STEVELOUW

Steve Louw has been a prominent figure on the South African music scene for well over four decades. Since his 2021 comeback album Headlight Dreams and its follow-up Thunder And Rain, his reputation has started to go global. His new double album, Between Time, will further cement Steve’s position as a world-class songwriter and performer.

WORDS: Steve Yourglivch | PICS: Jacqui van Staden

Along the way, he has paid his dues, leading successful bands through the dark days of the 1980s in South Africa and forming Big Sky, whose album Waiting For The Dawn became a rock classic in South Africa. Steve also played a significant part in the amazing Rodriguez story, as documented in the award-winning film Searching For Sugarman, and collaborated with Brian May and Dave Stewart for the 46664 Aids Awareness project inspired by Mandela.

FROM BIG SKY TO HEADLIGHT DREAMS: A LONG HIATUS

I started by asking Steve about the big gap between the last Big Sky record in 2008 and the release of Headlight Dreams.

“Yeah, the last Big Sky album was when I was signed to Sony South Africa, but then the people there who championed me left. After that, I basically didn’t have a record deal, so I stopped making albums. Then Kevin Shirley suggested we work together again. We had always kept in touch, and he persuaded me to record again. The record turned out well, and I managed to get another deal through Sony. They liked what they heard, so I’m kinda back in the business!”

A Prolific Return To Music

It certainly seems that Steve is making up for lost time, releasing two well-rounded albums over a two-year peri- od and then following that with a twenty-track double studio album. I expressed my surprise at him releasing a double.

“I’m surprised too!” he laughed. “Some songs were before Headlight Dreams, others are new. Now I know the band I’m working with, so I kinda know how they are going to work out. We made Headlight Dreams, and three days later, lockdown happened, so I wrote a lot in 2020/21. When it came to sequencing the album, we kept going back and forth, so I felt if they didn’t get released now, they probably never would. I’ve spent a long time sequencing the four vinyl sides, and I’m really happy that we did.”

A Longstanding Partnership With Kevin Shirley

Kevin Shirley has been a significant part of Steve’s musical journey, and the two have known each other since the early ‘80s, long before Kevin became the go-to producer for Joe Bonamassa and other big names.

“I’ve actually known Kevin since 1980/81. Before he was a producer, we were in bands together. He’s gone on to have a phenomenal career. He produced The Killing Floor, the second album of my band All Night Radio, and the first Big Sky album Waiting For The Dawn.”

Kevin Shirley surrounded Steve with an amazingly talented group of musicians, most of whom have worked on albums with Kevin for other artists.

“You have to be well prepared. These guys are so good, it’s unreal. Greg Morrow on drums, for instance, is like a human metronome. It’s much easier now that they understand the music, and that reflects too. You need to catch the magic—it has to sound organic, not just session players going through the motions. That’s why I play it to them like a fully committed gig. If I’m not fully into my music, why would they be?”

The Themes Behind The Tracks

There are a lot of wonderful tracks on this album, not least the first single, Giants Walk The Land.

“There is some great guitar on that courtesy of Jim Moginie, who was a founding member of Midnight Oil. It’s a very spiritual track because it’s about the earth and what we are doing to it as people. The environment is important to me. I think the last 50 to 100 years have been cataclysmic for the planet.”

DIVERSE SOUNDS, UNIFIED VISION

The songs that make up the entire album are diverse— blues, rock, and Americana—but there’s no little skill in getting them all to hang together. I wondered about Steve’s writing process.

“Every song to me is a gift that comes from someplace. The key to writing a song is to be open to what’s coming into you and also to the music. Be a conduit for what the universe is sending to you. The songs manifest themselves to you, and then you can knock them into shape. You need your fishing line in the water!”

The Making Of Highway To The Sun And Killers

I asked about the closing track Highway To The Sun and the track Killers.

“What’s interesting about that is it’s very much a band song. It’s quite a simple song in parts, but it’s all feel. They trust each other to play, and Kevin’s role is equally important—capturing the magic, guiding it in a different direction.”

“The lyric Killers from the East they came without names was inspired by a piece in The New York Times about intercepted communication during the early days of the war in Kiev. It’s about how bad leaders dehumanise people, which happens throughout history.”

The Rodriguez Connection And Searching For Sugarman

Searching For Sugarman is one of the best music documentaries ever made in my opinion, and Steve played his part in the story of Rodriguez.

“It was great. My record company phoned me up and asked if I wanted to be Rodriguez’s backing band. At that point, he hadn’t played in over twenty years, and none of the band could believe it when I told them. The first show sold out with seven or eight thousand people crammed in. It was electrifying to be part of such a wonderful experience. The crazy thing was that it was really the movie that made him famous, even though the tour happened in 1997. The reason Rodriguez was so big in South Africa was that his records were played underground by people who were anti-apartheid.”

A Memorable Encounter With Joe Bonamassa

I found online a blog of yours—tell me about the first time Joe Bonamassa met you and played on your track.

“Yes, Kevin had forgotten to record a solo for Royal Tea, so Joe detoured his bus to stop by in Nashville to record the missing solo. Kevin just said, ‘OK, play something on this,’ and he pushed the record button on my song Wind In Your Hair. Just one take. Joe plays on the new album, on Cruel Hand Of Fate.”

Personal Tragedy And Musical Catharsis

Steve has also suffered tragedy in his life, with his brother Ardi losing his life at the time Steve was recording the breakthrough Waiting For The Dawn album in London.

“That night, Kevin and I flew to London to record some parts of the album with Robbie McIntosh and other musicians. My brother was flying back to South Africa from Taiwan when the plane exploded. I remember it as if it were yesterday—Kevin walking with me, with his arm around me. The album was put on hold until I could focus again. It was definitely a crossroads in my life. I’ve found music very cathartic—it might have focused me a bit more.”

Reflecting On A Remarkable Journey

Steve Louw’s journey from the heart of South Africa’s turbulent music scene to the global stage is a testament to his resilience, talent, and unwavering passion for music. With a career that spans decades and influences that have shaped both his homeland and the world, Steve continues to evolve as an artist. His recent work, marked by powerful collaborations and a deep connection to his roots, showcases a musician at the peak of his creative powers. As he looks to the future, Steve’s music remains a beacon of hope, reflection, and timeless storytelling, proving that his voice is as vital now as ever.