Robyn Hitchcock English singer, vocalist and guitarist Date of Birth: 03.03.1953 Country: Great Britain

1. Biography of Robin Hitchcock
2. Early Life and Career
3. The Soft Boys and Solo Career
4. The Egyptians and Later Career
5. Later Years and Legacy

Biography of Robin Hitchcock

Robin Rovan Hitchcock, an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist, was born on March 3, 1953, in London. He is primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist but also plays harmonica, piano, and bass guitar.

Early Life and Career

As the son of a writer, Hitchcock developed a love for music from a young age. He attended Winchester College and started singing on the streets while also performing with local bands. After the breakup of one of the bands, "Dennis and the Experts," Hitchcock formed a new group called "The Soft Boys" with Alan Davies, Andy Metcalfe, and Morris Windsor. They started recording in 1976, playing a new concept of "psychedelic punk." Their first album, "Give It To The Soft Boys," was released in 1977 and showcased a mix of aggression and depressive themes, including dead fish, flies, and crabs.

The Soft Boys and Solo Career

After a falling out with their record label and failing to complete their second album, The Soft Boys formed their own label, "Two Crabs," and released the album "A Can Of Bees," featuring a mix of folk-rock, metal, and live and studio recordings. During this period, they also recorded many songs that were only released after the band's breakup. In 1980, their album "Underwater Moonlight" was released, which is still considered one of the best new wave albums to date. They followed this with two singles, the anti-war song "I Wanna Destroy You" and the ballad "Kingdom Of Love."

In the fall of 1980, The Soft Boys embarked on a tour of the United States, which sparked a surge in psychedelic music. Despite being compared to The Pink Floyd and The Beatles in reviews, The Soft Boys did not achieve widespread popularity due to low album sales. As a result, the band experienced financial losses and disbanded in 1981. Robin Hitchcock then embarked on a solo career, releasing his first solo album, "Black Snake Diamond Role," in 1981. The album replicated the sound of his previous band, with former Soft Boys members providing accompaniment.

The Egyptians and Later Career

Throughout the next decade, Hitchcock pursued solo projects and also promoted and recorded with his new band, "The Egyptians." Their debut album, "Fegmania!," was released in 1985. Although they did not achieve major success, The Egyptians gained popularity in the United States in the 1980s and early 1990s, thanks to college radio stations and MTV. In the early 1990s, Hitchcock primarily recorded solo albums, disbanding The Egyptians in early 1994 after a brief reunion of The Soft Boys and several concerts. This period of his career is marked by albums such as "I Often Dream of Trains," "Respect," and "Jewels for Sophia."

Later Years and Legacy

In 2001, Hitchcock toured with former members of The Soft Boys, reissuing their most popular 1980s album, "Underwater Moonlight." The following year, they released a new album, "Nextdoorland," but the reunion was short-lived. Hitchcock celebrated his 50th birthday in 2003 with a concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, where he gifted all attendees with his new acoustic album, "Luxor," and had his original poem read by actor Alan Rickman.

In 2007, a documentary film titled "Robyn Hitchcock: Sex, Food, Death... and Insects" was released, directed by John Edginton and shown on American and British television. Hitchcock's recordings were reissued in the United States at the end of 2007, with three solo albums compiled with two discs of rare compositions, as well as his new album, "I Wanna Go Backwards."

Hitchcock has a keen interest in literature and art. He writes stories, creates surrealist-style drawings, and dabbles in animation. Almost all of his album covers feature his own sketches, and the accompanying booklets often contain original stories authored by him.