Steve Lillywhite facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steve Lillywhite
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Lillywhite in 2010
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Stephen Alan Lillywhite |
| Born | 15 March 1955 |
| Origin | Egham, Surrey England |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Record producer |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Associated acts | Kirsty MacColl (former wife), U2, Dave Matthews Band |
Stephen Alan Lillywhite (born 15 March 1955) is a famous English record producer. A record producer is like a director for a music album, helping artists create their best sound. Since starting his career in 1977, Lillywhite has worked on over 500 records.
He has worked with many famous musicians. These include new wave bands like XTC and Simple Minds. He is also well-known for producing albums for huge rock bands like U2, the Rolling Stones, the Killers, and Dave Matthews Band.
Lillywhite has won six Grammy Awards, which are some of the biggest awards in music. In 2012, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by the Queen of England for his amazing work in music.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Steve Lillywhite was born in Surrey, England. He got his start in the music world in 1972 as a tape operator for a company called PolyGram. His job was to help with the recording equipment.
He produced a demo recording for the band Ultravox!. A demo is a sample recording used to show a band's talent. Because of this demo, the band got a contract with Island Records. Soon after, Island Records hired Lillywhite as a producer.
His first big hit was in 1978 with the song "Hong Kong Garden" by Siouxsie and the Banshees. The song was very popular in the United Kingdom. He then produced the band's first album, The Scream.
A Decade of Hits: The 1980s
The 1980s were a very busy and successful time for Lillywhite. He worked with many of the top artists of the decade.
Working with U2 and Peter Gabriel
In 1980, Lillywhite produced two very important albums. One was Peter Gabriel by Peter Gabriel. This album was a number one hit in the UK and made Lillywhite a well-known producer. While making this album, he helped create a special drum sound called gated reverb. This powerful, booming drum sound became very popular in 1980s music.
The other major album was Boy, the first album by a new Irish band called U2. This was the beginning of a long partnership. Lillywhite went on to produce U2's next two albums, October and War, which helped make them international superstars.
Producing for Other Major Artists
Throughout the 1980s, Lillywhite also produced music for the Rolling Stones, Talking Heads, and Morrissey.
In 1987, he produced the song "Fairytale of New York" for the band the Pogues. The song featured vocals from his wife at the time, singer Kirsty MacColl. It became a huge Christmas hit in the UK and is still played every year during the holidays.
Success in the 1990s
In the 1990s, Lillywhite continued to produce hit albums. He worked with the American group Dave Matthews Band on their popular albums Under the Table and Dreaming and Crash.
He also worked with U2 again on their famous album Achtung Baby. He produced the first album for the British band Travis and the only album by The La's. In 1996, he produced the album Billy Breathes for the American band Phish.
Later Career: 2000s to Today
Lillywhite's success continued into the new century. He won several Grammy Awards for his work with U2, including Album of the Year for How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb in 2006.
New Projects and Bands
In the early 2000s, Lillywhite began working for record companies, helping to find and sign new artists. He signed the band MGMT while working at Columbia Records.
He continued to produce for many artists, including Thirty Seconds to Mars on their album This Is War. In 2010, he worked with members of the band Oasis on their new project, Beady Eye.
In 2015, Lillywhite won another Grammy Award for producing the album Loco De Amor by the Colombian artist Juanes. More recently, he has worked with artists from Asia, including the Thai rock band Slot Machine and the Japanese band Luna Sea.
Personal Life
From 1984 to 1994, Lillywhite was married to singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl. They had two sons together. MacColl passed away in an accident in 2000.
In 2012, Lillywhite was given the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his contributions to music. In 2025, he was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Surrey.
Selected Works
Here is a short list of some of the famous albums Steve Lillywhite has produced:
- Big Country – The Crossing
- Counting Crows – Hard Candy
- Dave Matthews Band – Under the Table and Dreaming, Crash
- Joan Armatrading – Walk Under Ladders
- Kirsty MacColl – Kite
- Morrissey – Vauxhall and I
- Peter Gabriel – Peter Gabriel
- Phish – Billy Breathes
- Siouxsie and the Banshees – The Scream
- Talking Heads – Naked
- The Killers – Battle Born
- The Pogues – If I Should Fall From Grace with God
- The Psychedelic Furs – The Psychedelic Furs
- The Rolling Stones – Dirty Work
- Thirty Seconds to Mars – This Is War
- U2 – Boy, War, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
- XTC – Drums and Wires
See also
In Spanish: Steve Lillywhite para niños
