Steve New

Steve New (16 May 1960 – 24 May 2010) was an English guitarist and singer, known for his/her work with a number of punk and new wave bands in the late 1970s and early 1980s, including Rich Kids with the former Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock. Born Stephen Charles New,^[2] in the 2000s he changed his name to Stella Nova and formed Beastellabeast, his last music group.^[3]

Biography

Born in London,^[4] he attended Quintin Kynaston School in St. John's Wood, London, and started playing with the London Jazz Orchestra at the age of 14. He came to attention with his connections with the city's punk scene at the age of 15 after being asked to audition for Sex Pistols as a second guitarist alongside Steve Jones ^[5] When Pistols' bass player Glen Matlock was ousted from the band, he invited New to join his new group Rich Kids alongside Rusty Egan and former Slik singer Midge Ure. He later played with Sid Vicious, Public Image Ltd, Iggy Pop, Chrissie Hynde, Kim Fowley, and a solo Glen Matlock whose last solo album, Born Running was dedicated to New,^[6] and featured his last recorded work.^[7]

A longtime transexual, in his later years he came out, and preferred to be known as Stella Nova. She was the composer/musician/producer in Beastellabeast,^[8][9] along with lyricist/vocalist Beatrice Brown.

Death

Facing terminal cancer,^[10] Nova played with a reformed Rich Kids in London in January 2010 at a benefit concert for her family.^[11][12][13]

Nova died on 24 May 2010, aged 50, leaving her children, Diva Atlanta New and Frank James Lightning Hopkins-New.^{[14][15][16][17]}

References

External links

• Beastellabeast's MySpace site
• Final Rich Kids concert, and photos