Stephen Bradley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stephen Reid Bradley
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| Born | August 23, 1972  Richmond, California |
| Occupation(s) | Musician,Producer,Songwriter,Photographer,Videographer |
| Instruments | Trumpet, Keyboard |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Associated acts | No Doubt, Gwen Stefani |
Stephen Reid Bradley, born on August 23, 1972, in Richmond, California, is an American musician. He is also a songwriter, record producer, photographer, and videographer. Stephen is best known for playing the trumpet and keyboard for the band No Doubt. He has also played and toured with other famous bands like Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins, and Steel Pulse.
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Early Life and Musical Start
Stephen Bradley was born in Oakland, California. He grew up in Richmond, California. His mother, Janice, and his Uncle Jerley first introduced him to music. His mother played the piano at home. She encouraged Stephen to learn the trumpet when he was 13 years old.
Stephen became more serious about music in high school. He attended El Cerrito High School. There, he played in both the Jazz Ensemble and the Symphonic Band.
Stephen Bradley's Career
Starting Out in Bands
During high school, Stephen played with friends in a band called Private Culture. Their style was similar to the band The Police. They performed in local clubs around the Bay Area in the late 1980s and early 1990s. At one of these shows, they opened for the band No Doubt in Berkeley, California. This was Stephen's first time meeting the members of No Doubt.
Later, Stephen joined another Bay Area band called Dizzybam. This band played a mix of funk, rock, and rap music. Stephen was reintroduced to No Doubt by Dizzybam's bassist, Kerry James. Kerry James and Tony Kanal, who played bass for No Doubt, were friends. Tony Kanal asked Kerry to help find a trumpet player. No Doubt needed someone to play for a show in San Francisco. Stephen performed at that show. After that, he was asked to join No Doubt on the first 'Warped Tour'.
Stephen continued to tour and record with No Doubt for many years. He stayed with the band until they stopped performing in 2015.
Exploring New Music Projects
While working with No Doubt, Stephen also started writing songs and producing music. He teamed up with his long-time friend, David Tweedie. David is a talented musician who plays many instruments. Together, they created an album called Chocolate O'Brian. This experience helped Stephen grow as a producer and songwriter.
Solo Music and Collaborations
After living in the Bay Area for a long time, Stephen moved to Los Angeles. He wanted to find more opportunities in the music business.
In 2015, Stephen released his first solo song and music video. It was called 'Over and Out'. He later released an EP, which is a short album, called "Runaways". For this project, he worked with songwriter and producer Javan Slagle. "Runaways" was well-liked by music critics. Stephen also performed solo shows at the Skybar in West Hollywood.
In 2018, Stephen worked with David Elecciri Jr. David is the guitarist for the band Steel Pulse. They recorded a reggae and pop album together. The album was called 'United We Stand', and they released it under the band name 'Valley of the Kings'.
Touring with Other Artists
Besides touring with No Doubt, Stephen has played with other famous bands. He toured with Green Day on their Nimrod tour in the early 2000s. He also toured with Smashing Pumpkins for their 20th anniversary tour.
Stephen toured with Gwen Stefani on her 'Sweet Escape world tour'. He still performs with her today. He is also a current touring member of the band Steel Pulse.
Photography and Videography
Stephen Bradley has also started working in other creative fields. He now makes music videos and takes photographs.
Discography
- A Very Special Christmas 3 (Various Artists, 1997)
- Return of Saturn (No Doubt, 2000)
- Chocolate O'Brian (self-titled) (2004)
- Wikked Lil' Grrrls (Esthero, 2005)
- The Sweet Escape (Gwen Stefani, 2006)
- Push and Shove (No Doubt, 2012)
- Sorry I'm Late (Cher Lloyd, 2014)
- Over and Out (single) (Stephen Bradley, 2015)
- Runaways (EP) (Stephen Bradley, 2015)
- United We Stand (Valley Of The Kings, 2018)
- Mass Manipulation (Steel Pulse, 2019)
