HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO TREVOR RABIN! Born Trevor Charles Rabin on January 13th 1954 in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is a musician, songwriter and film composer. As a musician, he is best known for his time as the guitarist and vocalist for British progressive rock band Yes from 1982 to 1994, when he left the band to pursue a film composer career. Rabin was born into a family of classical musicians. His father Godfrey was lead violinist for the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra and also a lawyer. Educated at Parktown Boys High School in Johannesburg, he took formal piano training before discovering the guitar at age 12. He joined one of his first bands, The Other, when he was 13. His parents encouraged his talents toward rock music, although Rabin would maintain his interest in classical music throughout his career. Rabin also briefly studied orchestration at the University of Johannesburg and trained to be a conductor; he later arranged and conducted for many artists in South Africa. Rabins early influences included Arnold Schoenberg, Tchaikovsky, Cliff Richard and the Shadows, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix. He also dabbled with progressive and heavy rock with his first band, The Conglomeration. During this same period, Rabin became a highly sought after session guitarist and bassist, playing with many jazz bands in South Africa. When Rabin fulfilled his obligation to the South African Army at age 19, he served with the entertainment division. Rabin went on to win a South African Sarie music award with his band The Conglomerate (that countrys answer to the Grammy Awards) and won a Sarie for Best Contemporary Music Artist in 1976 and 1977. Rabin recorded his first solo album Beginnings in 1977 featuring Trevor on all instruments save drums. After an initial South African release on RPM Records it was re-sequenced with new material and given a different cover for release in England and the US simply as Trevor Rabin. Beginning in 1977, Rabin fronted various disco-oriented studio projects. Rabin relocated to London in 1978 and began working as a producer, having already begun his career as a session player at age 16. Some of his prominent work included Manfred Mann and his Earth Band, and Wild Horses, featuring former members of Thin Lizzy and Rainbow. In 1981, he released the album Wolf, co-produced with Ray Davies of The Kinks. Manfred Manns Earth Band members Chris Thompson and Manfred Mann made vocal and musical contributions to the album. Wolf marks Rabins first collaboration with former Cream bassist Jack Bruce and session drummer Simon Phillips. During this time, Rabin auditioned with the prog-rock supergroup Asia in the run-up to their first album. Prior to that, Rabin was to have been part of a proposed supergroup with future Asia members John Wetton and Carl Palmer and also ex-Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman. Rabins career stalled briefly after Wolf. While in London, he met bassist Chris Squire and drummer Alan White, longtime members of Yes, who had experienced their own difficulties following the apparent demise of the band in 1981. Liking one anothers ideas, Rabin, Squire and White began collaborating under the name Cinema in early 1982. Later on they enlisted original Yes keyboardist Tony Kaye to complement their live performances. Produced by yet another former Yes member, Trevor Horn, what was to become the 90125 album came together over eight months in 1982. Owner of a Lonely Heart evolved into a riff-oriented song that Horn seized upon as a potential single. Atco Records liked the groups demo, but raised the question of whether they needed a separate vocalist. Horn was invited to join Cinema for this reason, but the producer refused Squires offer. With the question of a vocalist still up in the air, Squire encountered longtime Yes vocalist Jon Anderson at a Los Angeles party and Anderson expressed interest in hearing what Cinema were working on. Squire acquiesced, and Anderson was so impressed by the songs he heard, especially Leave It, that he joined the group very late in the recording of 90125, contributing vocals and lyrics to the mostly already-written songs. Now featuring four former members of Yes (not even counting the producer), the band and record company (over Rabins objections) chose to revive the Yes name rather than call the project Cinema, a name which in any case was already in use. The new Yes would meet with critical and commercial success, though not without some harsh criticism from fans of earlier incarnations of the band. Both Owner of a Lonely Heart and Leave It became major hits, with Owner being the bands only #1 single in most major markets including the US. Along with heavy airplay of several other tracks, this helped propel 90125 to six million sales between 1983 and 1985, making it the most commercially successful of all Yes albums. Yes also received a Grammy award in 1984 for the instrumental Cinema. The band toured behind the album, in a series of well-received concerts across Europe and the Americas. During this time he also appeared as a session guitarist on Frankie Goes to Hollywoods debut album Welcome to the Pleasuredome, also produced by Horn. In late 1985, Yes began recording its next album with Trevor Horn, but the production became bogged down due largely to personal differences among Anderson, Squire and Horn. Eventually, Rabin assumed control of the project, with Horn resigning as producer well before recording was complete. Big Generator emerged in late 1987, it had modest chart hits compared to the singles from 90125, though the album sold very well. The song Shoot High, Aim Low featured a dual lead vocal between Rabin and Jon Anderson. Anderson left Yes for the second time, though his departure would prove short-lived. Trevor Rabin expressed a guarded neutrality over the split between Jon Anderson and Chris Squire, who briefly led rival groups consisting of Yes members. Squire held the Yes name. Anderson formed Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe – a line-up he felt better represented Yes. A lawsuit between Arista and Atlantic Records ensued. Rabin received a call from Jon Anderson in 1991. Arista subsequently made what Rabin later described as a 42nd floor boardroom decision, and brought both Yes line-ups together—although at no point did the recording of Union simultaneously feature all eight members of the touring group. Rabin only appeared on one-third of the album, although two of his songs were released as singles – Lift Me Up and Saving My Heart. Trevor Rabin took part in the supporting tour, where he developed a lasting friendship with Rick Wakeman, often accompanying his keyboard performances onstage. The eight-person line-up did not survive the end of the tour. Steve Howe and Bill Bruford were the first to leave, the former at least partly due to unwillingness to share the spotlight with Rabin; and while Wakeman was very interested in working with the band and especially Rabin, he could not commit to dates. This effectively left Yes with the same line-up that had recorded 90125 and Big Generator. In 2008, Trevor was contacted by Yes members and their new management inviting him to tour with the band in the later part of the year. I appreciate the invite and miss the excitement of playing live. Unfortunately, my schedule just does not allow for it this year, Trevor was quoted as saying. Following the 1994 tour, Trevor Rabin resigned from Yes to become a soundtrack composer. Trevor Rabin has scored over three dozen films which include: Bad Company, Con Air, Homegrown, Armageddon, Jack Frost (in which Rabin appeared onscreen in two scenes), Deep Blue Sea, Gone in 60 Seconds, Remember the Titans, The 6th Day, The Banger Sisters, Kangaroo Jack, Bad Boys II, The Great Raid, Exorcist: The Beginning, National Treasure, Coach Carter, Glory Road, Snakes on a Plane, The Glimmer Man, Flyboys, Gridiron Gang, Hot Rod, The Guardian, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Get Smart, Race to Witch Mountain, 12 Rounds, G-Force, and The Sorcerers Apprentice. Along with several Grammy nominations and one Grammy win, Trevor Rabin also has received eleven BMI film score awards, and has received a lifetime achievement award from the Temecula Film Festival. His composition Titans Spirit from Remember the Titans has been frequently featured in NBCs closing montage and credits for their Olympics coverage. It was also played following United States President-Elect Barack Obamas speech upon winning the 2008 US Presidential Election, and served as the backdrop for the ensuing celebration. Rabin also composed the theme for TNTs coverage of the National Basketball Association in 2009 and the theme for NCAAs March Madness in 2011 Rabin composed the score for Disneys Mission: Space attraction at Epcot. On 9 July 2010 Rabin accompanied Yes for the first time in 6 years at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles and played the encore, Owner of a Lonely Heart. On 23 June 2011 Rabin was awarded at the 26th Annual ASCAP Film & Television Music Awards in the Top Box Office Films category for The Sorcerers Apprentice. On 28 June 2012 Rabin was presented with the Henry Mancini Award at the 27th Annual ASCAP Film & Television Music Awards. Rabin also performed Owner of a Lonely Heart with his sons band Grouplove. Heres owner of a lonely heart with spotlight on its writer Trevor Rabin..... Enjoy!
Posted on: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 19:09:15 +0000
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