Stevie Shears
Encyclopedia
Stevie Shears is a musician known for playing in english rock bands Tiger Lily
and Ultravox! (later Ultravox), alongside electronic
musician John Foxx
.
, Essex, he made contact with John Foxx and formed Tiger Lily in 1973 (together with bassist Chris Cross
). Later, Tiger Lily changed its name to Ultravox! (later known simply as Ultravox). Between February and March 1978, after releasing with this band the Ultravox!
(early 1977) and Ha! Ha! Ha! (1977) albums, he was dropped by his bandmates, who saw him as a limiting factor for the progress of the band, being replaced by Robin Simon
.
. Later Shears and Jason Guy
formed a duo called New Men. This was short lived as Shears left to join Cowboys International
, in early 1980, replacing Adam Ant
guitarist Marco Pirroni
. In 1981 and with Cowboys International dissolved, he collaborated with the band's singer, Ken Lockie
, on his solo album, "The Possible".
Shears never having lost contact with Guy, collaborated under the name of Faith Global
, and released an EP called Earth Report
(1982) and an album called The Same Mistakes (1983) both on Survival Records. Faith Global was short lived, and these two records remain their on;y recordings.
As of 2000, he was still playing guitar.
During his time with John Foxx and the rest of Ultravox, he played a white Fender Telecaster
and a Fender Stratocaster
.
With Ultravox!:
With Cowboys International:
With Ken Lockie:
With Faith Global:
Tiger Lily (UK band)
Tiger Lily was a short-lived glam rock band and the seed of Ultravox! . It was founded in London in 1973 by Royal College of Art student Dennis Leigh , who escaped from his northern industrial environment in Lancashire, Chris St...
and Ultravox! (later Ultravox), alongside electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
musician John Foxx
John Foxx
John Foxx is an English singer, artist, photographer and teacher. He was the original lead singer of the band Ultravox before being replaced by Midge Ure, when he left to embark on a solo career in 1979...
.
Tiger Lily and Ultravox!
Working in a paint factory and playing in different bands in DagenhamDagenham
Dagenham is a large suburb in East London, forming the eastern part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and located east of Charing Cross. It was historically an agrarian village in the county of Essex and remained mostly undeveloped until 1921 when the London County Council began...
, Essex, he made contact with John Foxx and formed Tiger Lily in 1973 (together with bassist Chris Cross
Chris Cross
Chris Cross is the bass guitarist in the band Ultravox.-Early years:Cross went to Belmont Secondary Modern School, William Forster Comprehensive...
). Later, Tiger Lily changed its name to Ultravox! (later known simply as Ultravox). Between February and March 1978, after releasing with this band the Ultravox!
Ultravox! (album)
Ultravox! is the first studio album from the band Ultravox!, which at the time was properly eponymous before the band dropped the Neu!-inspired exclamation mark from their name...
(early 1977) and Ha! Ha! Ha! (1977) albums, he was dropped by his bandmates, who saw him as a limiting factor for the progress of the band, being replaced by Robin Simon
Robin Simon
For the art historian and critic Robin Simon, editor of , see Robin JH SimonRobin Simon For the art historian and critic Robin Simon, editor of , see Robin JH SimonRobin Simon For the art historian and critic Robin Simon, editor of , see Robin JH SimonRobin Simon (born Robert Simon 12 July 1956,...
.
Post-Ultravox! bands
After Ultravox!, Shears formed a band with his friend Ice,real name Roland Oxland, bassist of Gloria MundiGloria Mundi
Gloria Mundi was an early punk rock/gothic rock band. The name comes from the Latin for the glory of the world. This could be a reference to the phrase "Sic transit gloria mundi" meaning "this is how the glory of the world passes"....
. Later Shears and Jason Guy
Jason Guy (singer)
Jason Guy was a musician who sang and sometimes played acoustic guitar in the New Wave band Faith Global, formed by 1982 by him and ex-Ultravox! guitarist Stevie Shears....
formed a duo called New Men. This was short lived as Shears left to join Cowboys International
Cowboys International
Cowboys International were a New Wave and synthpop band formed by vocalist and songwriter Ken Lockie that put out one album in 1979, the influential The Original Sin, and a handful of 45s before dissolving in 1980...
, in early 1980, replacing Adam Ant
Adam Ant
Adam Ant is an English musician who gained popularity as the lead singer of New Wave/post-punk group Adam and the Ants and later as a solo artist, scoring ten UK top ten hits between 1980 and 1983, including three No.1s...
guitarist Marco Pirroni
Marco Pirroni
Marco Francesco Andrea Pirroni is an English guitarist, songwriter and record producer...
. In 1981 and with Cowboys International dissolved, he collaborated with the band's singer, Ken Lockie
Ken Lockie
Ken Lockie born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England is a singer/songwriter and keyboard player, singer of New Wave band Cowboys International.-Cowboys International:...
, on his solo album, "The Possible".
Shears never having lost contact with Guy, collaborated under the name of Faith Global
Faith Global
Faith Global was a synthpop and New Wave band composed by Stevie Shears , original Ultravox! guitarist and Jason Guy ....
, and released an EP called Earth Report
Earth Report
Earth Report was an 12" EP released by New Wave band Faith Global, on Survival Records, in 1982. This was the first disc the band, comprised by multinstrumentalist Stevie Shears and singer Jason Guy, released....
(1982) and an album called The Same Mistakes (1983) both on Survival Records. Faith Global was short lived, and these two records remain their on;y recordings.
As of 2000, he was still playing guitar.
Equipment
When Ultravox! was Tiger Lily, he used a Gibson guitar.During his time with John Foxx and the rest of Ultravox, he played a white Fender Telecaster
Fender Telecaster
The Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender.Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound broke ground and set trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music...
and a Fender Stratocaster
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
.
Discography
With Tiger Lily:- Ain't Misbehavin' single (Gull, 1975)
With Ultravox!:
- Ultravox!Ultravox! (album)Ultravox! is the first studio album from the band Ultravox!, which at the time was properly eponymous before the band dropped the Neu!-inspired exclamation mark from their name...
album (Island, 1977) - Ha!-Ha-!Ha! album (Island, 1977)
- RetroRetro (EP)Retro was the only EP by Ultravox, then Ultravox!, released on February 10, 1978. It was the last recording released by the band as Ultravox!...
EP (Island, 1978)
With Cowboys International:
- Revisited compilation (Pnuma, 2003)
With Ken Lockie:
- The ImpossibleThe Impossible (album)The Impossible is the only solo album of English singer Ken Lockie, after dissolving his band, Cowboys International, in 1980. It was released by Virgin Records, in 1981, and was recorded with the help of two of the former Lockie bandmates in Cowboys International, guitarist Stevie Shears and...
album (Virgin, 1981) - Dance House single
With Faith Global:
- Earth ReportEarth ReportEarth Report was an 12" EP released by New Wave band Faith Global, on Survival Records, in 1982. This was the first disc the band, comprised by multinstrumentalist Stevie Shears and singer Jason Guy, released....
EP (Survival, 1982) - The Same Mistakes album (Survival, 1983)