Biography

At the forefront of the mid-'90s mod revival, Ocean Colour Scene guitarist and regular Paul Weller cohort Steve Cradock took center stage for the first time in 20 years after launching a belated solo career. Born in Solihull, West Midlands in 1969, Cradock grew up listening to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, and after learning how to play the guitar, formed his first band, the Boys, at age 19. A regular fixture on the Birmingham gig circuit, the band released a three-track vinyl EP, Happy Days, but following their split, Cradock teamed up with Simon Fowler, Damon Minchella, and Oscar Harrison to form Ocean Colour Scene. Their self-titled debut album failed to make any impact, but following a support slot on Paul Weller's 1993 U.K. tour, Cradock was invited to become the Modfather's regular guitarist, a role that allowed him to self-finance his own band's breakthrough second album, the three-million-selling Moseley Shoals. Cradock continued to combine the two gigs, appearing on every Weller studio release, as well as co-writing and performing on each of OCS' seven subsequent albums. In 2008 he embarked on his own solo career with his debut album, The Kundalini Target, written and recorded at Weller's Black Barn Studios in just six days, while his follow-up, Peace City West, appeared in the spring of 2011 via his own Kundalini Music label. Cradock has also appeared on Smokin' Mojo Filters' Top Ten cover version of the Beatles' "Come Together" and Liam Gallagher's Jam tribute album contribution "Carnation," and has produced an unreleased comeback album for P.P. Arnold. ~ Jon O'Brien, Rovi