Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Recording Week 25
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • As It Was preset
  • Don't Give Up
  • Ron Wood's drum secret
  • 95k+ free music samples
Don't miss these
Man plays Alesis Nitro Max drum kit with black sticks
Electronic Drums Best beginner electronic drum sets 2025: top-rated entry-level e-drums, reviewed by experts
Drummer sat at an e-kit places a pair of headphones over his head
Drummers Best headphones for drummers 2025: sound isolation for the studio, rehearsal room and stage
Clem Burke, Ancienne Belgique (AB), Brussels, Belgium, November 1998
Drummers Clem Burke's 10 essential drum albums
Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones accept the award for Album Of The Year: Public Vote for their album 'Blue & Lonesome'
Guitarists “He tried it when he came in and he said ‘I can’t do it as good as you, Ronnie. You get back on the drums.’”: When Charlie Watts ceded the drums to Ronnie Wood on a Stones track
Drummers Listen to 11 isolated drum tracks from rock's drumming legends
Drummers When British rock drumming ruled the world
Danny Carey
Drummers 6 of the most inspirational drummers of all time
Ray Cooper
Artists Percussionist Ray Cooper tells the story of his ‘lost’ live collaboration with Elton John
Simon Phillips
Artists “I didn't recognise him. I found out later it was Dave Gilmour!”: Simon Phillips' chaotic session with Pete Townshend
Hal Blaine
Drummers Read our classic interview with Wrecking Crew legend Hal Blaine
From Bobby Z to Hannah F
Drummers The many drummers of Prince
Jeff Porcaro
Artists Exploring the genius of Jeff Porcaro's Rosanna Shuffle
Phil Collins sitting at drums
Artists "Peter Gabriel said, as soon as he saw me sit down on a drum stool, he knew that I was the drummer"
DarWin
Artists “Most pop music is rubbish now”: Legendary drummer Simon Phillips on producing supergroup DarWin
Simon Phillips performing with Toto in 2007
Artists “Everybody knew Jeff was a great drummer”: How Simon Phillips succeeded in replacing Jeff Porcaro in Toto
  1. Artists
  2. Drummers

6 career defining records of Steve White

News
By David West published 30 September 2009

Paul Weller's drummer picks his finest

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Steve White

Steve White

From his beginnings as the unknown new kid in The Style Council to his years as Paul Weller’s trusted drummer and most-recent project Trio Valore, Steve White is a familiar face among British musicians. Interestingly, he’s also ex-Oasis drummer Alan White’s brother.

Here, Steve White runs down his personal hit parade, revealing those tracks which have most defined his career, telling Rhythm Magazine why they mattered so much along the way.

Next page: how to follow The Jam…

Page 1 of 7
Page 1 of 7
Café Bleu (1984)

Café Bleu (1984)

After the huge success of The Jam, Paul Weller confounded everyone’s expectations but his own with The Style Council’s first full-length album, an eclectic mix of jazz, soul and pop.

Steve White says:

“For an album that was a huge commercial success and was so overtly leftfield from anything that Paul Weller had ever done before, I think it was a really inspired move to bring in musicians that were largely unaware of his past, because we weren’t intimidated.”

“I really love the sound on that record; I love the strings, I love the fact that there was an instrumental called Dropping Bombs On The Whitehouse at the height of the Cold War. Also it was the first proper record I made. I was so chuffed to get that finished vinyl.”

Buy Café Bleu here: Amazon UK | Play.com | HMV

Page 2 of 7
Page 2 of 7
Our Favourite Shop (1985)

Our Favourite Shop (1985)

“That run between the two albums was fantastic,” says Steve looking back. Our Favourite Shop produced two Top 10 singles and saw the group fine-tune their cocktail of influences.

Steve White says:

“I think that was The Style Council’s finest moment in terms of lyrics and political comment. We don’t expect artists to be political now unless they are fairly marginal, but this was an album that went to No 1 in the pop charts that had lyrics commenting on the miners’ strike, about the youth trade union rights campaigns.”

“Paul played an absolute blinder in encouraging me to come out of my shell and really capitalise on all those years of playing in clubs, playing brushes, swing time, Latin patterns and bossa nova patterns.”

Buy Our Favourite Shop here: Amazon UK | Play.com | HMV

Page 3 of 7
Page 3 of 7
In Pursuit Of The 13th Note (1991)

In Pursuit Of The 13th Note (1991)

“I worked on that above a garage in Clapham,” remembers Steve of the London-based acid jazzers’ debut. “It was my introduction to beats and loops and samples.” Fellow Style Council alumnus Mick Talbot played keyboards in the band, which was the first signing to Eddie Piller and Gilles Peterson’s Talkin’ Loud label.

Steve White says:

“It was the first time that I really thought that using beats and samples and listening to other people’s input could make a different approach to my drumming come out.”

“Although commercially it wasn’t a huge success, it was very pivotal in that whole acid jazz movement. Indirectly I think it was a very influential record on a whole era of British soul, rap and hip-hop that came later.”

“This was the early days of sampling and, if you listen to it now, it doesn’t jump out of the speakers, but at the time it was a very creative record.”

Buy In Pursuit Of The 13th Note here: Amazon UK | Play.com | HMV

Page 4 of 7
Page 4 of 7
Paul Weller (1992)

Paul Weller (1992)

After Polydor refused to release the last Style Council album, Paul Weller had a lot riding on his first solo release. With Steve back on the drums, Weller emerged completely revitalised with his self-titled hit, which reached No 8 in the UK album chart and paved the way for the mid-’90s Brit-pop movement.

Steve White says:

“It was such a fun record to make because it was largely Paul and myself. Paul was overdubbing but we were essentially face-to-face in the studio, with a drum set and a guitar, making a record.”

“That was the beginning of our long push from Paul being written off in his early 30s - we were proving everybody wrong with every single tour. The album was largely funded by Paul and his dad out of their own pocket. I remember having a meeting with a really senior figure in the British recording industry who said ‘Paul Weller is finished.’”

Buy Paul Weller here: Amazon UK | Play.com | HMV

Page 5 of 7
Page 5 of 7
Wild Wood (1993)

Wild Wood (1993)

After announcing his return with his eponymous solo debut, the following year Paul Weller cemented his status as the Modfather with Wild Wood, a No 2 UK chart smash featuring hit singles Wild Wood and Sunflower. ‘Has My Fire Really Gone Out’ he asks. Not likely - as the Glastonbury crowds proved…

Steve White says:

“It has such great memories for me from a creative point of view, from songs like Sunflower, Has My Fire Really Gone Out, getting to meet Steve Winwood, working with Paul McCartney – it was a fantastic time.”

“Sunflower was my little tribute to Ginger Baker, which has become a landmark in my life because the drums are so prominent. 1994 we did Glastonbury, and we went on at seven o’clock just as dusk was starting to creep across the horizon. I remember you could feel it in the crowd that everyone was listening.”

Buy Wild Wood here: Amazon UK | Play.com | HMV

Page 6 of 7
Page 6 of 7
Return Of The Iron Monkey (2008)

Return Of The Iron Monkey (2008)

A masterpiece of modern day funk, soul and nu-jazz with Damon Minchella on bass, Seamus Beaghen on organ and Steve on drums, the album reflects the trio’s “very unhealthy obsession with all things Italian and all things kung fu,” says Steve.

Steve White says:

“It was made over a couple of days, but it’s given me a newfound confidence in simplicity. There’s nothing on there that’s particularly fusion-esque or double pedal-tastic but it’s paying tribute to the style of playing of some of the people I’ve begun to truly appreciate, people like Earl Palmer with his fantastic backbeat groove.”

“Working in a very simple environment of bass, organ and drums you really have to think about every note. Return Of The Iron Monkey, it’s almost like a really obscure Shaolin style of kung fu - on the drums.”

Buy Return Of The Iron Monkey here: Amazon UK | Play.com | HMV

Page 7 of 7
Page 7 of 7
Categories
Drums
David West
Read more
Clem Burke, Ancienne Belgique (AB), Brussels, Belgium, November 1998
Clem Burke's 10 essential drum albums
 
 
Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones accept the award for Album Of The Year: Public Vote for their album 'Blue & Lonesome'
“He tried it when he came in and he said ‘I can’t do it as good as you, Ronnie. You get back on the drums.’”: When Charlie Watts ceded the drums to Ronnie Wood on a Stones track
 
 
Listen to 11 isolated drum tracks from rock's drumming legends
 
 
When British rock drumming ruled the world
 
 
Danny Carey
6 of the most inspirational drummers of all time
 
 
Ray Cooper
Percussionist Ray Cooper tells the story of his ‘lost’ live collaboration with Elton John
 
 
Latest in Drummers
Lars Ulrich of Metallica performs at Levi's Stadium on June 20, 2025 in Santa Clara, California.
"Stick with it. Focus…You've gotta put the time in”: Lars Ulrich’s advice to young artists
 
 
Simon Phillips performing with Toto in 2007
“Everybody knew Jeff was a great drummer”: How Simon Phillips succeeded in replacing Jeff Porcaro in Toto
 
 
Blue Carpet held at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 06, 2025 in Queens
The one where Courteney Cox plays Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit on the drums and goes viral
 
 
Simon Phillips
“I didn't recognise him. I found out later it was Dave Gilmour!”: Simon Phillips' chaotic session with Pete Townshend
 
 
DarWin
“Most pop music is rubbish now”: Legendary drummer Simon Phillips on producing supergroup DarWin
 
 
Matt Cameron of Pearl Jam performs live on stage during the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival at Fair Grounds Race Course on May 03, 2025
Matt Cameron explains why he left Pearl Jam and insists that the final Soundgarden album is coming
 
 
Latest in News
brian eno
"It felt fitting to broadcast it into the unknown, into dark matter": Brian Eno to beam his new album into space tonight
 
 
DJ Seth Troxler performs on stage during the Primavera Sound Festival at Distrito Anhembi on November 5, 2022
“It’s just too emotional”: Seth Troxler is offering €10 an hour to anyone willing to help him clean up his vinyl
 
 
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 20: Musician D'Angelo plays a private concert at a media event announcing updates to the music streaming application Spotify on May 20, 2015 in New York City. The latest updates include the ability to stream video content, podcasts and radio programs as well as original songs for the application. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
Beyoncé, Lauryn Hill, Jacob Collier, Flea and many more pay tribute to D'Angelo
 
 
The Strymon Olivera is a five-knob stompbox in bronze-brown that offers an emulation of an oil-can delay
Strymon’s Olivera is a oil can delay without the oil, without the mechanics, and with a lot more control over your tone
 
 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 27: D'Angelo performs at The Apollo Theater on February 27, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Shahar Azran/Getty Images)
Neo-soul pioneer D’Angelo has died, aged 51
 
 
Harley Benton CLF-50E Parlor Metallic: the compact-bodied acoustic has been launched with a range of metallic finishes.
Harley Benton’s new acoustic is a compact parlour with a solid top and metallic colour finish – and it is just $250
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...