Steve Rowland

Steve’s father, Roy Rowland was one of Hollywood’s most respected directors since the late ‘30s. His mother Ruth was a writer and a journalist.In the 1950s Steve’s star-studded lifestyle inspired his five monthly columns in various fan magazines, including “The View From Rowland’s Head”. In addition, his monthly record reviews tied in with his weekly radio broadcast on Hollywood station KGIL which included music, reviews and interviews.Steve’s new book “Hollywood Heat”chronicles his coming of age in ‘50s Hollywood. In a style which is a cool cocktail of Beatnick slang with Sunset Strip hip, Steve puts you right there - in the car with Elvis - nervously negotiating a date with a starlet - sincerely digging the music at the most happening clubs in town. Having done his thesis on Jazz, Steve allows you to witness the birth of West Coast Cool at the famous Lighthouse in Redondo Beach, and dig Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker at the Haig off Wilshire Boulevard.We also get to hang out with Steve’s pals like Jimmy Dean, Bob Wagner and Tony Curtis, and go on dates with 50’s babes Natalie Wood, Tuesday Weld and Jean Seberg. The book is studded with rare photographs of all these stars and more as Steve takes you racing cars with James Dean, riding dirt bikes with Steve McQueen, playing touch-football with Elvis Presley and getting drunk with Robert Mitchum. Other friends included the cream of 50’s Hollywood elite including Debbie Reynolds, Harry Belafonte, Jayne Powell, Ed ‘Kookie’ Burns, Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson, Tony Curtis and his wife Janet Leigh. Soul legend Sam Cooke inspired Steve to form his first group, The Exciters.During the making of five films in Spain, Steve enjoyed Spanish chart success with the tastefully named group, Los Flaps. The lure of the exciting British music scene of the ‘60s brought him to London where he produced 13 Top 5 hits for Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Titch. Among those worldwide hits were “Hold Tight”, “Zabadak”, “Bend It” and “The Legend of Xanadu” (a million selling British Number One).He also discovered Peter Frampton and the Herd, and with “Way Of Life” had a #2 British hit with his own group The Family Dogg (named after his obsessive love of animals). He produced hits for other 60’s icons including P.J. Proby and The Pretty Things. In the 70’s he won a gold album and ASCAP award for producing “Jerry Lee Lewis (the London Sessions)”. As Creative Manager /A &R for Hansa/Ariola he discovered and signed The Cure and The Thompson Twins, and handled Boney M and Japan.He produced the million selling “I Lost My Heart To a Starship Trooper” with Sara Brightman & Hot Gossip. In 1985 he produced “The Lost Opera” with Kimera and THE L.S.O which remained in the Top 5 of the French charts for 20 weeks selling 1.5 million albums. In 1986 he discovered, demoed, and developed MEL & KIM, and signed them to Supreme Records.In 1988 he ran his own dance label Dr. BEAT, and later became Creative Director of Wham Records. Steve has also written, produced and collated music for the TWI TV series “Hi Five” broadcast in 38 countries. At the end of 1993 Steve became a director of Pavillion Studios forming a production company working with a number of young D.J.s, Producers Artistes and Programmers. During this time he auditioned and tried to sign the then-unknown Spice girl Geri Halliwell. In 1995 Steve became Managing Director of Media Bank U.K. a Hong Kong based international production company.Steve Rowland is now a Director of High Grade Productions (UK) Ltd and is in the studio producing a Pop-Dance with artist Bonni J. He is currently in the process of completing his book"Hollywood Heat - Untold Stories" scheduled for release in April 2007.