Robbie France
Encyclopedia
Robbie France is an English
drummer
, producer
, arranger, journalist
, music educator, and broadcaster
.
, and emigrated to Australia around 1970. He studied at the National Academy of Rudimentary Drummers of Australia until 1974, under tutor Harry Lebler. At the age of fifteen, he began to teach at the Australian Academy of Music (1974–1975).
While living and travelling in Australia, France formed the jazz-fusion
group, Carnival, performed at the Oz Jazz Festival, and supported John McLaughlin
. He worked with Stevie Wright of the Easybeats, Marty Rhone, Ray Burgess, Tim Gaze
, and most major Australian artists. He amassed over 1,000 television, radio, and advertising credits, including eight documentaries and four film
scores, including Band on the Run, one of the most successful surfing films ever made.
While acting in commercials, for which he often co-wrote the music, he met David Bentley, who would become his mentor and idol.
'It was a gas! Got a call from David's wife, Lena, be at the Journalists' Club at the Twelfth Night Theatre
on Saturday night. That was that. So I rocked up not knowing what to expect, having heard David was a bit of a geezer, set up... he arrives, so cool man, and we just hit it off.'
Robbie had a new outlook on life following meeting David. 'He taught me how to look at jazz in particular under a new light. I adored playing drums with him. He encouraged me to step out of myself and actually play the darn things!', he stated. 'Every night... magic. Simple as that'.
Bentley affected France in other ways. ' He was and is a fabulous journalist
, a loving father and sublime composer.' France recorded and performed live with Bentley. In addition, he often spent time at the Bentley's second home on Moreton Island
. Bentley wrote 'In A Broken Dream' as member of Australian popstars Python Lee Jackson
with Rod Stewart on vocals, which was a hit song all over the world. Twenty years later Stewart recorded a song co-written by France for the album When We Were the New Boys
.
, where he joined Diamond Head
the following year. Part of the NWOBHM movement, they performed at Castle Donington Monsters of Rock
, then went on to record their third album
, Canterbury
(album). He played on the hit single
"Making Music". The demise of DH is well documented, but Robbie adored, and still does, Sean & Brian (Harris & Tatler). He says, 'I was a green, rather naive kid from Brisbane who was suddenly on stage in front of 90,000 people baying for metal... they got us', referring to the new sound of DH reflected in the recordings of 'Canterbury'. Poorly managed and seemingly drifting between genres of the music of the time, DH imploded and split.
It was at this point where Robbie was noticed as an extraordinary player. He performed at the first triple headliner drum clinic with Simon Phillips
& Steve White, worked with Motown U.K.'s C.E.O., 'Ivan Chandler's All Star Quintet' alongside Andy Hamilton
( Duran Duran, Wham!, Elton John, Pet Shop Boys, Tina Turner, and more.) Also in the quintet were Spike Edney
, an all round brilliant musician who was famous for being the 5th member of Queen
, and Mike Ashley the Portuguese percussionist. Playing at various venues around London, including Nick Rhodes
' wedding party, they were highly rated as one of the bands to see at the time.
In 1985 France toured and recorded with UFO
, replacing Andy Parker. To this day Robbie has never stated his reasons for leaving the band and despite the various enquiries of gossip loving journalists, has no intention of doing so. Although Paul Gray has alluded to this, in albeit an incorrect report on his website as to why he left, Robbie still maintains his respect for the vocal ability of Phil Mogg
stating, 'Phil was a monster! He could sing all day non stop, giving 120% of his considerable talent, go home, write more lyrics, sleep for a couple of hours and do the same the next day...and the day after. He's a one-off'
Leaving UFO in 1986, he formed One Nation with Kipper (now Sting's producer). Says Robbie, 'Kipper is a true genious. That's such an overused cliche in our business, but with Kip it's clear he knew he was special and eventually he proved to everybody he was right. I loved him then...and I still do.' They worked together at Tony Visconti
's studio in Soho
, London on a fabulous array of recordings. One Nation were being managed by Bill Lawrie, a well known figure in the music trade. But the crunch came when Robbie's wife, Annette, (a well known session singer, who was part of the band's set up and who now is back in Australia), was asked to leave One Nation and he felt compelled to leave with her.
By now France was also teaching in drum clinics all over the world, from Australia to Scotland
, usually on behalf of the Avedis Zildjian cymbal
company.
He set up a teaching studio in Kingston upon Thames
, where he worked with Gary O'Toole
, Hugo Degenhardt
, Gary Wallis
, Mike + The Mechanics, Power Station
, 10 CC, Jean Michel Jarre
, The Style Council
, Gary Ferguson
, Mark Price
, Tim Burgess
, even touring through Europe & the U.K. with Tim, as support act with Ellis, Beggs & Howard. Mark Brzezicki
, who had an informal student/teacher relationship with Robbie, consisting of friendly chats over the phone(as many other leading drummers did), Chris Halford and a host of other top drummers, helping them with their technique. He would quite often lay down the touring bag one night and start work teaching the very next day. France had started writing for magazines in Australia, at the age of fifteen. During 1987, he began his acclaimed monthly column for the popular British drummer's magazine Rhythm.
In 1987 France joined Ellis, Beggs, & Howard
(E.B.H.), whose first single, "Big Bubbles No Troubles", won the Diamond Award for best new group. This was France's favourite band. It consisted of Simon Ellis
, Nick Beggs
, formerly with 1980s pop group Kajagoogoo
, Austin Howard
, who is currently writing for Joss Stone
, and Paul Harvey of Prefab Sprout
. They were described by one Scandinavia
n journalist as the world's best live band, and Austin Howard was constantly referred to as the black Mick Jagger
. Although Robbie had difficulties with Simon Ellis at first, ' He used to make me play exactly what he'd recorded on the demo tapes for the album, vis a vis 16ths on hi hats here, crash cymbal there, it was an incredibly steep learning curve as far as understanding music programming went'. He recently told a Spanish
newspaper, ' Working with Simon was a unique experience. Look at his gear in those days on YouTube
and you can see where he was at.' He continued, ' Simon built a massive recording studio spec unit to tour with us. So much so, we were often accused of miming.' A point which still annoys Robbie greatly. He continues, 'The fact is that EBH could take the stage, first song, play for an entire intro and verse and time came for the sampled backing vocals to be introduced? They were all there. Together. Not one BPM (Beats per minute) out. Every night. It was like being in a very special session band every night. No mistakes. Like being in a studio with the finest musos and doing first takes, perfect...every night. Ridiculous band!' But following success in mainland Europe
, it didn't translate in their native U.K.. Frustrated, unhappy and despite having recorded some masterpieces for the 'difficult second album', sadly they broke up. To this day, Robbie's biggest regret is the demise of EBH. 'We were masters of all we surveyed... and then the sun went down!' he recently told a Spanish journalist
. ' Look at the videos on YouTube now, you'll see an incredible band, with an indominatable spirit, doing what they do best...playing kick ass music. Shame it didn't last'.
It was around this time that Robbie was asked to fill in for drummer Frank Tontoh with jazz saxophonist Jean Toussaint
. Meeting up to open a venue called The Soho
Jazz Shack, Jean asked Robbie to play with him on a more permanent basis, as he (Toussaint) had a regular slot at the fabled Dingwalls
club in Camden Town
on Sunday afternoons. ' Great, great band,' he told Oz Music magazine. ' Jean was blowing really good, Tony Remy on guitar, Julian Crampton on bass, what a band! It was this project that planted the seeds for the idea of his later band 'The Gab'
After E.B.H., in 1990 France joined Wishbone Ash
, with whom he toured and recorded the album Strange Affair. Unfortunately, not getting along with Martin Turner
, the band's bass player, he was unceremoniously dropped from Wishbone...to be replaced by one of his students, Ray Weston, leaving a very sour taste. He then joined Anxious Records
' band, 'Pleasure', touring as support act to the Eurythmics
. By this time, however, France felt too drained to commit to any more touring or recording work.
In 1991, after working with Simon Ellis, (East 17
, D:Ream
, S Club 7
), and others, on the set pieces for his popular drum clinics, France returned to Australia to form a solo jazz
project, 'The Gab'. Based loosely as a tribute to the jazz greats, Elvin Jones
& John Coltrane
, their first album was recorded at EMI Studio 301 on 28 July 1993. Also playing with Nancy Kiel, a hugely popular artiste in the gay community in Australia, forming a friendship with legendary stickman Chad Wackerman
, (who often turned up to watch Robbie play at the Annandale Hotel), whom France had admired for years for his work with Frank Zappa
. He could also be seen playing at The Basement, Sydney's premier jazz venue working with Feet First, a jazz funk band featuring master guitarist and writer Phil Beazley. He also returned to his youth, playing with arguably Australia's first pioneer of guitar.... Tim Gaze.
In 1994 he returned to London, ostensibly to promote the solo project where he became a founder member of Skunk Anansie
and recorded and co-produced their debut album Paranoid & Sunburnt. He co-wrote the hit track "Weak", which has since been covered by Rod Stewart
. He also recorded the B-side, "Army of Me", with Björk
. This has since been featured (in a remix version) for the blockbuster movie, Sucker Punch directed by Zack Snyder.
France left Skunk Anansie in 1995, joining the German group Alphaville
the next day. He toured and recorded with Alphaville until an accident in which he severed his Achilles tendon
. He lived in Poland
for over two years, hosting his own radio
programme, and appearing on numerous television
shows. In 1998 he moved to Puerto de Mazarron, Spain
, in order to concentrate on writing his first novel.
The book is being printed on the internet chapter by chapter on Robbie webpage.
He was successfully running Pulpo Negro Records, Pulpo Negro Publishing, Pulpo Negro Studios, GCBC Productions, with his partner, Tim Oldfield up until 2004.
He produced the award-winning Spanish bands Second, Renochild, and Blue Aliens Temple, as well as Screw Coco. He also produced, wrote, and arranged for London based artist Keke
.
He produced the 'Album Of The Decade' (as voted for by the readers of influential newspaper 'La Verdad') with Oldfield. The album, 'Pose' by Second
His present preoccupation is a return to Radio broadcasting for both Real Radio 95.6 FM in Torrevieja on the Costa Blanca and One Radio Spain on the Costa Calida, providing simulcasts between the two Costas
Robbie writes about his passion for sailing in a syndicated series for several newspapers and magazines. Entitled 'Cast Off', it is a very popular weekly piece throughout the expat community in Spain.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, arranger, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, music educator, and broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
.
Early life and career: Australia
France was born in SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, and emigrated to Australia around 1970. He studied at the National Academy of Rudimentary Drummers of Australia until 1974, under tutor Harry Lebler. At the age of fifteen, he began to teach at the Australian Academy of Music (1974–1975).
While living and travelling in Australia, France formed the jazz-fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
group, Carnival, performed at the Oz Jazz Festival, and supported John McLaughlin
John McLaughlin (musician)
John McLaughlin , also known as Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, is an English guitarist, bandleader and composer...
. He worked with Stevie Wright of the Easybeats, Marty Rhone, Ray Burgess, Tim Gaze
Tim Gaze
Tim Gaze is an Australian rock and blues guitarist, songwriter, singer and producer. He was a member of several prominent Australian groups of the 1960s and 1970s including Tamam Shud, Kahvas Jute, Ariel and Rose Tattoo.-Biography:...
, and most major Australian artists. He amassed over 1,000 television, radio, and advertising credits, including eight documentaries and four film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
scores, including Band on the Run, one of the most successful surfing films ever made.
While acting in commercials, for which he often co-wrote the music, he met David Bentley, who would become his mentor and idol.
'It was a gas! Got a call from David's wife, Lena, be at the Journalists' Club at the Twelfth Night Theatre
Twelfth Night Theatre
thumb|250px|Twelfth Night TheatreThe Twelfth Night Theatre is an established Australian entertainment venue located in Bowen Hills, in Brisbane, Queensland. Australian actors such as Rowena Wallace, Sigrid Thornton, Judith McGrath, Jon English, June Salter, Penny Downie, Carol Burns, Kate Wilson,...
on Saturday night. That was that. So I rocked up not knowing what to expect, having heard David was a bit of a geezer, set up... he arrives, so cool man, and we just hit it off.'
Robbie had a new outlook on life following meeting David. 'He taught me how to look at jazz in particular under a new light. I adored playing drums with him. He encouraged me to step out of myself and actually play the darn things!', he stated. 'Every night... magic. Simple as that'.
Bentley affected France in other ways. ' He was and is a fabulous journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, a loving father and sublime composer.' France recorded and performed live with Bentley. In addition, he often spent time at the Bentley's second home on Moreton Island
Moreton Island
Moreton Island is a large sand island on the eastern side of Moreton Bay, on the coast of south-east Queensland, Australia. Moreton Island lies 58 kilometres northeast of the Queensland capital, Brisbane. The island is 95% National Park and a popular destination for four wheel driving, camping,...
. Bentley wrote 'In A Broken Dream' as member of Australian popstars Python Lee Jackson
Python Lee Jackson
Python Lee Jackson was an Australian rock band active from 1965 to 1968, before a brief sojourn in the United Kingdom. The group's most famous hit was "In a Broken Dream", featuring Rod Stewart as guest vocalist.-Members in Australia:...
with Rod Stewart on vocals, which was a hit song all over the world. Twenty years later Stewart recorded a song co-written by France for the album When We Were the New Boys
When We Were the New Boys
When We Were the New Boys is a studio album released by Rod Stewart on May 29, 1998 . It was Stewart's eighteenth studio album and was released on Warner Bros. Records...
.
Back to England
France left Australia in 1982 to return to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where he joined Diamond Head
Diamond Head (band)
Diamond Head are an English heavy metal band formed in 1976 in Stourbridge, England. The band is recognised as one of the leading members of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and is acknowledged by later bands like Metallica and Megadeth as an important early influence.-Early history:Formed by...
the following year. Part of the NWOBHM movement, they performed at Castle Donington Monsters of Rock
Monsters of Rock
Monsters of Rock was an annual music festival held in England, then moved in other locations like The Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Chile.The Last show was in 2008....
, then went on to record their third album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
(album). He played on the hit single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Making Music". The demise of DH is well documented, but Robbie adored, and still does, Sean & Brian (Harris & Tatler). He says, 'I was a green, rather naive kid from Brisbane who was suddenly on stage in front of 90,000 people baying for metal... they got us', referring to the new sound of DH reflected in the recordings of 'Canterbury'. Poorly managed and seemingly drifting between genres of the music of the time, DH imploded and split.
It was at this point where Robbie was noticed as an extraordinary player. He performed at the first triple headliner drum clinic with Simon Phillips
Simon Phillips
Simon Phillips is an English jazz, pop and rock drummer.-Career:Phillips began to play professionally at the age of twelve in his father's Dixieland band for four years. He was then offered the chance to play in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar...
& Steve White, worked with Motown U.K.'s C.E.O., 'Ivan Chandler's All Star Quintet' alongside Andy Hamilton
Andy Hamilton
Andrew Neil Hamilton is a British comedian, game show panellist, television director, comedy screenwriter and radio dramatist.-Early life:...
( Duran Duran, Wham!, Elton John, Pet Shop Boys, Tina Turner, and more.) Also in the quintet were Spike Edney
Spike Edney
Philip 'Spike' Edney is a British musician who, since early 1970s, has performed with a number of bands, most notably, Queen, where his participation, starting in 1984, has been so extensive that some writers have described him as the "fifth member of Queen". In the earlier phase of his career,...
, an all round brilliant musician who was famous for being the 5th member of Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, and Mike Ashley the Portuguese percussionist. Playing at various venues around London, including Nick Rhodes
Nick Rhodes
Nick Rhodes is an English musician, is best known as the keyboardist of the pop rock band Duran Duran...
' wedding party, they were highly rated as one of the bands to see at the time.
In 1985 France toured and recorded with UFO
UFO (band)
UFO are an English heavy metal and hard rock band, who were formed in 1969. UFO became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal...
, replacing Andy Parker. To this day Robbie has never stated his reasons for leaving the band and despite the various enquiries of gossip loving journalists, has no intention of doing so. Although Paul Gray has alluded to this, in albeit an incorrect report on his website as to why he left, Robbie still maintains his respect for the vocal ability of Phil Mogg
Phil Mogg
Phillip John 'Phil' Mogg is a vocalist for the band UFO, which he formed with longtime friends Pete Way and Andy Parker. Mogg wrote the majority of the band's lyrics, with the music being written by Way, Schenker, and later, Raymond, but Schenker left to launch his solo career in 1979...
stating, 'Phil was a monster! He could sing all day non stop, giving 120% of his considerable talent, go home, write more lyrics, sleep for a couple of hours and do the same the next day...and the day after. He's a one-off'
Leaving UFO in 1986, he formed One Nation with Kipper (now Sting's producer). Says Robbie, 'Kipper is a true genious. That's such an overused cliche in our business, but with Kip it's clear he knew he was special and eventually he proved to everybody he was right. I loved him then...and I still do.' They worked together at Tony Visconti
Tony Visconti
Anthony Edward Visconti is an American record producer and sometimes a musician or singer.Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers; his lengthiest involvement with any artist is with David Bowie: intermittently from Bowie's 1969 album Space Oddity to 2003's Reality, Visconti...
's studio in Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
, London on a fabulous array of recordings. One Nation were being managed by Bill Lawrie, a well known figure in the music trade. But the crunch came when Robbie's wife, Annette, (a well known session singer, who was part of the band's set up and who now is back in Australia), was asked to leave One Nation and he felt compelled to leave with her.
By now France was also teaching in drum clinics all over the world, from Australia to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, usually on behalf of the Avedis Zildjian cymbal
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
company.
He set up a teaching studio in Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...
, where he worked with Gary O'Toole
Gary O'Toole
Gary O'Toole, M.D., is a retired Irish Olympic swimmer. He represented Ireland at the Seoul, and Barcelona Games.While studying at University College Dublin, O'Toole won a 200 m breaststroke silver medal at the 1989 European Long Course Championships in Bonn...
, Hugo Degenhardt
Hugo degenhardt
Hugo Degenhardt is a British drummer who has toured and recorded with a wide variety of artists that include Robbie Williams, Bryan Ferry, Steve Hackett, Todd Sharpville, Kylie Minogue, Rod Stewart, and Jack Bruce....
, Gary Wallis
Gary Wallis
Gary Wallis is a drummer/percussionist trained at the London Symphony School of Music. He is known for having a massive percussion kit featuring many electronic drums and percussion. He is best known as the secondary percussionist for Pink Floyd in the post-Waters era for live performances...
, Mike + The Mechanics, Power Station
Power station
A power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
, 10 CC, Jean Michel Jarre
Jean Michel Jarre
Jean Michel André Jarre is a French composer, performer and music producer. He is a pioneer in the electronic, ambient and New Age genres, and known as an organiser of outdoor spectacles of his music featuring lights, laser displays, and fireworks.Jarre was raised in Lyon by his mother and...
, The Style Council
The Style Council
The Style Council were an English band, formed in 1983 by the ex-The Jam singer and guitarist Paul Weller, with keyboardist Mick Talbot. The permanent line-up grew to include drummer Steve White and Weller's then-wife, vocalist Dee C. Lee. Other artists such as Tracie Young and Tracey Thorn also...
, Gary Ferguson
Gary Ferguson
Professor Gary Ferguson is a specialist of French Renaissance literature and culture at the University of Delaware in the USA. He graduated from St Chad's College, Durham University, receiving a BA with first-class honours in 1985 and a Ph.D...
, Mark Price
Mark Price
William Mark Price is a retired American basketball player who played for 12 seasons in the NBA, from 1986 to 1998...
, Tim Burgess
T'Pau (band)
T'Pau was a 1980s British Rock group led by singer Carol Decker. They had a string of Top 40 hits in the UK, and several hits in the United States and Europe...
, even touring through Europe & the U.K. with Tim, as support act with Ellis, Beggs & Howard. Mark Brzezicki
Mark Brzezicki
Mark Brzezicki is a rock drummer, who is primarily known for his work with Big Country, and was a member of the groups The Cult, Ultravox, and Procol Harum. He has also played with Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Midge Ure, Fish, The Pretenders and many others...
, who had an informal student/teacher relationship with Robbie, consisting of friendly chats over the phone(as many other leading drummers did), Chris Halford and a host of other top drummers, helping them with their technique. He would quite often lay down the touring bag one night and start work teaching the very next day. France had started writing for magazines in Australia, at the age of fifteen. During 1987, he began his acclaimed monthly column for the popular British drummer's magazine Rhythm.
In 1987 France joined Ellis, Beggs, & Howard
Ellis, Beggs, & Howard
Ellis, Beggs & Howard were an English rock band operating between 1987 and 1990.-Career:Ellis, Beggs & Howard were made up of Simon Ellis , Nick Beggs , and Austin Howard . They were augmented by Paul Harvey on guitar, Robbie France on drums and Harry Sutcliffe on keyboards and programming...
(E.B.H.), whose first single, "Big Bubbles No Troubles", won the Diamond Award for best new group. This was France's favourite band. It consisted of Simon Ellis
Simon Ellis
Simon Ellis is a musical director who has worked with Britney Spears, S Club 7 and East 17.-External links:**...
, Nick Beggs
Nick Beggs
Nick Beggs is a British musician, noted for playing the bass guitar and the Chapman Stick; he is a member of Kajagoogoo and formerly Iona and Ellis, Beggs, & Howard.-Personal life:...
, formerly with 1980s pop group Kajagoogoo
Kajagoogoo
Kajagoogoo are a British pop band, best known for their hit single, "Too Shy", which reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 5 on the U.S...
, Austin Howard
Austin Howard
Austin Howard is an American football offensive tackle for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Northern Iowa....
, who is currently writing for Joss Stone
Joss Stone
Jocelyn Eve Stoker , better known by her stage name Joss Stone, is an English soul singer-songwriter and actress. Stone rose to fame in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, The Soul Sessions, which made the 2004 Mercury Prize shortlist...
, and Paul Harvey of Prefab Sprout
Prefab Sprout
Prefab Sprout are an alternative English pop rock band from Witton Gilbert, County Durham, England who rose to fame during the 1980s. Eight of their albums have reached the Top 40 in the UK Albums Chart, and one of their singles, "The King of Rock 'n' Roll", peaked at number seven in the UK...
. They were described by one Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n journalist as the world's best live band, and Austin Howard was constantly referred to as the black Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
. Although Robbie had difficulties with Simon Ellis at first, ' He used to make me play exactly what he'd recorded on the demo tapes for the album, vis a vis 16ths on hi hats here, crash cymbal there, it was an incredibly steep learning curve as far as understanding music programming went'. He recently told a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
newspaper, ' Working with Simon was a unique experience. Look at his gear in those days on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
and you can see where he was at.' He continued, ' Simon built a massive recording studio spec unit to tour with us. So much so, we were often accused of miming.' A point which still annoys Robbie greatly. He continues, 'The fact is that EBH could take the stage, first song, play for an entire intro and verse and time came for the sampled backing vocals to be introduced? They were all there. Together. Not one BPM (Beats per minute) out. Every night. It was like being in a very special session band every night. No mistakes. Like being in a studio with the finest musos and doing first takes, perfect...every night. Ridiculous band!' But following success in mainland Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, it didn't translate in their native U.K.. Frustrated, unhappy and despite having recorded some masterpieces for the 'difficult second album', sadly they broke up. To this day, Robbie's biggest regret is the demise of EBH. 'We were masters of all we surveyed... and then the sun went down!' he recently told a Spanish journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. ' Look at the videos on YouTube now, you'll see an incredible band, with an indominatable spirit, doing what they do best...playing kick ass music. Shame it didn't last'.
It was around this time that Robbie was asked to fill in for drummer Frank Tontoh with jazz saxophonist Jean Toussaint
Jean Toussaint
Jean Toussaint is a jazz tenor saxophonist. He was born in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.Toussaint learned to play calypso as a child, and attended the Berklee College of Music in the late 1970s. In 1979 he played with Wallace Roney, and from 1982 to 1986 he was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz...
. Meeting up to open a venue called The Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
Jazz Shack, Jean asked Robbie to play with him on a more permanent basis, as he (Toussaint) had a regular slot at the fabled Dingwalls
Dingwalls
Dingwalls is a venue adjacent to Camden Lock in London, England. It houses bars, cafes, clubs . The building itself is one of many industrial Victorian buildings that were put to new use in the 20th century. The original owner of the building, T.E...
club in Camden Town
Camden Town
-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...
on Sunday afternoons. ' Great, great band,' he told Oz Music magazine. ' Jean was blowing really good, Tony Remy on guitar, Julian Crampton on bass, what a band! It was this project that planted the seeds for the idea of his later band 'The Gab'
After E.B.H., in 1990 France joined Wishbone Ash
Wishbone Ash
Wishbone Ash are a British rock band who achieved success in the early and mid-1970s. Their popular records included Wishbone Ash , Argus , There's the Rub , and New England...
, with whom he toured and recorded the album Strange Affair. Unfortunately, not getting along with Martin Turner
Martin Turner
Martin Turner is the bass guitarist, lead vocalist and a founding member of the rock band, Wishbone Ash.-Career:...
, the band's bass player, he was unceremoniously dropped from Wishbone...to be replaced by one of his students, Ray Weston, leaving a very sour taste. He then joined Anxious Records
Anxious Records
Anxious Records was a record label set up by David A. Stewart of Eurythmics.Besides distributing his own records, the label distributed also groups like Londonbeat and Soft Parade.-Anxious Records:Anxious Records signed the following acts:* Chris Braide...
' band, 'Pleasure', touring as support act to the Eurythmics
Eurythmics
Eurythmics were a British pop rock duo, formed in 1980, currently disbanded, but known to reunite from time to time. Consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A...
. By this time, however, France felt too drained to commit to any more touring or recording work.
In 1991, after working with Simon Ellis, (East 17
East 17
East 17 are a pop boy band comprising Tony Mortimer, John Hendy and Terry Coldwell. Tony Mortimer is the group's frontman and primary songwriter. Formed in Walthamstow, London in 1991, the group have achieved eighteen Top 20 singles and four Top 10 albums, and were one of the UK's most popular boy...
, D:Ream
D:Ream
D:Ream was a UK pop and dance band of the 1990s. They had a UK Number One hit with "Things Can Only Get Better" in 1994 as well as eight more top 40 hits. They released two albums, both of which reached the top five...
, S Club 7
S Club 7
S Club, formerly known as S Club 7, were a pop group created by former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller, consisting of members Tina Barrett, Paul Cattermole, Jon Lee, Bradley McIntosh, de facto lead singer Jo O'Meara, Hannah Spearritt and Rachel Stevens. The group rose to fame by starring in their...
), and others, on the set pieces for his popular drum clinics, France returned to Australia to form a solo jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
project, 'The Gab'. Based loosely as a tribute to the jazz greats, Elvin Jones
Elvin Jones
Elvin Ray Jones was a jazz drummer of the post-bop era. He showed interest in drums at a young age, watching the circus bands march by his family's home in Pontiac, Michigan....
& John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
, their first album was recorded at EMI Studio 301 on 28 July 1993. Also playing with Nancy Kiel, a hugely popular artiste in the gay community in Australia, forming a friendship with legendary stickman Chad Wackerman
Chad Wackerman
Chad Wackerman is a jazz, jazz fusion and rock drummer; arguably best known in the United States for his work as a drummer and percussionist in Frank Zappa's band...
, (who often turned up to watch Robbie play at the Annandale Hotel), whom France had admired for years for his work with Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
. He could also be seen playing at The Basement, Sydney's premier jazz venue working with Feet First, a jazz funk band featuring master guitarist and writer Phil Beazley. He also returned to his youth, playing with arguably Australia's first pioneer of guitar.... Tim Gaze.
In 1994 he returned to London, ostensibly to promote the solo project where he became a founder member of Skunk Anansie
Skunk Anansie
Skunk Anansie is an English rock band whose members include Skin , Cass , Ace and Mark Richardson .Skunk Anansie formed in March 1994, disbanded in 2001 and reformed in 2009...
and recorded and co-produced their debut album Paranoid & Sunburnt. He co-wrote the hit track "Weak", which has since been covered by Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
. He also recorded the B-side, "Army of Me", with Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
. This has since been featured (in a remix version) for the blockbuster movie, Sucker Punch directed by Zack Snyder.
France left Skunk Anansie in 1995, joining the German group Alphaville
Alphaville (band)
Alphaville is a German synthpop group which gained popularity in the 1980s. The founding members were Marian Gold , Bernhard Lloyd , and Frank Mertens Alphaville is a German synthpop group which gained popularity in the 1980s. The founding members were Marian Gold (real name Hartwig Schierbaum,...
the next day. He toured and recorded with Alphaville until an accident in which he severed his Achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
. He lived in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
for over two years, hosting his own radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
programme, and appearing on numerous television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
shows. In 1998 he moved to Puerto de Mazarron, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, in order to concentrate on writing his first novel.
The book is being printed on the internet chapter by chapter on Robbie webpage.
He was successfully running Pulpo Negro Records, Pulpo Negro Publishing, Pulpo Negro Studios, GCBC Productions, with his partner, Tim Oldfield up until 2004.
He produced the award-winning Spanish bands Second, Renochild, and Blue Aliens Temple, as well as Screw Coco. He also produced, wrote, and arranged for London based artist Keke
Keke
Keke may refer to:*Keke Rosberg*Keke, Mali*Keke Palmer American actress*Lil' Keke American rapper...
.
He produced the 'Album Of The Decade' (as voted for by the readers of influential newspaper 'La Verdad') with Oldfield. The album, 'Pose' by Second
His present preoccupation is a return to Radio broadcasting for both Real Radio 95.6 FM in Torrevieja on the Costa Blanca and One Radio Spain on the Costa Calida, providing simulcasts between the two Costas
Robbie writes about his passion for sailing in a syndicated series for several newspapers and magazines. Entitled 'Cast Off', it is a very popular weekly piece throughout the expat community in Spain.
Producer/co-producer
- Skunk AnansieSkunk AnansieSkunk Anansie is an English rock band whose members include Skin , Cass , Ace and Mark Richardson .Skunk Anansie formed in March 1994, disbanded in 2001 and reformed in 2009...
- Blue Alien's Temple
- SecondSecondThe second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock....
- KekeKekeKeke may refer to:*Keke Rosberg*Keke, Mali*Keke Palmer American actress*Lil' Keke American rapper...
- Screw Coco
- Renochild
Sources and external links
- http://www.realradiofm.net/
- http://oneradiospain.com/
- http://www.robbiefrance.com/resources/CBNews_1835_page47.pdf
- http://www.roundtownnews.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28231&Itemid=31
- http://www.roundtownnews.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28014&Itemid=31
- http://noticias.terra.es/genteycultura/2009/0425/actualidad/el-ex-bateria-de-diamond-head-publica-en-espana-una-novela-de-espionaje.aspx
- http://www.robbiefrance.com/category/projects/robbiesnewbook
- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0978764/
- [ Robbie France] — entry from Allmusic
- Robbie France — biography at US Wishbone Ash page