Stalybridge guitarist Steve Whalley dies suddenly aged 74.

 

Steve Whalley

I was told last night (Monday), in Wetherspoon's that the guitarist Steve Whalley, had died after suffering a heart attack aged 74.

Most people who knew of Steve Walley associate him with the bands Slade II and Sad Cafe. I never saw him play with either of those bands. The two bands that I did see him play with were the local Stalybridge band called 'The Puritans' and a Manchester band called Greasy Bear, who were a regular feature at the Magic Village in Manchester. I remember watching The Puritans do a gig at Ashton College of Further Education in the early 1970s. The band did mainly cover songs like "Sunshine Help Me" by Spooky Tooth. Whalley played a white Fender Telecaster through a 100-watt Triumph amplifier. As a local band, The Puritans, were very good. It was Steve's brother Pete Whalley, who told me that he'd joined Slade.

I can't imagine that Steve Whalley was ever a big fan of Slade. The one musician that he did admire, and who I think, he tried to emulate, was Steve Winwood of the band Traffic. A former pupil of West Hill School, Steve was brought up in the Carrbrook area of Stalybridge. The last time that I saw Steve Walley play was at the former Conservative club on Mottram Road, Stalybridge, which I think was then called the 71 Bar. I remember him saying that night that most of his old mates from West Hill School were in the audience. Steve Whalley left Stalybridge many years ago and I believe he moved down south, possibly to Surrey.