Robb Huxley
Encyclopedia
Robert William Huxley, known as Robb Huxley (born December 4, 1945) is a vocalist and musician.
, England
and educated at Sir Thomas Rich’s Grammar School. After leaving school in 1962, he joined a local band, the Vendettas, as vocalist in 1963.
After a recording audition with Joe Meek
, the Whirlwinds changed their name to the Saxons and dyed their hair blond. While still semi-pro they released a single through Joe Meek in 1965; It was an instrumental written by Pete Holder and Robb Huxley titled "Saxon War Cry".
In December 1965, Joe Meek summoned the Saxons to London
to work professionally as his house band, renamed The Tornados
. They were also known as the New Tornados. During their short association with Joe Meek, they put out two singles. “Pop-Art Goes Mozart” / “Too Much in Love to Hear” and “Is that a Ship I Hear” / “Do You Come Here Often”. Both singles were released in 1966. Nowadays “Do you Come Here Often” is recognized as being the first ever openly “Gay” song to be released on record.
Almost a year after Joe Meek’s death in a shooting incident at his Holloway Road
studio, with only Robb Huxley and Dave Watts remaining from the original line up, the Tornados left for a tour of Israel
.
Early in February 1968 in Tel-Aviv the Tornados disbanded, which ended to Joe Meek’s succession of Tornados.
” style band to play in Israel.
Huxley met up with Stan Solomon, Canadian singer with the Israeli band the Churchills
and was invited to join the band when two members were subscripted into the Israeli army.
Huxley and Solomon went on to write the music for the Churchills’ only album, which was written in part for the Israeli movie A Woman’s Case. The vinyl album is acclaimed today to be the rarest psychedelic record in the world, and is also recognized for its musical content.
Huxley went on to write for Israeli singers, the most prominent being Arik Einstein
who had a hit “Akhi Noam”, (eng. When You’re Gone) which Huxley had written for the Churchills’.
Huxley and Einstein collaborated on an album of children’s songs, with melodies written by Huxley and lyrics by Einstein.
After Stan Solomon quit the Churchills in 1969, the band became Arik Einstein’s backing band. They were also joined by singer Danny Shoshan, a former bass player and vocalist from the Lions.
In 1970 they recorded an album Junkies, Monkeys and Donkeys at Red Bus Records in London, with music written by Huxley and Shoshan and changed their name to Jericho Jones. They went on to record a second album under the name of Jericho, again with Huxley / Shoshan compositions
In 1972, bass player Miki Gavrielov and drummer Ami Trebich returned to Israel. Shoshan took over the bass with Huxley and Haim Romano on guitars. They took on British drummer Chris Perry. They put out two singles, but after a tour of South Africa in 1973, Jericho disbanded due to management, personal and record label problems.
Huxley moved to Miami in 1974, where he still lives with his Israeli wife.
Early life
Huxley was born in GloucesterGloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, England
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...
and educated at Sir Thomas Rich’s Grammar School. After leaving school in 1962, he joined a local band, the Vendettas, as vocalist in 1963.
Professional career
After the Vendettas, Huxley moved on to join the Whirlwinds as lead singer under the name "Robb Gayle".After a recording audition with Joe Meek
Joe Meek
Robert George "Joe" Meek was a pioneering English record producer and songwriter....
, the Whirlwinds changed their name to the Saxons and dyed their hair blond. While still semi-pro they released a single through Joe Meek in 1965; It was an instrumental written by Pete Holder and Robb Huxley titled "Saxon War Cry".
In December 1965, Joe Meek summoned the Saxons to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to work professionally as his house band, renamed The Tornados
The Tornados
The Tornados were an English instrumental group of the 1960s that acted as backing group for many of record producer Joe Meek's productions and also for singer Billy Fury. They enjoyed several chart hits in their own right, including the UK and U.S. Number One "Telstar" , the first U.S...
. They were also known as the New Tornados. During their short association with Joe Meek, they put out two singles. “Pop-Art Goes Mozart” / “Too Much in Love to Hear” and “Is that a Ship I Hear” / “Do You Come Here Often”. Both singles were released in 1966. Nowadays “Do you Come Here Often” is recognized as being the first ever openly “Gay” song to be released on record.
Almost a year after Joe Meek’s death in a shooting incident at his Holloway Road
Holloway Road
Holloway Road is a road in London. It is one of the main shopping streets in North London, and carries the A1 road as it passes through Holloway, in the London Borough of Islington...
studio, with only Robb Huxley and Dave Watts remaining from the original line up, the Tornados left for a tour of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Early in February 1968 in Tel-Aviv the Tornados disbanded, which ended to Joe Meek’s succession of Tornados.
In Israel
Huxley remained in Israel and played with a three piece group called Purple Ass Baboon for a short time. The group was probably the first ever “punkPunk 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...
” style band to play in Israel.
Huxley met up with Stan Solomon, Canadian singer with the Israeli band the Churchills
The Churchills
The Churchills was an Israeli band founded in 1965, active until the mid-1970s. It was a part of the rhythm bands scene that were active in Israel in the 1970s, especially in Ramla. The band played rock music in English, from psychedelic rock to hard rock...
and was invited to join the band when two members were subscripted into the Israeli army.
Huxley and Solomon went on to write the music for the Churchills’ only album, which was written in part for the Israeli movie A Woman’s Case. The vinyl album is acclaimed today to be the rarest psychedelic record in the world, and is also recognized for its musical content.
Huxley went on to write for Israeli singers, the most prominent being Arik Einstein
Arik Einstein
Arik Einstein is an Israeli singer-songwriter.Einstein was a vocalist for Batzal Yarok , Shleeshiyat Gesher Hayarkon and Hahalonot Hagvohim . His collaboration with Shalom Hanoch and the Churchills planted the seeds for the first Israeli rock albums...
who had a hit “Akhi Noam”, (eng. When You’re Gone) which Huxley had written for the Churchills’.
Huxley and Einstein collaborated on an album of children’s songs, with melodies written by Huxley and lyrics by Einstein.
After Stan Solomon quit the Churchills in 1969, the band became Arik Einstein’s backing band. They were also joined by singer Danny Shoshan, a former bass player and vocalist from the Lions.
In 1970 they recorded an album Junkies, Monkeys and Donkeys at Red Bus Records in London, with music written by Huxley and Shoshan and changed their name to Jericho Jones. They went on to record a second album under the name of Jericho, again with Huxley / Shoshan compositions
In 1972, bass player Miki Gavrielov and drummer Ami Trebich returned to Israel. Shoshan took over the bass with Huxley and Haim Romano on guitars. They took on British drummer Chris Perry. They put out two singles, but after a tour of South Africa in 1973, Jericho disbanded due to management, personal and record label problems.
Huxley moved to Miami in 1974, where he still lives with his Israeli wife.
External links
- http://rhis.co.uk/huxley/ Official Site