![]() For the last few years, he has been back on the solo trail, releasing 2011’s Tromso Kaptein, which was recorded in Northern Norway. During this era he was also the subject of an appropriately sardonic documentary, Robyn Hitchcock: Sex, Food, Death…and Insects. guitarist Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey of Young Fresh Fellows and Bill Rieflinof Ministry. An ad hoc indie super-group, aside from Robyn, it featured R.E.M. His next three records, Ole’! Tarantula, Goodnight Oslo and Propellor Time were collaborations with the Venus 3. In 2004 he recorded the Countrified “Spooked” with Americana artists (and longtime admirers), Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. The last 15 years at Yep Roc have given Robyn the freedom to let his freak-flag fly, allowing him to dip his toe into a variety of genres. They offer a safe haven for singer-songwriters that defy categorization like Greg Brown, Nick Lowe and Chuck Prophet. From the Roots Rock ofDave Alvin, Caitlin Cary and John Doe, to the Post-Punk of Gang Of Four, Bob Mould and Paul Weller. With the small, hand-craftedlabel, he finally found a home.įounded in 1997, by Tor Hansen and Glenn Dicker, the North Carolina label boasts a roster thatincorporates myriad styles. The 21st century dawned and Robyn had left Warner Brothers, he continued to be wildly prolific, self-releasing Luxor in 2002 before signing with respected indie, Yep Roc. As the decade came to a close, he made a concert film, Storefront Hitchcock, with Silence Of TheLambs filmmaker Jonathan Demme. The Egyptians had disbanded and for a moment in 1994 the Soft Boys reunited, (they would do so again in 2002 and record an album, Nextdoorland.) He recorded albums at a furious clip, first Perspex Island And Respect with the Egyptians, along with Moss Elixir and Jewels For Sophia solo. In the ‘90s, Robyn leap-frogged from A&M to Warner Brothers Records. ![]() The Globe… album was released on A&M records and it contained a bona fide hit, “Balloon Man.” Although he never hit heavy rotation on MTV, he found a niche on their “120 Minutes” program. Rock critics and the cognoscenti immediately got it, and pretty soon major labels caught on. Slowly but surely, he began to make inroads into the American music scene. Songs like “My Wife And My Dead Wife,” “Uncorrected Personality Traits” and “Egyptian Cream” introduced the world to Robyn’s hypnagogicstyle. He recorded his next few albums Fegmania, Element Of Light, Globe Of Frogsand Queen Elvis with his backing band, the Egyptians,which featured ex-Soft Boys Morris Windsor and Andy Metcalfe. All three displayed his quirky, slightly surreal humor. Robyn officially embarked on a solo career in 1981, releasing his debut, Black Snake Diamond Roleand quickly followed up with Groovy Decay and I Often Dream Of Trains. They recorded two albums, A Can Of Bees and Underwater Moonlight before coming apart at the seams in 1980. ![]() bands like R.E.M., Replacements and the whole L.A. Never really popular, they were wildly influential to U.S. A sharp distillation of Punk energy, Psychedelia, and jangly Folk-Pop, the Soft Boys were the British equivalent of Big Star. By age 23 he formed the Soft Boys, which went on to include Andy Metcalfe, Morris Windsor, Alan Davies, Kimberley Rew and Matthew Seligman. Although he started writing songs at 16, it took him years to feel completely proficient. He began his career busking on the street in Cambridge and playing in cover bands. But the artists that made the most lasting impressions were Bob Dylan, John Lennon and original Pink Floyd visionary, Syd Barrett.By the time he emerged from Winchester College, he knew he wanted to make a living playing music. He soaked up bands like the Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Velvet Underground and Captain Beefheart. He has said he spent those years completely marinated in music. ![]() Robyn attended boarding school at the height of the Swinging ‘60s. He is best known for his book,”Percy,” about a man who has a penis transplant and sets off to find the donor(!). His father, Raymond, found success as a novelist. The idiosyncratic singer-songwriter was born in London, England in 1953. Robyn Hitchcock has always colored outside the lines.
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