Steve Balsamo
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| Steve Balsamo | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Steve Balsamo |
| Born | 19 May 1971 |
| Origin | Wales |
| Genres | Pop/Acoustic/Folk Rock |
| Website | http://www.thestorys.co.uk |
Steve Balsamo is a British singer and songwriter, famous for his lead role on the London version of Jesus Christ Superstar during the mid-90s.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Steve Balsamo was born in Wales on 19 May 1971. His father, a chef from Venice, his mother Welsh. At school, Steve was dismissed from the choir, being told he could not sing. He channelled his creative leanings into art and attended art school to specialise in painting. At the age of 17, Steve once again started singing and songwriting again, forming several bands that toured pubs and clubs doing renditions of classic rock songs.
He had jobs that included a stint as a piano remover and working at Port Talbot steelworks - in between bouts on the dole - taken to support himself whilst gigging, Steve secured a place at Bristol University to study Graphic Art. He turned it down to accept a place at a local music college, where he played the role of Jesus in a production of "Superstar". In the meantime, Steve picked up a guitar, taught himself to play and continued to write songs.
Around this time, Steve attended a workshop in Cardiff run by The Prince's Trust for unemployed musicians. So successful was Steve's performance, that he was asked to open The Prince's Trust Masters of Music Concert at Hyde Park in 1996. The Who, Alanis Morissette, Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan were among those who entertained the 150,000 fans that day.
After a friend mentioned to Steve that Andrew Lloyd Webber was looking for a performer to play the part of Jesus. Seizing the opportunity to showcase his 3½ octave range voice, Steve was determined to get the part. Despite his lack of West End experience, Steve won the role of Jesus from the thousands who auditioned, leading to a memorable headline about the origins of the Son of God. On one television performance from the show he not only had Andrew Lloyd Webber weeping, but also managed to sell £160,000 worth of tickets to the show in half an hour. He won a Variety Club award for the role in 1997.
Steve signed to Columbia Records and started writing and recording his first album, “All I Am”, which was released in September 2002. The debut single from the album, “Sugar for the Soul” even cracked the UK Top 40, was a frequently-requested favourite on The Box music channel and led to a TOTP2 appearance for Steve. The second single from the album, “All I Am”, was Ken Bruce’s single of the week on Radio 2.
Steve returned to the stage in the French musical "Notre Dame de Paris. He then worked on Poe: More Tales of Mystery and Imagination, a new musical and an album by Alan Parsons Project writer Eric Woolfson, based on the life of poet Edgar Alan Poe. It premiered at Abbey Road Studios in 2003.
In 2004, Steve formed The Storys, a west coast influenced country rock band. They consist of Andy Collins (bass/vocals/songwriting), Dai Smith (guitar/vocals/songwriting), Alan Thomas (keyboards), Brian Thomas (drums/percussion) and Rob Thompson (guitar/vocals/songwriting). Dai Smith left in 2008 and was replaced by Rosalie Deighton.
Steve, along with Storys bandmate Rob and Rob Reed of prog rock band Magenta also worked on a progrock project called ChimpanA.
Steve is a prolific songwriter and has had hits in Europe and Australia with artists such as Meat Loaf, Anthony Callea, Jonatan Cerrada, Slash of Guns N' Roses. He has also sung on stage with the likes of Mario Frangoulis, Justin Hayward, Lara Fabian, Madeleine Peyroux, Glenn Hughes, Steve Harley and Jon Lord.
[edit] Theatre
- Eric Woolfson's Poe (Concert Performance) - Edgar Allan Poe
Venue: Abbey Road Studios, London (6 to 8 November 2003)
- Notre Dame De Paris - Phoebus
Venue: Dominion Theatre, London (May to October 2000)
- Jesus Christ Superstar - Jesus of Nazareth
Venue: Lyceum Theatre, London (November 1996 to September 1997)
- Les Miserables - Feuilly and understudied and played Marius
Venue: The Point, Dublin and Edinburgh Playhouse (1993)
[edit] Discography
- "Immortal" CD Single(Released: 2003 / Label: Sony)
Track Listing:
1. Immortal (radio edit)
2. Immortal (full version)
3. Tiny star
- "All I Am" CD Album (Released: 9 Sept 2002 / Label: Columbia) (Catalogue No: 5046292)
Track Listing:
1. Sugar For The Soul
2. All I Am Is You
3. How Can I?
4. Come What May
5. As Soon As I Can
6. Love Is The Word
7. Next Time I See Her
8. I Don't Know Why
9. Reverie
10. State of Grace
11. Fearless
12. Crying Shame
13. Hollow Tree
14. Don't Fade On Me (hidden bonus track)
- "All I Am" 5 Track CD PROMO Album Sampler (Released: 2002 / Label: Columbia)(Catalogue No: XPCD1394)
Track Listing:
1. Sugar For The Soul
2. All I Am Is You
3. State of Grace
4. Come What May
5. Love Is The Word
- "All I Am Is You" CD Single (Released: 2 Sept 2002 / Label: Columbia)(Catalogue No: 6730942)
Track Listing:
1. All I Am Is You
2. Stay
3. One Little Wish
- "All I Am Is You" 1 Track PROMO CD Single (Released: 2002 / Label: Columbia)(Catalogue No: XPCD2715)
Track Listing:
1. All I Am Is You
- "All I Am Is You" The Balsamo Project vinyl 12" Single (Released: 2002 / Label: Columbia) (Catalogue No: XPR3585)
Track Listing:
1. All I Am Is You - M*A*S*H Master Mix
2. All I Am Is You - M*A*S*H Club Mix
- "Sugar For The Soul" The Balsamo Project Vinyl 12" Single (Released: 2002 / Label: Columbia)(Catalogue No: XPR3525)
Track Listing:
1. Sugar For The Soul - Soda Club Mix
2. Sugar For The Soul - Soda Club Dub
- "Sugar For The Soul" CD Single (Released: 4 March 2002 / Label: Columbia)(Catalogue No: 6718552)
Track Listing:
1. Sugar For The Soul
2. I Fall Awake
3. Out There
4. Sugar For The Soul video
- "Sugar For The Soul" 1 Track PROMO CD Single (Released: 2002 / Label: Columbia)(Catalogue No: XPCD1393)
Track Listing:
1. Sugar For The Soul
