Steve Lillywhite CBE joined our students for an online talk about his fantastic career as a producer and shared his top tips for making it in the industry.
You may recognise some of the huge hits Steve has produced including the iconic Christmas song ‘Fairytale of New York’ by The Pogues and ‘There She Goes’ by The La’s. He’s produced for big names including U2, Peter Gabriel, Thirty Seconds to Mars, and The Rolling Stones and has won 6 Grammy awards including Album of the Year and Producer of the Year.
Students were given the opportunity to ask questions and he shared a wealth of helpful advice including:
- Share your music with the people that you trust for feedback
- Remember you can always go back to ideas – store them somewhere safe, give them space and return to them when you’re ready
- You only get once chance to make a first impression so make sure you’ve got your music right before you approach people in the industry
He also reminded students that “nothing is a better calling card than something that sounds unique but accessible.”
John Meredith, Head of Music and Events said: “Steve is responsible for some of the most iconic records of modern music, and for him to take time to give advice to our students is a real treat.
“We herd all about the importance of teamwork and using the network here to help each other up the ladder.”
We had great feedback from students who loved hearing insight into some of the classic albums Steve has worked on, how Bono recorded vocals, and how they can build their careers in the industry.
