Steve Nardelli
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{COI|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Steve Nardelli
| image =
| caption = Steve Nardelli performs at The Marquee, London, November 2005, with the Syn
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name = Stephen Louis Nardelli
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|4|10|df=y}}
| origin = London, England
| instrument = Guitar, vocals
| genre = Progressive rock, pop rock
| occupation = Musician, singer, songwriter
| years_active = 1965–present
| label = Deram Records
Umbrello Records
| associated_acts = The Syn
| website = [http://www.synmusic.net]
}}
Stephen Louis Nardelli (born 10 April 1948 in London) founded the Syn in 1966 with Chris Squire, Martyn Adelman and others. In 1968, Nardelli left the band for a business career in the fashion and sports industries before reforming the band in 2003 with Adelman and Peter Banks. Banks left the reunited band, but Squire joined and the band recorded a new album, Syndestructible.
As a musician and song writer
Nardelli began playing the guitar at 12.{{cite web|author=Henry Potts |url=http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/iv/sninterview.htm |title=Stephen Nardelli interview |website=Bondegezou.co.uk |date=2004-01-31 |accessdate=2020-05-11}} The Beatles, the Who, and the Animals were early influences. Inspired by the scene at the Marquee Club, at fourteen Nardelli formed his first group called High Court, an R&B band. Not long after, High Court changed its name and amalgamated into the Syn with Nardelli, Chris Squire, Andrew Pryce Jackman, Martyn Adelman and John Painter. The Syn are considered a significant part of the pre-history of Yes.{{cite web|author=Henry Potts |url=http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/reviews/recorded/OriginalSyn.htm |title=Album review: Original Syn 1965-2004 |website=Bondegezou.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2020-05-11}}
Nardelli's first composition was "Grounded", a freakbeat song that he wrote when 14. He co-wrote "14 Hour Technicolour Dream" in 1967, which was reviewed as "one of the best British psychedelic singles by any band",[{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p20897/biography|pure_url=yes}} Review] by Richie Unterberger, AllMusic and voted by Time Out magazine one of the best ever top 100 songs written about London.{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeout.com/london/music/the-100-best-london-songs|title=The 100 best London songs|website=Timeout.com|accessdate=2020-05-11}} Both were singles performed by the Syn.
Nardelli continued to write music after The Syn of the 1960s and had a solo recording contract with Decca.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}} Nardelli reformed the Syn with Peter Banks and Martyn Adelman in 2004. The line-up changed, re-uniting Nardelli with Chris Squire, and together they wrote Syndestructible (2005) with contributions from Gerard Johnson and Paul Stacey. This was followed by the album Armistice Day, the title track being written by Nardelli and Johnson. Squire, Johnson and Stacey all left the band, and Nardelli formed a new line-up with Francis Dunnery and Tom Brislin. They released Big Sky in 2009. Nardelli started working in collaboration with Swedish band Moon Safari on a new album in 2010 from the Syn called Trustworks. In an interview for Progzilla radio in October, Nardelli announced that The Syn Live at Rosfest album was being released early in 2015, together with a newly commissioned film The Syn in the 21st Century, as a prelude to the release of the new studio album Trustworks.{{cite web|url=http://www.progzilla.com/media/podcasts/Live/Live%20From%20Progzilla%20Towers%20-%20Edition%2069.mp3 |title=Live From Progzilla Towers - Edition 69 |access-date=4 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111005419/http://www.progzilla.com/media/podcasts/Live/Live%20From%20Progzilla%20Towers%20-%20Edition%2069.mp3 |archive-date=11 November 2014 }} In January 2016 Umbrello Records, announced that the Trustworks album would finally be released worldwide on 25 March 2016, having been five years in the making.
In business
After the Syn disbanded, Nardelli, along with his partner Ian Ross, a member of the Ross Foods family and a founder of Radio Caroline, opened a chain of fashion shops in Chelsea and Kensington.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}}
Continuing a connection with the music industry, Nardelli teamed with Tommy Roberts, known for his fashion shop Mr. Freedom.{{cite web|url=http://rockpopfashion.com/blog/?p=57 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612110519/http://rockpopfashion.com/blog/?p=57 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=12 June 2008 |title=::THE LOOK – adventures in rock and pop fashion:: » Mr Freedom: The greatest boutique ever, ever, ever? |website=Rockpopfashion.com |date=2008-02-22 |accessdate=2020-05-11}}{{Cite web|url=https://vintagefashionguild.org/label-resource/mr-freedom/|title=Vintage Fashion Guild : Label Resource : Mr Freedom|website=Vintagefashionguild.org|accessdate=2020-05-11}} and launched a record label, Fresh Records through WEA.{{Cite web|url=https://vintagefashionguild.org/label-resource/mr-freedom//|title=Vintage Fashion Guild : Label Resource : Mr Freedom|website=Vintagefashionguild.org|accessdate=2020-05-11}}
In 1997, Nardelli acquired from the government of Belgium's Walloon region the Donnay sports brand.{{Cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=29066|title=BRITISH ENTREPRENEUR BUYS CONTINENTAL TENNIS LEGEND DONNAY|date=8 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608185230/http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=29066|accessdate=13 February 2021|archive-date=8 June 2011}} He also worked with Mike Ashley (businessman) to successfully purchase the Disport retail chain in Belgium and the Longoni Sports retail chain in Italy.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}} Nardelli also founded Umbrello Records with Chris Squire, and the IPTV music station theONE.tv.
In 2009, Nardelli formed P3 Eco Group (Portfolio Property Partners){{cite web|url=http://www.p3group.co.uk/stephen_nardelli.php |title=Stephen Nardelli |website=P3group.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2020-05-11}} with Graham Johnson and Brigadier Ian Inshaw, a Deputy Lord Lieutenant to the Queen and former High Sheriff of Oxfordshire. The company is one of the new eco developers and their site at NW Bicester{{cite web|url=http://www.p3group.co.uk/ |title=Welcome to P3 Eco Group of Companies |website=P3group.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2020-05-11}} was selected by Government to be one of four new eco towns. The eco town was master planned by Terry Farrell.{{cite web|url=http://www.p3group.co.uk/terry_ferrell.php |title=Sir Terry Farrell |website=P3group.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2020-05-11}}
In June 2018, Nardelli was appointed a Rudolph Steiner School charity trustee.{{cite web|url=http://rsskl.org/governance/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027173134/http://rsskl.org/governance/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=27 October 2014 |title=Rsskl.org |website=Rsskl.org |date= |accessdate=2020-05-11}}
In March 2020, Nardelli was elected Chairman of the Coolhurst Tennis & Squash Club in London, with one of his first actions being to have to close the club following the government pandemic shut-down.{{cite web|url=https://www.coolhurst.co.uk/coronavirus-update/ |title=CORONAVIRUS UPDATE – Club Closure – Coolhurst Tennis & Squash Club |website=Coolhurst.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2020-05-11}}
Discography
With The Syn
{{Main|The_Syn#Discography|l1=The Syn: discography}}
Solo singles
- "I'll Never Find Another You"/"Mile End Road" - Decca/1978
- "Don't Ever Change"/"Dance Little Rita" - Decca/1978
With 14 Hour Technicolour Dream V-band
- "Reasons & Rituals" - download/2008
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.synmusic.net/ The Syn official website]
{{Authority control}}
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Category:English rock guitarists
Category:English male singer-songwriters