Steve Mackey

Stephen Patrick Mackey (10 November 1966 – 2 March 2023) was an English musician and record producer best known as the bass guitarist for the Britpop band Pulp, which he joined in 1989.

As a record producer, he produced songs and albums by M.I.A., Florence + the Machine, The Long Blondes and Arcade Fire.

Mackey was born in Sheffield on 10 November 1966.

In his early years he attended Hucklow First and Middle Schools with friend Richard Hawley.

They would later play together as members of Pulp.

He attended Hinde House Comprehensive in Sheffield before undertaking further studies at Richmond College of Further Education.

Before joining Pulp, he played bass for another Sheffield band called Trolley Dog Shag, who were featured alongside Pulp on a Dolebusters compilation album in 1987.

He moved to London in 1988 to pursue an interest in film-making and graduated from London's Royal College of Art, in 1992, MA Film.

Joining Pulp in 1989, he played on Separations, released on Fire Records.

He continued to write, record and tour with the band as they found success in the 1990s.

Subsequent albums recorded included Intro – The Gift Recordings, His 'n' Hers, Different Class, This Is Hardcore and We Love Life.

He lived in North London with his wife, and son, Marley (born 1996).

Mackey died on the morning of 2 March 2023.

He was 56, and had been in hospital in Sheffield for the past three months with an undisclosed illness.

A later post on Mackey’s Instagram mentioned “3 AVM brain bleeds” that he had endured during his hospital stay.

Steve Mackey has also made appearances on the following albums as a musician:

Steve Mackey has appeared on the following albums as a Producer:

Steve Mackey is also known for his remixes, and he has remixed the following tracks (among others):

From 2003 to 2008, Mackey co-curated the music program of London's annual Frieze International Art Fair, which included performances from Karlheinz Stockhausen, Sunn O))), Glenn Branca, and Rodney Graham.

In 2005, Mackey played a cameo role as one of The Weird Sisters, a wizarding rock band in the film Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

The fictitious group also featured Jonny Greenwood and Phil Selway of Radiohead and Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker.

During this period he continued to record and tour with Jarvis Cocker, in 2006 for his debut solo album for Rough Trade Records (Jarvis) and again in 2008 recording the album Further Complications at Electrical Studios, Chicago with Steve Albini.

In 2006, Mackey and Cocker curated an acclaimed 2 CD compilation called The Trip featuring music from various eras including Moondog, Carl Orff, The Birthday Party, The Fall and the theme to Radio 4's Shipping Forecast.

In 2009, Mackey married his longtime girlfriend, stylist and fashion journalist Katie Grand.

After an 8-year hiatus Mackey returned to activity with Pulp in 2010 and their subsequent world tours in 2011 and 2012 and the release of their single "After You", working with producer James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem.

Before his death, Mackey had announced he would not be part of Pulp's 2023 reunion tour.

Forming a songwriting/production partnership with Ross Orton (known as Cavemen), he met Maya Arulpragasam (M.I.A.) and co-wrote and produced "Galang" and "Sunshowers", which led to M.I.A. securing a deal with Interscope Records and releasing "Arular".

They worked together again on "Bird Flu" from her subsequent album Kala.

Mackey and Orton continued to produce and remix for artists including Kelis, Cornershop, The Kills and The Horrors.

Mackey also produced and co-wrote songs for Florence and the Machine's debut album Lungs, including "Kiss with a Fist", "Girl with One Eye" and "Swimming" and also The Long Blondes' debut album Someone to Drive You Home.

In 2011 Mackey produced Summer Camp's Welcome to Condale album and in 2012 he again worked as producer for Palma Violets' debut album on Rough Trade Records, 180, released in February 2013.

Also in 2012 he produced "Railroad Track" by Willy Moon released on Jack White's Third Man Records.

In 2012, he played with drummer Seb Rochford as the rhythm section for tracks on Serafina Steers The Moths Are Real LP.

In 2014 he recorded and mixed for Dean Blunt's Black Metal album and in 2015 began working with Yak, recording their single "No" released on Third Man Records.

He mixed Danny Goffey of Supergrass' Take Your Jacket Off and Get into It LP.

Yak's Alas Salvation LP was recorded with him during the rest of 2015 and released in early 2016.

In 2016, he began the Call This Number guerrilla TV project with Jeannette Lee, formerly of Public Image Ltd. and Douglas Hart, former bassist of the Jesus and Mary Chain, making erratic film broadcasts from a North London garage.

Artists he recorded for this included Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Dennis Bovell, Sleaford Mods, Primal Scream, and Gruff Rhys.

In 2017 he was awarded an Ivor Novello Award along with the other members of Pulp for Outstanding Song Collection presented by Peter Saville, graphic designer of record sleeves for Joy Division, New Order and Pulp.

Mackey has also worked with John Gosling (formerly of Psychic TV) as a music director and sound designer creating mixes and original compositions for films, museums and other commercial projects, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the Louvre in Paris, and the Minsheng Art Museum in Shanghai.