'WORK', STEVEN Sharpe's signature song has already been a high energy acoustic number, a full on hard-rock belter, and now it comes in it's third, and latest shape - Gay-Irish-electro-funk.
'Work' is not only the new single from Steven, but it will also mark the debut release on the new independent Irish label, Electric Mayhem Records, founded by Mark Graham of King Kong Company and Leo Pearson of Solkatt (and named after The Muppet Show's house band ).
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The single will be released tomorrow, Friday February 19, on digital and on 12” vinyl. "I wrote 'Work' about “over/under sexed, outrageous for the sake of being outrageous, gay people who are just a caricature of themselves”, says Steven, although he admits he eventually realised he was writing the song about himself. “I’ve said and done some scandalous things for attention on a night out. 'Work' keeps changing, first doing it solo, then with the band, and now there are two awesome remixes. I wanna see a drag queen perform it and I'll die happy.”
Indeed there will be such a performance of the song, when four of Ireland’s most glamorous drag queens take to the stage in Disco Utopia, an online show produced through Fringe Lab, a Dublin Fringe Festival initiative.
‘Who is this fella?'
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Releasing music by Steven has long been a goal of Mark Graham's. "I first saw Steven perform this song at Galway Arts Festival with his band,” he says. "I was just knocking around town, taking in a few gigs. Next thing this svelte ginger bearded young fella in a sequined cocktail dress saunters onto the stage in the Roisín Dubh, and proceeds to tear the place apart. I immediately had three questions: ‘Who is this fella?’, ‘Why have I never heard of him before?’ and ‘Will he let me remix that track?’.”
Speaking about EMR, Leo Pearson says: "A big hope of ours is to showcase new Irish talent, bringing it to as many ears as possible, and maybe rejig some established talent too. To bring like-minded musicians together, create quality music, make sure everyone gets fairly treated, and have some fun while we’re at it."
For more see electricmayhemrecords.bandcamp.com and Electric Mayhem on Facebook.
