Steve Kipner - Early History

Early History

Steve began his music career where he grew up in Brisbane, Australia. Steve & The Board, Steve's first band, achieved Australian chart success with the song "Giggle Eyed Goo," co-written by his father Nat Kipner and released on Spin Records in 1966. As a result of his father's A&R involvement in Spin Records, the members of Steve & the Board became good friends with The Bee Gees, who were also on the label.

Steve & The Board broke up in early 1967. Steve then formed a duo with Australian Steve Groves, and relocated to England in 1968 where they recorded an unsuccessful LP as "Steve & Stevie" (Toast Records). Then they renamed themselves Tin Tin, signed to the Robert Stigwood Organization, and scored an international hit -including an American Top 20 placing- with their 1971 single, "Toast and Marmalade for Tea," which was produced by Maurice Gibb of The Bee Gees. The song's success led to TinTin supporting the Bee Gees on their American tour in 1972.

"Have You Heard The Word" regularly appeared on Beatles Bootleg albums as what was thought of as a long lost Beatles recording, but it was in fact Steve Kipner, Steve Groves, Maurice Gibb and Lulu's brother Billie Lawrie clowning around in a TinTin recording session.

Steve moved from London to California in 1974 and was a member of the bands "Friends"(MGM), "Skyband"(RCA), and "Think out Loud"(A&M). Steve then recorded the solo album Knock the Walls Down in 1979. While writing and recording for his own album, Steve came in contact with other artists who developed an interest in his songs for their albums, and accidentally fell into a songwriting career as more and more opportunities arose. Writing for others at this stage triggered the start of his songwriting career. At this time he met Australian manager Roger Davies, who in the early 1980s was working for Olivia Newton-John's manager Lee Kramer. Steve had co-written a song with English songwriter Terry Shaddick entitled "Let's Get Physical," and played the demo to Roger, imagining the song would be great for a male singer like Rod Stewart. Lee Kramer overheard the song from the next room and thought it would be a way to promote another one of his clients (Mr. Universe) by having him appear with Olivia on her album cover. Retitled "Physical," the song spent ten weeks at #1 on the American charts and was a worldwide hit and ultimately ranked as the biggest song of the decade. It also marked a controversial moment in Newton-John's career when Kipner/Shaddick's suggestive lyrics caused the song to be banned in Utah and South Africa.