Pubs make him feel the same and he can't use trains, airports or hotels without experiencing head-banging agony.
But Steve doesn't suffer from some strange phobia. He is allergic to wi-fi.
Wi-foe ... DJ Steve with his detector
And sadly for him - and the other two per cent of the population with Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity - the number of people pumping out the wireless internet signal is on the rise.
Steve said: "I feel like an exile on my own planet. It's almost impossible to find somewhere without wi-fi nowadays.
"If I fancy a pint I have to travel three miles to the only pub in my area that doesn't have it. I can't just go to the shops because huge parts of the High Street affect me.
"If I go somewhere, I can instantly sense the wi-fi and have to leg it."
Being extra-sensitive to this "electrosmog" has made moving house a nightmare for Steve, as stray signals from neighbouring buildings could make him ill.
It has also cost the top DJ thousands of pounds in lost income.
Steve, who had a residency at huge Ibiza club Pacha before his allergy, said: "I've missed out on loads of European DJ gigs as I can't find accommodation without wi-fi. Most hotels have it, as have all the airports. I can't even catch a train because they have it."
Steve is safe in his current home, a detached house in a village near Falmouth, Cornwall, as it is isolated and has 18in-thick granite walls.
But since he and girlfriend Linda decided to move, it has been hard to find anywhere remote enough to avoid signals.
Steve said: "I can't live within 50 yards of anyone. I wouldn't be able to stand it feeling ill in my own house.
"There's no medication you can take."
Steve - better known to clubbing fans as Afterlife - now carries a wi-fi detector with him wherever he goes so he can avoid problem areas.
Steve only realised he suffered from the condition two years ago after turning up at a mate's studio that had recently installed wi-fi.
He and his pal were both feeling ill with headaches and dizziness and struggling to concentrate so they turned off the machine to see if they felt better... and they did.
Steve said: "Some of my friends, or members of their family, are equally affected by wi-fi but are only just starting to notice as its use spreads.
Headaches
"Even now there's very little education about it."
There is no hard evidence that wi-fi is dangerous to your health.
But just three months ago teachers called for it to be banned in schools over health fears, and for a Government investigation into the biological and thermal effects.
A couple of years ago the German government even urged people to avoid wi-fi in favour of "conventional wired connections". Steve believes the issue needs looking into and that many people are suffering from his condition without realising.
He added: "I certainly believe most of the headaches people get at work are caused by it.
"I've spoken to friends who work in offices who have ended up living on painkillers because of their daily headaches. They tried turning off their transmitters and found their headaches stopped.
"There's a lot of anecdotal evidence that the radiation has made people feel ratty and tired, caused disrupted sleep, rows and even the break-up of relationships.
"I'd advise people to turn off their wi-fi at home and see if it changes the way they feel. They just might get a surprise."
HAVE you experienced wi-fi sickness? Share your views with other readers below.
Steve's new Afterlife album, Electrosensitive, is out now on Defected Records.
---------------------------------------------
New Album - Electrosensitive
Steve Miller aka 'Afterlife' is without doubt one of world's most renowned DJs and producers of electronic chill-out. Working from Ibiza and Cornwall he has established himself as a true leader in his musical genre and a man that specialises in spacey, beautiful music that takes you somewhere special. With a knack for consistently evolving as an artist, and with a CV that boasts countless successful releases and impressive collaborations, it was time for Steve to tell us about his new record, his admiration for THAT party island and what life is like when Wi-Fi makes you physically ill...
If you were to ask people – What's Steve Miller's sound? What do you think they would say?
It's hard for me to speculate on what people might say. What people have said in the past have been things like warm, blissful, lush, melancholic, uplifting and soulful.
Tell us about your new album 'Electrosensitive'. What can the fans expect?
A few surprises for sure including the marvellous Sharon Musgrave singing the house track 'Fantasy'. She was the lead vocalist on the classic Bassomatic track 'Fascinating Rhythm' which is one of my all time favourites. Juanita Grande on a Parisian dubby tune called 'Far Away'. More songs, fatter beats and bass, even a bluegrass tech house tune called 'National Dobro' which Chris Coco has already remixed into a real smoker.
Why the name?
I am electrosensitive. Sensitive to magnetic fields. I have to be a recluse. I'm in enforced exile on my own planet. About 3% of the population have this problem. I'm not trying to make a big new age deal out if it, this is a fact. Hence the name of the album.
You have collaborated with artists including K-Klass, Cathy Battistessa and Chris Coco. You also recently released a taster E.P with Chris called "the Normalites". How does this project differ to the sound that you and Chris are known for?
The chemistry in a collaboration always brings out new vibes if the writers have an open mind. With The Normalities, it's dubby, trippy, poetic and brings out the Gonzo in us.
You're renowned for making down-tempo chill-out styled house music, why did this become your favourite style? Why do you think it is still so popular?
Maybe because real chill-out is the broadest canvas you can have creatively, no specific beat style, no specific instruments. Anything goes as long as it gives a good vibe and enhances the atmosphere. Older house tracks now seem to have been put in the "chilled" house genre these days yet, when they came out they were main room floor fillers, it's an interesting change of perception.
What are your true feelings about Ibiza at the moment?
Ibiza is a special place – not just because of the clubbing scene but because the native people (Ibichencos) are very tolerant of different cultures which has led to an island full of interesting people doing interesting things. Every musician I know has been changed by going there so I think the spirit of the island is good for artists. I can't wait to go back as I have not been there since 2004. I have heard tales of over commercialism but I think it's just another phase of greed. I believe the can look after itself, it's been a party island for over 2000 years.
How hard was it to become a recognised DJ in your style?
It was easy in Ibiza and Europe but very hard in the UK at first because people didn't "get it". These days it's very different with festivals like 'The Big Chill' etc…
What advice would you give to up and coming chill-out DJ's?
Only play what you love and stick to your guns, that way you can develop your own style and have a lot of fun along the way. I think it's very important to make your own records to understand how records get made and to have longevity.
Tell us about the gig's you'll be playing this summer.
They will be outdoors as WiFi makes me ill – screaming headache, dizzy, horrible. I've had to turn down loads of gigs in Europe for that reason. I will be playing at Café Mambo which is a favourite and Kumharas as well as some ad hoc outdoor gigs around the island. I also have a residency at The Cove in Cornwall where I live, playing on the terrace overlooking the sea. For the same reason I won't be playing at Glastonbury as they have WiFi'd the whole town (of ALL places!) and there is a huge petition by the locals to get rid of it as so many people are complaining of ill health and the usual symptoms since it was turned on.
The new album has already been hailed as your best piece of work to date. Would you agree?
Yes I would, it's difficult to stand back and be objective sometimes but, having listened to it in a few public places it really stands up as a strong piece of work.
Here's your chance to tell us about anything you want… fire away...
Please give this petition your support and make Glastonbury a safer place to live: http://www.glastonburynaturalhealth.co.uk/WhyWi-Fi.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Hi, Everyone,
of the best-known names in epidemiology, explores
two of the two most contentious issues related to
mobile phone health risks: (1) If cell phones do
lead to an increased incidence of brain tumors,
when would we expect to begin to see it? And (2)
How do we explain the differences between the
findings of the Interphone project and those of
Lennart Hardell's research group?
Rothman's commentary on the new ICNIRP review
of the epidemiological literature is open access
and available to all free.
Details at:
http://www.microwavenews.com
Best,
Louis Slesin
You may be interested in this article we have just posted:
http://tinyurl.com/map3gd It's on the health effects of mobile phones.
Please note this is a subscriber only article on our site, but I have > given you a link for your newsletter only which will allow you to access the article. I hope it is of interest,
Regards,
Mark Anslow
Editor
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