Steve Lawler is the definitive DJ and producer, renowned as one of the world’s premier and most respected talents with an acute ear for a tune and a technical ability that is second to none. His rise to the top has been the result of pure talent and dedication to playing and producing the finest quality house music first. It's been a steady rise from the infamous 'motorway raves' of the early ‘90s, to his legendary residencies in Ibiza, Viva Harlem Nights at The End, and his Lights Out tours of North America. Lawler continues to build an ever-growing band of avid followers who
pack out any venue that bills his name. He is one of the most powerful touring brands in electronic music – period.
Steve Lawler used to avidly buy Depeche Mode records, which clearly put him on the path of electronic music. But it was Acid House that really turned him on. Tuning devotedly into a local pirate radio station gave Lawler a taste for house music, and it wasn't long before his mates were luring him off to warehouse parties. This would soon change his and millions of other people’s lives.
Lawler was inspired to put on his own illegal parties at the age of 17, in a disused tunnel underneath the M42 Motorway (1990 – 1994). These few parties became legendary throughout Birmingham (his hometown, and where he lives in the winter months) and across the Midlands,
but were soon stopped due to pressure from the police. This didn’t deter Lawler. Next stop Ibiza where Lawler has been every year since 1990. It was his residency at Cafe Mambo in 1995 which was his real breaking point, where he performed eight-hour sets, seven days a week, as
well as playing three times a week at Pacha on the roof terrace. It was there that he was spotted by Darren Hughes (then promoter of Cream, now We Love), who recognised his talent and ambition and signed him to Cream's DJ agency and with an immediate residency at the eponymous
Liverpool institution.
Following his residency at Cream, he launched his residency for Hughes at Home at Space in Ibiza in 1999, the place where his legacy was truly realised. Only two incredible years into his residency in Ibiza earned him the well-deserved title ‘The King Of Space’ and he began to get his
props both within the discerning dance press and the industry at large. With a solid fan base, a proven track record, legions of fans and his first compilation ‘Dark Drums 1’ locked down what he needed was a home in the UK, and that is exactly what he got. He set the capital alight with his weekly Friday night residency Deep South at Leicester Square’s multimillion pound super club Home London. The latter half of 2000 saw the timely release of his hugely successful Home compilation that epitomised his successful residency..
Steve Lawler fast became the DJ every clubber wanted to hear but he wanted a new home. The perfect solution came in the form of his own monthly Thursday night at Code in Birmingham, The Midweek Session, which quickly became establiashed as one of the most important club nights in the UK, where guests such as Danny Tenaglia, Sasha, Pete Tong, Carl Cox, John Digweed, and Laurent Garnier joined him behind the decks. In March 2001, Lawler then released his revered Nu Breed album with Global Underground.
Steve Lawler was by now touring North and South America, South Africa, Australia, Asia and Eastern Europe to great acclaim. Due to this workload, he decided to end The Midweek Session after 12 parties, ending on a high. His second Dark Drums compilation ‘Dark Drums 2’ followed in September 2001, further appeasing his worldwide fan base, being listed as Compilation of the Month in may publications, and also in many end of year polls.
In 2002, Lawler launched two new concepts around his distinctive sound. The first was his ‘Lights Out’ compilation series, released in the summer of 2002 with the follow-up ‘Lights Out 2’ hitting the shelves in late 2003. The third instalment ‘Lights Out 3’ (out October 2005) completed the trilogy in October 2005. ‘Lights Out 3’ was accompanied by Lawler’s most extensive US tour to date. The second Lawler concept Harlem Nights saw him make an eagerly anticipated return to London in 2002, with his own night - Harlem Nights at The End, which continues to provide the perfect setting for Lawler to unleash his six-hour sets. Harlem Nights, newly titled Viva Harlem Nights, is where Steve Lawler feels
completely at home as a DJ. It’s the umbrella for his sound, taking things back to basics and setting a vibe that keeps people coming back for more. As Steve himself states: “This is my baby, and a lot of my musical direction and inspiration comes from that night, from that crowd. I feel so comfortable from the second I walk into that room. Harlem Nights to me is one of the best parties in the world.”
Steve’s next chapter began in the summer of 2005 with Viva on the much celebrated new terrace at Space, Ibiza, Taking place on Thursday nights, Viva created one of the best atmospheres on the island. In 2006, Lawler was offered the chance to take the Viva brand to Pacha, hosting five exclusive parties including four with Pete Tong’s Pure Pacha this coming summer. The Viva brand is further supported with the launch of Viva – The Album, a new compilation series with Ministry of Sound Recordings. A triple CD cleverly titled Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, it reflects the sound of Lawler in 2006, including a special chilled CD featuring heartfelt minimal and leftfield sounds of the moment. It portrays a deeper side to Steve Lawler, and is already criticallyacclaimed. In addition, the cult merchandising Viva range will soon be available online.
It's not all about being a DJ though. Lawler's accomplished productions are favourites amongst the elite. His singles 'Rise In’ (2000), ‘Andante’ (2002), ‘Lost’ (2003), and ‘Out@Night’ (2004) prove that Lawler also understands how to work a crowd via production. More recently, Lawler has produced a range of new tracks in 2005 including ‘Souls On Ice’ (2005), a collaboration with hype production outfit King Unique. Other releases include Lawler’s ‘Illectronic Music’ (2005), and recent single ‘That Sound’ released by Joia Records from Sweden (August 2005), one of the most licensed releases of the year. Lawler’s most recent production is with Dino Lenny, under the SLADLY guise.
Lawler’s recent remix CV consists of his first step into the Hollywood film industry with his huge rework of the title music from Hollywood film The Skeleton Key. A multi-million box office hit in America, and a true Ibiza classic, as championed by Carl Cox and Pete Tong. Other mixes include Dido’s ‘Sand In My Shoes’ (Billboard USA Dance Chart number one), the second Shapeshifters single ‘Back To Basics’, and house classic ‘Reach for Me’ by Funky Green Dogs‘. And who could forget hearing his remix of Bombdogs ‘I Can’t Explain’ in Ibiza summer of 2004. Watch this space for a major remix in the first half of 2006. If DJing around the world, promoting his own nights, producing acclaimed mix compilations, and his prolific production / remixes is not enough, Lawler also runs and A&Rs his own record label: Viva Music. After closing down the physical labels Harlem Records, Harlem Trax and Harlem Electric, Lawler is the first major electronic artist to launch a digital-only label, thanks to an association with the pioneering digital arm of Universal. As a result, his imprint is responsible for signing the finest underground tracks from across the world.
Steve Lawler is a DJ who has never taken the easy path to success. A DJ whose passion for house music overthrows the boundaries of just playing records. From his mammoth sets in Ibiza to his tendency to re-edit half the tracks in his box, Steve Lawler continually proves his true
passion.
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