Robert Brown (musician)
Encyclopedia
Robert Brown is the leader and lead vocalist of the steampunk
band Abney Park
. Brown was born on May 27, 1970 in Washington.
Brown briefly attended the University of London
and lived near Abney Park Cemetery
. After leaving the University of London, Brown relocated to Seattle at the height of the Grunge
movement, where he started the dark electronica
band "October 27th", and later formed "the EaTen" with guitarist Robert Hazelton (now with the "Deadly Nightshade Botanical Society"). Soon after, they changed the band's name from the EaTen to Abney Park, after the London cemetery.
(melodeon), and harmonica. Brown's lyrical and musical style is noted for having a unique blend of many musical nationalities and eras.
Off-stage, Robert is the man responsible for making most of the band's exotic steampunk instruments, an endeavour to which Jake von Slatt has also contributed.
, G4tV
, King 5 Evening Magazine
, and has been interviewed in many genre websites, magazines and newspapers including The Guardian
, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times
.
Steampunk
Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United...
band Abney Park
Abney Park (band)
Abney Park is a band based in Seattle that mixes elements of industrial dance, world music, and steampunk influenced lyrics in their work. Their name comes from Abney Park Cemetery in London...
. Brown was born on May 27, 1970 in Washington.
Early years
A large part of Brown's childhood was spent traveling in South East Asia with his mother Carolyn Heinz, a well known cultural anthropologist. Brown spent time in India, China, Thailand, and Polynesia, assisting his mother in her research.Brown briefly attended the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
and lived near Abney Park Cemetery
Abney Park Cemetery
Abney Park in Stoke Newington, in the London Borough of Hackney, is a historic parkland originally laid out in the early 18th century by Lady Mary Abney and Dr. Isaac Watts, and the neighbouring Hartopp family. In 1840 it became a non-denominational garden cemetery, semi-public park arboretum, and...
. After leaving the University of London, Brown relocated to Seattle at the height of the Grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
movement, where he started the dark electronica
Electro-industrial
Electro-industrial is a music genre drawing on EBM and post-industrial that developed in the mid-1980s. While EBM has a minimal structure and clean production, electro-industrial has a deep, complex and layered sound. The style was pioneered by Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly, and other groups,...
band "October 27th", and later formed "the EaTen" with guitarist Robert Hazelton (now with the "Deadly Nightshade Botanical Society"). Soon after, they changed the band's name from the EaTen to Abney Park, after the London cemetery.
On and Off Stage
Brown writes and arranges all the songs for Abney Park. In addition to this, he is the band's lead singer, and plays darbuka, diatonic button accordionDiatonic button accordion
A diatonic button accordion or melodeon is a type of button accordion where the melody-side keyboard is limited to the notes of diatonic scales in a small number of keys...
(melodeon), and harmonica. Brown's lyrical and musical style is noted for having a unique blend of many musical nationalities and eras.
Off-stage, Robert is the man responsible for making most of the band's exotic steampunk instruments, an endeavour to which Jake von Slatt has also contributed.
In The Press
Brown has made appearances on MTVMTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, G4tV
G4 (TV channel)
G4, also known as G4 TV, is an American cable- and satellite-television channel originally geared primarily toward young adult viewers, originally based on the world of video games...
, King 5 Evening Magazine
KING-TV
KING-TV, virtual channel 5, is a television station in Seattle, Washington, affiliated with the NBC network. Owned by Belo Corporation, it broadcasts on UHF digital channel 48. Its offices and broadcasting center are located just east of Seattle Center...
, and has been interviewed in many genre websites, magazines and newspapers including The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
.