Steve Cobby is a producer, musician and DJ from Hull, UK. His first commercial outing was with Ashley & Jackson, a short-lived project signed to Big Life records in 1988. When they were dropped, he co-founded Pork Recordings and Fila Brazillia in 1990. Fila released 12 critically acclaimed LPs as well as produced over 70 remixes for artists as diverse as Radiohead, Busta Rhymes, Black Uhuru, Simple Minds, James, A Certain Ratio and Moloko.
His first paid DJ set was in 1985. He has since gone on to play all four corners of the globe from Sydney to San Francisco, New York to Tokyo as well as performing live in Europe, Japan, and the US with Fila. With David Brennand he established the iconic label Pork Recordings in 1990. An imprint that went on to become internationally acclaimed for its quality and integrity. The acclaimed compilation series “Another Late Night” was kickstarted by Fila’s mix in 2000. They also co-produced Afghan Whigs, Greg Dulli’s debut Twilight Singers LP, and co-wrote with seminal US composer Harold Budd and UK legend Bill Nelson for the Three White Roses collaboration.
Steve’s other projects include Heights Of Abraham, JSTARS, The Cutler, Hey Rube, Chieftain and Citrus with Richard H Kirk. He now releases all solo work on his own Déclassé imprint. His solo LP “Saudade” garnered considerable critical acclaim, selling its limited-edition-run in spring 2014. The follow-up “Everliving” was named in Piccadilly Records’ top 100 LPs of the year in 2015. The third solo outing “Hemidemisemiquaver” received similar glowing praise.
Collaborations For Third Parties:
– “We Start Over” with Trudie Dawn Smith released on International Feel;
– “Throne Of Blood”, “Tumble Fish” and “Vitamin C”. Steve wrote two tracks with ex-Cabaret Voltaire frontman and old friend Stephen Mallinder;
– Pete Gooding’s Secret Life added to the collaborative releases with Clamour featuring Isobel Helen;
– Futureboogie Records released “Lefthanded Books” written with Crazy P’s Danielle Moore;
– His track “Boule de Suif” was recorded exclusively for Paper Records’ 200th release;
– “Keep On Risin” – a collaboration with Tatum Rush and Richard Dorfmeister on Dr Rich records.
Remixes:
In a solo capacity, he’s remixed over 30 artists from a diverse roster including Darren Emerson, Harold Budd, Summercamp, and Jon Kennedy.
Other Projects:
Recently, he undertook a new challenge and scored the music for the very successful “Hull City Of Culture” bid film as well as providing the soundtrack for the play “Revolutions” performed by the local theatrical company Ensemble 52. 2017 saw him curate the “City Of Vultures” series of evenings to celebrate Hull’s year as City Of Culture. Guests included those he’s befriended and played alongside over his 30-year career including Mr Scruff, Ashley Beedle, Richard Dorfmeister and Daz Emerson. In 2019 he released the critically acclaimed “Sweet Jesus” and collaborated with Dennis Bovell and UB40’s Jimmy Brown on the track “Quality Weed”.
Reviews:
“‘Everliving’ is a revelation, even by Cobby standards. This isn’t about disco dancing or filling floors, although in parts Everliving could easily do both. This is about the intricate skilled flights of one of the UK’s most gifted composers and it deserves your undivided ear time. The man is some sort of genius. The best sort. One that doesn’t even know it. ” – Neil Mason / Electronic Sound Magazine
“After making us wait almost two decades for new solo material before last year’s ‘Saudade’, Steve Cobby is back in the blink of an eye with his second LP in as many years, once again on his own Déclassé imprint. I suspect self-releasing suits Mr Cobby, and ‘Everliving’ sees him embrace the creative freedom it allows. The fourteen immersive and expansive cuts are spread lovingly across three LPs rather than cramped onto a double, allowing each track the time and space to grow and evolve at its own pace. The result is an LP that entirely envelops you within its own sonic world. beguiling your senses with hypnotic keys, lilting rhythms, gentle guitars and pan-global sounds. More electronic than its predecessor, ‘Everliving’ delves deeper, gradually easing you into a trance-like state through repetition and an expert understanding of space. So far, the release has been met with universal praise from the likes of Dave Harvey, Phil Mison, Richard Norris, and Peter Kruder, and really, who are we to disagree? Superb.”- Piccadilly Records
Check Steve Cobby’s solo releases on Déclassé Recordings’ Bandcamp and Fila Brazillia’s discography on Discogs.
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