Award-winning singer, songwriter and musician, Steve Louw, active since 1984, is recognised as one of the most respected and accomplished talents in the South African music industry. Headlight Dreams, produced by Kevin Shirley, was released in May 2021.
Steve Louw, November 2021 | credit: Jacqui van Staden
The highly-rated “Headlight Dreams” album was released today, one year ago! Produced by Kevin Shirley and featuring the legendary Joe Bonamassa on the track “Wind In Your Hair”.
Concert held at Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg on the 12th January 1985 in aid of Operation Hunger.
When we got to Ellis Park that afternoon the stadium was heaving with 110 000 South African music fans packed in across the turf, throughout the stadium and up on the roof!
Juluka and Johnny Clegg held that crowd in the palm of their hands, and then the whole place erupted in joy when Lucky Dube came on. He channelled the love running through everyone that night.
”I love this man”, I heard someone scream, as the place rocked to the deep pulse of rhythm and sound, bonding 110 000 people as one.
Steve Louw, December 2021
All Night Radio (left-to-right): Steve Louw, Rob Nagel, Richard “Dish” Devey, Nico Burger
“Don’t leave it too late (don’t wait) ‘Til you’re standing in front of hell’s gates (don’t wait) With a pocket full of loose change (don’t wait) Feeling lost and strange”
Time is moving and so are you – but it’s never too late to get to where you want to go . . .
The song’s about someone on a strange road trip out on roads far from the mainstream, though glimpses of towns keep showing themselves. Reflecting on what he’s been and wished he hadn’t seen, he heads into town . . . and leaves again, back on track. It’s about how we hold our destiny in our own hands, how it’s never too late to be your dream, and how if you don’t stop, you keep moving forward.
Steve Louw
DON’T WAIT (Recorded February 29, 2020)
You can call me Ace or you can call me King If I can find a place that’s out of this wind Draw you a map, I’ll explain That the road back may be filled with pain Don’t leave it too late ‘Til you’re standing in front of Hell’s gates With a pocket full of loose change Feeling lost and strange
If I’m a shadow of my former self Well, I’m still better off Than being someone else I’ve seen people do things That they can’t explain I’ve seen bad and good Even seen dry rain Don’t leave it too late ‘Til you’re standing in front of Hell’s gates With a pocket full of loose change Feeling lost and strange
This concierge looks more dead than alive Says the only way out of here is when it’s bone dry Think I’ll drop a gear down into four-wheel drive One thing’s clear, it’s just great to be alive Don’t leave it too late ‘Til you’re standing in front of Hell’s gates With a pocket full of loose change Feeling lost and strange
The official video for “Train Don’t Run”, created by Jacqui van Staden. From the album “Headlight Dreams“, released 7 May 2021.
… my favourite track on this album is the almost proggish “Train Don’t Run”. Clocking in at seven and half minutes this is an epic tune that you hope never finishes. There is a soaring guitar solo by Rob McNelley that David Gilmour fans will love. No surprise to discover that this track was mixed on the same console as the classic “Dark Side Of The Moon“.
My grandfather was a railroadman and in the 1930s my father rode trains looking for work. To me, trains symbolise our attempts to bend nature to our will – and we’re seeing that trying to do that will never work. Silence will always return to the plains, the wind will blow, tracks will crumble and the earth will breathe again. This song has the wide open plains in it; dry cracked earth and a broken land.
The song builds from a driving acoustic guitar and hypnotic bassline to a haunting guitar solo by Rob McNelley. The production (by Kevin Shirley) brings out the relentlessness of the song and of what we inflict on our planet.
Steve Louw
TRAIN DON’T RUN (Recorded February 27, 2020)
The wind blows across empty plains That hold so many bones The rails glow years since the rain Horses roam on broken stones Train don’t run round here no more Train is gone for us all
Put down a coin on the track Saw silver turn through black Seeds thrown all come back Haunt the earth broken and cracked Train don’t run round here no more Train won’t come for us all
I can help you cross if you’ll let me Spirits roam across this broken land What’s been lost you can see Count the cost can’t understand Train don’t run round here no more Train is gone for us all
1 (2) STEVE LOUW FEAT. JOE BONAMASSA – WIND IN YOUR HAIR 2 (3) BILLY INGLISH – TIME TRAVEL 3 (1) KENNY HUGHES – RUN ALONG 4 (6) STEVE UMCULO – YOUR EYES THROUGH MINE 5 (7) IMAGE AND NATION – RIVERS AND DREAMS 6 (8) CECE VEE – WILD HEARTS 7 (4) SPRINGBOK NUDE GIRLS – FLASHLIGHT 8 (10) ANGRY SPANISH – IT’S NOT ME, IT’S YOU 9 (12) KAHN MORBEE – ALL THE BEAUTY 10 (5) 4AM – OUR PEOPLE
My grandfather was a railroadman and in the 1930s my father rode trains looking for work. To me, trains symbolise our attempts to bend nature to our will – and we’re seeing that trying to do that will never work. Silence will always return to the plains, the wind will blow, tracks will crumble and the earth will breathe again. This song has the wide open plains in it; dry cracked earth and a broken land.
The song builds from a driving acoustic guitar and hypnotic bassline to a haunting guitar solo by Rob McNeeley. The production (by Kevin Shirley) brings out the relentlessness of the song and of what we inflict on our planet.