Rob Aston
Encyclopedia
Rob Aston, also known as Skinhead Rob, is an American rapper, lyricist
, and a member of the rap
group Expensive Taste
, along with Paul Wall
and Travis Barker
. With Tim Armstrong
of Rancid
, he founded punk
/hip hop
band Transplants and provided lead vocals on all of their releases.
Aston's career began as a roadie for bands AFI
and Rancid
. He eventually started a solo career, releasing the song "Show Me". He became involved in the Transplants when Tim Armstrong asked for lyrics
to the songs Aston had been writing. The two started jamming in Armstrong's basement. They eventually invited Travis Barker
of Blink-182
to provide drum
tracks, instead of using drum-loops as originally planned.
At the end of the 2005 Vans Warped Tour, Transplants took a hiatus and Rob and Travis joined Houston
rapper Paul Wall
, who chopped and screwed
the Transplants' Haunted Cities
album, to form a new group called Expensive Taste
. He has been interviewed by Nardwuar the Human Serviette
, along with Travis. As of January 2010, according to drummer Travis Barker
, the Transplants are active again and currently planning a third album.
Aston sang on the track "Red Hot Moon" about his sister, from Rancid
's Indestructible album and Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards
song "Switchblade". He was also featured on Bun B
's 2005 album Trill
, on the track "Late Night Creepin".
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
, and a member of the rap
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
group Expensive Taste
Expensive Taste
Expensive Taste is an American hip hop super-group formed by Paul Wall, Skinhead Rob , and Travis Barker . Expensive Taste recently released a 15-track mixtape for free from a newly registered website, but it is unknown when the band will have time to tour...
, along with Paul Wall
Paul Wall
Paul Michael Slayton , better known by his stage name Paul Wall, is an American rapper. He is currently affiliated with Swishahouse Records, having released several albums under the label as well as...
and Travis Barker
Travis Barker
Travis Landon Barker is an American musician, producer and entrepreneur, most noted as the drummer for the American pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the alternative rock band +44, the rap rock band The Transplants, and the alternative rock band Box Car Racer. He was a frequent collaborator with...
. With Tim Armstrong
Tim Armstrong
Timothy Lockwood Armstrong is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work with punk rock bands Rancid, Operation Ivy, Downfall, and the Transplants. He is also the owner and operator of Hellcat Records.-Personal life:Armstrong was born November 25, 1965 and was...
of Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
, he founded punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
/hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
band Transplants and provided lead vocals on all of their releases.
Aston's career began as a roadie for bands AFI
AFI (band)
AFI is an American alternative rock band from Ukiah, California that formed in 1991. They have consisted of the same lineup since 1998: lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backup vocalist Adam Carson, with bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget, who both play keyboard and contribute...
and Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
. He eventually started a solo career, releasing the song "Show Me". He became involved in the Transplants when Tim Armstrong asked for lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
to the songs Aston had been writing. The two started jamming in Armstrong's basement. They eventually invited Travis Barker
Travis Barker
Travis Landon Barker is an American musician, producer and entrepreneur, most noted as the drummer for the American pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the alternative rock band +44, the rap rock band The Transplants, and the alternative rock band Box Car Racer. He was a frequent collaborator with...
of Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
to provide drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
tracks, instead of using drum-loops as originally planned.
At the end of the 2005 Vans Warped Tour, Transplants took a hiatus and Rob and Travis joined Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
rapper Paul Wall
Paul Wall
Paul Michael Slayton , better known by his stage name Paul Wall, is an American rapper. He is currently affiliated with Swishahouse Records, having released several albums under the label as well as...
, who chopped and screwed
Chopped and screwed
Chopped and screwed refers to a technique of remixing hip hop music which developed in the Houston hip hop scene in the 1990s...
the Transplants' Haunted Cities
Haunted Cities
Haunted Cities is the second album and major label debut by the Transplants. It was released on June 21, 2005 and includes the radio hit "Gangsters & Thugs". The album sold close to 34,000 copies in its first week and came in at #28 on the Billboard 200...
album, to form a new group called Expensive Taste
Expensive Taste
Expensive Taste is an American hip hop super-group formed by Paul Wall, Skinhead Rob , and Travis Barker . Expensive Taste recently released a 15-track mixtape for free from a newly registered website, but it is unknown when the band will have time to tour...
. He has been interviewed by Nardwuar the Human Serviette
Nardwuar the Human Serviette
Nardwuar the Human Serviette is a Canadian celebrity interviewer and musician from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He is the lead singer and keyboardist for The Evaporators and plays in Thee Goblins....
, along with Travis. As of January 2010, according to drummer Travis Barker
Travis Barker
Travis Landon Barker is an American musician, producer and entrepreneur, most noted as the drummer for the American pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the alternative rock band +44, the rap rock band The Transplants, and the alternative rock band Box Car Racer. He was a frequent collaborator with...
, the Transplants are active again and currently planning a third album.
Aston sang on the track "Red Hot Moon" about his sister, from Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
's Indestructible album and Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards
Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards
Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards were an American street punk band formed to release the songs that Lars had written. Their songs include subject matter consisting of drinking, fighting, drugs, sex, prostitutes, gangs, and street life...
song "Switchblade". He was also featured on Bun B
Bun B
Bernard Freeman better known by his stage name Bun B, is an American rapper and was one half of the southern hip hop duo UGK . He is also a guest lecturer at Rice University located in Houston, Texas...
's 2005 album Trill
Trill (album)
-Samples:The Inauguration*"Hail to the Chief"Draped Up/Draped Up *"Pimp Tha Pen" by DJ ScrewPushin*"Keep On Pushing me" by The ImpressionsThe Story*"All The Time You Need" by ChansonGit It...
, on the track "Late Night Creepin".
Songs featuring Aston
- "Ay Kay" by Strong Arm SteadyStrong Arm SteadyStrong Arm Steady, often referred to as SAS, is a rap/hip hop group in California's underground hip hop scene. As of December 2009, the act consists of members Mitchy Slick of San Diego, California, and Phil Da Agony and probably the most visually distinct member, Krondon, who is albinistic...
- "Airforces" by Strong Arm Steady
- "Red Hot Moon" by RancidRancid (band)Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
- "Satanic Shamrocks" by Danny DiabloDanny DiabloDanny Diablo a.k.a. Lord Ezec is an underground recording artist focusing mainly in the worlds of hardcore punk and hip hop. He has fronted the hardcore bands Crown of Thornz and Skarhead and is known for his heavily tattooed image and his Queens-bred thug lifestyle.-Early life:Dan Singer was born...
, Big Left, Danny Boy and SlaineSláineSláine may refer to:* Sláine mac Dela of the Fir Bolg, the first legendary High King of Ireland* Sláine , comic book hero inspired by Celtic mythology**Sláine: The Role Playing Game of Celtic Heroes, role-playing game based on the setting... - "Switchblade" by Lars Frederiksen and the BastardsLars Frederiksen and the BastardsLars Frederiksen and the Bastards were an American street punk band formed to release the songs that Lars had written. Their songs include subject matter consisting of drinking, fighting, drugs, sex, prostitutes, gangs, and street life...
- "Late Night Creepin'" by Bun B
- "Pop One of These" by Paul WallPaul WallPaul Michael Slayton , better known by his stage name Paul Wall, is an American rapper. He is currently affiliated with Swishahouse Records, having released several albums under the label as well as...
and Too Short - "Mechanix" by Danny DiabloDanny DiabloDanny Diablo a.k.a. Lord Ezec is an underground recording artist focusing mainly in the worlds of hardcore punk and hip hop. He has fronted the hardcore bands Crown of Thornz and Skarhead and is known for his heavily tattooed image and his Queens-bred thug lifestyle.-Early life:Dan Singer was born...
featuring NecroNecroRon Raphael Braunstein , better known under his stage-name Necro, is a Jewish-American rapper, producer and director from Brooklyn, New York...