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Tom Robinson Band
Origin London, England
Genre(s) Punk Rock
New Wave
Years active 1976 - 1979
Label(s) EMI Records
Associated acts Sector 27
Former members
Mark Ambler
Danny Kustow
Tom Robinson
Dolphin Taylor
Preston Heyman
Ian Parker

Tom Robinson Band (TRB) were a British rock band, established in 1976 by singer, songwriter and bassist Tom Robinson (born on 1 June 1950, in Cambridge, England). London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other New Wave is a Rock music genre that existed during the late 1970s and the 1980s In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music EMI Records is a Record label, founded by EMI in 1972 as the successor label to the Columbia label Danny Kustow is an English guitar player best known for his work with Tom Robinson Band. Tom Robinson (born June 1, 1950, in Cambridge) is an English singer/ Songwriter and broadcaster probably best-known Brian "Dolphin" Taylor (born 11 October 1958) is a British Drummer. Preston Heyman is one of the UK's most talented and respected session drummers Ian Parker (born in Irvine, North Ayrshire on 26 November 1953) is a Scottish Keyboard player. A musical ensemble is a group of two or more Musicians who perform instrumental or vocal Music. A songwriter is someone who writes the Lyrics to songs the Musical composition (chords or Melody to songs or both A bass player (bassist is a Musician who plays a Double bass, Bass guitar, keyboard bass or wind Tom Robinson (born June 1, 1950, in Cambridge) is an English singer/ Songwriter and broadcaster probably best-known Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The city of Cambridge (ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland

Contents

Biography

Tom Robinson began gigging in London in 1976. Tom Robinson (born June 1, 1950, in Cambridge) is an English singer/ Songwriter and broadcaster probably best-known London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. By the end of the year, he had decided to put together a permanent band. Robinson's old friend, guitarist Danny Kustow, was the first in the permanent lineup. A guitarist is a Musician who plays the Guitar. Guitarists may perform solo pieces or play with ensembles and bands of a wide variety of genres Danny Kustow is an English guitar player best known for his work with Tom Robinson Band. They ran small ads in the music papers looking for a bass player and drummer. Robinson found drummer Brian (Dolphin) Taylor. A drummer is a Musician who plays a Drum or drums particularly a Drum kit ("drum set" or "trap set" Marching percussion Brian "Dolphin" Taylor (born 11 October 1958) is a British Drummer. The search for a bass player continued, until Mark Ambler auditioned. Mark Ambler (born 1960) was the keyboardist with the Tom Robinson Bandand also co-wrote Power in the Darkness Some days later, Ambler mentioned he also played keyboards; he had spent many years studying piano with veteran jazz musician, Stan Tracey. After listening to Ambler playing his Hammond organ Robinson realised he would have to be the bass player himself. The Hammond organ is an electric organ which was invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company

The band hit the club scene right in the middle of London's punk explosion. Their live shows got favourable reviews, and soon A&R men were attending many of their gigs. Artists and Repertoire ( A&R) is the division of a Record label that is responsible for talent scouting and artist development

EMI Records signed TRB. EMI Records is a Record label, founded by EMI in 1972 as the successor label to the Columbia label Robinson later described this period, saying "Within nine months we'd made the transition from signing on at Medina Road dole office to Top Of The Pops, Radio One, EMI Records and the giddy heights of the front cover of the New Musical Express". In the United Kingdom Jobseeker's Allowance ( JSA) colloquially known as The Dole, is a form of Unemployment benefit that is paid by the Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, was a long-running British music chart Television programme, made and broadcast The EMI Group is a British music company comprising the major record company EMI Music – which operates several labels and is based in Kensington in The New Musical Express (better known as the NME) is a Popular music Magazine in the United Kingdom which has been

TRB made leaflets and fliers about their political views and sent them to everyone who attended their gigs, they gave away badges and made up T shirts emblazoned with the band's logo and they appeared regularly at Rock Against Racism concerts.

"2-4-6-8 Motorway" was their first single, released in late 1977. It got into the top five of the UK singles charts, staying there for over a month. The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company (OCC on behalf of the British record industry It was followed almost immediately by their next record, a four song EP called Rising Free which was recorded live at London's Lyceum Theatre in November 1977. An extended play ( EP) is a Vinyl record, CD, or Music download which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify The Lyceum Theatre is a 2000-seat West End theatre located in the City of Westminster, on Wellington Street just off the Strand. It contained the songs "Glad to Be Gay", "Right On Sister", "Don't Take No for an Answer", and "Martin". The EP reached #18 in the UK singles charts.

In early 1978, TRB recorded their debut album, Power in the Darkness. Power in the Darkness is the debut Studio album by English punk band Tom Robinson Band, first released in early 1978 The UK version of the LP contained all new songs, but in the US (on the Harvest label), the "2-4-6-8 Motorway" single and Rising Free record were combined for a six-track bonus EP that made the album almost a double.

Power in the Darkness reached number 4 in the UK album charts and won the band a gold record, and TRB were voted "Best New Band" and "Best London Band" for the year 1977 by listeners at the Capital Radio Music Awards. The UK Albums Chart is a list of Albums ranked by sales in the United Kingdom. Mark Ambler left the band after recording the album. Session pianist Nick Plytas was drafted in as a temporary replacement, and played with TRB at a major Anti Nazi League rally in London's Victoria Park early that year. Session musicians are musicians available for hire as opposed to musicians who are either permanent members of a musical outfit or who have acquired fame in their own right

Ian Parker joined as a permanent replacement for Ambler. Ian Parker (born in Irvine, North Ayrshire on 26 November 1953) is a Scottish Keyboard player. TRB then went to Rockfield Studios in Wales to record their next album, TRB TWO. Rockfield Studios, near Monmouth in Wales and just outside the village of Rockfield, are where many of British rock music’s most successful recordings Chris Thomas who had produced their first album, was also at the control deck for their second album, to start off with. Chris Thomas (born January 13, 1947) is a British Record producer who has worked extensively with Pink Floyd, Elton John, Paul Dolphin Taylor suggested Todd Rundgren should replace Thomas. Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948 in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, United States) is an American Musician After not being able to decide which tracks should appear on the LP, the band eventually agreed to let Rundgren choose. However, he picked two of the songs Dolphin particularly disliked, and Taylor decided that he would leave rather than play on the tracks. A day later he had calmed down somewhat and offered to return, but Robinson refused, and Preston Heyman was recruited as an emergency stand-in. Preston Heyman is one of the UK's most talented and respected session drummers His picture was included on the album cover, but there was never any intention for him to join the band permanently. Taylor's eventual replacement was Charlie Morgan who had played for Kate Bush, and went on to drum for Elton John for a further fifteen years. Charlie Morgan (born John Charles Morgan, 9 August 1955, Hammersmith, London, England) is an English Drummer Kate Bush (born Catherine Bush on 30 July 1958 is an English singer songwriter musician and Record producer. Sir Elton Hercules John CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947 is an English pop / rock Singer, Composer

To support the album's release, the band went on tour, but by this point the TRB's infighting had taken it's toll. When Kustow decided to quit in 1979 that was the end of TRB.

In 1989, Robinson, Kustow and Ambler put together a reunion tour and played sold out shows at the Marquee in London and went on for the best part of a year before splitting one final time.

The UK picture cover to the 1978 Up Against The Wall 7" single
The UK picture cover to the 1978 Up Against The Wall 7" single

Discography

Singles

Albums

Studio

Live

Compilations

See also

External links

This is a list of notable early Punk rock
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