User:Stevengreaves
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[edit] Steven Greaves
Born in Blackpool on the 21st July 1983. Steven grew up in Bispham, which is where he lived until the age of 19. He lived with his mother Sue, his father Steven Snr, older sister Nicole and younger siblings Robert and Cassie. Not forgetting the family dog.
At the age of 9, Steven was bought his first guitar by his father. He began learning classical, playing songs like Greensleeves, Foot-tapper, etc. He completed three grades, before he was dropped by his music teacher for his "attitude problem" - words that he would keep hearing throughout his life.
He then moved onto learn how to play the electric guitar. He was taught in a rehersal studio that his dad built in the back garden of their house. His then teacher was an elderly man called Alan, who used to give Steven songs to play, and would then spend the rest of the lesson circling items in his TV Guide, before falling asleep inhis chair.
He dropped his Alan, and found the guitar teacher who would stay with him for the next 6 years.
In high school Steven teamed up with a lad called James Ralph, and they formed the band Coastal. It was mostly Oasis covers and a few really bad original songs - one a blatant rip off of Breakfast At Tiffanys, with the lyrics changed to Bowling On Saturday. Steve had nothing to do with the song writing, but had everything to do with the bands split a few months later.
He took the best members, and formed a new band called System X, leaving James behind. James kept Coastal and got new members. The pair remained rivals for the duration of high school.
System X went through several line up changes, including the replacing of their clostrofobic drummer with Steven's little bother Robert.
Steven took on the role of songwriter, and produced some cheesey (yet still good for their age) tracks such as "As I Saw The Sun" "Dreamland" and "A Little Closer To Home." Michael Barrow, Steve's best friend at the time took on the role of singer/bass player. Also in the Band was Ashley Goodinson - a very talented all round musician who played the guitar for the group, and also did any of the keyboard work on the recordings.
On Steven's 14th Birthday his dad booked the band into a recording studio where they recorded their first tracks. Steven suffered from a problem called "Red Light Syndrome" it meant he fell to pieces when the recording light was on. To save time, a lot of the early recordings of the band featured Ashley playing both rytham and lead guitar.
The cassette was sent to the local radio station Radio Wave, and the band was invited to perform a live set.
This then led to their first gig on August 5th 1997. Every Tuesday there was a Jam night at a pub in Cleveleys called The Durban. System X became regular perfromers until the pub was forced to close due to complaints from the neighbours about the noise coming from there.
In 1995 System X went in competition against rival band Coastal for a spot on the channel four show Wise Up.
System X was successful, and featured on the show. Steven's dad, who had now become the bands manager put a lot of thought into branding the band. He kitted them out with sweatshirts and a big back drop. Jo Whiley reviewed their performance. She though the branding was over the top, however the music was good and they would one day be "coining it in."
Shortly after their appearance on Wise up, the band were performing in a working mens club in Blackpool - Steve Snr brought a long an older guy in his early 20's to watch the band play. He was called Dave Byrne. Dave was later brought to a band rehersal, one that singer Michael Barrow was not told about.
Dave spent the day with the band, singing and improving the songs. He later was brought in as the official singer of the band, pushing Michael out of the group, thus ending hi sfrioendship with Steven.
New songs were written including the fantastic "Friday" and "Running Away."
In 1998 the group entered the Rock Quest in the Blackpool Tower Lounge. However because the band members were so young they had to go on first, and leave immediatley after performing.
It was no secret that new lead singer Dave had a bit of a problem with drink and drugs. He was nowhere to be found on the night of the gig, and turned up moments before they went on stage, high as a kite and wearing his mothers jacket - which he later lost when he threw it into the crowd. That was not the only thing he lost that night - the groups performance was nothing short of sloppy and they didn't make it through to the final. They were also punished because Dave spent half the night swinging on the tower's lighting rig.
The bands manager put a hold on all public performances until the band "shaped up."
They spent the next year writing new songs and improving the bands image. The band also took on a new name "Angel Hill."
