Steve Lawson (musician)

Steve Lawson
Steve Lawson performing live
Background information
Also known as SoloBassSteve
Born 1972
Origin London, United Kingdom
Genres Jazz fusion, loop music, world music, progressive rock, ambient music, new-age, experimental, doom metal
Occupation(s) Musician, journalist, teacher
Instruments Bass guitar
Years active 1993–present
Labels Pillow Mountain Records
Associated acts
  1. TORYCORE, Michael Manring, Trip Wamsley, Lobelia, Theo Travis, Calamateur, Daniel Berkman, Julie Slick, Roy Dodds, Patrick Wood, Neil Alexander, Murphy McCaleb, Jon Thorne, Jez Carr, Andy Williamson
Website www.stevelawson.net

Steve Lawson (born 1972) is a British solo electric bass guitarist and looper.

Based in Birmingham, UK, Lawson also regularly tours in the United States and Europe as a live performer. In addition to his own headline concerts, he has supported both Level 42 and 21st Century Schizoid Band as a solo act, shared bills with other solo performers (such as Michael Manring), worked as a third of the political doom metal band #TORYCORE, and performed and recorded as a duo with his wife, the American singer Lobelia.[1][2]

A vocal advocate for musicians retaining control over their own work and career, Lawson releases his music exclusively via his own Pillow Mountain label (latterly, through Bandcamp). His releases have included solo works and various duets and trios, all of which feature Lawson's signature technique of live looping (mingling multiple layers of both traditional and unusual sounds generated from bass guitar). He was one of the first three artists on Bandcamp to be offered the opportunity to trial their subscription service [3]

Lawson is highly active and visible on the internet, interacting with fans and other musicians and using web technology such as Twitter to promote his own career and the work of other independent musical acts. In addition to this, he is a music journalist and cultural commentator, regularly contributing to Bassist and Guitarist Magazine (as well as writing for The Independent On Sunday, Third Way Magazine, Bass Player and Bass Guitar Magazine, and frequently publishes essays and hosting discussions on various social media).

Lawson co-hosts a bass guitar forum with Michael Manring at talkbass.com and is a regular contributor to ScottsBassLessons.com and basschat.co.uk. He also teaches bass guitar in Birmingham. He is undertaking a Ph.D looking at how audiences relate to improvised music [4]

In 2015 Bass Guitar Magazine published an in depth interview with him about how he started playing bass, the equipment he uses and his career. [5]

Equipment

Lawson uses two Modulus 6-string basses, one fretted and one fretless. He uses a Looperlative LP1 for looping and a majority of his effects are provided by the two Lexicon G2 multi-effects processors.[6]

Steve Lawson now also uses an Elrick Steve Lawson SLC signature bass guitar. [7]

Steve also uses the following MOD Devices: MOD Duo processor, as well as MXR effects and Aguilar amps [8]

Discography

Solo albums

  • And Nothing But The Bass (2000)
  • Lessons Learned From an Aged Feline, Pt I (2001)
  • Not Dancing For Chicken (2002)
  • Grace and Gratitude (2004)
  • Lessons Learned From an Aged Feline, Pt II (2004)
  • Behind Every Word (2006)
  • Lessons Learned From an Aged Feline, Pt III (2006)
  • Ten Years On: Live in London (2010)
  • 11 Reasons Why 3 is Greater than Everything (2011)
  • Believe in Peace (2012)
  • What The Mind Thinks, The Heart Transmits (2014)
  • Closing In (2015)
  • The Way Home (2015)
  • You Guys! Let's Just Talk About Nail Varnish! (2015)
  • A Crack Where The Light Gets In (2015)
  • Referendum (2016)
  • The Surrender Of Time (2016)
  • Hands Music (2016)
  • Towards A Better Question (2017)
  • PS, You Are Brilliant (2017)
  • Small Is Beautiful (2017)

Collaborations

  • Conversations (2003) with Jez Carr
  • For The Love Of Open Spaces (2003) with Theo Travis
  • It's Not Going to Happen (2003) with Theo Travis
  • Calamateur v Steve Lawson (2007) with Calamateur
  • Live in Nebraska (2008) with Lobelia
  • Numbers (2008) as Lawson/Dodds/Wood (with Roy Dodds & Patrick Wood)
  • Slow Food (2010) with Trip Wamsley
  • Infralab (2010) with Trip Wamsley
  • Live So Far (2010) with Lobelia (wife)
  • Hidden Windows (2012) with Neil Alexander
  • Invenzioni (2012) with Mike Outram
  • Nothing Can Prepare (2012) with Andy Williamson
  • The Fingerpainting Sessions (2013) with Daniel Berkman a set made up of live concerts including
  1. Academia
  2. Accidentally (On Purpose)
  3. Everything is Possible in This Best of All Possible Worlds
  4. Free Fall
  5. ...Honestly, We Had NO Idea!
  6. The New Normal
  7. Nie mój cyrk, Nie moje małpy
  8. Serendipity
  9. The Sound of Being Understood
  • Diversion (2014) with Jon Thorne
  • Marinate (2014) with Julie Slick
  • Tangents (2014) with Murphy McCaleb
  • Explore (2015) with Ruth Goller
  • Live at the Tower of Song as Lawson/Edwards/Godfrey with Andy Edwards & Jen Godfrey
  • Winter Song (2015) as Lawson/Edwards/Corbett with Andy Edwards & Bryan Corbet
  • Ley Lines (2015) as Phi Yaan-Zek, Steve Lawson & Andy Edwards
  • Language Is A Music (2016) as Steve Lawson & Michael Manring
  • The Quiet After The Drums (2016 as Phi Yaan-Zek & Steve Lawson
  • Ley Lines II (2017) as Phi Yaan-Zek, Steve Lawson & Andy Edwards
  • Over Time (2017) as Steve Lawson & Andy Edwards
  • Intersect (2917) as Steve Lawson & Pete Fraser
  • Illuminated Loops (2017) as Steve Lawson & Poppy Porter - visual artist

Notes

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