Steve aged 5

BEGINNINGS

I was born in Birmingham in the heart of England - also home to Black Sabbath, ELP's Carl Palmer, Duran Duran, the Moody Blues & the Mellotron.
I grew up in Smethwick, on the outskirts of Birmingham where as a child growing up in the 60’s I was pulled like a powerful magnet to the new sounds that I was occasionally hearing on TV and radio created by electronic music. Even though I was a young child, these sounds seemed so futuristic, vibrant and colourful. For Christmas 1971 I was bought my first ever album of electronic music - Perry & Kingsley's "Kaleidoscopic Vibrations" album. Other Moog type albums followed such as Marty Gold's "Moog Plays the Beatles", Walter Carlos’s “Switched On Bach”, Tonto’s “Zero Tine” etc. As the early 70's progressed, as well as acts using the synthesiser in a popular way such as Chicory Tip, Hot Butter etc. I was also beginning to hear the instrument used in a more experimental vein by acts such as Hawkwind, Gong and Tangerine Dream.

An immensely powerful and deep impact was made upon me when I heard Tangerine Dream for the very first time in 1972 in a live broadcast from Germany on Jimmy Saville's BBC radio show. This was well before Radio One's John Peel began giving them airplay. This was akin to a mystical experience for me because it was as if something in the music was calling out to me from across great distances of time. I had the strong sense that the nature of the music was forging a bridge between worlds. My awareness of this magical aspect of music motivated me to begin my own excursions into the realms of sound.
At this same time, as if being guided, I “accidentally” made myself a rudimentary audio generator which was capable of making a whole range of electronic sounds just like I had been hearing!

As a fifteen year old back in 1972 I had a rudimentary knowledge of electronics and had the deviant habit of taking to pieces old radios etc. One day I took apart a small tape recorder and removed all wires from its circuit board except for the battery connection. The family record player had the benefit of having a separate amplifier and speaker and I had the inspired thought to see what would happen if I attached the amplifier input to various parts on the circuit board of the dismantled circuit board. To my amazement out from the loudspeaker came a varied array of fantastic electronic sounds! Not just oscillating whistles but many strange rhythmic sounds, bubbles and white noise. Soon after I purchased an oscillator and found that it could be modulated by the circuit board. Thus was fated the birth of a rudimentary synthesiser which for years to come provided me with an unusual palette of sounds.

Steve aged 17, circa 1974 with his audio generator

From 1972 until 1975 I attended the sixth form college of Oldbury Technical School at the same time that the famous comedian Frank Skinner was also a pupil. Whilst there I also met my future wife to be Linda. I was planning on pursuing a career in art and gained a place at Wolverhampton College of Art but as the 70’s progressed music got the stronger hold over me! Linda went on to attend Birmingham School of Art and also began having private flute lessons.

Along the way and with Linda’s help an electronic organ, reverb and echo unit were subsequently purchased along with an Akai reel to reel tape recorder and I began recording my own music. A track from those far off days called MOON DRONE, which was recorded in 1978, can be found on the Auricle Records CD-R titled Dronsz: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/ultimathule/tachyon/variousartists.html I enrolled in several music courses and passed several grades in the theory of music but in the main I taught myself how to sight read, compose and to play the guitar and keyboards. I was also being drawn to a wide genre of music from medieval, baroque, classical, folk, eastern, film, progressive rock, etc and all were to leave a mark on my musical output over the following years.

THE 1980's

Linda and I were just starting out on married life in the early 80’s when out of the blue I became seriously ill with what was then a mysterious debilitating illness. In later years as medical research progressed I was diagnosed with having ME better known these days as CFS. Sadly it has plagued my life ever since to one degree or another and has had a detrimental effect on every aspect of Linda’s and my life.

FROM DISTANT SHORES

Despite this, with Linda’s unwavering support, during the early 80's a 4 track Teac multitrack recorder (Portastudio) and a Yamaha CS30L synthesiser were bought and I proceeded to record lots of material. I sent a demo to various record companies but to no avail - sadly my early 70’s Tangerine Dream sound was out of fashion with the record executives at that point in time!

However, by then I had become aware through a mail order and record shop outlet called Lotus Records in Stafford that an embryonic underground music scene of English musicians were carrying on the musical traditions set forth by Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze, etc. Lotus were also beginning to stock cassette only albums by what was then just a handful of UK musicians pursuing this style of music such as Mark Shreeve and Ian Boddy.

I therefore made the decision to start my own self financed label solely to provide an outlet for my music called Eye Tapes. My first self produced album FROM DISTANT SHORES was released in 1983 - the opening seagull sounds were created by the “synth” I’d “made” back in 1972. Thankfully Andy Garibaldi, the owner of Lotus Records, took a stock of my cassettes and so the first tentative steps of my music being let loose upon the world were taken and I subsequently became a part of the underground UK synth music scene.

Steve in 1984

THE JEWELLED EYE

In 1985 I released my second album titled EVOCATIONS. Also released that year was an altogether different album called ASHTAR. Martin Reed was a pivotal member of the synth music scene at the time having his own label called Mirage which had released Mark Shreeve’s first albums. Martin had liked a track from my DISTANT SHORES album called JEWELLED EYE which featured Linda improvising on flute. He was interested in releasing a whole album of similar styled music that would feature flute against a backdrop of ambient synths to create music that was spacious, ethnic and mysterious. The resultant album ASHTAR was released on Mirage in 1985. In 1987 I re-released this but added some additional synth parts to some tracks and in 2003 Auricle Records released this as a ltd. edition CD-R. http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/ultimathule/tachyon/hilmman.html

UK ELECTRONICA

In 1986 NEW HORIZONS was released. John Palmer, another leading figure of the scene at the time had founded EMIX - Electronic Music Information Exchange - which was a fan based magazine and distribution service. In the magazine, John mooted the idea of hosting a series of concerts around the UK to feature live synth acts which EMIX would back if sufficient interest was gained. I promptly put my name forward and as fate would have it the only EMIX gig was organised to be held in Birmingham! An EMIX member living in Birmingham became the local organiser and he chose Warley High School as the venue. This was an amazing co-incidence as the school had formerly been known as Oldbury Technical School where I had been a pupil a decade or so earlier and this had been chosen independently of me! Given that originally the EMIX gig could have been held anywhere in the UK and at any venue then the chances of this must be astronomical!

The EMIX gig was to be my first live appearance and I enrolled the help of Linda on keyboards and flute and my brother Pete on electric guitar and keyboards. Fellow synth artist Pete Tedstone opened proceedings on the evening of 14th March 1987 followed by my set.

Steve, Linda & Pete at the EMIX gig, 14th March 1987

May 1987 Promo Shoot

May 1987 Promo Shoot

Later that year I released my TIMELEVELS cassette which featured previously unreleased material from the early 80’s.

On the strength of my EMIX gig, Andy Garibaldi of Lotus Records invited me to play at that years UK Electronika at the Gatehouse Theatre, Stafford, on 21st November 1987 with Wavestar headlining. Andy was the organiser and once again I was aided and abetted by Linda and Pete.

March 1988 Promo Shoot

In 1988 WORLDS BEYOND was released and was the first album where I finally caught up with digital technology and added some digital synth to compliment the analogue sounds I’d been using for several years.

Mark Jenkins of AMP Records, who had by then taken over the running of UK Electronica, then invited me to play at St Johns, Smith Square, London on 3rd September 1988 and I shared the bill with the likes of Ian Boddy, Kevin O Neil, Land of YRX & Michel Huygen of Neuronium fame. My performance was video taped and extracts of this can be found on YouTube.

Steve & Linda at UK Electronica, September 3rd 1988

NETWORK 23

Soon after, a collective of musicians was founded called Network 23 which I was invited to join. Other members included Kevin O Neil, Greg Truckell, John Costello and Land of Yrx bassist Rob Andrews. Kevin O Neil organised a Network 23 Concert in his home town of Cardiff at the Chapter Theatre on the 18th of March 1989 where Linda and I played. The same day saw the release of my PHASES album and a compilation of remixed tracks from FROM DISTANT SHORES and NEW HORIZONS called DISTANT HORIZONS.

THE 1990's

In 1990 I released what was to be my last Eye Tapes cassette album the 90 minutes long LABYRINTH.

I was then approached by Clive Littlewood, the founder of the Electronical Dreams Label in Cornwall, to record an album. However, due to my long running illness, lack of finances and equipment breakdown the recording of my tenth and last cassette album, titled CONTINUUM had to be delayed until 1993. For the same reasons several live appearances also had to be cancelled.

EYE OF THE CYCLOPS

Later in 1993, Malcolm Parker, who was a long time fan of my music, wrote to ask if I was interested in being signed to a new branch of the US and Canadian Griffin Record Label who his brother just happened to be the President of. Malcolm was starting the label up and was looking for a roster of progressive rock artists. Into my later cassette albums I had brought elements of progressive rock and Malcolm wanted my music to feature these much more and with lots of guitar! I therefore signed to what was to become Cyclops Records and in September 1994 they released my debut CD titled MATRIX. No, this was not inspired by the series of films of that name - the films did not first appear until five years later! An alternate version of the INTO THE BLUE track also appeared on the first Cyclops Sampler CD.

1994 MATRIX Promo Shoot

It was decided that the follow up CD would be a remastered compilation of some of the best tracks from my cassette album years. RIDING THE STORM was released in May 1996.

As a long time admirer of prog rock I decided that my next album would travel along that sonic pathway and the century ended with 1999’s CONVERGENCE album, released in November with it’s nods to Rick Wakeman, Steve Hackett, Pink Floyd, Camel, etc. The album also featured a proggified version of 1986’s New Horizons title track. An unused track called OVER THE EDGE was earmarked for that years Cyclops Sampler CD but Cyclops dropped the track at the last minute.

THE 2000’s

In 2000 I began working on a similar styled follow up to the prog rock aspirations of CONVERGENCE and had the material composed and ready for recording when circumstances dictated a different direction.
Due to a demand for more of my cassette material Cyclops decided that I should compile a follow up to the RIDING THE STORM CD. This time I decided that the tracks would be completely re-arranged and new recordings made. Thus my last album for Cyclops, OPENER OF THE WAYS was released in June 2002. Once again an unused track, a new and longer arrangement of LAST LIGHT, was put forward for that years Cyclops Sampler CD only to be dropped at the last hurdle (again!) for exceeding running limits.
Ra
I am also a member of the progressive rock group Ra. Back in 1988 at that years Electronica in London, Land of Yrx also played and this was the first time I met their bassist Rob Andrews and subsequently we became good friends. I’d appeared on several compilation albums at the instigation of Rob and he had also been signed to Cyclops Records. In 2004 he invited me to play keyboards and synths on a new project he was working on with the guitarist and keyboard player David Groves. David had previously worked with Rob on Rob's 2002 Cyclops album THE HOST. Rob decided to expand the project to become a group based album with Rob, David & myself all contributing to the arranging and writing of the tracks. With Rob on bass, David on lead guitar and myself on keys the group became complete with the addition on drums of Dai Rees. The resultant album WAKE was released by Cyclops in June 2007.

A new album was released in January 2009. Titled RA RISING, this is a compilation of unreleased solo tracks by Ra members and new versions of previously released music. I have two solo tracks - the aforementioned OVER THE EDGE which was recorded during the CONVERGENCE album sessions in 1998. Also, a new edit of 1991’s EYES OF JANUS featuring a lengthy guitar workout by myself.


A third album (working title UTOPIA) is now in the pipeline and will be the first to feature vocals with Richard Benjamin joining the group as vocalist. For this album, Brian Jones has taken the role of lead guitarist. If you’re adventurous and cyber-zazzle to www.myspace.com/robandrewsra you can hear three "Kitsch in Sync" demos of tracks from the album. On AGAIN I contribute the flute, strings, harpsichord & brass to the arrangement. Following Rob’s suggestion I came up with the intro section to BETWEEN THESE WALLS using the central synth melodic outline as the basis. Lastly there’s MATTER OF THE HEART where I add electric piano, synth & organ to the proceedings. Bear in mind, as Rob rightly states, that there’s some “flapping” about and there’s some way to go to refine the arrangements. More demos will surface in 2010.

For up to date info etc. please visit the Ra MySpace: www.myspace.com/robandrewsra

DREAMFAST
As a young child back in the 60’s, as well as electronic music holding a great fascination for me, I was also a huge admirer of the film composer John Barry. Not only his Bond scores but the wide range of his music from The Knack, The Ipcress File, Walkabout, The Lion in Winter, etc. Having explored electronic music in the 80’s and prog rock in the 90’s, I decided the time was right to pursue a long held ambition to develop my musical composition and style by tapping into the spirit of John Barry’s 1960’s jazz flavoured musical scores with the emphasis on melody, drama, adventure and mystery etc. and throughout the 90’s I had assembled a lot of material along such lines.

In 2005, Lew Fisher, a founding member of the US Progressive Music Society (PMS), bought my OPENER OF THE WAYS album on the strength of the album cover and was not disappointed when he heard the music! Lew asked me to become a member and soon after a UK writer, singer, musician and producer also joined called Rain who had released the critically acclaimed album CERULEAN BLUE and I was fortunate to become friends with him. Later in 2005, the President of Dreamfast Cinema, the artist and film director Bruce Wood, joined the society and he expressed the desire to launch a record label and sign new acts. Through this fortuitous chain of events my ambitions to record a John Barry influenced album became realised when Bruce, having liked the demo I emailed him, proposed I record an album as if for an imaginary movie and offered me a contract which I enthusiastically signed in December 2005. Rain agreed to produce the album and with the budget provided by Dreamfast and Rain’s contacts in the musical world, it was possible to bring in some highly acclaimed musicians to play on the album:
The sax player Iain Ballamy on Tenor & Soprano Sax.
Iain was the winner of the BBC Radio 3 award for innovation at the British Jazz Awards in 2001 and was also a member of the former drummer of Yes and King Crimson Bill Bruford’s band Earthworks.
The principal flautist of the London Symphony Orchestra and Professor of Flute at the Royal Academy of Music, Gareth Davies on Flute & Alto Flute.
The son of the conductor Arthur Davison CBE, Darryll Davison on Cello. Darryll was a former cellist with the Royal Philharmonic and is now the Conductor and Musical Director of The Little Symphony of London & The New Philharmonic Orchestra.
Yours truly Steve Hillman on Keyboards, Drums & Percussion.
A former member of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC Philharmonia Phil Morgan on Viola & Violin.
As well as producing and mastering the album, Rain also contributed his musical expertise by playing bass and guitar.

Come March 2006 and my most ambitious album to date THE WORLD OVER was finished. It became available for digital download in the US in August 2006 and available as a CD from US stores on September 5th 2006.

For samples and further details please go to: www.afapress.com/Dreamfast/Hillman.html Promotional material (PDF Format):
http://www.afapress.com/Dreamfast/Press/Hillman%20Onesheet_72rgb.pdf
Unfortunately the album was beset with distribution and availability problems. This was due to Tower Records/Bayside Distribution filing for bankruptcy in the US. A new distribution deal was therefore struck by Dreamfast Cinema with Super D/Phantom Distribution and the album should have secured worldwide distribution but alas this fell through and the album remained only available via US stores and download sites with a second release date of January 9th 2007. A UK release never materialised although it can be found on import and at Ebay.
I have new soundtrack styled music sitting in my archives and unused tracks left over from THE WORLD OVER and it was hoped that further albums would be released by Dreamfast Cinema but sadly this is unlikely to happen.

SPACEDISCO ONE
A ray of light on the soundtrack front appeared just before Christmas 2007 when cult LA film director Damon Packard contacted me with the brief to come up with a main theme for his new movie SPACEDISCO ONE. He wanted it to hearken back to the early 80's electronica style using vintage analogue synths with a dash of Georgio Moroder and disco thrown in. Not one to refuse such a challenge I composed several pieces but unfortunately Damon deemed my ideas unsuitable.

HAWKETRONIQUE
Towards the end of February 2007, DJ Hawke of Radio HFM 102.3 FM in the UK asked me if I could come up with a theme tune for his Chill Out Sessions radio show and live DJ gigs. I was more than happy to oblige and the resultant piece titled HAWKETRONIQUE had its first airing on Saturday 7th April 2007 at 22.00 UK time http://www.harboroughfm.co.uk/ and can be heard opening DJ Hawke’s show every Saturday night. The track is a mix of chilled out contemporary ambience and 1970's space rock and features synths, piano, echoing flutes, drum loops, etc and Linda gets to do a little "space whispering" as well!
DJ Hawke commissioned a video for HAWKETRONIQUE which you can view at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93OV26gz26w&v2
Linda & I were subsequently interviewed live on air on DJ Hawke’s show on Saturday May 5th 2007.

ALPHA WAVE MOVEMENT
In June 2007 I had the great honour & pleasure of playing electric guitar on four tracks on THE MYSTIC &THE MACHINE album by US based Alpha Wave Movement which was released later that year.
www.myspace.com/alphawavemovement

DEVIL MAY CARE
On 28th January 2008 MySpace in conjunction with Penguin Books launched a competition to compose the official theme tune for the new James Bond audio book written by Sebastian Faulks called "Devil May Care". I entered the competition which closed on February 25th 2008 and the judges chose five finalists the following week. Unfortunately my entry was not one of those chosen but a new version may appear on the next Ra album!

ETHERICOM
The Ethericom label was set up in 2009 to release my archive material onto CD-R beginning with my cassette only releases from 1983 - 1993.

The first album, 1983’s “From Distant Shores”, was released on June 9th 2009. The CD-R has full colour artwork and an additional 27 minutes comprising five previously unreleased tracks recorded in the same time period as the original album. Further titles are anticipated for release in 2010. Excerpts of tracks can be heard at www.myspace.com/stevehillmansethericom

NEW SOLO ALBUM IN PLANNING STAGES!
As well as Terry Hawke being a DJ he has also written several sc-fi narratives and in April 2007 he put forward the idea to me that I could incorporate some of them into one of my musical projects. Inspired by this concept I sketched out several tracks and the basis for a new space-rock album is now underway. Terry hopes that Miss Angel, the principal dancer for the space-rock band Space Ritual, will choreograph a "visual" interpretation of the narratives combined with music & imagery. Hopefully 2010 will see the project develop further!

LASTLY…
I’ve always had a keen and deep interest in all things paranormal, other dimensions, the nature of reality, EVP and “alien” contact, etc. To my way of thinking, music is an incredible and powerful force and at times can forge links to other realms and it’s always been one of my aims to fulfil this with some of my own music.
Steve Hillman

Last updated January 2010.
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