Steve Strange facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steve Strange
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Strange before performing at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Ski Flying World Championships, Harrachov, Czech Republic
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Stephen John Harrington |
| Born | 28 May 1959 Newbridge, Caerphilly, Wales |
| Died | 12 February 2015 (aged 55) Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1977–1986, 2002–2015 |
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Stephen John Harrington (born May 28, 1959 – died February 12, 2015), known as Steve Strange, was a singer from Wales. He became famous as the lead singer of the new wave synth-pop band Visage. Their most well-known song was "Fade to Grey". Steve Strange was also a very important person in the New Romantic fashion and music movement of the early 1980s. He helped shape the style and sound of that era.
Contents
Early Life and School
Stephen Harrington was born in Newbridge, Wales. His family later moved to Aldershot, England. They then moved back to Wales, living in Rhyl, where his parents ran a guest house and cafes.
After his parents divorced, Stephen moved back to Newbridge with his mother. He went to Newbridge Grammar School. He later lost interest in most school subjects, except for art.
Music Career Beginnings
The Punk Era
In 1976, Steve went to a Sex Pistols concert. He became friends with the band's bass player, Glen Matlock. Steve then started arranging concerts for punk bands in his hometown.
He later moved to London and worked for Malcolm McLaren. He formed a punk band called the Moors Murderers. Other members included Chrissie Hynde (who later formed The Pretenders) and Topper Headon (who later played drums for The Clash). The band played a few shows before breaking up in 1978.
Later in 1978, Steve briefly joined another punk band called the Photons as their singer and songwriter.
Visage: A New Sound
After leaving the Photons, Stephen started using the name Steve Strange. He joined a new band called Visage. The band included Rusty Egan and Midge Ure from Rich Kids, Billy Currie from Ultravox, and members from Magazine.
Visage was meant to be a side project for these musicians. They released their first song, "Tar", in 1979. It wasn't a big hit.
In 1980, Steve Strange appeared in the music video for David Bowie's hit song "Ashes to Ashes". This helped make the new fashion style, called New Romantic, very popular.
Later that year, Visage signed with a major record label, Polydor. They released their second song, "Fade to Grey". This song became a top 10 hit in the UK and other parts of Europe. It even reached number one in Germany and Switzerland.
As the main face of the band, Steve Strange became a star in Britain and Europe. Visage had many hit songs and two successful albums. The band broke up in 1985.
After Visage, Steve Strange formed a band called Strange Cruise with Wendy Wu. They released two songs and an album in 1986, but they didn't have much success.
Club Hosting and The Blitz Club
Creating Iconic Nightclubs
In 1978, before Visage became famous, Steve Strange and his bandmate Rusty Egan started hosting and DJing at nightclubs. They began with "Bowie nights" at Billy's club in London.
In 1979, they took over Tuesdays at the Blitz wine bar in London's Covent Garden. This became the famous Blitz Club. Steve Strange had a very strict rule about who could enter the club. He only let in people who looked "weird and wonderful."
The Blitz Club became a very important place for the rise of the New Romantic movement. Steve's door policy was so strict that he once famously refused to let in Mick Jagger. Steve later said this was because the club was already full.
After the Blitz, Steve and Rusty opened other clubs, like "Club for Heroes" in 1981. In 1982, they moved to the Camden Palace nightclub for two years. This club became one of the most famous places of that time, attracting many celebrities.
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Later in the 1980s, Steve Strange went to Ibiza, Spain. He became a key part of the growing trance club scene there. He hosted parties for famous people like Sylvester Stallone. In the early 1990s, he hosted the "Double Bass" club in Ibiza.
Later Music Projects
Visage Continues
In 2002, Steve Strange joined the Here and Now Tour, which brought back many pop acts from the 1980s. In 2004, he formed a new version of Visage, called Visage Mk II. This version included musicians from modern electronic bands, but none of the original Visage members.
They planned to re-record old Visage songs and create new music. They made some TV appearances. Their first new song, "Diary of a Madman," was available for download in 2007. People could download it by donating to the Children in Need charity.
In 2006, Steve worked with the electronic music duo Punx Soundcheck. He helped write and sang on their song "In the Dark."
In 2012, Steve Strange said he was working on a new Visage album. In 2013, he announced another new version of Visage, called Visage (Mk III). This band included himself, Steve Barnacle, Robin Simon, and Lauren Duvall. They released a new album called Hearts and Knives in May 2013. This was the first new Visage album in 29 years. The band played several live shows in the UK and Europe to support the album.
Steve Strange was also part of another music group called the Detroit Starrzz. This group released their first song, "Halo," in 2011.
Television Appearances and Legacy
Steve Strange was featured in a 2005 Channel 4 documentary. It was called Whatever Happened to the Gender Benders?. This show looked back at the New Romantic movement of the early 1980s. It highlighted the important roles that Steve Strange, Boy George, and Marilyn played in it.
In November 2006, Steve Strange took part in a BBC reality show for Children in Need called Celebrity Scissorhands. He won the show. He returned in 2007 and 2008 as an Assistant Manager. He helped with the fashion and hairstyles.
In 2008, Steve Strange appeared in the BBC drama series Ashes to Ashes. The show was set in 1981. He performed the song "Fade to Grey" in a scene that took place in the "Blitz" nightclub.
In 2009, Steve Strange and Rusty Egan appeared on Living TV's Pop Goes the Band. This show helped pop stars from the 1980s get makeovers and perform again. The Visage episode was the first time Steve and Rusty had spoken in over 20 years. They performed "Fade to Grey" at the end of the episode.
In January 2011, Steve Strange and Rusty Egan reopened the "Blitz" Club for one night. There were performances and DJ sets.
In his final years, Steve Strange lived with his family in Porthcawl, a seaside town in South Wales.
Death and Funeral
On February 12, 2015, Steve Strange had a heart attack in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. He was 55 years old. He passed away later that day in the hospital.
The band Spandau Ballet, who also started their career at the Blitz Club, dedicated their performance at the Sanremo Music Festival to Steve Strange.
His family held a public funeral in Porthcawl. Many famous people from the entertainment world attended. His coffin was carried by Boy George, Jayce Lewis, and brothers Martin and Gary Kemp from Spandau Ballet. He was buried at Jubilee Gardens Cemetery. A heart-shaped gravestone was put in place in December 2015.
Images for kids
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Steve at the opening of Dj Tallulah's Circus Circus club, London, in 1983 (Tallulah (left) Steve Strange (right)
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In Spanish: Steve Strange para niños
