#110 Steve Davis: Snooker, fame, and modular synths, "I was sh*tting myself!"

Apr 2, 2024

Former snooker champion Steve Davis discusses his transition to music with a modular synth, DJing at Wembley Stadium, handling fame, navigating pressures in snooker, competition, improvisational music performances, and his thrilling helicopter free fall on 'I'm A Celebrity'.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

From Snooker Champion to Musician: The Steve Davis Story

01:41 • 5min

Steve Davis: From Snooker Stardom to Modular Synth Musician and DJ

06:29 • 5min

Guest DJing at Wembley Stadium and Journey into Modular Synths

11:51 • 24min

35:26 • 19min

Navigating the Challenges of Creating New Music After a Hit

54:54 • 3min

The Evolution of Snooker and Music Scenes: A Professional Transformation

57:34 • 19min

Navigating Fame and Perception in Snooker

01:17:03 • 19min

Thrilling Helicopter Free Fall Jump on 'I'm a Celebrity'

01:36:20 • 4min

Competing for Fame and Attractiveness in a Social Experiment

01:39:53 • 3min

Exploring Steve Davis' Career and Insights

01:42:54 • 3min

How many elite sportsmen know their way round a modular synthesiser?

Steve Davis was the first modern star of snooker. He dominated the game in the 1980s, winning six world titles, appearing in 8 of the 9 finals between 1981 and 1989. He was ranked number one in the world for seven consecutive years, posted the first ever 147 maximum break in official competition, and was easily (Alex Higgins hipsters aside) established as the best player ever to play the game by the end of that decade.

As well as being the most successful player at that point, he was also the first snooker player to do product endorsements, and fully participate in the emerging business of sports entertainment, guided by the legendary manager and promoter Barry Hearn.

What brings him to the Not A Diving Podcast is his second career as a DJ and member of The Utopia Strong, an experimental band in which he plays modular synth.

That's a late-career curve ball if ever there was one. But since he's also been President of the British Chess Federation and competed in serious poker tournaments, it's perhaps not as much of a surprise as it might be.

I was incredibly excited to talk to Steve, and he didn't disappoint... the first NDP guest to have appeared on I'm A Celebrity is always going to be a good episode isn't it?

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