- Steve Rodway
Steve Rodway (born in
Cambridgeshire ),cite web | author = | year = | url = http://www.esctoday.com/annual/songinfo.php?contest=311&song=2 | title = Just a little bit | format = | work = Eurovision Song Contest 1996 | publisher = Esctoday.com | accessdate = | accessyear = ] also known under the alias Motiv 8 or Motiv8, is anElectronic dance music record producer ,songwriter ,remix er and sound engineer.While known for many remixes, including those produced for the
Spice Girls ,The Doobie Brothers ,Robert Palmer , Saint Etienne, Pulp, andPet Shop Boys , as well as his own singles such as "Rockin' for Myself", "Break The Chain" and "Searching For The Golden Eye", his highest-profile work was composing and producing the song "Ooh Aah... Just A Little Bit " forGina G . The song was the United Kingdom's entry in theEurovision Song Contest 1996 and a subsequent UK number 1 and international hit.cite web | author = Studer, Wayne | year = | url = http://www.geowayne.com/remixers2.htm | title = The Pet Shop Boys' Remixers | format = | work = Pet Shop Boys Commentary | publisher = Geowayne.com | accessdate = | accessyear = ]Biography
Motiv 8
Rodway started his musical career as a vocalist and
drummer before settling as akeyboardist forBilly Ocean . An early release, "Mission", was licensed byGo! Beat Records . Rodway then startedindependent record label 'Nuff Respect Records, in preparation for distributing another single, "Rockin' for Myself". While the success of these early singles was limited to club play, Rodway's subsequent contract withWarner Bros. Records and a re-release of "Rockin' for Myself" took the single to #18 (week ofMay 7 ,1994 )cite web | author = Zywietz, Tobias | date = March 22, 2005 | url = http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_M4.HTM | title = Chart Log UK: Mood II Swing - My Vitriol | format = | work = Chart Log UK | publisher = The Official Zobbel Website | accessdate = | accessyear = ] on theUK Singles Chart .Afterwards, Rodway began his remixing career, with an early remix of "Listen to the Music" by
The Doobie Brothers (peaking at #37 UK, only a week after "Rockin' for Myself" peaked)cite web | author = Zywietz, Tobias | date = March 22, 2005 | url = http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_D2.HTM | title = Chart Log UK: Dio - Dyverse | format = | work = Chart Log UK | publisher = The Official Zobbel Website | accessdate = | accessyear = ] opening up further opportunities.Rodway's distinctive style of crossover remixes soon became in demand and his talents came to the attention of
Jarvis Cocker of the group Pulp. Cocker and bassistSteve Mackey personally met with Rodway requesting a complete overhaul of "Common People " in the Motiv8 style; the resulting classic remix went on to replace the original version onBBC Radio 1 's playlist. Following the success of "Common People", Rodway remixed "Disco 2000".More involved was a 1995 production for Saint Etienne called "He's on the Phone", created by Rodway through a considerable rework of the song "Accident" from the Saint Etienne and
Étienne Daho collaboration EP "Reserection" and used as the new single included on the "Too Young to Die" singles compilation. Time stretching and pitch shifting of a vocal sample from the song were used to create a new melody on the final product.In 1997, Rodway took on remixing "Addicted to Love" by Robert Palmer, the best known song he had worked on to date. For this remix he insisted on using multitracks from the original version rather than a recent re-recorded version.
Motiv 8 was also responsible for additional production work on the single mix of "
A Red Letter Day " byPet Shop Boys (see below).Spice Girls
In 1995 Rodway was asked to remix "
Wannabe " by theSpice Girls . At this stage little was known about the group other than they were a future priority for their record companyVirgin Records . Because the original down tempo of "Wannabe" was too slow for club play, Rodway re-recorded the girls' vocals and produced a new faster version of the track aimed specifically at club and radio play. The Motiv8 "Vocal Slam" mix was the only dance version of the song commercially available. When "Wannabe" was eventually released in 1996 as the Spice Girls' debut single, it became a huge hit on club and radio play around the world helping to establish the girls' own brand ofGirl Power .Gina G
One of Rodway's other objectives was to work with new recording artists. In December 1995, he was introduced to Australian singer
Gina G , who had come across Rodway through an early demo called "Just a Little Bit" produced by Rodway and Simon Tauber. The demo was eventually developed into the song "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit". Rodway produced a brand new version which went on to be selected as the United Kingdom's entry in theEurovision Song Contest 1996 .In conjunction with the May contest, "Ooh Aah..." was released as a single in March 1996, hitting #1 in the UK in May and receiving BPI Platinum certification;cite web | author = Zywietz, Tobias | date = March 22, 2005 | url = http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_G1.HTM | title = Chart Log UK: Gina G - Paul Giovanni | format = | work = Chart Log UK | publisher = The Official Zobbel Website | accessdate = | accessyear = ] #12 on the
Billboard Hot 100 ; and selling 2 million copies worldwide. It was performed six times on "Top of the Pops " from March to May, and yet again on the year-end episode.cite web | author = | year = | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/totpperf/search.pl?type=totp1 | title = BBC - Top of the Pops - Performance Database | format = | work = | publisher = BBC | accessdate = | accessyear = ] "Ooh Aah's" stateside success brought Rodway both a Grammy nomination and an ASCAP award.Pet Shop Boys
Rodway provided additional production on the Pet Shops' 1997 hit "A Red Letter Day". The duo became admirers of the Motiv8 sound and
Neil Tennant visited Rodway at work in his studio during the remix. Ironically after it was finished and delivered, Tennant insisted a synth line which Rodway had come up with on the Motiv8 version, should be used on the Pet Shop Boys' own main mix. After trying unsuccessfully to recreate Rodway's riff it eventually had to be sampled from the Motiv8 mix. Thus it appears on both the Pet Shop Boys' main version as well as the Motiv8 remixKylie Minogue
In 2000 Rodway began to experiment with changes to the Motiv8 sound. Although the vocals were still kept and the song preserved, he began using combinations of clean synth lines layered with deliberately distorted acoustic instruments to produce a more forceful rhythm.
Parallel compression was then applied. The synthesizer riffs in "On A Night Like This" are good examples of his technique. This version together with the Motiv8 remix of Billy Piper's "Something Deep Inside" are regarded as clear departures from the previous Motiv8 style. Due to the popularity of the remix, a video of "On a Night Like This" was also dubbed from an edited version of the Motiv8 Nocturnal Vocal Mix.Music
Motiv 8 remixes have a reputation for being focused on
songwriting and composition, generally keeping the full vocal track — an approach that Rodway attributes to coming from a background of songwriting, as opposed to DJing. Often all the backing tracks are discarded in favor of an entirely new set built from the vocals alone; one exception was "Addicted to Love", in which maintaining the "essence" of the song was a concern due to the iconic nature of the song. Musical characteristics of Motiv 8 remixes includearpeggio s playing during verses, and loops overlaid on programmed drum samples.Discography
Singles
* 1992 "Mission"
* 1993 "Rockin' for Myself" (featuringAngie Brown )
* 1995 "Break the Chain"
* 1995 "Searching for the Golden Eye" (featuringKym Mazelle )
* 2005 "Riding on the Wings"Selected remixes
* 1993
Shawn Christopher – "Make My Love"
* 1994The Doobie Brothers – "Listen to the Music"
* 1994Mozaic – "Nothing In The World"
* 1994 Saint Etienne – "Hug My Soul"
* 1994N-Trance – "Turn Up the Power"
* 1995 Pulp – "Common People "
* 1995 Pulp – "Disco 2000"
* 1995 Saint Etienne – "He's on the Phone "
* 1995Let Loose - "Everybody Say Everybody Do"
* 1995Mary Kiani – "When I Call Your Name"
* 1995Kelly Llorenna - "Brighter Day"
* 19952 In A Room - "Giddy Up"
* 1995 Childliner DJ's - "The Gift Of Christmas"
* 1995 Diana - "All I Need Is Love"
* 1995 Sleazesisters with Vikki Sheppard - "Sex"
* 1995 Teez - "Should Have Known Better"
* 1995 J-Pac - "Nutter"
* 1996Gina G - "Ooh Aah... Just A Little Bit "
* 1996Spice Girls – "Wannabe"
* 1996Diana Ross – "I Will Survive "
* 1996Dubstar – "Stars"
* 1996Mary Kiani - "Let The Music Play "
* 1996Mary Kiani - "100%"
* 1996 Crush - "Jellyhead"
* 1996 Neuronic - "Heaven"
* 1996 Open Arms - "Hey Mr DJ"
* 1996 Sparks - "Now That I Own The BBC"
* 1996Heaven 17 – "Designing Heaven"
* 1996 West End - "It's Raining Men"
* 1996 Nightcrawlers - "Let's Push It"
* 1996 Johnna - "Pride"
* 1996Dana Dawson - "Show Me"
* 1996Sean Maguire - "Good Day"
* 1996Michelle Gayle - "Baby Don't Go"
* 1996 Ann Consuelo - "See The Day"
* 1997 Nightcrawlers – "Lift Me Up"
* 1997 Robert Palmer – "Addicted to Love"
* 1997Pet Shop Boys – "A Red Letter Day "
* 1997 Gala – "Let A Boy Cry"
* 1998Alabama 3 – "Ain't Going to Goa"
* 1998 Blue Beat - "Big Times"
* 2000 Mero - "It Must Be Love"
* 2000 Buffalo G - "We're Really Saying Something"
* 2000Scooch – "For Sure"
* 2000Kaci – "Paradise"
* 2000Billie Piper – "Something Deep Inside"
* 2000Kylie Minogue – "On A Night Like This "
* 2000Erasure – "Freedom"
* 2000 Precious – "New Beginning"
* 2000 A1 – "Same Old Brand New You"
* 2000Kristine W – "Lovin' You"
* 2001 Dreamworld – "Movin' Up"
* 2001KT Oslin – "Come On A My House"
* 2001Brooklyn Bounce – "Bass, Beats & Melody"
* 2001Kaci – "Tu Amor"
* 2001 Taylor Caine – "Bombshell Cabaret"
* 2001LeAnn Rimes – "But I Do Love You"
* 2004Phixx – "Strange Love"
* 2005 Carlos Adolfo Dominguez – "Boobies"
* 2005 Sun – "Without Love"
* 2005 Carlos Adolfo Dominguez – "Boobies"
* 2005Motiv8 – "Riding On The Wings"Compilations
* 1999 "Motiv8tion: The Official Motiv 8 Remix Collection, Volume 1"
Notes
References
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*External links
* [http://www.geocities.com/motiv8site/ Motiv 8 / Steve Rodway Site]
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