| Steve Anderson | |
| Background: | person |
| Birth Name: | Stephen John Anderson |
| Alias: | Steve Anderson |
| Birth Place: | Southend-on-Sea, England |
| Genre: | Pop |
| Years Active: | 1990–present |
| Label: | Universal Publishing |
| Current Member Of: | Brothers in Rhythm |
Stephen John Anderson (born 1969 in Southend-on-Sea) is a British musician, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his work with Kylie Minogue on her tours and albums, and as part of the production group Brothers in Rhythm. He has also worked on songs and albums for many recording artists such as Britney Spears, Westlife, Christophe Willem, Judie Tzuke and Susan Boyle.
Steve Anderson began his musical career at DMC Studios as one half of remix/production team Brothers in Rhythm with Dave Seaman. They went on to work with artists including Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Janet Jackson, Sting and Paul McCartney. Anderson's role at DMC was initially as an apprentice or, as he described it, "tea-boy creating some mixes for their subscription service". Anderson's first remix for Kylie Minogue under the DMC label was her 1990 disco single "Step Back in Time".
Though this remix was not officially serviced, it has been suggested that it later provided inspiration for the successful Harding/Curnow remix of the single.[1] Further, it would lead to Anderson collaborating with Minogue on her ballad "Finer Feelings" in 1991. Recalling the important influence of the band Massive Attack's music at the time, Anderson stated in an interview:
This led to production work for the Pet Shop Boys, Take That (including the number one singles "Never Forget" and "Sure") and Minogue's debut album for Deconstruction Records in 1994, including "Confide in Me", which he co-wrote and produced.[2] Extensively collaborating with Seaman, Brothers in Rhythm also had mainstream hits in their own right with "Peace and Harmony" (1990) and "Such a Good Feeling" (1991), the latter reaching number one on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. "Peace and Harmony" secured greater exposure when it re-appeared as the B-side to "Such a Good Feeling".[3]
In 1994, the follow-up to "Such a Good Feeling", "Forever and a Day", was released in the UK via Stress Records, with vocals from Charvoni, charting at number 51.[4] [5]
Around the time of the Brothers in Rhythm release "Forever and a Day", Seaman and Anderson featured on the first Kylie Minogue album since leaving her label PWL. The two co-wrote and produced the first single, "Confide in Me", which went to number 2 in the UK charts and signified a "reinvention" of Minogue's image and sound. According to Lee Barron, he felt the image of the music video was an example and opening of "Indie Kylie"; an image that later progressed through the work of her 1997 album Impossible Princess.[6] Brothers in Rhythm also produced four additional songs on the album—"Love Is Waiting", "Dangerous Game", "Automatic Love" and "Where Is the Feeling?". After the release of "Forever in a Day", Anderson and Seaman concentrated on writing, producing and recording Minogue's second album for Deconstruction Records/Sony BMG, Impossible Princess. Temporarily retitled Kylie Minogue in the UK and Europe following the death of Princess Diana, this was Minogue's sixth studio album, released on 22 October 1997 by Sony BMG and Deconstruction Records in Japan. Minogue had co-written all the songs on the album, with additional credits in production and composition; the album was also assisted by Dave Ball, Ingo Vauk, Brothers in Rhythm and Rob Dougan, among others.
The album received a polarized response from music critics. Commercially, the album reached number 10 in Australia, Scotland and the UK, but was certified Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for physical shipment of 70,000 units.
After the release of Impossible Princess, Brothers in Rhythm continued to collaborate, having their remixes on single releases by D:Ream, M People, Placebo, Garbage and Alanis Morissette.
While the Brothers in Rhythm never officially split up, the beginning of the millennium saw Seaman concentrate on his DJ career while Anderson consolidated his career in music production, song-writing and theatre.
Steve Anderson has written and co-written songs and produced music for recording artists including Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears, Markus Feehily, Holly Valance, Take That, Susan Boyle and Delta Goodrem.
After completing Impossible Princess for Minogue in 1997, Anderson continued to write with Minogue for the album that became Light Years. Recalling a sense of freedom during the early period of recording in 1999, Anderson states:Released in 2000 through Parlophone and widely seen as Minogue's comeback album, Light Years features three songs composed by Anderson ("So Now Goodbye", "Butterfly" and "Bittersweet Goodbye"). He also co-wrote "Dancefloor" and "Give It to Me" on the follow-up album Fever, which reached the number one slot in the UK, Australian, Austrian, German and Irish album charts and number 3 on the US Billboard 200.
Anderson also worked on songs for Britney Spears, including "Breathe on Me" for her 2003 album In the Zone and two unreleased songs ("State of Grace" and "Grow") originally intended for her album Blackout.
In 2003, he produced and co-wrote three songs for the Holly Valance album State of Mind, released on Warner Bros. Records. He also co-wrote and produced "Everything You Ever Wanted" for the English-Irish Pop girl group Girls Aloud's debut album Sound of the Underground.
In 2009, he produced "Talk Me Down" for the Irish boy band Westlife's Where We Are album. He also collaborated with Australian singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte on the song "Supersensual" for her number 1 selling album 1000 Stars. He co-wrote and produced the song "Entre Nous et le Sol" for French singer Christophe Willem's album Caféine, which was subsequently released as a single in 2010 with the English-language version of the album, Heartbox with the restored original title, State of Grace.
In 2010, he wrote and produced the song "I Will Reach You", which appeared as an album track on Westlife's Gravity album. In the same year he wrote the lead single to Spanish singer Edurne's album Nueva Piel, "Soy Como Soy".
In 2011, he reunited with Christophe Willem, producing his entire Prismophonic album.
In 2012, he also produced the English version of Willem's album, Love Shot Me Down. As part of Kylie Minogue's K25 celebrations, Anderson also produced The Abbey Road Sessions album, on which he co-wrote the single "Flower".
In 2013, he produced Susan Boyle's Home for Christmas album. In 2014 he produced Boyle's next album, Hope.
In 2015, he produced songs on Westlife's Markus Feehily album Fire and numerous songs for Kylie Minogue's Christmas album, Kylie Christmas.
In 2016, he wrote and produced Paola Iezzi's single "Lovenight". He also became heavily involved in the production, arrangement and release of new singer Harriet and her self-titled debut album. He also produced Boyle's Christmas album A Wonderful World, featuring covers of Madonna, Robbie Williams and ABBA songs. Anderson also produced Minogue's expanded re-release of her Christmas album, Kylie Christmas: Snow Queen Edition.
In 2018, he produced and wrote a couple of tracks on the solo debut album of Steps' singer Claire Richards. He also co-produced the debut album "Brave" by 15-year-old Beau Dermott with Cliff Masterson.
Though its chart performance was somewhat lackluster, a key success of Kylie Minogue's Impossible Princess era was her live tour Intimate and Live in 1998. Performing to sell out shows in Australia and London, Minogue selected Anderson as its musical director for all corresponding concerts. This relationship continues with Anderson providing essential arrangement production work for Minogue's On a Night Like This (2001), KylieFever (2002), Money Can't Buy (2004), Showgirl: The Greatest Hits (2005), Showgirl: The Homecoming (2006–2007), KylieX2008 (2008–2009), For You, for Me (2009), Aphrodite: Les Folies (2011), Anti (2012), Kiss Me Once (2014–2015) and A Kylie Christmas (2015–2016) tours. Outside his live work for Minogue, Anderson has scored the live arrangements for tours and shows by Westlife, Delta Goodrem, Leona Lewis and most recently Lush in October 2016.[7] He has also scored notable radio and TV shows including Live Lounge for Leona Lewis and Little Mix and An Audience with Kylie Minogue which featured a duet with Kermit the Frog.[8]
In 2007, alongside working on the Showgirl tour, Anderson and others from Kylie Minogue's creative team, including choreographer Ashley Wallen, vocal arranger Terry Ronald and creative director William Baker, opened their re-worked version of Jonathan Larson's musical Rent, Rent: Remixed at London's Duke of York's Theatre. The show starred Luke Evans, and Siobhan Donaghy as Mimi. While the show's stripped down adaptation drew criticism, Sam Marlow, theatre critic for the Times, stated:
The same creative team would reunite for several versions of The Hurly Burly Show, a burlesque revue playing at various West End theatres between 2010 and 2012, starring the British neo-burlesque performer Miss Polly Rae. The show was well received by theatre critics, with The Daily Telegraph Charles Spencer giving it a four-star rating, noting the quality of the show's musical numbers, while The Guardian Michael Billington praised its slick direction.[9] [10]
Three successful incarnations of the show led to further theatrical outings for Anderson. Collaborations to date include:
In 2014, it was announced that Anderson was working on a new musical based on the music of Minogue.[17] In September 2015 Minogue herself confirmed that the musical had "momentum" once again, after being "in talks".[18] A successful trademark registration by Minogue's family company from 2012 indicates that the musical's working title is Lucky: The Kylie Minogue Musical.[19]
Anderson is currently working on a new musical, The Most Beautiful Man In New York, with long time collaborators Ian Masterson and Terry Ronald.[20]
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [21] | IRE | FRA | US Dance [22] | US Dance Sales | ||||
| "Peace and Harmony" | 1990 | 94 | — | — | — | — | rowspan="4" | |
| "Such a Good Feeling" | 1991 | 64 | — | — | 1 | 14 | ||
| "Such a Good Feeling" | 14 | 27 | 50 | — | — | |||
| "Forever and a Day" | 1994 | 51 | — | — | 11 | 53 | ||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||
| Year (UK release) | Release | Artist | Format | Label | Song title(s) ! | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | "Make It On My Own" | Single | Make It On My Own | Writer and Producer | ||
| 1994 | Kylie Minogue | Studio album | Writer and producer[23] | |||
| Dangerous Game | ||||||
| Automatic Love | Producer | |||||
| Love Is Waiting | ||||||
| Where Is the Feeling? | ||||||
| "Confide in Me" | Single | Confide in Me | Writer and producer | |||
| 1995 | "Where Is the Feeling?" | Single | Where Is the Feeling? | Producer | ||
| 1997 | "Some Kind of Bliss" | Single | Love Takes Over Me (B-side) | Writer and producer | ||
| "Did It Again" | Single | Writer and Producer | ||||
| 1998 | Impossible Princess | Studio album | Writer and Producer[24] | |||
| Cowboy Style | ||||||
| Drunk | ||||||
| Dreams | ||||||
| Too Far | Producer | |||||
| Say Hey | ||||||
| Cowboy Style | Single | Cowboy Style | Writer and producer | |||
| Love Takes Over Me (B-side) | ||||||
| 2000 | Hits+ | Compilation album | Confide in Me | Writer and producer[25] | ||
| Take Me With You | ||||||
| Stay This Way | ||||||
| Did It Again | ||||||
| Automatic Love (acoustic version) | Producer | |||||
| If You Don't Love Me | ||||||
| Where Is the Feeling | ||||||
| "Spinning Around" | Single | Cover Me with Kisses (B-side) | Writer and producer | |||
| Paper Dolls (B-side) | ||||||
| "On a Night Like This" | Single | Ocean Blue (B-side) | Writer and Producer | |||
| Light Years | Studio album | Bittersweet Goodbye | Writer and producer[26] | |||
| Writer | ||||||
| So Now Goodbye | ||||||
| Single | Good Life (B-side) | Writer and Producer | ||||
| Santa Baby (B-side) | Producer | |||||
| 2001 | Studio album | Give It To Me | Writer[27] | |||
| Dancefloor | Writer and Producer | |||||
| 2002 | Single | Never Spoken (B-side) | Writer and Producer | |||
| Harmony (B-side) | ||||||
| Feels So Good | Studio album | Feels So Good | Writer and Producer | |||
| 2003 | In the Zone | Studio album | Writer and Producer | |||
| Studio album | Writer and Producer | |||||
| Curious | ||||||
| Roll Over | ||||||
| Sound of the Underground | Studio album | Everything You Ever Wanted | Writer and Producer | |||
| 2004 | You Stood Up | V | Studio album | Universal | Stop the Tears | Writer |
| Two Shots | Studio album | Don't Go Looking | Writer and Producer | |||
| 2006 | The Magic Roundabout Music from the Motion Picture | Soundtrack album | The Magic Roundabout | Vocal Producer | ||
| 2007 | Studio album | Entire album | Producer | |||
| Dentro Me | Writer and Producer | |||||
| Stay With You | Writer and Producer | |||||
| You Needed Me | Writer and Producer | |||||
| Live Album | Entire Album | Producer | ||||
| Dreams | Writer and Producer | |||||
| Writer and Producer | ||||||
| Writer and Producer | ||||||
| Various Artists | Compilation album | Kylie Minogue: Love Is The Drug | Vocal Producer | |||
| 2008 | Various Artists | Compilation Album | EMI | Kylie Minogue and Dannii Minogue: The Winner Takes It All | Producer | |
| 2009 | Studio album | Talk Me Down | Producer | |||
| Studio album | Epic | Supersensual | Writer and Producer | |||
| Studio album | Columbia | Entre Nous et le Sol | Writer and Producer | |||
| Live Album | Entire album | Producer | ||||
| Writer and Producer | ||||||
| 2010 | Studio album | Ain't Loved You Long Enough | Writer and Producer | |||
| Single | Please Stay (B-side) | Producer | ||||
| Heartbox | Studio album | State of Grace | Writer and Producer | |||
| Studio album | I Will Reach You | Writer | ||||
| Before It's Too Late | Writer | |||||
| Nueva Piel | Single | Sony Music | Writer | |||
| Moon On A Mirrorball | Compilation Album | Wrasse Records | If (When You Go) | Writer and Producer | ||
| 2011 | Cool | Single | Cool | Producer | ||
| Studio album | Si Mes Larmes Tombent | Writer and Producer | ||||
| Jamais Du | ||||||
| Ennemis In L.O.V.E. | ||||||
| Je Rejoins La Scene | ||||||
| Le Temps Qu'il Reste | ||||||
| Equilibre | ||||||
| Cool | Producer | |||||
| 2012 | Orchestral compilation album | Entire Album | Producer | |||
| Writer and Producer | ||||||
| Writer and Producer | ||||||
| Single | Writer and Producer | |||||
| 2013 | Studio album | Entire Album | Producer | |||
| 2014 | Studio album | Wish You Were Here | Producer | |||
| I can Only Imagine | ||||||
| Angel | ||||||
| Abide With Me | ||||||
| Imagine | ||||||
| Will The Circle Be Unbroken | ||||||
| Bridge Over Troubled Water | ||||||
| The Impossible Dream | ||||||
| Oh Happy Day | ||||||
| 2015 | Studio album | Harmoney Entertainment | Writer and Producer | |||
| Sanctuary | ||||||
| Only You | ||||||
| Love Me Or Leave Me | ||||||
| Wash The Pain Away | Writer | |||||
| Winter Stories | Harriet | Album | n/a | Entire Album | Producer | |
| Maybe This Christmas | Writer and Producer | |||||
| Studio album | Entire Album | Producer | ||||
| Writer and Producer | ||||||
| Oh Santa | ||||||
| Christmas isn't Christmas 'Til You Get Here | ||||||
| 2016 | 100 Degrees (Still Disco To Me) | Single | Parlophone | 100 Degrees (Still Disco To Me) | Writer and Producer | |
| Lovenight | Single | BMG Rights Management Italy | Lovenight | Writer and Producer | ||
| Broken For You | Harriet | Single | Brightstar Records | Broken For You | Writer and Producer | |
| First And Last | Harriet | Single | Brightstar Records | First and Last | Writer and Producer | |
| Harriet | Harriet | Studio album | Brightstar Records | Entire Album | Producer | |
| Afterglow | Writer and Producer | |||||
| What's Mine Is Yours | ||||||
| Broken For You | ||||||
| Can I Keep You | ||||||
| First And Last | ||||||
| Permission To Kiss | ||||||
| Unlove You | ||||||
| Love Will Burn | ||||||
| Fly | ||||||
| Whoever You Are | ||||||
| Studio album | It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year | Producer | ||||
| Santa Claus Is Coming To Town | ||||||
| Winter Wonderland | ||||||
| Only You | ||||||
| Stay Another Day | ||||||
| Christmas Wrapping | ||||||
| Wonderful Christmastime | ||||||
| I'm Gonna Be Warm This Winter | ||||||
| 100 Degrees | ||||||
| Let It Snow | ||||||
| 2000 Miles | ||||||
| Santa Baby | ||||||
| Christmas Isn't Christmas 'Til You Get Here | ||||||
| Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas | ||||||
| Oh Santa | ||||||
| Everybody's Free (To Feel Good) | ||||||
| 2017 | Christmas | Studio album | Harmoney Entertainment | Merry Christmas Baby | Producer | |
| River | ||||||
| Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas | ||||||
| This Christmas | ||||||
| Miss You Most at Christmas Time | ||||||
| O Holy Night | ||||||
| Silent Night (A Capella) | ||||||
| O Holy Night | Writer | |||||
| 2018 | Studio album | Forever Ends With You | Producer | |||
| On My Own | ||||||
| End Before We Start | ||||||
| Deep Waters | ||||||
| Liar | ||||||
| Brave | ||||||
| My Wildest Dreams | ||||||
| Don't Leave Me in This Alone | ||||||
| End Before We Start | Writer | |||||
| My Wildest Dreams | ||||||