Robert Brian
Encyclopedia
Robert Brian from Corsham
, Wiltshire
, UK is a professional jazz
and rock
drummer
and session musician
, most notably for Siouxsie Sioux
of Siouxsie and the Banshees.
which Brian describes as a "defining moment of his musical education" and introduced him to jazz
drumming.
He was the live drummer for the "MantaRay Tour
" which consisted of TV appearances, festivals and a world tour.
In September 2008 Brian played on a Siouxsie Sioux DVD called Finale: The Last Mantaray and More Show
recorded at London's "Club KoKo" which was released in May 2009. It charted at #4 in the BBC Radio 1 Music DVD Chart on the 24.05.2009.
Brian also works as a session drummer
and has recently been recording for the band Motorcade. He tours extensively across the world with many bands and has also started to take drum clinics and workshops across the UK and Europe.
]
Single Releases : Live @ Eiffel Tower (B Sides)
, Hugh Cornwell
, Motorcade, Coati Mundi
, Andy Sheppard
, John Critchenson, Six by Seven
, Alan Barnes
, Modern English
, Derek Nash, Tommy Whittle
, Dick Pearce, Jim Mullen
, Danny Sheppard, Chris Biscoe
, Kenny Lynch
, Roger Cook, The Deep Six, Adrian Utley
,
Herbie Flowers
and Ron Matheson.
With Modern English
With CCW
With Kaytu
With Innes Sibun
Corsham
Corsham is a historic market town and civil parish in north west Wiltshire, England. It is at the south western extreme of the Cotswolds, just off the A4 which was formerly the main turnpike road from London to Bristol, between Bath and Chippenham ....
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, UK is a professional 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...
and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
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...
and session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
, most notably for Siouxsie Sioux
Siouxsie Sioux
Siouxsie Sioux is an English singer-songwriter. She is best known as the lead singer of the critically acclaimed rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees and of its splinter group The Creatures . The Banshees produced eleven studio albums and a string of hit singles including "Hong Kong Garden",...
of Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Life and works
Brian was introduced to drumming at a very early age by his father, Ray Brian, who was an in-demand session drummer in the 60s. His father once played him a video of Buddy RichBuddy Rich
Bernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuosic technique, power, groove, and speed.-Early life:...
which Brian describes as a "defining moment of his musical education" and introduced him to 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...
drumming.
He was the live drummer for the "MantaRay Tour
MantaRay
MantaRay is an album by Siouxsie Sioux. It is her first full-length solo studio album after a thirty-year music career as the frontwoman for Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Creatures. It was released in the UK on September 10, 2007 on W14, a new label within the Universal Music Group. A U.S....
" which consisted of TV appearances, festivals and a world tour.
In September 2008 Brian played on a Siouxsie Sioux DVD called Finale: The Last Mantaray and More Show
Finale: The Last Mantaray and More Show
Finale: The Last Mantaray and More Show is a live DVD by Siouxsie, released in 2009. It was the last show of the MantaRay and More Tour which took place on 29 September 2008 at London’s KOKO....
recorded at London's "Club KoKo" which was released in May 2009. It charted at #4 in the BBC Radio 1 Music DVD Chart on the 24.05.2009.
Brian also works as a session drummer
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
and has recently been recording for the band Motorcade. He tours extensively across the world with many bands and has also started to take drum clinics and workshops across the UK and Europe.
Bands and projects
- Innes Sibun
- Cancel Silence!
- The Biggsound Group
- The Jazz Hymnal Trio
- Robert Brian's Tribute to the Jazz Drummers (his own jazz quartet).
Endorsements
- SonorSONORSonor is a German percussion manufacturer. Founded in 1875 as a percussion manufacturer, Sonor drum sets and hardware are historically known for being constructed in a very durable, and therefore, unusually heavy manner...
Drums - Bosphorus CymbalsBosphorus CymbalsBosphorus is a cymbal manufacturer based in İstanbul, Turkey and Kennesaw, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta in the United States. The foundry is located near the Bosphorus Strait, from which the company draws its name. It is owned by three master cymbalsmiths, Ibrahim Yakici, Hasan Seker, and Hasan...
- Hard Case http://www.hardcase.com
- Bop Works Drum Sticks http://www.bopworks.net
]
Siouxsie Sioux
- Mantaray and More Finale (Live DVD)(2009)(Fremantle Home Entertainment)
Single Releases : Live @ Eiffel Tower (B Sides)
- About To HappenAbout to Happen"About to Happen" is a glam rock song by Siouxsie. It was written by Siouxsie, Noko , Charlie Jones and Steve Evans for her album MantaRay. The song was released in the UK as the third and final single from the album on March 10, 2008....
(CD, Maxi) Here Come That Day (Live), Hello I Love You (Live), (W14 Music) 175 722-5 Europe 2008 - About To Happen (7", 1/2) About To Happen (Live), (W14 Music) 1757224 UK & Europe 2008
- About To Happen (7", 2/2) If It Doesn't Kill You (Live), (W14 Music) 1757222 UK & Europe 2008
Innes Sibun
- Tail Dragger (2007)(Zyx)
- Farmhouse Blues (2006)(Blues MattersBlues MattersBlues Matters! is a British Blues music magazine....
) - East Monroe (2001)(Ulftone)
- Star Dust (1997)(Provogue)
Collaborations
Peter GabrielPeter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, Hugh Cornwell
Hugh Cornwell
Hugh Alan Cornwell is an English musician and songwriter, best known for being the vocalist and guitarist for the punk/new wave group, The Stranglers, from 1974 to 1990.-Career:...
, Motorcade, Coati Mundi
Coati Mundi
Coati Mundi is the stage name of American musician Andy Hernandez, percussionist, notably playing the vibraphone, and member of Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, then of Kid Creole and the Coconuts. He scored the Top 40 UK hit "Me No Pop I" in 1981, just before the release of Tropical Gangsters...
, Andy Sheppard
Andy Sheppard
Andy Sheppard is a British jazz saxophonist and composer. He has been awarded several prizes at the British Jazz Awards, and has worked with some notable figures in contemporary jazz, including Gil Evans, Carla Bley, George Russell and Steve Swallow.-Biography:Sheppard was born in Warminster,...
, John Critchenson, Six by Seven
Six by Seven
Six By Seven were a Nottingham-based rock band who consisted of Chris Olley on vocals and guitars, James Flower on keyboards, Sam Hempton on guitar and Christian Davis on drums...
, Alan Barnes
Alan Barnes (musician)
Alan Barnes is an English Jazz musician.- Career :Alan Barnes attended Leeds College of Music between 1977–80 where he studied saxophone, woodwinds and arranging before moving to London. In 1980 he played with the Midnight Follies Orchestra and the following year was with the Pasadena Roof...
, Modern English
Modern English (band)
Modern English are an English rock band best remembered for their songs "I Melt with You", "Hands Across the Sea", and "Ink and Paper". The group disbanded for a period in 1991, but later recorded in 1995 and 2002 with new members...
, Derek Nash, Tommy Whittle
Tommy Whittle
Tommy Whittle is a British jazz saxophonist.Whittle was born in Grangemouth, Scotland and started playing clarinet at age 12 before taking up the tenor saxophone at 13. He moved to Chatham, Kent at 16 and in 1943 started playing in the dance hall band of Claude Giddins in nearby Gillingham...
, Dick Pearce, Jim Mullen
Jim Mullen
Jim Mullen is a Glasgow-born jazz guitarist with a distinctive style, like Wes Montgomery before him, picking with the thumb rather than a plectrum.-Biography:...
, Danny Sheppard, Chris Biscoe
Chris Biscoe
Chris Biscoe is an English jazz multi-instrumentalist, a player of the alto, soprano, tenor and baritone saxophone, the alto clarinet, piccolo and flute...
, Kenny Lynch
Kenny Lynch
Kenny Lynch, OBE is an English singer, songwriter, entertainer and actor from London. Lynch appeared in many variety shows in the 1960s...
, Roger Cook, The Deep Six, Adrian Utley
Adrian Utley
Adrian Francis Utley is an English musician and a member of the band Portishead.-Biography:Utley is self-taught on guitar, bass and keyboards, and played professionally from the age of 18 in working men's clubs, night clubs, holiday camps, and in cabaret, backing soul artists...
,
Herbie Flowers
Herbie Flowers
Herbie Flowers is an English musician specialising in bass guitar, double-bass and tuba. He is noted as a member of Blue Mink, T...
and Ron Matheson.
Television appearances
With Siouxsie Sioux- Festival Internacional de BenicàssimFestival Internacional de BenicàssimThe Festival Internacional de Benicàssim is an annual music festival which takes place in the village of Benicàssim, province of Castelló, Valencian Community in Spain. It focuses mainly on pop, rock and electronica artists, as well as having other elements besides music like short films,...
- 2008 - Friday Night with Jonathan RossFriday Night with Jonathan RossFriday Night with Jonathan Ross was a British comedy chat show presented by Jonathan Ross. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 2 November 2001. The programme featured Ross's take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews and live music from both a guest music group and the house band...
BBC1 Season 14, Episode 10 – Aired 3/21/2008 - Later with Jools HollandLater with Jools HollandLater... with Jools Holland is a contemporary British music television show hosted by Jools Holland. A spin-off of The Late Show, it has been running in short series since 1992 and is a part of BBC Two's late-night line-up, usually at around 11pm to 12 midnight...
Aired 02.11.07 Hard-Fi / Siouxsie Sioux / Richard Hawley / Laura Marling / Kaki King - Transmission Channel 4Channel 4Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
2007 - TaratataTaratataTaratata is a French TV show showcasing live and pre-recorded footage of current rock acts. Presented by Nagui since its début in 1993, the show was initially shown on France 2. This show often involves surprise and unlikely duets, as well as brief interviews with the artists...
2 et 4 Air Productions - 2007 - BBC Electric PromsBBC Electric PromsThe BBC Radio 2 Electric Proms was an October music festival in London run by the BBC for five years, 2006-2010...
BBC Electric BallroomElectric BallroomThe Electric Ballroom is a performance venue and indoor market located at 184 Camden High Street in Camden Town, London . The Electric Ballroom has been in operation for over seventy years, during which time it has been used in many different ways.The two storey building has two dance floors and...
- 2007 - ITunes Festival Eiffel TowerEiffel TowerThe Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
- 2007
With Modern English
- America Morning Show - 1996
With CCW
- MTV Europe - 1992
Radio
With Siouxsie Sioux- BBC Radio 1 with Colin Murray Live BBC Electric PromsBBC Electric PromsThe BBC Radio 2 Electric Proms was an October music festival in London run by the BBC for five years, 2006-2010...
from the Electric Ballroom. 2007
With Kaytu
- BBC Radio 2 Janice Long Sessions 2007
With Innes Sibun
- Long Island Blues Warehouse New York - April 2009
- Blues Meets Rock Radio Netherlands - 2008
- BBC Radio 2 The Paul Jones Blues Show - 2001
- BBC Radio 2 The Paul Jones Blues Show - 1997
Publications
- Rhythm Magazine "Rhythm Drum Lessons VCD" & "When I'm not drumming..." Summer Issue 2009
- Rhythm Magazine "The Track" July 2008
- Rhythm Magazine "Welcome Back" March 2008