1990 saw the last of Steve’s Eye Tapes cassette albums, the 90 minutes long LABYRINTH.
LABYRINTH
1990 Eye Tapes 90 min cassette EYE 009
Nebula
Opener Of The Ways
Timedancer
Ectoforms
Labyrinth
Stormbringer
Riding The Storm 1-5
Nocturne no 2
Citadel
Vale Of Thela
Automaton
Lyra
Pantheon
Rider
Herald
Riding The Storm 6
With the release of LABYRINTH Steve had decided to call it a day for the Eye Tapes label as ever since the early 80’s he had been battling with what was then a mysterious debilitating illness (later diagnosed as ME/CFS) and life had become increasingly difficult along with the resultant lack of finances to carry things forward any further. However, Steve was then approached by Clive Littlewood, the founder of the Electronical Dreams Label in Cornwall, to record an album and this helped to take the pressure off Steve as he could just concentrate on making music. Sadly though, having recorded the album the equipment it was recorded on irreparably broke and could not be replaced! Consequently, the recording of his tenth and last cassette album, titled CONTINUUM, had to be delayed for several years until 1993 when it had to be recorded all over again! For the same reasons several planned live appearances also had to be cancelled. However, in the interim an unreleased track from “Continuum” called “Continuum Pt 9” and an Andrews/Hillman track called “Eyes of Janus”, which had been mastered just before the equipment breakdown, appeared on the compilation cassette A CHANGE FOR THE DIFFERENT Messenger MRJ 6 in 1991, compiled by Rob Andrews. (Later released on CD-R).
CONTINUUM
1993 Electronical Dreams 60 min cassette ED 031
Continuum
Transitions
Etheric Bridge
Centre Of Forces
Chronotron
Altar Of The Serpent
Essence
Departure
1993: “Continuum”, “Transistions” & “Centre of Forces” appeared on the cassette-zine SEQUENCES No 5, compiled by Mick Garlick.
1993: An unreleased track, “Before Dawn” featuring Linda on flute, appeared on the ESCAPE FROM THE CAGE VOL 3: IMAGES OF INFINITY Auricle cassette AMC 044, compiled by Alan Freeman. (Later released on CD-R).
1993: An unreleased track, “Mysterium” appeared on the ARRIVAL sampler cassette AM 001, compiled by Kevin O’Neill. (Later released on Steve’s “Riding the Storm” CD).
Later in 1993, Malcolm Parker, who was a long time fan of Steve’s music, wrote to ask if he was interested in being signed to a new branch of the US and Canadian Griffin Record Label which was owned by Malcolm’s brother Neil. Malcolm was starting the new label up and was looking for a roster of progressive rock artists. Into Steve’s later cassette albums he had brought elements of progressive rock and Malcolm wanted Steve’s music to feature these much more and with lots of guitar! Steve duly signed to what was to become Cyclops Records and in September 1994 they released his debut CD titled MATRIX.
MATRIX
September 1994 Cyclops CD CYCL 011
Overdrive
Matrix Part 1
Interchange
Ascendant
Sphinx Dancer
Into Space
Taken To The Limit
Sequent Seven
Matrix Part 2
Dawning Light
Into The Blue
Tritone
Steve at Rich Bitch Recording Studios, Birmingham 1994
1994: “Into the Blue (Alternative Version)” appeared on the CYCLOPS SAMPLER CD CYCL 007, compiled by Malcolm Parker.
1994: “Into the Blue (Alternative Version)” also appeared on the SEQUENCES No 9 cassette-zine, compiled by Mick Garlick.
Steve 1996
Linda 1996
It was decided that the follow up CD, 1996’s RIDING THE STORM, would be a remastered compilation of some of the best tracks from Steve’s cassette album years.
RIDING THE STORM
May 1996 Cyclops CD CYCL 035
Departure
Link
Stormbringer
Riding The Storm Parts 1-5
Pillars Of Sand
Chronotron
Mysterium
Point Of Contact
Earthpulse
Chamber Of The Moon
Accumulator
Sashida
Altair
Riding The Storm Part 6
Journey Back
1996: Several unreleased tracks, “Winter Sketches Parts 1-4” and “Improvisation”,
appeared on Rob Andrews’s Messenger label compilation cassette APHELION MRM 9 compiled by Rob Andrews.
1997: “Dawning Light” from the “Matrix” album appeared on the CD compilation “NEW AGE BABEL” Gruppo Futura CD (Italy) NA10.
Steve decided that his next album would pay homage to progressive rock and the century ended with 1999’s CONVERGENCE album with it’s nods to Rick Wakeman, Steve Hackett, Pink Floyd, Camel, etc. The album also featured a progified 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. However, it was to make an appearance some years later…
CONVERGENCE
November 1999 Cyclops CD CYCL 069
Wheels Within Wheels Part 1
Against All Odds
A Time That Was
Against All Odds reprise
Moongate
Flying High
The Earth Sleeps Below
Down To Earth
New Horizons
Pulsator
Obelisk
Upon The Hill
Convergence
A Time That Was
Wheels Within Wheels Part 2
Twist Of Fate
Upon Reflection
Wheels Of Change
Finale
For What Is To Come…