| Stephen John Pearce | |
|---|---|
| Born | 26 December 1962 |
| Labels | Some Bizzare |
| Associated acts | Soft Cell Marc Almond Einstürzende Neubauten |
| Website | Some Bizzare Records |
Stephen John Pearce, commonly known as Stevo, is the owner of British record label, Some Bizzare Records.
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Pearce was born in 1962 and came from Haverhill. He left school at sixteen without any qualifications and entered a work training placement with ‘Phonogram Records’. His mother purchased a mobile disco unit on hire purchase and Stevo began a Monday night residency at the Chelsea Drugstore in London’s Kings RoadTo get to the Drug store Stevo was given lifts by Tony Mayo. of Naked Lunch who would pick him up from his home in Dagenham.[1] These nights soon gained notoriety, due to Stevo turning up dressed in bizarre outfits or sometimes performing naked while playing tracks from the new, experimental electronic bands, such as Throbbing Gristle and Chrome.[1] Around this time he was banned from playing certain clubs due to his eccentricities. He was chased out of one club for just repeating “Yes hello, hello yes, it’s highly psychological”, and after mixing Mickey Mouse into Cabaret Voltaire at half speed. Other things that the public were not used to included playing six different records at the same time, causing a very intense sound.[2] After the residency at the Drugstore Stevo moved onto working a regular night at the Clarendon Hotel, Hammersmith.[1] The nights at the Clarendon were known as 'Stevo's Electro Tunes' where bands like DAF, Fad Gadget, Last Dance, Naked Lunch and Boyd Rice played.[1] At this time Stevo regarded himself as an anarchist in the music scene and felt it important for musical barriers to be broken down.[1] After these nights attracted interest Stevo was asked to compile an electronic music chart in the Record Mirror, soon followed by his ‘Futurist Chart’ in Sounds. He didn’t like the term ‘Futurist’ feeling the name was ‘a bit of a joke’.[1] The Sounds chart was filled with demos that were sent to him by new unknown bands.[1] In 1980, after realising he was receiving some very good material, he decided to put together a compilation album, the Some Bizzare Album.The was supported in this undertaking by Tony Mayo and Naked Lunch, which included driving Stevo to the homes of varrious bands to get them to sign up to the album. The cruical moment for the album was when Daniel Miller, Stevo and Tony Mayo discussed as to whether the album should be licensed to a major label or be an independant release. Tony Mayo was of the opinion that linking in with a major label would give the album wider distribution and have a greater impact
Stevo went on to sign some of the most important underground, alternative bands of the eighties. Stevo became notorious in the way he signed bands, especially with major records labels who knew how important the deal was to them.[2] CBS head Maurice Oberstein had decided to confront Stevo at a restaurant at a time that suited him. He was then told by Stevo that they would meet on his terms. The meeting was arranged at Tottenham Court Road tube station. Oberstein turned up saying that he had a car waiting. Stevo told him that he was late for the meeting so jumped on the tube to Trafalgar Square. Oberstein followed and the deal was signed in the early hours, in the pouring rain at Trafalgar Square.[2] Other eccentric record contract signings included Test Department’s deal which was signed on a rocking horse named Horace.[2] Stevo also was sent sweets every week as part of a deal with Phonogram Records. There is also the famous story of a teddy bear sent to a meeting; this was to clinch the deal for Soft Cell. The teddy was appropriately dressed as Robin Hood.[2]
Stevo Pearce has been involved with many artists and bands as their manager or through his record label Some Bizzare Records.
In July 1980 a meeting was arranged between the then unknown Marc Almond and Stevo. Almond arrived at the offices of Record Mirror, where the meeting was planned and discovered that Stevo did not actually work in the offices, but had passed by in search of a free ticket for a gig that night.[1] During the meeting Stevo discussed how he was deciding which band to manage, either Soft Cell or a London band called Naked Lunch, who later appeared on the Some Bizzare Album.[1] Marc Almond was impressed with Stevo who he is quoted as saying “had the gift of the gab” and was “immensely likeable”.[1] Stevo said that he was putting together the Some Bizzare Album which would include bands that “broke down barriers”.[1] He preferred to include undiscovered bands who he could then license to major record companies through his Some Bizzare label.[1] Stevo wanted to include Soft Cell on the Some Bizzare Album, he also wanted to manage the band.[1] After returning to his home in Leeds, Almond discussed the meeting with band mate Dave Ball. They both decided that working with Stevo is what they wanted. Stevo was only seventeen at the time.[1]
Depeche Mode were cautious when first approached by Stevo, they were indecisive about being included on a ‘Futurist’ compilation album. They first decided to take their demo tape to various other record companies, only to be rejected by everyone.[3] After a bad first meeting with Daniel Miller of Mute Records (Miller was in a bad mood due to a problem with some Fad Gadget artwork)[1] the door was left open for Stevo to include Depeche Mode on his Some Bizzare Album.[1] During an evening at the Bridgehouse, in Canning Town, Stevo chatted with Depeche Mode about his new label and compilation album; the band had been supporting Fad Gadget. It was decided that Depeche Mode would record a track for the Some Bizzare Album. Stevo had then recommended that the band work with Daniel Miller at Mute Records [1] In 1980 Depeche Mode went into an east London recording studio and recorded the track ‘Photographic’. Daniel Miller wanted to put a good track on the compilation album, but not their best track. Miller acted as informal producer on the recording of the Some Bizzare version of the ‘Photographic’ track.[1] The band set up their equipment in the studio and ran through some of their tracks live in the studio. ‘Photographic’ was recorded and mixed in one day.[4]
Matt Johnson , of the band The The, first came across Stevo after receiving a series of odd phone calls wanting him to support the band, Cabaret Voltaire.[5] Johnson was being offered to support the band in Sheffield. At first he declined due to there being no payment; Stevo insisted it would be good for Johnson’s career.[5] In the end Johnson agreed and travelled up to Sheffield in an old Ford Transit van, along with Stevo and another support band. The whole concert turned out to be a good experience for Johnson who, afterwards, continued to work with Stevo.[5] Johnson recorded an untitled track for the Some Bizzare Album. Around 1982 Stevo became Matt Johnson's manager and began looking to sign The The to a major record label[6] After the success of Soft Cell, in particular, Stevo began to have immense clout with the major record companies.[5] Johnson had released the single ‘Cold Spell Ahead’ on the independent side of Some Bizzare but later Stevo dealt with Decca Records who paid for Johnson to re-record the song with producer Mike Thorne in New York.[5] The clever thing that Stevo had managed to do was get Decca to pay for the recordings while still keeping ownership of the recordings. This was a good example of how Stevo dealt with the large major recording companies at the time.[5] After Johnson had completed the recordings Stevo began dealing with both Decca and CBS for a record deal. The deal famously went to CBS with a bizarre contract signing in Trafalgar Square.[5]
Stevo was for many years in a relationship with actress and presenter Cleo Rocos but he says their engagement ended. He says "It's like Cleo's in denial that our relationship ever happened. I can't understand why she won't acknowledge what we had. We were soulmates.Now I feel that she's betraying what we had."[7]