Rob Harper
Encyclopedia
Rob Harper is a British musician noted for being an early drummer for The Clash
from December 1976-January 1977.
to join, Rob switched to the bass so Mark could join on guitar. It was Mark Knopfler's suggestion to name the band The Cafe Racers. After College Harper went to Sussex University and at that time he was invited by Mark to play bass in the band that was to become Dire Straits
. Rob declined his offer as he was concentrating on his studies at University.
During his year at Sussex University (he dropped out in Summer 1976), he played in a band called The Rockettes (as a lead guitarist) with William Broad (later to become Billy Idol
) and Steve Upstone.
In December 1976, Harper joined The Clash
on the infamous December 1976 "Anarchy Tour" supporting the Sex Pistols
. The tour is famous for local authorities cancelling many scheduled concerts due to "indecency".
After the tour, Harper quit and the band replaced him with their original drummer, Terry Chimes
, who was the drummer on the Clash's first album. Harper's drumming does not appear on any studio recordings, but can be heard on a December 9, 1976 bootleg recording
of the Clash playing at the Electric Circus in Manchester.
Harper was for a time the guitarist in a South London R&B band called The Marauders, a band set up by UK Subs
singer Charlie Harper. The band also included the original UK Subs bassist Steve Slack who was also a member of the Dazzlers.
Harper later formed a short-lived UK Power pop
band called The Dazzlers as a guitarist (he was equally proficient on guitar and bass in addition to drums). They released several singles (including Lovely Crash in 1979) and an LP produced by Tommy Ramone
, although the band split up shortly before the LP was released.
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
from December 1976-January 1977.
Biography
Rob Harper started out playing guitar in a college band and when the singer invited a guitarist called Mark KnopflerMark Knopfler
Mark Freuder Knopfler, OBE is a Scottish-born British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977...
to join, Rob switched to the bass so Mark could join on guitar. It was Mark Knopfler's suggestion to name the band The Cafe Racers. After College Harper went to Sussex University and at that time he was invited by Mark to play bass in the band that was to become Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...
. Rob declined his offer as he was concentrating on his studies at University.
During his year at Sussex University (he dropped out in Summer 1976), he played in a band called The Rockettes (as a lead guitarist) with William Broad (later to become Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
) and Steve Upstone.
In December 1976, Harper joined The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
on the infamous December 1976 "Anarchy Tour" supporting the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
. The tour is famous for local authorities cancelling many scheduled concerts due to "indecency".
After the tour, Harper quit and the band replaced him with their original drummer, Terry Chimes
Terry Chimes
Terry Chimes was the original drummer of punk rock group The Clash. He originally played with them from July 1976 to November 1976, January 1977 to April 1977, and again from May 1982 to February 1983. He was the drummer for Hanoi Rocks in 1985, before the band broke-up that same year...
, who was the drummer on the Clash's first album. Harper's drumming does not appear on any studio recordings, but can be heard on a December 9, 1976 bootleg recording
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
of the Clash playing at the Electric Circus in Manchester.
Harper was for a time the guitarist in a South London R&B band called The Marauders, a band set up by UK Subs
UK Subs
The U.K. Subs are an English punk rock band, among the earliest in the first wave of British punk. Formed in 1976, the mainstay of the band has been vocalist Charlie Harper, originally a singer in Britain's R&B scene. They were also one of the first street punk bands.-Career:The U.K...
singer Charlie Harper. The band also included the original UK Subs bassist Steve Slack who was also a member of the Dazzlers.
Harper later formed a short-lived UK Power pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
band called The Dazzlers as a guitarist (he was equally proficient on guitar and bass in addition to drums). They released several singles (including Lovely Crash in 1979) and an LP produced by Tommy Ramone
Tommy Ramone
Tommy Ramone, also known as Thomas Erdelyi , is a Hungarian American record producer and musician...
, although the band split up shortly before the LP was released.