August 29th, 2023Steve Williams Plays WaWaNee at The Palais
Wa Wa Nee was one of the biggest acts to emerge from Australia in the 80s.
Steve Williams and Paul Gray formed the band in 1985. After signing to CBS records in 1985, the band quickly rose to fame. Hits ‘Stimulation’ & ‘I Could Make You Love Me’ ensured the band smashed records, becoming the first band in Australia to have two top 10 singles in the national charts simultaneously.
In 1986 the band released their highly anticipated self titled debut album achieving platinum status. Sugar Free became their third consecutive top 10 hit ‘Sugar Free’ and a top 20 hit ‘One and One (Ain’t I Good Enough) followed.
With the immense success the band was having in Australia, they soon set their sites on the illusive United States market. In 1987 ‘Sugar Free’ hit the Top 40 charts in America with the band appearing on beloved US TV shows; American Bandstand with Dick Clark, Top of The Pops, The Late Show with Arsenio Hall and many others.
‘Can’t Control Myself’ and ‘So Good’ peaked in early 1989 reaching Top 30 in Australia and the band’s album ‘Blush’ peaked at #27. After the release of ‘I Want You’ in 1989, the band decided to disband.
After Wa Wa Nee, Steve Williams was asked by Paul Christie to join The Party Boys performing on the single ‘Do Wah Diddy’. Williams continued to tour in James Freud’s band and Richard Clapton. Steve moved to Europe and soon found a new passion, teaching music.
After returning to Australia, Steve was sought after performing with the likes of Swanee, Ray Parker Jr, Real Life, Lee Kernaghan, and Brian Cadd. Steve soon became a long time member of Australian Led Zeppelin band Zep Boys and became a mainstay in Choirboys with Mark Gable.
In 2006, Steve worked with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (ASO) and in 2008 accompanied the ASO and Deep Purple’s Jon Lord for an Australian tour. Steve has also been invited to perform for Australian touring musical productions of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Man from Snowy River, Singin In The Rain and Elvis The Musical.
Steve (pictured above) currently tours with Matt Finish and is a member of Absolutely 80s featuring Brian Mannix (Uncanny Xmen), Ally Fowler (Chantoozies) and many others. In 2022, Steve was inducted into the South Australian Music Hall of Fame.
Steve has assembled an ace band to celebrate Wa Wa Nee’s music live, the way it should be heard. If you are a Wa Wa Nee fan you’ll not want to miss the opportunity to be transported back to the late 80s with this special show. It’s happening at The Palais, Hepburn, on Saturday September 30.
