17 minute read
Analysis
from Preview of IQ104
by IQ Magazine
STEVE STRANGE
1968–2021
Renowned booking agent and X-ray cofounder Steve Strange has passed away after a short illness. He was 53.
The shocking news prompted numerous artist tributes, not just from his own clients but also from other acts, as well as friends and industry colleagues from around the world.
“We are devastated by the news of our dear friend Steve Strange’s passing,” said a statement from Coldplay on Twitter. “A giant of the music industry and the cornerstone for so many bands’ and artists’ careers, including ours.
“Never afraid to talk straight and fight for his artists, you always heard him before you saw him, and you knew you were in for a good evening. We spent a bittersweet hour with him last week. Despite his illness he was still taking calls and watching ticket counts.”
In addition to Coldplay, Strange’s roster included, among many others, the likes of Eminem, Queens of the Stone Age, Jimmy Eat World, The Charlatans, and Snow Patrol, the latter of whom wrote, “He had so many friends because he was so irresistibly loveable, positive, kind, passionate, generous, funny, and sincere.
“Sincerity [is] not always an easy thing to find in the business side of music (or any business for that matter) but Steve had it to spare. When Steve loved your band there was no one [who] loved it more. To picture a world without him in it is to picture a world so diminished. With less joy, less positivity, less optimism, less heart. Quieter, duller, and much less interesting. We love you, Steve.”
Indeed, Ed Sheeran, who was not a client, paid his own tribute, simply stating, “A very sad day, and a huge loss x.”
His death, in Los Angeles, was confirmed by the company he co-founded, X-ray Touring, on Friday, 24 September. “We have lost a legendary figure in our personal and professional lives that we will all deeply miss,” said the statement.
“Steve was a unique individual within our industry, his overwhelming love of music led to a 30-year-plus career guiding the touring of an eclectic mix of artists from all genres of music that he adored. A universally known, hugely respected and loved character – if you hadn’t already seen him at a gig or festival, you’d most certainly hear his infectious and infamous laugh.
“Steve had the best ears in the agency business, signing and developing the careers of countless world-class artists from small club venues to vast international multi-stadium tours.
“He will always be remembered with love by his friends and colleagues at X-ray and the world over.”
Born in Lisburn near Belfast on 17 April 1968, Strange was raised in Carrickfergus in nearby County Antrim during the troubles in Northern Ireland. At the age of 11, after his cousin took him to see UFO at Ulster Hall in Belfast, Strange’s love of hard rock was born, which saw him devote his youth to the likes of Rush, AC/ DC, Kiss, and Def Leppard.
His first band, Slack Alice, didn’t reach the heights its members had hoped for, so Strange found himself sitting behind the drums for a couple of cover bands before becoming part of the line-up for popular Belfast outfit No Hot Ashes in 1986. A record deal with GWR, thanks in no small part to Strange’s powers of persuasion, saw the band move to London a year later.
Strange later accepted an offer from Jon Vyner to join The Bron Agency and book some gigs. “I used to do [that] anyway – it was always left to the drummer to chase support tours and gigs,” he told IQ in 2009. Tapping up GWR’s Doug Smith to secure his acts occasional support slots with the likes of Motörhead and Girlschool, Strange worked tirelessly, making himself known around London’s gig circuit, making friends with bands, and offering to book shows. “I did a lot of analysing about how the business worked, and it was a steep learning curve. I was intrigued by it – how
tours were routed, why some bands played clubs not halls, etc. It was very exciting.”
Strange moved to Adam Parson’s Big Rock Inc, and then to Prestige Artists working with Clive Underhill-Smith and Rob Hallett, who was also his flatmate for a period. In 1992, Strange moved back to Northern Ireland to promote at the Limelight with Eamonn McCann. The move led to one of his biggest breaks when he discovered a trio of school kids, Ash, becoming the band’s agent and working with Rob Challice at Forward Artist Booking.
Feeling the need to work at a larger agency, Strange moved to John Giddings’ Solo, before another move to Fair Warning/Waster Talent where he met fellow X-ray founders Ian Huffam and Jeff Craft. Adding Scott Thomas and Martin Horne to the mix, the five individuals launched X-ray in 2005, fast becoming one of the UK’s most respected booking agencies.
Strange was renowned for signing and developing US artists. “I’ve always listened to American music, and a lot of the bands I liked when I was younger were from the United States,” he told IQ in 2018. His relationship with Interscope Records’ label head Martin Kierszenbaum and A&R chief Don Robinson led to an introduction with Eminem, who alongside Queens of the Stone Age became a cornerstone of an eclectic roster that included Coldplay, Maximo Park, Feeder, Snow Patrol, The Charlatans, Jimmy Eat World and more, many booked with long-time colleague Josh Javor.
Strange was a longstanding ILMC member, and in March had picked up the top agent award (Second Least Offensive Agent) in a special decade showdown at the Arthur Awards. Strange had topped the category twice before. He appeared in person to collect the gong at the Royal Albert Hall, thanking his clients, and “all the people at Team Strange and X-ray Touring who’ve all had a very difficult year, but we’re getting through it.”
More recently, in May, X-ray announced a strategic partnership with New York-based AGI, part of the Y Entertainment Group, which also includes UK agency K2. “I am personally excited and delighted by our renewed joint venture partnership with my good friend Ron Burkle and the Yucaipa group,” said Strange of the announcement. “I am also looking forward to our new strategic partnership with AGI in the US.”
In an emotional memorial at IFF on Thursday, 30 September, his X-ray colleagues paid tribute to him, along with many colleagues from around the world.
X-ray co-founder Ian Huffam joked that Strange would have enjoyed “the vast level of national press coverage his passing has generated.”
Josh Javor, who worked alongside Strange for the past 16 years, said, “I’ve learned a lot from him. He was just a wonderful, generous, and really genuine person who really loved what he did. He wasn’t cynical or anything like that and I am going to miss him a lot.”
Tributes to Strange began flooding social media as soon as the news broke. Amongst those, was CAA’s Emma Banks, who wrote that Strange was “a truly good and loving person without a bad bone in his body. The life and soul of every occasion, a music man to the core and dedicated to his clients, friends, and family. If you knew him, you will understand why everyone is devastated by his passing, and if you didn’t know him, you missed out big time.”
Siren Artist Management’s Adam Parsons said, “His talent and expertise coupled with his never-ending enthusiasm has made him one of the world’s leading music executives and one of the most loved beings I have ever known.”
Paradigm’s Rob Challice wrote, “His enthusiasm for music and life was contagious and inspirational. He changed the world around him. I can’t believe we’ll never hear that big laugh of his again.”
Fellow X-ray director Adam ‘Rad’ Saunders posted, “Friend, ally, mentor, and the single most influential person in my career. Steve was an irrepressible juggernaut of a person. Full of passion, talent, and a ridiculous laugh. I will miss him hugely. I can’t really imagine a music business without Steve in it. It leaves a hole so big it cannot be filled.”
Magazine 9 SUBSCRIBE HERE
NEW SIGNINGS & NEW MUSIC
LISTEN TO ’S ‘NEW MUSIC’ AGENCY PLAYLIST HERE
Each month, ’s partner agencies help us to compile a playlist of new music, much of it released by the new signings to their rosters. Among the tracks on October’s playlist are submissions from 13 Artists, ATC Live, CAA, ICM Partners, ITB, Mother Artists, Paradigm and WME.
HALF WAIF (US)
AGENT Nikita Lavrinenko
PlayBook Artists
GIULIA
TESS (UK/IT)
AGENT Ollie Seaman
Earth Agency H alf Waif is the project of singer-songwriter and producer Nandi Rose. The project – which blends pop, folk, and electronic styles into a layered and transportive sound – has been featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk series, in The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Pitchfork. She has toured internationally with bands like Mitski, Iron & Wine, and Calexico; and recently announced her fifth full-length album Mythopoetics with ANTI- Records.
Half Waif’s previous albums The Caretaker (2020), Lavender (2018) and Probable Depths (2016), garnered acclaim for their compelling journeys through solitude, desire, and the search for independence, while on new album Mythopoetics, she breaks the familial patterns handed down to her, transforming this source of pain into something bearable, beautiful, and celebratory.
Giulia Tess (aka Italy-born, London-based DJ and producer Giulia Campanella) started her musical exploits by first banging on the drums, before shifting the weight and hunger of new vibrations to the decks of the local clubs of the east coast of the Bel Paese.
In 2016, she moved to London where she embarked on collaborations with forward-thinking collectives like Femme Culture, Nervous Horizon, and More Time.
Her 2019 IENE EP received support from artists like Objekt, Mor Elian, Violet, and Scratcha DVA, while the track Watch How Mi Dweet featuring Logan was played at the Stella McCartney Winter 2020 Show in Paris.
In 2020, she collaborated with Nan Kolè on the Homemade EP, while also releasing her own Cattiva II / Nightmare EP, pushing her towards a more experimental sound. Indeed, her latest release, 200417, is an excellent example of her genre-pushing style.
Alongside her production projects, Giulia is a regular on the London club circuit and a resident DJ at Threads Radio. She has also appeared as a guest DJ on NTS, BBC Radio 1, BBC radio 1xtra, BBC Asian network, Balamii, and Reprezent Radio.
ARTIST LISTINGS
Agoria (FR) Ailbhe Reddy (IE) ANGRY BLACKMEN (US) Anna Prior DJ (PT)
Laetitia Descouens, Primary Talent Paul McGivern, PlayBook Artists Serena Parsons, Earth Agency Tom Manley, ATC Live Bawo (UK) Marlon Burton, ATC Live Beverly Glenn-Copeland (CA) Eleanor McGuinness, PlayBook Artists Big Image (UK) Matt Bates, Primary Talent Bondax (UK) Sam Gill, Earth Agency Bou (UK) Tom Jones, UTA Dana Dentata (US) Beckie Sugden, ICM Partners Daseplate (UK) Danny Misell, Earth Agency Dillom (AR) Felipe Mina Calvo, ATC Live Dowdelin (FR) Andre Marmot, Earth Agency Etaoin (UK) Angus Baskerville, 13 Artists Finnegan Tui (NZ) Matt Bates & Chris Smyth, Primary Talent Fumez The Engineer (UK) Max Lee, Earth Agency Gemi (UK) Danny Misell, Earth Agency Giulia Tess (UK/IT) Ollie Seaman, Earth Agency Half Waif (US) Nikita Lavrinenko, PlayBook Artists Hannah Watts (UK) Laetitia Descouens, Primary Talent Honeyglaze (UK) Liam Keightley, ITB Horsegirl (US) Will Church, ATC Live Hyd (US) Sally Dunstone, Primary Talent
HOTTEST NEW ACTS
SEPTEMBER 2021
THIS MONTH LAST MONTH ARTIST
1 - ROT KEN (US) 2 26 BMW KENNY (US) 3 14 RANCID EDDIE (AU) 4 - TRU CARR (US) 5 - YEAT (US) 6 17 CKAY (NG) 7 31 CHLOE (US) 8 47 A-WALL (US) 9 33 JVKE (US) 10 - TOM CARDY (AU) 11 22 BUJU (NG) 12 16 NAVOS (UK) 13 96 ANXIETY, THE (US) 14 1 MARCUS YOUNG (US) 15 - PIRI (CA)
PREDICTIONS FOR OCTOBER 2021
BER (US), CAPELLA GREY (US), MIKE DIMES (US), ARZ (UK), BIGWALKDOG (US) Artists not in the current top 15, but growing quickly J.I The Prince of NY (US) Johanna Warren (US) Joviale (UK) Joyeria (UK) KAVO (UK) Kid Brunswick (UK) Let’s Eat Grandma (UK) Loose Articles (UK) Lucy McWilliams (IE) MadeinTYO (US) Mechatok (NL) MJ Nebreda (VE) Naima Bock (UK) Opus Kink (UK) Otis Kane (US) Owenn (US) Podge (UK) SEB (US) Silky (UK) TAAHLIAH (UK) The Byker Grove Fan Club (UK) Tokio Myers (UK) Tom King (UK) Beckie Sugden, ICM Partners Caitlin Ballard, ATC Live Lucy Atkinson, Earth Agency Felipe Mina Calvo, ATC Live Sam Gill, Earth Agency Lola Mitchell, 13 Artists Steve Nickolls, UTA Graham Clews, ATC Live Sarah Casey & James Wright, UTA Sam Gill, Earth Agency Lucy Atkinson, Earth Agency Felipe Mina Calvo, ATC Live Liam Keightley, ITB Skully Kaplan & Steve Taylor, ATC Live Beckie Sugden, ICM Partners Rod MacSween & Kara James, ITB Mike Deane, Earth Agency Carlos Abreu, UTA Danny Misell, Earth Agency Sally Dunstone, Primary Talent Steve Taylor, ATC Live Angus Baskerville, 13 Artists Alice Hogg, ATC Live
Magazine 15 SUBSCRIBE HERE
The importance of Trust
Mark Davyd, CEO of the Music Venue Trust, reveals why the organisation hosted the closing party at IFF, underlining the importance of grassroots venues to the entire music ecosystem.
It might seem a bit odd for Music Venue Trust, the charity that acts to protect, secure, and improve grassroots music venues in the UK, to be hosting the closing night party of the International Festival Forum. Actually, it makes a lot more sense to us, and to you, than you might initially think.
Music Venue Trust has a pretty exclusive mission around the needs of live music venues at grassroots level, but that work doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Over the last 20 months it has become incredibly clear, if it wasn’t already obvious, that grassroots music venues are part of a vast ecosystem. If we think of that ecosystem as a car engine, in our view the grassroots sector is the ignition system. If we don’t have grassroots music venues, our whole industry has nothing to kickstart the rest of the engine with the essential constant high-voltage surge of new talent. All the shiny carburettors, radiators, and cam shafts are important, they do the work that moves us from point A to point B. But all of them will sit there idle if we don’t actually have anything that starts the engine in the first place. Large venues such as Glastonbury or The O2 might be the engine block of UK live music, but unless small venues like The Hull Adelphi, for example, emit a spark every so often we should be imagining a future in which they are sitting idle in a garage somewhere gathering dust.
At MVT, we particularly like this laboured and slightly bloated metaphor because we often get the response that the car is motoring along just fine. Which it is, or at least was. In the UK we have an incredibly successful £5.4billion [€6.3bn] a year industry that has been significantly exceeding any expectations across the world stage for almost sixty years. But that vehicle was already in motion, already started. Our concern has always been what happens to the whole engine if we let the ignition system disappear. Frankly, we have just seen it turned off temporarily by the Covid crisis. The problems that provoked are wide-ranging and will have a deep impact on our industry for many years to come. In the Covid crisis we had to deal with the very real prospect that 83% of all the grassroots music venues in the country could close and never reopen. The possible loss that represents of potential next festival headliners for everyone, not just in the UK but right around the world, should be enough to make us all pause and think again about the value of what we have at the grassroots, how interconnected all of us actually are.
When a grassroots music venue closes, it’s a disaster for the local community, which for us is enough of a reason to fight against it. But even if you’re not in that local community, and you don’t directly feel that loss immediately, you, the festival community, will feel it in the loss of potential talent in the future. Ask the artists you headline at your festivals where they started and why they started. Festivals need this ignition system as much as record labels, publishers, and streaming platforms. MVT has been fighting the cause of preventing venue closures for nearly eight years now. In that time, our work has increasingly become about the whole ecosystem. Not just the venues. The venues are the bricks-and-mortar spaces in which artists, crew, sound engineers, lighting techs, merch vendors, stagehands, promoters, bookers, agents, managers, and the whole ecosystem come together to deliver events. If we were clever and wanted to get access to all the public funding grants being thrown at tech companies, we would be calling them Co-working Spaces Fostering Micro-Business Development. Every part of our ecosystem leans on the ability of the others to work. Revisiting our car engine, any part of the mechanism that has grit in it or isn’t able to function properly is a challenge to all of us. It was before the crisis, and led to the creation of Music Venue Trust, and we’ve seen it magnified to terrifying levels during and post Covid. A malfunctioning part of our ecosystem impacts on all of us struggling within it.
Coming out of this crisis, MVT thought about these issues and forged a partnership with The National Lottery to create the Revive Live Tour. That programme offered support directly to artists, crew, agents, and managers to get back out and
Bob Vylan headlined the final night of MVT’s Revive Live Tour at IFF
playing in grassroots music venues. It’s easy to understand why we, as a charity concerned for the future health of the grassroots music venues, would create such a programme to benefit our own specific sector of premises. But the programme was about much more than that. It was about restarting the whole of our ecosystem, recognising that the people who make up a functioning version of it needed support to restart it.
Festivals, festival programmers, bookers, agents, promoters, the core audience for the International Festival Forum, are a vital part of the grassroots ecosystem. The person who operates the desk on a Friday night at a music venue in Cornwall has a portfolio career, which is formed by that work and the work they get from you, our partners at festivals. They need all parts of our ecosystem to be firing and moving together to restart their careers.
So we are delighted to be part of that story and to have joined you at the IFF this year. Our closing-night party, presented in association with our colleagues at Allianz, was a chance to see the type of artists we have been supporting to get back to the careers they love. We wanted to give you a chance to see the artists currently blowing up on the UK grassroots circuit that you should be thinking about for your festival line-ups next year. It was also a chance to have the type of networking and discussions that we need to encourage and have more of, between venues, festivals, agents, promoters, bookers, as we strive to work together to recover from this crisis. All of us, the whole ecosystem.
Magazine 17 SUBSCRIBE HERE
