Steve Wade

Stephen Wade is an English-born Australian-based singer, songwriter and musician. He won the Australian Songwriter of the Year in 1989 and 1990. Wade was a member of the Graham Goble Encounter (1993–95), which recorded two albums and toured Germany. During 1994 he provided guitar and vocals for another group, Tempted, on their self-titled album. From 1996, for four years, Wade was a lead vocalist for the soft rock group, Little River Band. In 2001 he issued his debut self-titled album and during 2006 he was a member of the trio Pealing Wade & Young, with Mick Pealing (ex-Stars) and Gary Young (from Scarecrow), which issued an eponymous album. In April 2013 he auditioned for series two of The Voice, but was not selected.

Biography

Steve Wade was born in Liverpool, England in the early 1960s and moved to Australia at a young age. He developed an interest in music and began performing at venues around Melbourne. Wade was a member of various groups including Dolphin Street and Big Push.

In 1993 Wade was recruited by ex-Little River Band singer-guitarist, Graham Goble to front his new band, the Graham Goble Encounter. Wade sang lead vocals on their first album, Nautilus (1993), which was produced by Goble. The band toured Germany to promote that album. One of its tracks, "I've Been Broken", was co-written by Wade and Goble. Wade also sang on their second album, Stop (1996). In between the two albums, Wade on lead vocals and guitar formed a short-lived trio, Tempted, in 1994, alongside George Servanis on drums, percussion and backing vocals, and Anthony Tosti-Guerra on keyboarding, programming and backing vocals. During the next four years he appeared in more than 500 performances with the band. He has won three awards from the Australian Songwriters Association: Songwriter of the Year in 1989 and 1990 and Best Folk/World Song for "Lonely Balladeer" in 2001.

He has written, recorded or arranged jingles and theme songs for radio and television. He arranged the 2002 version of the theme for TV soap opera, Neighbours, which was sung by Janine Maunder. He was a member of Pealing Wade & Young alongside Mick Pealing (ex-Stars) on vocals and guitar, and Gary Young (from Scarecrow) on vocals, guitar and harmonica. They issued a self-titled album in that year which was recorded, mixed and mastered by Tosti-Guerra. During 2009 he performed at the Crown Casino.

In April 2013 Wade auditioned for a place on TV talent quest, The Voice. Elle Halliwell of The Daily Telegraph felt "[it was] downright embarrassing to watch Wade, whose songwriting talent has earned him two Australian Songwriters Association Songwriter of the Year awards, being given tips from Goodrem on how to improve his performances... There should be a point at which a contestant is too successful to audition for The Voice. To me, that point is when they have more experience than the show's coaches."

Discography

Solo Steve Wade (2001)

The Graham Goble Encounter Nautilus (1993) The New Nautilus (1999) Stop (1996)

Tempted Tempted (1994)

Pealing Wade & Young Pealing Wade & Young (2006)

Videography

"Can't Eat, Can't Sleep", The Graham Goble Encounter, German television appearance, 1993 "Help Is On Its Way", Little River Band, live performance, 1996 "Lady", Little River Band, Today (NBC), Rockefeller Plaza, 1997 "Cool Change", Little River Band, Today (NBC), Rockefeller Plaza, 1997