequently had limited chart success with the rock band Widowmaker,[3] releasing the album Widowmaker in 1976. Widowmaker toured the UK with Nazareth, and in June 1976 joined the stadium tour, The Who Put The Boot In opening for leading rock acts such as Little Feat, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Streetwalkers and the headline act The Who. Ellis left the band after touring with Electric Light Orchestra, and with a new lead singer (John Butler), released their second album, Too Late to Cry in 1977.

Later career

In 1972 he formed the band Ellis,[3] a short lived partnership with keyboardist Zoot Money. Other members included ex-Peter Bardens guitarist Andy Gee; ex-Fat Mattress bassist Jimmy Leverton, later replaced by Nick South; and drummer Dave Lutton. The group released two albums, Riding on the Crest of a Slump in 1972, and Why Not? the following year.[6] In 1976 one of the most popular Serbian and ex-Yugoslav bands, Smak, covered his song "El Doomo" under the title "El dumo", and achieved great success with it.

He also sang on the soundtrack of Loot, a 1970 film based on Joe Orton's play, directed by Silvio Narizzano.

Ellis was performing briefly with New Amen Corner during 2013 and had an album with appearances by Paul Weller and Roger Daltrey out on Demon Records in 2008, entitled The Best of Days.[3]

Personal life

Ellis’ first band was called The Clifton Bystanders:[7] "My first band were called The Clifton Bystanders which was two Irish brothers from school on catalogue guitars and me on biscuit tins as my dad was having none of it when I asked for a drum kit on H.P. I was thirteen."

Steve currently lives in Brighton, England. Ellis was influenced by the Rock and roll of the 1950s, but was mainly inspired by rhythm and blues music:[7]

Discography

Love Affair

Widowmaker

  • Album: Widowmaker (1976)
  • Single: "On the Road"/"Pin a Rose on Me" (1976)
  • Single: "When I Met You"/"Pin a Rose on Me" (1976)
  • Single: "Pin a Rose on Me"/"On the Road" (1976)

References

  1. ↑ Redley, Simon (4 June 2018). "Love Affair's Steve Ellis: I Could Have Been Manager At The Co-op". Music Republic Magazine. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  2. ↑ "Steve Ellis Official Site". Steveellis.co.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Steve Ellis: Finchley Boy (Signed 10CD Edition)". Demon Music Group. BBC Studios Distribution. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  4. 1 2 Bushell, Garry (12 December 2021). "Steve Ellis never lost his everlasting love affair with music". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  5. ↑ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 208. CN 5585.
  6. ↑ Mulvey, Bob. "Ellis – Riding on the Crest of a Slump & Why Not?". The Progressive Aspect. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  7. 1 2 "INTERVIEW: Steve Ellis of The Love Affair". Gigslutz. 6 January 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
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