Ra
Steve is also a member of the progressive rock group Ra. Back in 1988 at that years Electronica in London, Land of Yrx also played and Steve met their bassist Rob Andrews. At Rob's instigation, Steve appeared on several compilation albums and then Rob also became signed to Cyclops Records. In 2004 he invited Steve to play keyboards 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 & Steve all contributing to the arranging and writing of the tracks. With Rob on bass, David on lead guitar and Steve 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.
Cover: Edyth Harrison
Cyclops CD CYCL 162
Head Honcho (Beck)
Head On (Groves)
Enough Monkeys (Beck)
Kaugummimäßiges Musik (Andrews)
Janus (Hillman / Andrews)
Wake (Andrews)
What Thought Did Next (Groves / Andrews)
Wheels Keep Turning (Hillman)
Last Farewells (Groves)
Spike (Beck)
The Knee Of An Idol (Hillman / Groves / Andrews)
What Thought Did After That (Groves / Andrews)
At Last (Groves)
Musicians:
David Groves : Guitar
Steve Hillman : Keyboards
Robert Andrews : Bass
Dai Rees : Drums
Phil Morgan : Violin on Wheels Keep Turning
December 2006: “Last Farewells” appeared on the
CYCLOPS SAMPLER 6 CD Compiled by Malcolm Parker.
A second 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. Steve has two solo tracks - the aforementioned OVER THE EDGE which was recorded during the CONVERGENCE album sessions in 1998 and a new edit of 1991’s EYES OF JANUS from the A CHANGE FOR THE DIFFERENT album.
Cover: Edyth Harrison
Cyclops CD CYCL 169
Theme Two
Over the Edge
Kaugummimäßiges Musik
The Host
Standstill
Spike
Eyes of Janus
Tide
Shambles
A third album 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. Recording has been underway since July 2011 and the album should be released in Autumn 2012.
Ra recording sessions, Shrewsbury, July 2011. Photos: Dai Rees, Digital imaging: Linda Hillman.
Rob with his patented eyephones
Dai (photo taken by ?)
Brian
Rik
Rob (again) plus orbital visitor
A dedicated Ra website will be up and running later in 2012. In the meantime, you can check out the old Ra MySpace at: