Steve O'Donoghue

News

 

Steve is currently in the studio recording new songs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy New Year - Welcome to 2011

 

Hello and Happy New Year to you. We at SOD have had a wonderful Christmas and are raring to go in '11. Steve has gigs planned throughout the year and is currently writing new songs. We figure he must have about 50 now but he still insists on 'getting it right' as he puts it. Firstly the news in January is that Steve will be playing the Verge in Manchester with Martin Stephenson on 15th. Martin recently invited Steve up on stage to sing at a gig which you can view here On January 31 Steve is playing the Octagon theatre, Bolton with Andrea Glass.

 

 

Steve is currently working in the studio with Andrew Goddard recording songs for the new Steve O'Donoghue album. Johnny Walker has also been released on an compilation album which includes the likes of Shack and Shellsuit. The album was made for the charity Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) and is out on Higuera Recordes.

Steve also recorded two songs for the television show Zeitgeist hosted by John Robb. We will post further details of when this is to be shown as soon as we get word.

For those of you lucky enough to have been at the Martin Stephenson concert at the Blue Cat Cafe, you would have seen Steve performing Holding on after being invited on stage by Martin. For those of you that missed it here's a link

 

Well after nearly 18 months away we have returned bigger and brighter than ever. We hope you haven't forgotten us, we certainly haven't forgotten you! Steve is opening for Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze) at the Manchester Academy on Thursday 25 February. Look out for more information on Steve in the next couple of days!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello, it's been a while we know but we're back now brighter than ever. Steve is putting the finishing touches to the new record and has some shows in the north of England before the end of the year. He is playing Matt & Phreds in Manchester on November 23 and Folk Me @ The Green Windmill on December 14. There is also a demo version of one of the new album track on the myspace site. You can access it through www.myspace.com/steveodonoghue

 

The summer is up on us and yes it's the summer festival. We at SOD happen to know that Steve suffers terribly with hayfever, which is why he can usually be found in dark rooms wearing anything from crash helmets to those plastic glasses that everyone was forced to wear in chemistry lectures.

However, we can announce that Steve will be out and about this summer with his antihistamines in a town near you! Please check the gigs page for more details.

On Friday 7 March Steve is performing at M19 Bar in Levenshulme as part of the Manchester Irish Festival, along with ODI and Claire Mooney. For more details please go here or download the flyer below ;

 

 

Happy New Year Everyone !

Bolton 2007

Sadly a number of gigs (and radio shows)have had to be cancelled due to Steve being unwell. We hope that these shows will be rearranged sometime in the near future and recommend that you email this site here if you require any further information.

 

Jan 08

Welcome back, we hope you are enjoying the start of 2008. For those of you that missed it there was a sneak preview of Steve's forthcoming album on myspace last week, but don't look for it now, it has been taken down. Not to worry though as the new album will be on sale later this year for you to purchase.

Steve has been enjoying playing a number of shows around the country including London where one of the nights was broadcast over the net. You can watch Steve's performance here

Steve will be playing tracks from his new album with Vicky Richardson on ALL FM in April. Please check back for details. There are also gigs planned throughout the UK and some European dates with Roomthirteen on the horizon. We will keep you posted as soon as we have more details.

 

December 2007

We can announce that Steve has a number of gigs in Manchester and Bolton in November. The gig at Horwich GC on November 2 has completely sold out. Returns only, so please contact the box office. For those of you that can't make it, Steve is playing the Witchwood on November 4 and 18.

Sloted nicely in the middle is a gig at Dimitri's, Deansgate, Manchester on November 15.

On of Steve's London gigs is available to view on the net LONDON If you enter Steve's name into the search area the gig is available to watch.

Please check the gigs page for all of Steve's London shows. For those of you that are not in London, one of the nights will be shown live on the internet. On Friday 12 October you can view Steve's performance by visiting HERE There are also a number of limited edition CDs for sale. The CD is entitled This Is Me. For more information please email us info@steveodonoghue

05-09-07 Steve will be playing a number of intimate gigs at Borders Bookshops in West Yorkshire and Warrington, up until Christmas. Please check the gigs page for details. We can announce that Steve will also be appearing at Freedom of Expression in London on October 12 and also The Green Note on October 14th. More London dates will be added soon, check the gigs page for details.

Work on the album grind almost to a standstill through July and August but we are told that the wheels are slowly starting to turn once more. Steve tells us the summer break was a frustrating time for him, mainly due tomany of the musicians working on the new album flying off in search of warmer weather!

For those of you living in the north of England, Steve is opening for George Borowski at the Moon and Sixpence in Glossop, Derbyshire on September 22. George is the famed "Guitar George" mentioned in the Dire Straights song Sultans of Swing and is an oustanding songsmith.

There are also two videos on Steve's myspace site produced by Bitrate. One of them is the Johhnie Walker from the Martha album, the other a new song "Loser"from the forthcoming album . Videos

 

 

 

 

 

 

07-05-07 New review of the Martha album by Bill Mitton for Armoury :

 

Steve O’Donoghue and his music are a bit difficult to pigeon-hole and that says a lot about him as a songwriter and a musician. Steve’s music sits comfortably on it’s own. If I was Ozzy Clark (the Wine Buff off the TV) I’d be saying things like “a cheeky young wine with hints of the Beatles, Jim Croce, and a, more than slight after taste, of Paddy McAloon from Prefab Sprout but with that added ‘unique’ O’donoghue touch which makes a musical wine of great taste and quality’. The Songs on “Martha” are all well defined descriptions of the human condition at both the personal and social levels. However they are also very, very good songs, sung with just the right amount of pathos, or wry humour, or as in the case of ‘Glass Houses’ a resignation that’s almost terminal. To revert back to the wine analogy Steve O’Donoghue’s music should, like fine wine, be sipped slowly to get the best from it.

22 -03-07 Wow, you'd be forgiven for thinking that we'd all left the country here at SOD. In truth there hasn't been much to report, although things are starting to move again now. Steve spent the last two months giging locally, while in the background we've been working like mad on some wider ranging projects. Steve performed a new song whilst out giging with our good friend George Borowski. (There will hopefuly more to follow regarding George soon). The song, "Holding On" will be on the new album, as Steve is in the studio on Saturday 31 March recording it! He then has a gig the very same night at The Star in Glossop, before going on holiday for a short family break. More news as soon as we have it!

12-02-07 Steve will be opening for Moore Marriot at the Octagon Theatre this coming Friday. Unfortunately, this gig has now sold out

02-12-06 It gives us great pleasure to announce the arrival of Alfie O'Donoghue, born today! Mother and baby doing well.

01-11-06 Steve's appearence at the Octagon theatre with Moore Marriot on Friday 3 November has sold out. After which Steve will be back in the studio continuing to work on the new album. Songs for the album so far include, Stars And Oceans, The Night I Murdered Love, Temporary Favours, Unwanted Gifts, Stainless, Loser, Vanitys Case, Like Lovers Do and What Would Life Be?

19-10-06 Tickets for the Lowry show this Monday with Martha Tilston, are selling very well. If you are planning to go we recommend that you purchase your tickets as soon as possible >here<

13-10-06 You can now buy selected songs by Steve O'Donoghue here

For tickets for the Lowry show with Martha Tilston, go here

28-09-06 Steve is booked to play The Lowery theatre in Manchester on October 23 and Bolton Octagon theatre Feb 16. Details to follow.

25-08-06 Steve will be recording for the Channel M television show 4 Manchester on September 7th. The day of the Martin Stephenson gig at the Witchwood. WHich is a huge coincidence, as the last time Steve performed for Channel M, he was playing the Manchester CS along with Martin

15-08-06 Steve is supporting Martin Stephenson at the Witchwood in Ashton Under Lyne on 07-09-06.

AlsoLondon gigs announced : Check Gigs page

07-08-06 New guestbook please drop by and say hello

29 - 07 - 06 Due to the overwhelming amount of spam the SOD guestbook has received recently, we have designed a new one which will hopefully be up and running by August. Please do pop along and say hello.

30-06-06 - Still in the studio throughout July but there are some gigs to tell you about including The Globe, Glossop, The Lloyds in Chorlton, Buskers Ball in Bolton, and the Dukinfield festival. Please check the gigs page for details.

 

Steve O'Donoghue Questions and Answers Session ! (Part 1)

Thanks to everyone that submitted questions. It has taken a while to trawl through them, but wwe've managed it! Thankyou to everyone that wrote in.

Q1 - Who is Martha? (Lesley, Portland USA)

Steve - I really like the name Martha, and I wanted the album to have an identity. I spent a great deal of time writing the songs, I suppose it became almost a companion, a mistress maybe! So I felt that naming the album after a girl was the best thing to do. A picture of my god daughter Olivia was originally going to be the front cover. It was a really cool shot of her on a porch in Australia, but the record company wanted to put me on the front. Martha was also the name of Paul McCartney's sheep dog, so maybe that had something to do with it!

Q2 - Are you married? (Yvonne, Ontario, Canada)

Steve - Yes, I've been married for three years. We got married in Scotland with both our families, it was a wonderful occasion. Then we had a pary for our friends back in Manchester .

Q3 - I had been meaning to ask you if your use of MySpace has so far proved to lead to a significant positive response on reaching people with your music when compared with your personal website, gigging and online publicity? (Paul, Portsmouth, UK)

Steve - MySpace seems to have significantly expanded my world in musical terms definately. The site was designed by Shontelle, a friend of mine. I didn't really know what MySpace was at that point. Now I get offers for marrage from Russian girls on a weekly bases, and the album sales are up too!

The great thing about MySpace I suppose is the fact that people can stumble across you almost accidentally and so in terms of marketing, it's fantastic. I'm not sure where it will all lead though, a friend of mine was telling me that some of the more savey A&R folk were just trawling MySpace looking for song hit size and taking it from there. Can you imagine A&R men stuck at home listening to music? I can't see it catching on myself, if they've no one to impress, or there's no free drinks in it.

I'm happy with the site Shon has put together though. There's a song off the forthcoming album up there and a video for England's Glory, all of which I haven't go on the official site.

Q4 - Is birds the finest of all custards , or have you tasted better ? (Ronnie, Oldham, UK)

Steve - I feel that for me, personally, nothing could ever come close to Birds custard. It's like HP and brown sauce isn't it?

Q5 - I've heard your new song Stainless, which I really like. Will the new album be stripped down vocal and acoustic songs? (Dagobert, Berlin, Germany)

Steve - Thanks, I'm glad you like it! There are a few different styles on the new album. There's a song called Scandanavian Girl which is hopefully a very catchy summer type song. There are a couple of psuedo jazz songs, a bit of Latin American (North of Engand style) and I think two voice and acoustic tracks, although I may be having some harmonica added to one of those songs. On the whole I'd say this was more of a band album than Martha, and I've managed to dig the electric out on a few occasions.

Q6 - What inspires your writing? (Jenniene, London, UK)

Steve - Lots of things excite me. Other peoples music is a massive sauce of inspiration I guess. In reality to me, it just seems to come, but when I hear a great record I think, wow I want to write something like that. I remember reading an article I'd done for a local paper and I was asked the same question. I told them I was inspired by people and their coversations on the bus, in a bar, you know ordinary type things. When the interview came out though, they made me sound like some sort of local voyuer who was listening to peoples private coversations on the number 53 or something!

Q7 - What is the new album called? (Scott, Chorlton, Manchester)

Steve - the new album is going to be called "Loser". Originally it was going to be called "Life Intimidates Art", but I prefer Loser. I think sometimes it's the things you lose that make you realise what you found, if that makes sense.

Q8 - When was the last time you cried? (Sally, Brighton, UK)

Steve - last night while I was watching the film Crash. It's scary how much fear and paranoia can do.

Q9 Where do you get your shirts? (Roydan, Bury, UK)

Steve - My favourite shop in terms of the amount of clothes I buy in it compared to anywhere else is Cecil Gee, either on Oxford Street in London, because the always seem to have big sales on, or the one in Manchester. I used to think that I never saw anyone wearing a shirt similar to me because they were quite expensive. Nowadays I realise that they just don't look very nice! I don't spend thousands on clothes, but I don't spend much money on anything else either. i used to like Chateauneuf Du Pape and spend quite a bit on that, but my wife put a stop to that!

I know that clothes aren't important to a lot of people and of course there's the old clothes do not maketh the man spiel, but I couldn't really afford them when I was younger and I had a lot of second hand things. Apart from underwear, that was always new.

Q10 Is the album nearly finished? (Susan, Liverpool, UK)

Steve - No, hopefully it will be finished sometime over the summer.

Part 2 coming next week

27-04-06

Please note that you can now buy Martha from Amazon

24-04-06

There is a question and answers session going to be uploaded onto the site on May 1st. If you have a question that you would like Steve to answer, then email the website question@steveodonoghue.com

 

18-04-06

The video for Englands Glory is now available to watch click here

02-04-06

There is a new song on the myspace website. The song is called "STAINLESS" and is from the new album.

www.myspace.com/steveodonoghue

27-03-06

Martha is available through Tower Records http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=CDB0630550012

25-03-06

Martha is once again available to buy in America at CDBaby http://cdbaby.com/cd/odonoghue

12-03-06

Steve has been confirmed for the Chorlton Arts Festival this summer

01-03-06

Steve has been confirmed for the Buxton Festival on Saturday 11 March. Also the new album now has a title: "Life Intimidates Art" The album, we hope, will be finished by the summer. (Steve is going to the Far East in May and wants it completed by then)

The running order has now changed to:

SCANDANAVIAN GIRL
TEMPORARY FAVOURS

LOVE SOURS LIFE
SOMEONE ELSE'S SHOES
THAT STUFF
THE NIGHT I MURDERED LOVE
SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL
THE SPACE YOU LEFT BEHIND
LIKE LOVERS DO
LITTLE ONE
CLOSE AND TRUE
LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN
STARS AND OCEANS
STAINLESS

 

 

 

The new Steve O'Donoghue album is as yet untitled, but we do have a track listing:

LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN
THAT STUFF
FRIEND
SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL
STARS AND OCEANS
LIKE LOVERS DO
THE NIGHT I MURDERED LOVE
THE SPACE YOU LEFT BEHIND
STAINLESS STEPHEN
SAVE YOUR SKIN
FRACTURED MOON
DREAMER
LITTLE ONE

Things are starting to build with regards live shows, and Steve will be out and about during February, playing some of the new songs from the forthcoming album. There is also a live radio session for Stereo Graffiti being recorded on Wednesday 31 January.

Happy New Year to everyone.

The is an unofficial Steve O'Donoghue site which now has songs uploaded for you to listen to: just go to Steve O'Donoghue . Please visit this great site put together by the wonderful Shontele in Swansea.

15-12-05

Happy Christmas from everyone at SOD.com. A couple of gigs to tell you about :

Wednesday 21 December The Moon and Sixpense Glossop. Steve will be be performing along with Roomthirteen, David Gordon, Dominic Collins, Darren Poyzer and more tbc.

Wednesday 28 December The Globe, Glossop. Steve is supporting Mike Sanchez When he is not performing and recording on his own, the pianist is fronting former Stones’ Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings. Last year, Mike was voted UK’s Keyboard Player of the Year for the fourth year running by the magazine, Blues In Britain.

05-12-05

The building in Liverpool where the famous Parr Street Studios (http://www.parrstreet.co.uk/) is based is currently under threat of being demolished. They want to build more flats. The members of 3345 (the bar associated with the studios) have been asked to send the following email to stephen.munby@liverpool.gov.uk by way of petition. It'd be much appreciated if you too could add to the petitioning numbers and do the same. Feel free to pass this on and request the same of your friends, family and colleagues. Thank you.

PETITION: SAVE PARR STREET STUDIOS
We, the undersigned, recognise the important contribution of the Parr Street Studios to the cultural life of the city. We believe current proposals before the Planning Committee proposing to replace the Studios with flats would seriously undermine the future regeneration of the Ropewalks Area and in particular the promotion of cultural and arts industries in the area and the maintenance of high design standards. The loss of the Parr Street Studios would seriously weaken Liverpool’s offer in the run up to 2008.

We therefore call on the Planning Committee to delay determining the application to allow sufficient time for efforts to bring forward alternative proposals to protect and enhance current uses. We call on the existing owners to withdraw the current planning application and support the ideas of existing tenants to develop the Studios’ future as a cultural resource for the city.

 

01-12-05

The Manchester Magazine City Life has issued a statement saying it will cease publication after December 7th. We at steveodonoghue.com are very fond of the magazine and would like to draw your attention to the information below;

"The NUJ is inviting you to join a protest against the closure of City Life - Manchester's premier listing and entertainment magazine. The Manchester branch of the National Union of Journalists is asking people to gather from 1pm on Friday December 2, outside the City Life offices at 164 Deansgate.
There will be a simultaneous protest outside the Guardian office in London. City Life owners Guardian Media want the December 7 edition of the magto be the last one. Please support the NUJ's fight to save 14 jobs and acultural institution.

If you haven't yet protested to the chief executive of Guardian Media please send an email to mark.dodson@men-news.co.uk

Please pass this information on to anyone else who may be interested.

Thanks

Miles Barter

30-11-05

Although there have been a number of demo's recorded for the new album, the news is that Steve is still quite a way off finishing them. Although there was a definate song list for the album, this seems to change from week to week. There are at least two new songs which have now been included ; "Save Your Skin" and "Stainless" which Steve describes as Christmas crackers!

Hope to have more news for you soon.

Don't forget to check the blog if you want to know what is going on with Steve.

21-11-05

Steve is confirmed as playing the John Lennon rememberence night on December 8th. 25 years after he was murdered the music lives on and Steve being a hugh Lennon fan can't wait.

03-11-05

Recording for the new album starts in earnest this Sunday at long, long last.

 

21-10-05

Live review from Manchester on Line:

O'Donoghue is worth the wait
Dave Tuxford
BY their emails shall ye know them.

The first communication told of a busy 2002 spent touring. In the course of the next year I learned of the local singer-songwriter’s forthcoming album, its subsequent European (but not UK) release, his frustration with the record company, his exotic lifestyle (distributing flyers advertising gigs), the new baby, the I’ve Got A Baby To Feed Gig and the Britons Protection event to promote the UK release of Martha (predictably, perhaps, copies failed to arrive) at which, finally, I managed to catch Steve O’Donoghue live.

Afterwards, O’Donoghue emailed me to point out apologetically that he’d been ‘dying of a cold’ that night. I really couldn’t say I’d noticed.

Conscious

What I had been conscious of was a formidable stage presence with maybe just a hint of arrogance (but, as Martin Simpson once remarked, you need that to survive as a performer) and a confident way with a lyric and melody that belied his youth.

Oh yes, and O’Donoghue can play guitar a bit, as well.

Now, hopefully virus-free and with supplies of Martha, O’Donoghue’s back at the Britons Protection. Worth the wait? Unquestionably.

On the strength of this assured collection, Steve O’Donoghue should go far.

Steve O’Donoghue plays at Briton's Protection on Great Bridgewater Street on Saturday, December 6. Admission is £4.


Wednesday 12 October - Some of you may have noticed there has been a slight change to the photo's page. There is now also a blog page, in which Steve has promised to one day write ......something

 

Monday 2 October - I enjoyed the gig at the Globe on Saturday and it was great to see Vinny again and also meet Craig Gannon. I also enjoyed the pre gig entertainment of watching Roomthirteens DVD.

 

Sunday 25 September - A selection of photographs are available for viewing here They were taken at the Tsunami benefit gig by Simon Webbon

Simon will be shooting the cover for the new album

 

Tuesday 20 September - Looking forward to Thursdays gig at the Bakers in Stockport with Colin Wakeford and Dave Porteous who hails from Canada.It's a challenge for me to be honest. I'm out of Manchester all week and wont be back at the gig until an hour before. Coupled with the fact that I haven't played my guitar for a month due to repairs it should prove interesting. I just hope I actually have a guitar to play.

Wednesday 14 September - This autumn the boutique will be selling Steve O'Donoghue badges for £2 which includes postage and packing. This autumns must have accessory arrived in store today !

Tuesday 30 August- I'm supposed to be in London tonight, Camden to be exact, supporting a band called The Vincents or something. Instead I'm up here in Manchester nursing a bad cold .Should be in London in the fall though and a few other places too.

 

Friday 26 August - The good news is that the band has been put together for Steve's next album. It's a very exciting time at the moment, Steve has never been so prolific ! There are a good twenty or so songs in contention for the new record.

We are not sure what direction the album will take yet, other than Steve saying it will be louder than the last one.

If you get te chance try and check out the forth coming album from Moore Marriot 'Back Up and Bounce' which is coming out in October.

 

Monday 22 August - It's been a strange summer. I feel as though I've been living in one of those snow storm scenes, that someone keeps shaking around the moment everything starts to settle.

I went to a friends funeral last friday. It starts to feel like a fucking miserable existence. I find death so final, so uncompromising. People say you have to learn something but sometimes it hurts too much. It's probably not a good thing to share with you anyway.......

Tuesday 9 August - Thursday 11 August filming for Glass Houses.

 

1 Love Sours Life

2 Jack And jill

3 Something Beautiful

4 The Night I Murdered Love

6 Up On The Low

7 Like Lovers Do

8 Someone Elses Shoes

9 Stars And Oceans

10 Anger Is A Letter Short Of Danger

11 Lovers Sunset

12 Some Orinary Girl !

14 Find Me A Rainbow

15 All I Ever Wanted

16 200 Miles

17 Vanitys Case

18 Pull TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

All of these songs are in contention for the new album, but we imagine that it will contain only (in homage to Spinal Tap maybe) 11 songs at the most.

We will keep you posted.

Saturday 25 June - So it's summer 1990, I've just started playing solo acoustic gigs after the demise of the band. I'm in St Peters Square on a hot Saturday talking to John Bramwell about the merits of singer songwriters.

After all, if the press are to be believed, this is the year of the acoustic guitar. If my memory serves me right we also discussed George Borowski, John's new single-of which he had at least a hundred of in his bag, and the art of being able to down a bottle of Grolsch just before going on stage-but I digress. Only the press aren't to be believed, because they've changed their minds- as they can do - and this is MADCHESTER ! The Roses v The Mondays - I could go on, but I'm sure you know your history.

However, if you scratch the surface, there are these fantastic players out there, writing sterling songs, mainly about right wing politics, being skint and love. -Nothing much has changed eh? -

I was begining to feel, even then at such a tender age, that I had already missed the boat. Everyone was walking round with records and great songs, and all I had was five, maybe six songs recorded into one of those flat style tape recorders, where you had a little stand to position the mic.

I had decided at that point that, although I owned all the songs from the band days, I would never play them again. I wanted new songs, songs that we more personal to me. The easiest thing to do would to have been to join a band and become a Roses clone - God knows that's what most people seemed to be doing (Oasis anyone?). But all I wanted to do, was write great songs and be part of this (what seemed like through my young eyes at the time) great romantic, kind of beatnik, bohemain nomad existance. Kind of Jack Kerouac meets John Paul Satre. I make no apologies, I was young and in love.

Why am I telling you all this?.............I've just been listening to Rock The Boat, the Claire Mooney album, which came out at around that time. I haven't heard it for years, and it just brought all these momories rushing back. There's a song on there called "Down On Your Luck" which helped me define a lot of what I wanted to do and at the same time really helped me through the bad times. If you have time you should look it up, you wont be dissappointed I promise.

I still look back and think in many ways that I missed the boat, however rocky. Still, I've got a whole batch of new songs, a meeting with the record company in a couple of weeks, in my second favourite city, and a new zest. I'll just get my paddle !

And as for the Brammy single, he asked me if I'd be good enough to go and purchase one from the shop, as it was a gallop shop !!! He's always had a canny mind that Bramwell !

Love

Steve x

Friday 17 June -Loughborough was great last night. I'm still not feeling 100% and it was very humid but a great venue. Nice set of people, although the thing that struck me most about the town was: everyone looked like someone you almost knew, I can't explain it beyond that. It was eerie. Off to Middlewitch on Sunday to sample the festival flavour, or should that be flava?

Tuesday 14 June - memo to self: don't go out playing gigs moments after flying back to the UK from the Far East.

It's nice to be back, although it was great getting over to Asia. Having said that, I did end up in hospital, which although rather surreal, wasn't an altogether unpleasent experience. After all, you don't get leather chairs in the A+E Departments in any Manchester hospitals I can tell you.

It was a little worrying however, when one of the nurses administering some form of injection in to me, answered her mobile phone and then proceeded to chat until she had to take the needle out of my arm.

Still I have no complaints, they looked after me well.

On the album front, it's all a bit wierd really. I figured on 8-10 songs which have taken about two and something years to write. However, just when I think I've got them ready, a whole bunch of other songs arrive. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining ! I just need time to sort things out.

The DVD - well there is a kinda wierd England's Glory thing that we got finished. but there's still a way to go.

Take care

Love

Steve x

Monday 16 May - The good news is that Steve will begin recording the video's to England's Glory and Glass Houses this week, for the forthcoming DVD. It's been a long time in the making, but we know it will be worth the wait.

Tuesday 08 May - I'm not asking for sympathy -no way, not me but, I've just got back from London, where I feel I must have downed a months worth of booze, in a couple of days. In a bizzare afternoon in China town, with a Swiss Girl, a mad Aussie, Michelle from New Zealand and Marco from Italy for company, we drank an astonishing amount of wine and then moved on to a pub in Soho.Came back to NH, played the gig which was great. I have a hazy recollection of bumpinginto the guy who played Spider in Coronation Street, God only knows what I was saying to him.

I spent most of yesterday lost, wandering round Notting Hill trying to find my way back to where I was staying. I'm sure I passed the same police man three times, but it could have been three policemen once. Definately a day for the dark glasses.

The good thing is, I managed to pen a new song called 200 miles. I love London, but I miss my wife and child. Time to relax now, which I intend to do by listening to the new Oasis album that was on the doorstep when I arrived home.

Monday 25 April - Just arrived back to the glorious Manchester sunshine from the Chepstow gig. I had a great time and met some really nice people. A lovely part of the world. I'm hoping to be doing on more gig and then taking the month off to go to Thailand. I need the rest !!

Steve x

Saturday 23 April- Steve has a couple more new songs . Like Lovers Do and Jack and Jill and will be performing them in Chepstow on Sunday 24 April

Thursday 14 April - Hi, the good news is that Steve has finally been back into the studio to record some demo's for Firestation. He has recorded nine new songs and has at least four other songs that have yet to be recorded. The new songs are sounding better than ever ! So watch this space

Tuesday 15 February - Steve is definately playing Liverpool's Cavern Club this coming Thursday (17) . The following night he is opening for Vinny Peculiar at the Globe Glossop. In April Steve is on the road in Wales with touring mate Colin Wakeford. But before that Steve is back in the studio recording more demos for the new album.

Sunday 13 February- photo curtesy of Simon Webbon

We are proud to announce that the Tsunami Benefit Gig that Steve played at in January raised over £5,000 which was a sterling effort and way above the £2,000 target intended. If you would like to donate any money or read about the event please visit GLOBE

nue is the Globe, I've played there many times before, and indeed, will be there again later on next month. My sets, for there are two, will be fairly small affairs in terms of time, mabe half an h

 

Wednesday - 26 January- Steve will be supportung Vinny Peculiar at the Globe Glossop, on Friday 18 febuary. Vinny's backing band as you will probably know includes ex -Smiths Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke. It promises to be a fantastic night so please book your tickets early !

Tuesday - 25 January- Steve has just been confirmed as playing a 'warm up show'tonight at The Anglers in Bamford, Derbyshire with Darren Poyzer and Brian Mitchell in aid of Tsunami Relief.

Monday 10 January - Just back from London. My plane was delayed by an hour or so and I decided to catch the mother of all colds. I felt terrible, spent my time walking around Heathrow buying all the Sunday papers and refusing to read them.

The up side of course is that I met some wonderful people. Still doesn't feel right signing autographs !!!

The most bizarre thing was walking up Lavender Hill near Battersea. walking round the corner and bumping in to Lee griffiths !

I hear word that the asia benefit donations are going well. Please keep the money coming in folks. DONATIONS

Thursday 6 January- People wishing to donate money to the Tsunami appeal benefit should visit GLOBE and follow the instructions. Your donations are gratefully accepted. And whether you can make it on the day or not, you can still get involved

Monday 3 January- Steve has started the year recording some new songs, Something Beautiful, Someone else's shoes, Magazines and Beauty Queens. He has stated that he will not be playing live in the first couple of months in '05. However, he is in London this coming Sunday at Battersea Arts Centre and is to play support to Stipe in Febuary at Manchesters Jabez Clegg. And of course there is a benifit gig in aid of the terrible distruction caused in the Far East that Steve is playing at on January 30. We don't have any details on this yet but will let you know them as soon as we can.

Saturday 1 January - ************HAPPY NEW YEAR*************

 

Thursday 23 December - Happy Christmas from everyone at Steveodonoghue.com !!! Very best wishes for 2005. Once again thankyou for your support and words of encouragement.

Saturday 19 December-

Well, another year draws to a close, and I hope it has been a good one for you people. I have had a wonderful year, watching Harrison growing, touring, writing new songs etc.

People often ask me at this time of year - and I have been asked this question earlier today- Which was your favourite gig of the year ?

Too be fair you get something out of every gig you do and it would be unfair and wrong to pick out individual nights, but certainly the high lights have been - in no patricular order-

The Band On The Wall gig for Jon Kelly back in April was special.

The Britons Protection in March was another that sticks in the mind for many reasons. Not least of all the fact that my old mate Rod was there !

Germany was great.

The gigs with Thom and Darren were special of course.

Andy Goddard

 

Saturday 4 December-

Ashton never seems to disappoint when it comes to odd gigs and last night was....odd. The smallest stage and a packed room. I nearly decapitated a number of people at the front with my guitar. Playing largely to the Levellers audience dressed on the whole in army gear, I began to feel like a modern day Vera Lynn !

I am booked in to the Cutting Rooms studios on Saturday 11 December to start some new recording, but I can't say too much about that at the moment.I will be demoing songs for the new album -Up On The Low-in January.

Thursday 04 November - Real Eyes, Realise, Real Lies

Forgive me if I don't get up Mr. Bush, for I am in my sick bed trying to get better. However, the news that greets me is not good. From my television set I can see an idiot grinner waving a flag with your name on. Such is the confusion in his features, it is difficult to know at first, whether he is happy or in pain, probably both. With a little press of the button I engage sound, and all at once the air in the room becomes very thin. It would seem that this young American is indeed grinning with pleasure, although one wonders for just how long. He is joined by more of the same as my t.v screen swells with white teethed Americans. I start to think about Thom and all that he has talked about. How America is totally fucked up. I wonder if Thom is watching the grinning white teeths as they shout in to my bedroom "Four more years, four more years"

I turn the electric eyes cacaophony down and just lie there waiting to get better. I start to think about 1997 and the Labour Party. "Things can only get better" runs through as my background subconscious soundtrack. Labour have won the election, my wife to be and I, are jumping on the bed in a hotel room in The Hague. Later we will drink lots of alcohol and talk of our return to a new England, our new England. I drift in to a restless sleep, waiting to get better.

In my sleep I am troubled by people with over sized, pure white, teeth. All of them trying to bite my legs. I have to keep running but every time I stop to see where I am, the teeth are back gnawing at my already bleeding shins. Thom is there laughing at me, pointing and laughing in my face. When I turn around I am stood in front of a mirror, the type one would come across in a spooky funhouse. I look in the mirror and it's not right, something looks wrong. I open my mouth to shout and notice I have no teeth, none at all, Just a black hole. And I wake up.

I lie in bed, motionless retracing my dream steps. The bloody legs, the biting teeth, Thom. Thom, what the fuck was Thom laughing at me for ?

I look over to the silent pictures on the t.v screen and then it hits me, Thom wasn't laughing at me, he was laughing with me, I had no teeth, you see, no teeth. These four more years brigaders that chew up everything and spit it all out. Who smile on time and bleech their teeth and wont let you join them unless you bleech your teeth.These machine mouths that clatter, clatter, clatter all day long to the same tasteless mantras of money sex and war. This teeth army that fry their bollocks at barbeques and dry their eyes at the thought of power and greedy greedy greed. Their smile like the smile of a hungry fox. All sly and cunning. But........................................... I had no teeth, and Thom had no teeth. And come to think of it, alot of my friend have no teeth. Thom wasn't laughing at me, he was just relieved that I was like him. That there were more people like him. America has lots of people with no teeth, who don't have to sense when to smile, they just feel it.

So I guess it is a sad time for Americans today, and not only Americans, possibly the whole world, Mr. Blair withstanding of course.

So forgive me for not getting up Mr. Bush but I don't feel very well, and though I thought I might be getting better, I think I've just taken a turn for the worse.

As someone once said. GOD SAVE THE YOUTH OF AMERICA, GOD SAVE THEM FROM THEMSELVES.

Steve x

Tuesday 02 November - Steve was scheduled to play at The Castle in Manchester tonight but has pulled out on the advice of medical staff. He has been diagnosed as suffering from exhaustion and will be taking a short break from the music world.

 

Tuesday 26 October - RIP John Peel

John was a broadcasting Legend whom many many bands and listeners alike are indebted

Friday 22 October - Please note that the gig at the Sound Garden has now been moved to the Castle on Tuesday 2 November.We can also announce that Steve has a gig in November at The Student Guild Carlisle .

Wednesday 20 October - It has been confirmed that Steve is back in the studio on December 4th to record "Tattered And Torn "

Wednesday 6 October- Sadly Steve's acoustic session tomorrow has had to be cancelled. Steve is in bed at this very moment with flu. He will still be appearing live on the show on Friday 15 October talking about his album and plans for the future etc.

Tuesday 5 October - Steve is recording a session for BBC Manchester this Thursday and he will be appearing live on the station on Friday 15 October at 11.45pm. You can listen live to Steve's session and interview at www.bbc.co.uk/england/gmr Steve is on the Michelle show which runs from 11.00 pm until 1.00am

Sunday 3 October -I had a great night at GLC on Friday night. Great to see Thom again. He was on form as ever ! Some faces from the past in Jean etc. We had to leave early due to Dom's raging cold, but on another night we'd still probably be there now.

It's my birthday this week so I'm having a week off and will probably head over to Chester with Suzanne and Harrison-oh, hang on, on the day of my birthday I am recording a session for GMR. Oh well, nearly a week off !

Sunday 19 September - More new songs to tell you about, "Francis in Paris" is a new song as is "Anger is ( a letter short of danger)" and "North Monroe". There is also another interview that Steve has done for a Spanish magazine. I hope to have this up on the site next week

Thursday 2 September - Lyrics page added to the site

Saturday 21 August - Played two nice gigs this week. One in Manchester and one in Leeds.And I got to see some friends at both that I hadn't seen for some time, which was great.I went over to Leeds with Darren Poyzer which brought back a lot of memories, especially when we were drinking coffee in some motorway service station at 2am. Played a new song "Love Sours Life" which seemed to go down well.

In the middle of these gigs it was Harrison's first birthday. I'm still recovering! "H" made a great debut and I think he will be a natural when it comes to future birthdays -Steve x

Thursday 12 August -*EXCITING NEWS* Steve has finished one of the b-sides for the forthcoming single release. The track is called "Love Sours Life" We are told that Steve is close to having an albums worth of new material. The working title for the new album is "Up On The Low" which will be available early next year.

Steve has been out and about this week.He supported Mike West at the Witchwood in Tameside which he says was an amazing night. And he also opened for Glenn Tilbrook a week earlier at the very same venue.He played a two headed gig with Colin Wakeford at Manchester's Iguana Bar and is also playing tonight at Stockport's Bakers Vaults as part of the Darren poyzer Big Birthday Bash.

On tuesday he is again back in Manchester at The Castle and also has gigs coming up in the Midlands in September.

Sunday 1 August - Well ,white rabbits as my mum would say. Hello, it's been a while, i know ! But I'm sat looking out of the window as I write to you, the sun is shining and I'm taking my wife and son for a picnic. We've got a blow up paddling pool for erm.............Harrison, not me honest guv!

Played a gig for The Charity Turning Point on Wednesday which was really great. Everone has a brilliant time.I even played the new song Stars and Oceans which shows how relaxed things were. usually it takes a while before I debut a new song.

The gig with Glen Tilbrook on Sunday was also great. The place was packed and I met some very nice people after the show.Including a couple who were married the day before! they will be in the Dominican Republic now.Happy Honeymoon !!!

I have a gig on Wednesday night with Mike West. I'm really looking forward to this one as I have some old friends coming that I haven't seen for a long long time. It will also be good to see Mike and Katie again. The last time I bumped in to them was in Hull probably more than a year ago now.

If you can make it, come along and we'll have an old sing-along

take care

Steve xx

Wednesday 21 July-The reviews page has been updated.

-Focus on UK singer songwriter Steve O'Donoghue-Firestations latest signing-

B -Steve you come from Manchester but sound like you're from Liverpool ?
Steve - Ha ha do I ?


B-It's not the traditional Manchester sound.
Steve-Oh I don't know, I'm sure there's something of Manchester in there. Maybe I'm confused, a victim of geography.


B- You're not like the traditional Manchester bands.
Steve - If you mean I don't sound like Shaun Ryder, then fine. I wouldn't want to be associated with a city or movement anyway. That's not to say I hate everything from Manchester. I love Manchester, it's where I live. As for the bands, we've always been quite lucky here to have such a wealth of talent. The Smiths, Roses, The Fall, New Order, Oasis, the list goes on and on right up to the current bands like I Am Kloot and Elbow.


B- Isn't it great to see Morrissey recording again?
Steve- Have you heard his album? I think it's the best thing he's ever done. I really like it. I have heard some of his other solo albums and wasn't too keen, but this is wonderful. He's so funny, why do people call him misserable all the time ? I guess maybe they just don't get it. I grew up listening to The Smiths, they were such a breathe of fresh air. I remeber going round to my mate Macca's house and playing "What Difference Does It Make" after school over and over again. They were quite literally my Elvis.And like many people, when I was older and out in town, I thought that "How Soon Is Now" was written for me. I try to listen to The Smiths at least once a week.


B-It seems strange that you would sign a deal with a German record company?
Steve - Does it? I don't think so. Basically, as you said, I don't really fit in with what's going on around my ears. I know what you mean about Liverpool and, I'm quite surprised. A lot of people have been saying the same thing. I can only really put it down to the chord progressions. I do tend to use a lot of what people might call Beatles chords or Lennon chords. People tell me that the album sounds Like Lennon, but the other day, I read a review that said I sounded like that guy from Travis. I'm not really that concerned with who or what people say the album sounds like. Maybe I have a tendancy to wear my influences on my sleeve, but so what. If people want to compare it to Lennon, a notion which I find quite ridiculous, then fine.
The thing is, that Firestation like what I do and I really dig their attitude. It's refreshing to work with people who genuinely like music. They are such nice people to work with.


B-You have just been to Germany playing, can you tell us about that?
Steve- It was great. I took Andy Goddard with me-he plays piano on the album- and we had a really great time. It's wierd because on Thursday night we were in Berlin watching England get knocked out of Euro 2004, and everyone was supporting England, and it was just a great place to be. Although they got knocked out, being in Berlin cushioned the blow somewhat. And then on Friday when we played the Magnet club, the atmosphere was brilliant. The gig was really cool and we got to meet some great people. The only down side was when we came off stage and in to the dressing room, I slipped and fell down the stairs.Bloody painful, I was just glad the audience didn't see.


B- What's next for Steve O'Donoghue?
Steve- Well, I am pretty busy at the moment. There's a DVD coming out soon which has footage in Germany, interviews, television appearences. things like that. I've a new single to write which will hopefully be out before the end of the year.More touring in Europe and some gigs in the UK. I'm opening for Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze which I'm looking forward to. And then early next year I have to start writing the new record.


B- Can I say that I really enjoyed listening to Martha, but wondered what that bit at the end of the album was
Steve- The end? oh me, it's me and my dad. I must have been two or three at the time and he recorded me singing while he played guitar. Just a load of old nursery rhymes that were on an old battered reel to reel and I wanted to preserve it. I just thought I know a pretty safe place. I sometimes wonder if people have actually listened to it. No one ever mentions it


B- So music is in the family then?
Steve- I guess so. My dad's played with some of the real greats Jimi Hendrix, Hank Marvin. puts me to shame really (laughs)


B- Ok , now for our fun questions Number one What's the most embarassing thing you've done whilst drunk?
Steve- er ha how long have you got. Most embarassing thing....I can't think.....I once ran naked round a hotel floor in an Amsterdam hotel.Although my wife did encourage me!


B- If you could be anyone for a day?
Steve-Wow........I ........Justin Timberlake


B-What's the most trouble you've ever been in?
Steve- Well I think It would be wrong to tell. Ah, ok, when I was about fourteen and fancied myself as a footballer, I bet my mates I could hit the Virgin Mary statue outside English Martyers Church full on. I put the ball down and hit it, but missed the Virgin and hit a huge stain glass window.In hindsight it was probably a good job that I missed the statue because if that would have broken. Anyway the priest ran out and caught me, he'd been watching me all along behind a curtain. He said it would cost thousands of pounds to replace the window. I offered to pay five pounds a week! He actually let me off but did mention it to the congregation the following Sunday. My grandparents were in there and were so ashamed that I had darkened the family name. I think I became the black sheep.


B-Steve thanks for taking time to talk to us and when can we expect to see you playing in Spain?
Steve- Soon I hope. I need to stock up on my Paco de lucia albums (laughs). To be honest it depends on how well the record sells. I love Spain though and would definately jump at the chance to come over and play.

 

Saturday 17 July-Steve is doing an interview tomorrow with the Spanish magazine -Beinquisto- which we will put up on the site as soon as we-in the words of Peter Kay- have it.

Steve has also mentioned that there have been a number of enquiries about the Life Laundry album. This album is has now sold out and there are no plans to re-release it.

On a more positive note, Steve is booked in to the Studios in October to record a batch of new songs, including the afore mentioned Stars and Oceans.

Thursday 15 July-There is a brand new review of Steve's new album Martha Indiemusic I will be putting this up on the site soon, but for those of you who want to read it straight away click on the link. It's quicker to search for if you put in the album title and not Steve's name

Steve himself is currently writing the new single which will hopefully be out before the end of the year.

Thursday 8 July -Gig at the Vaults in Stockport next Thursday is cancelled. On a happier note, the DVD is almost upon us.I'm told it has studio footage, an interview and also possibly live footage from Germany.There is also a gig with old time tour buddy Colin Wakeford in August and a debut at The Castle in Manchester's Northern quarter. Steve has also penned a new tune entitled "Stars and Oceans"

Monday 21 June - Steve is confirmed as a guest at the Centrepoint charity gig in Manchester on July 25th. There is also a How Many Days To Xmas gig confirmed for September.Details are a little sketchy at present, but will be posted as soon as we have them.

Sunday 20 June- Feeling a little down after last nights Manchester gig. I'd be lying if I said any different. I don't know if it was because of the low attendance or the fact that we played shite. Probably a bit of both.Don't get me wrong, just because a place isn't filled to the raffters, doesn't mean I wont give my all. But with all the hype and talk, I just expected a 'big' night.Coupled with bad playing, mainly due to lack of rehersal, the thing turned in to a bit of a shambles.All I can say is sorry, and bring on Germany !

happy fathers day.

Steve x

Thursday 10 June *HOT NEWS* - Steve will be playing Jabez Clegg in Manchester on June 15. The day before he is appearing on Tameside Radio at mid day 87.7fm. Also, there is an article on Steve in the current issue of City Life Magazine

Thursday 3 June - Back in the Uk after three great weeks away. Highlights included a gig in Bangkok, swimming with Dolphins, meeting and listening to some fantastic musicians and hearing Martha in a hotel lobby !

Just when I thought it was time to rest, the hard work kicks in. Rehersals for the summer gigs with Andy Goddard start next week. There are two new songs -"What Now Big Man?" and"Reservoirs". A new gig with the fantastic Glenn Tilbrook and more inflight meals to look forward to.

Love Steve

Wednesday 26 May- Greetings from abroad ! I have just had a telephone call from Blumphy, to tell me that Ulrika Jonnson has named her new baby after my album-how sweet

Love Steve

Saturday 15 May- Chorly was a tough one.A double booked gig is always a problem but then, with that audience, so is not knowing the words to Fields Of Athen Rye. Still every gig has it's moments and you always leave with something.

Three weeks of rest now away from Piers Morgan, Tony Blair and Eurovision.It's funny, I saw Piers on Tv last night after being sacked (anyone who knows me will know I detest Morgan with a almost worrying passion) he walked to his car with absolutely nothing to say.It was almost sexual for me-Morgan with his smarmy mouth shut -yes , pass me the cigarettes.

See you in three weeks.keep safe and warm

love

Steve

Popsicle interview : Steve O'Donoghue is a Manchester born singer-songwriter who has just released his debut album -Martha on Germany's Firestation Records Label. Ten tracks of love, hope, rejection and loneliness.

POP-Why Martha -

steve - Well, originally, the album was going to be called "Abscence makes the phone bill longer" but, I thought that sounded like, I don't know, maybe the title of a Worzels album or something.I didn't want people to think it was a joke. I like the name Martha- I think it's cool.

POP - Worzels ?

steve - sorry (laughs) erm........it's an English erm...do you know what cider is? It doesn't really matter, let's just say I didn't want people thinking I wore straw hats and drove tractors all day.

POP - The album seems to have a theme of sadness to it, are you by nature a melocholic person ?

steve - i would't say so. I may dwell on it though.It seems that whenever I'm absudly happy I don't have the need, or want to pick up the guitar.I'm too busy getting on with it to sit down and want to analise it. But, then again maybe that's part of my writing that I should work harder at.I'm always learning you know?When I was putting the album together, it did occur to me that a lot of the songs could be construed as, sad or depressive .But, If you listen to them closely there's a lot of humour going on in there..Admittedly it's a bit dark, in fact one review described it as Morrissey with a sense of humour .

POP- Are the lyrics the most important ingredient in a song ?

steve - I'd say they're important,to me at least but, I don't wanna write a fucking audio book you know what I mean? It's important to have a good melody in thereI've played nights to death and heard people playing a song with a great lyric but fuck all else. No melody just a fucking winge about the war, or their girlfriend that's left them, or how fucked up they are.Then you see them swanning round like they're the next fucking Dylan or something.

I try to write about things that effect me and if people say that the lyrics are good, then thanks. But if, not so what.

POP- You mention Dylan, is he an influence on what you do ?

steve - not really. I mean I like Dylan, I've been to see him and got a few of his albums but .....I used to be influenced by all these kinda legends who'd sold their souls to rock. I used to think that that was how you had to do it. You had to live life at a hundred miles an hour with no regard for anything except your 'art'. Now I sit back and look at my son and get inspired by people who can write great songs, but still give time and love to the people that are important to them. If you look around, you might imagine that songwriters are incapable of holding down a relationship, maybe cos of their ego's I don't know.(sighs) It's no good going out and writing fantastic love songs if you can't keep it real. Theirs lots of phony songwriters, who you could listen to and imagine that their home life is bliss.When, in reality, they haven't got the inkling to have a good wank.So, when you come across the genuine article, and you see a proper human being underneath all the shit, it's inspiring.It's real life and real life is, these days, what inspires me. I mean, I'm in my thirties now, so things that were important to me when I was sixteen , might not hold quite as much water these days.I still get giddy when a particular album comes out but, I don't go and buy ever single music bible to see what the reviewers think.

POP - So what music do you listen to now?

steve - recently Sparks, Paul Heaton, Randy Newman. I also get to hear a lot of live stuff-usually friends that I've met through doing this kind of thing-so I have a number of albums of theirs that I put on. I've been reading a lot. At the moment I'm reading a book called councelling for toads by Robert de Board. It was recomended to me, I guess sometimes I can get a bit .........lost. It's a good read

POP - Ok, what sort of albums make you 'giddy'

steve - Well, I'm quite looking forward to the new Streets album coming out, and I liked the I Am Kloot record. Surf by Roddy Frame I still maintain, pushed me in to a nervous breakdown on it's release.It was for me the perfect record. The kind of record I really wanted to make. I listen to it every week. I bumped in to Roddy in Notting Hill around the time of it's release and we went for a coffee. In retrospect it would have probably been more benificial to go back to his for a workshop in writing !

POP - What are your hopes for Martha ?

steve - I just hope that people get the chance to hear it and obviously, I hope people enjoy it. There are some great musicians on that album that have really brought something to the songs. I'm very happy with it.

POP - One last question, who will win the F.A Cup?

steve - I'm not bothred who wins, I'm from Manchester and therefor support City. I have no fond feelings for either of Millwall or Man U.

Steve's album is out now on firestation records.

Wednesday 5 May- Martha goes on sale in Spain. Friends in Spain should

visit canciones huerfanas

Tuesday 27 April -Interview with Holland's Popsicle fanzine

Monday 26 April -Tameside's greatest ever music venue The Witchwood is in danger of being shut down.Those of you lucky enough to know the Witch will know that it is a stunning venue that has seen many a famous face tred it's boards down the years.I say Tameside's best venue but could easily class it as one of Manchester's finest music venues.

From what I gather , due to redevelopment in the Ashton area, The Witchwood has received a Compulsory Purchase Order. To find out more about this and to sign the petition to stop it and find out what else you can do please visit The Witchwood

Sunday 25 April-Well, here I am 9.30 on a Sunday morning. Outside the sun is shining, I can hear a dog barking, and what sounds like somebody mowing grass. I can't start playing the guitar yet because Harrison on watching me pick it up, decided it was a good time for a sleep. Is he trying to tell me something I wonder?

Looking forward to the gig tonight in memory of Jon. Just wish I wasn't cursed with this damn hayfever.It looks like another pale summer I guess.

Received some nice emails about the album and some great reviews, which will hopefully find their way on to the site. There was a rather strange one, which I wasn't very happy with, but we'll put it up anyway.

I'm off to see friend and fellow performer Dave Gordon next week at Bury Met. I'm really looking forward to going out and being able to watch from the seats for a change.Then I have a gig in early May with Dominic Collins in Chorley, which is kinda wierd. The last time I played in Chorley, It was my last gig before I went off to the Far East, some eight years or so ago. This gig with Dom. is my last before I fly off to the Far East in May.

i did enjoy those Chorley gigs though. There was a great acoustic scene going on over there in the mid 90's, a bit like it is now in Manchester. I met some very lovely, very genuine people. I also met my future wife. I remember one valentines day back in '96, she was in the audience and I dedicated the Aztec Camera song "Crazy" to her. I'm going all dewy eyed now. i think I'd better sign off. Wake up Harrison ...........please

love Steve

Friday 23 April-COMING SOON-The brand new Steve O'Donoghue DVD release

Monday 19 April -*HOT NEWS* -Just confirmed. Appearence at the Jon Gill tribute gig at the Band On The Wall - Sunday 25 April - on stage 5.30

Monday 19 April - Steve is on television tonight. The programme is called Interference . We've not definate time of airing as yet, but we have an idea that it may be 7-30 pm-just to put the pressure on Corry !

Saturday 17 April - Martha is now available at Piccadilly records Manchester and also at Polar Bear records Deansgate Manchester

Thursday 15 April -Steve's next appearence has been confirmed as a live performance on the Channel M program Interference.The show was recorded at Manchester's Comedy Store on the night Steve played with Daintees front man Martin Stephenson. There is also an interview

Thursday 8 April - Interview with channel M television scheduled for Sunday 11 April

Thursday 1 April - Brothers and sisters in the USA can now buy Martha from cdbaby

Wednesday 31 March - In Manchester all day in meetings with distributers for the album-Oh the glamour-Steve

Tuesday 30 March -The How many Days till Christmas gig was great and bizarre. I had been involved in a very sociable day which, in turn involved lots of 1664.I eventually managed to get myself to the gig about twenty minutes before I was due to play.Fortunately for me, there were people in the audience in states much worse than mine. Although, I did forget to play a Bflat instaed of Eminor (?) in one song. I also forgot the words half way through a song at Chorlton on Thursday. Must remember to read up on amnesia

There were some great performances and the atmosphere was really great.-Steve

Looks like Steve will be playing in Glossop with Darren Poyzer and Paul Chi . Paul used to run Follies in Manchester where a whole host of the great and not so great used to mingle. Steve, Darren , John Bramwell, Brian Glancy, Tony Sides, David Grey and many more.

The gig is, I believe Friday 23 April. Paul runs these kind of gigs down in Brighton and has done for quite some time.So it should be a great, friendly night .As soon as I can have the venue confirmation, I will stick it on the site.

I used to remember a guy there called Steve Taylor who was in a band called Yellow Caravan.He'd written a book about the second coming of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, I never got to read it, being under age and too interested in the cheap red wine we'd smuggled in. But I ran in to his brother in Corbiers last week and he told me Steve did eventually get published.Not with his Christ book, apparently this one's about time.I will be hunting it down in the near future, but if anyone knows where I can get hold of a copy send us an email.I don't think it's quite in the J R Hartley league yet but, any help would be appreciated !-Steve

 

Tuesday 23 March - I went to see Billy Bragg this weekend and, well, was just blown away. He was magical. He played for about two and half hours , but four wouldn't have been enough for me! I could have danced all night-well maybe not dance...but you know. Blumphy managed to somehow fall asleep but , to be fair, he had just got back from London an hour or so earlier. He was soon brought back to the land of the living by one of Bill's more rockier efforts.-Steve

 

Thursday 18 March - Talks with the record company today about the German gig details. I will be able to tell you more about it in April. Steve was due to play Bar Risa on Monday night for the Andy Crane show but,........... "old green eyes" was back and it never happened. Gigs coming up at The Globe Glossop, Britons Protection Manchester, Bakers Vaults Stockport and The Witchwood Tameside

Thursday 11 March- Had some great feedback from the last Manchester gig. I really enjoyed the gig and it was nice to have Andy Goddard playing on stage. We will be going to Germany in June to tour and will hopefully be playing some more dates in the UK in early summer.-Steve

Friday 27 February -The Globe Glossop. Another night braving the snows of Derbyshire, but a warm audience more than made it worthwhile.

the Globe

 

Thursday 19 February - In the middle of promo work in Scotland and trying to sort out moving house at the same time! There must be a word for it. The great thing about moving is the world is such a big bloody place.We can go anywhere. We should have been living in Amsterdam right now if it wasn't for a bizarre set of circumstances.-Steve

Sunday 14 February -Happy Valentine's Day !! One or two interesting developments with the album, but I can't talk about them just yet.Steve is Working with Andy Goddard at the moment, and that seems to be going well. I heard Come Out Of The Rain on the radio the other day, which made me smile.

Trying to write new songs and change nappies is definately a lot harder than I had anticipated ! Although, I wouldn't have ie any other way. I was sent a couple of newspaper articles about the album the other day that I will try and post onto the website.-Steve

 

Thursday 5 February-Plans to record some new demo's are in the process of being ironed out.

 

Saturday 31 February- Buxton Inn Gee Cross-interview with Eve

Friday 30 January- I have to report the sad news of the passing away of Jon Gill. Jon produced the song Stranded for the new album. I also worked with him on Salvatore's albums Hearts and Heights , Short Pants Romance, and Fair Weather Friends.

Jon worked at the Riverside studios in London where he had egineered for the Sex Pistols and the Clash during the dawn of punk.In the eightees John joined The Mekons and also contributed to the book Mekons United

Jon was well known on the folk scene working with , amongst others,Martin Carthy and June Tabor

Jon had involvement with many Manchester studios, and in recent years produced a version of Blue Moon for Manchester City Football Team

Jon, was an amazing man to talk to.At first I used to think he was just clocking up studio time! But in honesty, the studio never over charged us , I think they new he just loved to chat. And chat , about the most obscure things from 1960 valve amps to the pros and cons og giving blood in Vietnam. He also suggested I sing one track underneath the mixing desk and Phil play guitar plugged in on the next floor up! We didn't always take Jon seriously !

Lovely guy and great man to have in the studio. I was planning to do some work with Jon this year so it has all come as quite a shock.

I'm sure he used to chase trespassers off with a snake-Steve

For more information click on JonGill

 

Jon Gill 1950- 2003

RIP Jon

Thursday 29 January- I can't stop listening to Sparks 'lil Beethoven' at present.I think it's a fantastic record, absolutely breath taking.-Steve

Wednesday 28 January- Stevehad another fine if not, short night at the Comedy store on Sunday.He also played the Astley in Dukinfield on the same night, which was a bit strange.-Not the Astley, I mean playing the two venues in one night. Steve was also playing the Why Worry Club in Heaton Moor on Tuesday night and I'm told he really enjoyed himself.

I would have stayed for a lot longer but the heavy snowfall meant a quick exit. Especially as I was being driven home by Darren who then had to go on to Glossop. A big thanks Darren.

And also a big thanks to everyone who bought CDs on the night THANK YOU

Steve x

Monday 26 January- We were today told that Martha had been nominated and shortlisted for the best Manchester album 2003. The list included I Am Kloot, Elbow, The Buzzcocks, Shaun Ryder, Johhnie Marr, Lisa Stansfield, Starsailor and was eventually won by Simply Red.

Sunday 25 January- The filming for Channel M went well and I really enjoyed it. I must say though, that playing in an empty theatre did give you the feeling that you'd just been booked for the Robert Kilroy-silk show !

I'm due to go back to the comedy store tonight, I seem to be becoming some what of a regular. And on Tuesday I'm planning a return to the WWC . It must be a year or more since I've played there.-Steve

Saturday 17 January- Filming with Channel M scheduled for Sunday evening

Friday 16 January-Firestation have invited Steve over to Germany in the Summer to do some live shows between June and August. Also, special guest confirmed for one of next months gigs.

Thursday 15 January- A special show recorded for Channel M at the Comedy Store is being planned as we speak.The show will be recorded some time in February for a later transmission

Wednesday 14 January - What a busy start to the year it's been. The album is being well received and the gigs are coming in thick and fast. Nice night at The Comedy Store at the weekend.

It was great to see Martin again.He played a great set and was on good form.Also ran into a couple of friends I'd not seen for a while. Andy Semple and his wife.Andy I seem to remember was trying to blag a copy of Martha for free towards the end of the night, when it was clear I'd had a couple of drinks - not that many though !

Also a guy called Paul who I haven't seen for nearly 10 years. He gave me a CD of a session I did at his place back in 1990-I didn't even know it existed. It was myself, Paul, a guy called Mark who went on to play with Kula Shaker and my old guitarist Rod Smith. Not that I have any plans to release it- I think we must have been........erm..........smoking

I'm also looking forward to working with Dave Puller and Claire Mooney again early this year. I think we are doing three nights together in Feb/March which may turn to more.

Lastly, just a little note about friend and great musician Andy Goddard. Some of you may remember Andy from his band The Candidates.I first heard of Andy on the Janice Long show on radio one. That was some years before I ever ran in to him (the first time I actually met him he was supporting Glenn Tilbrook at the Witchwood)

Well, Andy played Grand Piano ,Keyboards ,Piano ,Mellotrone ,Strings ,Hammond Organ and backing vocals on Martha. Unfortunately, when the sleeve went to press Andy's name was some how, criminally ,left off. Which is a shame because I think Andy played more instruments on the album than anyone else ! -Steve

You can check out Andy's work at www.andygoddard.comandy goddard

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

www.steveodonoghue.com wishes everyone a peaceful and happy year ahead

Tuesday 22 December- People in Japan can now buy Martha from HMV.It is also available at

www.apple-crumble.com

Wednesday 17 December - What a great couple of weeks it's been. I had a really great time at the gig at Herveys Bar in Holmfirth on Tuesday night.So good to see Darren going all puppy eyed over a young blonde girl at the front. And watching him do covers by The Housemartins, Wham!, Beatles etc etc was a sight to behold.But there was barely a dry eye in the house when he turned his attention on the lady in question and sang Teenager in love.

Speaking of gigs with Darren, it was also great to get up at Oldham and sit in on a couple of his songs, along with David Gordon.The night ended with me doing an encore which was Release the old Aztec camera song.A most interesting and bizarre evening-Steve

Saturday 6 December- Britons Protection gig-new song-The Night I murdered Love- makes it's public debut.Good gig with a nice audience vibe.Old Salvatore guitarist Phil-snakehips-Davies was at the gig.We haven't seen Phil since the band disbanded nearly four years ago !

Thursday 4 December- Putting the finishing touches to an American Distribution deal. Which will hopefully see Martha released State side before Christmas

Saturday 29 November - I had to call off a number of gigs in November due to not feeling too well.But as November comes to an end things have stated to look hopeful again. Caught up on some more gigs. I went to see Glenn Tilbrook in Birmingham and Martin Stephenson and The Daintees in Stockport.-It was great to see Martin again. Although I had to turn down the offer of joining him for a meal because of my feeling some what dodgy, I did enjoy his show.-Steve

Martin

Tuesday 25 November- Debut for the new Takamine is a four song set on Channel M show interference.The guitar performed wonderfully however, after arriving ten minutes after filming was due to start, in the pours of rain. I trapesed into the studio like a drowned rat, along with somewhat bemused manager James Gatz.So with hair flattened to my head and soaking wet jeans, I threw my coat in the green room, grabbed a glass of water and walked on set......you'll have to watch the show to know the rest.-Steve

 

Sunday 23 November- Purchased a new guitar this weekendTakamine Supernatural EAN16C

which has had great effect on my feeling ill-ZING.

I've had a bit of time of to recharge my batteries before the onslaught of album promoting. i 've got a new song nailed and went to see The Beautiful South a couple times which was great. Can't wait to do some gigs again and I'm really looking forward to Holmfirth on Tuesday night-Steve

Friday 7 November- Uwe has sent me some copies of the new album over. I'm really pleased with the way it looks (obviously I already know how it sounds) I've had a lot of letters about it's release, so it's good to finally hold it in my hand.-Steve

Monday 3 November-Martha is released -available from the record company www.firestation-records.de .It will shortly be available in Manchester at Piccadilly Records, Borders and Pop Art, with more shops to follow.In London it is available through Rough Trade again with more to follow. Also mail order from Penny Black Records.

Sunday 26 October - Great little party last night to see Thom off back to America - "round and round"-Steve Thom

Thursday 23 October- Another gig with Thom and Darren at Bradford's World Cafe tonight. A bit of a dodgy incident in the pub round the corner for Howard and myself , but the world caf. was a great venue.-Steve

Wednesday 22 October - 920am-I've just heard that Elliot Smith has died apparently it was suicide.I didn't want to believe it and still don't want to. People have been ringing with all sorts of speculation, but in truth, what difference does it make. He was, in my opinion, one of the greatest, underated songwriters, of my generation.I remeber going to See Elliot some two years or so ago in Manchester. Someone nicked his chorus pedal. I think he was prepared to take the whole crowd on if he didn't get it back. The gig itself was everything I thought it would be. That night I went home and wrote a song called Close And True.I like to think there's a little bit of Elliot in there.-Steve

ELLIOT SMITH R.I.P

AUGUST 6 1969- -OCTOBER 21 2003

 

Sunday 19 October - Jacksons Pit Oldham. Cold,

First gig in Oldham as a solo artist. I really enjoyed the night and met some great people.Thanks for the lift Ann !-Steve

 

Saturday 18 October - Currently in negotiations for an April tour of Texas

Friday 17 October - The gig with Miles went very well on Wednesday.I was still feeling the effects of what people have affectionately been calling, sars (such has been my sorry and complaining state.)

I enjoyed the gig, great audience and a great sound.I'm just hoping tonight will be a success. I'm playing at Glossop Labour Club in Derbyshire, with a performer from Austin Texas. We've played together once before in Oxford, ooohh about a year or so ago. Tonight Thom is back in the UK on what he says will be his last tour . We'll just have to make sure he enjoys it that much, that he'll maybe change his mind !

I'm really looking forward to tonight with Thom-who knows what's in store !

It's usually quite cold in Glossop-I wonder if we'll see any snow?-Steve

Thursday 16 October- interview with Sarah Edge

Monday 13 October - Saturday's gig was great. A real hot and sweaty affair. A complete sell out. Can't wait to play Manchester again !Great performances all round. Still can't shake this over friendly cold which is getting worse by the day. The witchwood gig on Wednesday is, at best, looking dodgy.-Steve

Friday 10 October - Gig at the Globe confirmed for Friday 5 December supporting The Strangedays

Monday 6 October - It's my birthday tomorrow so Suzanne, Harrison and I are taking a few days off but will be back in time for Saturdays Protection gig. -Steve

Friday 3 October - It was a good night last night. It started off a little slowly but Steve really enjoyed it.An older audience than perhaps he is used to but, they still got in to the vibe !

Thursday 2 October - Gig at the Bakers Vaults in Stockport with fellow songwriter Colin Wakeford.

Tuesday 30 September - C D ROM arrives from the record company containing the sleeve proofs for Martha.

Monday 29 September - Telephone call from Bill MCoid at Channel M television, to confirm studio appearance on Tuesday

25 November to promote the forthcoming album.

Tuesday 19 August - Our son Harrison is born 10-11 am -beautiful -Steve xx