Steve Cradock

At the forefront of the mid-'90s mod revival, <a href="spotify:artist:5vIOGcdmx1eIkq3ZtuS12U">Ocean Colour Scene</a> guitarist and regular <a href="spotify:artist:7Lf3LOZp3U3u2f6cWMd3AH">Paul Weller</a> 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 <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:22bE4uQ6baNwSHPVcDxLCe">the Rolling Stones</a>, 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 <a href="spotify:artist:0LKYGPiLYpJoRnWuQBX3ou">Simon Fowler</a>, Damon Minchella, and <a href="spotify:artist:3sCm8JsErEUvbnSs0tLYBe">Oscar Harrison</a> to form <a href="spotify:artist:5vIOGcdmx1eIkq3ZtuS12U">Ocean Colour Scene</a>. Their self-titled debut album failed to make any impact, but following a support slot on <a href="spotify:artist:7Lf3LOZp3U3u2f6cWMd3AH">Paul Weller</a>'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 <a href="spotify:artist:7Lf3LOZp3U3u2f6cWMd3AH">Weller</a> studio release, as well as co-writing and performing on each of <a href="spotify:artist:5vIOGcdmx1eIkq3ZtuS12U">OCS</a>' seven subsequent albums. In 2008 he embarked on his own solo career with his debut album, The Kundalini Target, written and recorded at <a href="spotify:artist:7Lf3LOZp3U3u2f6cWMd3AH">Weller</a>'s Black Barn Studios in just six days, while his follow-up, Peace City West, appeared in the spring of 2011 via his own <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Kundalini+Music%22">Kundalini Music</a> label. Cradock has also appeared on Smokin' Mojo Filters' Top Ten cover version of <a href="spotify:artist:3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2">the Beatles</a>' "Come Together" and <a href="spotify:artist:6sN51vEARnAAdBw1IKZ8Q9">Liam Gallagher</a>'s <a href="spotify:artist:66U6cJ3kDBat0jS42Jkp9q">Jam</a> tribute album contribution "Carnation," and has produced an unreleased comeback album for <a href="spotify:artist:5TjpsMnYz8lxTr91olqbEh">P.P. Arnold</a>. ~ Jon O'Brien, Rovi