Hiya,
A very happy new year to you all! I hope you had a wonderful Xmas and a fantastic start to 2018.
Reflecting on 2017, I was well lucky to be involved in so many interesting musical projects. As I’ve said many times before, I have the best job in the world.
Last year kicked off well with the Celebrating Bowie event in Brixton. I shared the stage with Bowie’s last touring band and other DB musicians; Mike Garson, Gail Ann Dorsey, Adrian Belew, Sterling Campbell, Mark Plati, Gerry Leonard and Earl Slick among others.
In November I joined Mike Garson on his first UK tour in his own right. I was on vocal duties, played ‘Aladdin Sane’ sax alongside saxophonist extraordinaire, Terry Edwards and even danced the rumba with the delightful Gaby Moreno as we duetted on ‘Let’s Dance’.
My own ‘Live & Personal’ shows in the UK and Spain were a highlight, naturally. I don’t mind telling you that I was somewhat nervous about these shows, having never done any After Dinner speeches let alone having to respond to whatever question aimed at me. So I’m extremely grateful to all the peeps who made the shows sell out. Ultimately the speaking bit was as much fun as it is chatting with my mates down the pub.
A massive thanks goes to my band, James Stevenson, Paul Cuddeford, Joe Becket, my son, Jaco Norman, my manager, backing vocalist and better half, Sabrina Winter and my promoter, John Tyrrell for all their hard work and for taking the pressure off me.
I’m very honoured that my live events are treated by my fans and friends as an excuse to meet up with each other and that they travel from all parts of the world.
The ‘Energy For Swim’ event in Rome, televised and streamed live from Italy was something totally different to anything I’ve ever done. Big shouts to Nunzio Ciccone and Luca Boselli for making this possible. Composing the music and performing it solo with my soprano sax was quite a refreshing challenge and made me focus more on that wonderfully expressive instrument. I will be utilising it more in 2018 that’s for sure.
A sunny weekend in Lytham had me performing three times in one day; firstly to the local people in Lytham’s town square with Paul McCormick, Ian Forbes and Sabrina, then at the festival with Living In A Box followed by a live DJ set with Rusty Egan, Simon Fish and Pav.
Not forgetting the other DJ set shows all over Italy with Claudio and Alessia Ciccone. There will be more this year so watch this space.
I had the pleasure of performing with my dear pal, Martin Fry and ABC, I wrote a few tunes and performed with another pal of mine, Nick Van Eede of Cutting Crew and wrote a few tunes of my own. A resolution for this year is to finish the recordings.
Back in September, I was banging out some classic T.Rex tunes with Tony Visconti, Marc Almond, Steve Harley, Holly Johnson, Neal X, Daphne Guinness and T.Rexstasy’s Danielz at the Shepherds Bush Empire in London. That was fun as I was a fan as a young teen.
A massive bucket list tick was applied when I was asked by Iggy Pop if I’d like to join him onstage for Real Wild Child in France (“Where are ya motherf*****?”). Big thanks to Tom Wilcox and Kevin Armstrong for facilitating that one.
I got to perform at the prestigious Elbphilharmonie concert hall at the Deutscher Radiopreis Awards’ after show party in Hamburg.
In November it was a joy to share some of my musical knowledge and experience at the BIMM (British and Irish Institute of Modern Music) college in Brighton. I very much enjoyed that masterclass and hope to repeat it at other BIMM institutes around Europe.
2018 has already started to come together. After an April ‘Live & Personal’ show in Madrid for Una Vida De Musica I will be performing with Steve Harley in Glasgow in May before I head off to London for three more ‘Live & Personal’ shows. More dates in the UK are in discussion as I write.
More than anything I want to thank YOU guys for your support. Without you I would not be doing this. And a big thank you to you, Lore Garay G Studio Designs, for all your amazing website, logo and banner designs that you have created for me so far.
Last but certainly not least I am very much looking forward to Spandau Ballet becoming whole again. The journey goes on…. #chaptertwo
So here’s to a year full of music and love. I wish you all the happiness in the world for 2018.
Much love,
Steve xx
