WHAT YA MIGHT WANNA KNOW...
RICK STEELE BIOGRAPHY
Born: 1948. The third child of preacher Harold and piano teacher
Early years:
• Rick started his musical career singing in the church choir where his father preached.
• At 12 years of age bought his first guitar for eight pounds after raising the money working at a local shop.
• His older brother John already had a guitar. They along with other kids from church taught themselves how to play.
• Rick attended boarding school. Upon graduating he worked in a record department of a store tuning guitars and selling the occasional fridge. He then went on to teachers college - it was ‘in the blood’ with his mother and sister both teachers.
• While at teachers college he joined The Vision - a four piece band including his brother John.
• In 1969, The Vision reached number 9 on the NZ charts with the cover of Carl Perkins song ‘Daddy Sang Bass’.
• Rick left NZ to travel the world starting with Australia. He travelled to Perth and did a stint teaching at Eden hill Primary School and instantly started picking up gigs around perth.
• In 1977, after marring Liz, the pair moved the family back to NZ to release his debut solo album ‘Take It Or Leave It’.
• Around this time Steele also released the single ‘Arthur Allan Thomas’. Similar to Bob Dylan’s ‘Hurricane’, the song was about Thomas, a New Zealand man framed for the murder of two people. Police had falsified evidence and imprisoned Thomas - it was 10 years before the injustice was corrected. The record was banned by the NZ government and all copies destroyed. The song was released while Thomas was still in prison and Steele’s lyrics ‘the man’s been framed, Arthur Alan’s not to blame, the man’s been framed’ were seen to criticise the government and was deemed libel.
• By 1980, and with two sons Jesse and Luke, Rick moved the family back to Perth and went on to release another four albums, touring the country with various bands, gigging regularly and is about to step on stage for his 8000th show.
TOURS
Rock on the River
1979 - Nambassa Festival NZ
2002 - Switzerland
2002 - UBlues Festival in Singapore.
2004 - Switzerland Tour.
2006 - New Zealand Tour.
2006 - Supported The Sleepy Jackson, New York and Los Angeles.
Rick has been prolific touring WA and the country during the last three decades.
Additional
• Rick is a regular on the Variety WA Club's Variety Bash. Each year he takes to the road with fellow 'bashers' as part of the traveling musicians and fundraisers helping to entertain and raise money for the Variety Club.
• President of the Perth Blues Club for 16 years.
• Regular performer Vietnam Veterans Club.