Robyn Hitchcock

Robyn Hitchcock (born March 3, 1953) is a rock and roll singer-songwriter and psych folk artist — drawing upon the tradition of his openly admitted inspiration, Syd Barrett. He also writes (his short stories being the best known example of this), paints and draws (often in a whimsical cartoon style).

Born in London, he began his recording career in 1976 as principal songwriting member of The Soft Boys, whose other permanent members were Kimberley Rew and Morris Windsor and who also included Andy Metcalfe. The Soft Boys disbanded in 1981 and Hitchcock immediately embarked upon a solo career, recording both under his own name and as Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians. Being composed of Hitchcock, Metcalfe, and Windsor, this outfit was essentially the Soft Boys without Rew.

Hitchcock's lyrics have a reputation for being surreal, and this adds to his cult-figure status. This is in keeping with Hitchcock's interest in abstract art and literature, not least of all his appreciation of Dylan and Barrett as lyricists/musicians. As did happen to some extent with Dylan, Hitchcock's "oddball", irreverent style has led people to conclude that he is a purely novelty/comic lyricist, although many of the sentiments within his writing are quite serious in themselves, only framed in an unpretensious, whimsical manner.

A lifelong Dylan fan, Hitchcock's 2002 album Robyn Sings is an album of Bob Dylan song covers including a live recording of his recreation of Dylan's Live at the Royal Albert Hall 1966 concert.

Hitchcock has also collaborated with director Jonathan Demme on two projects: the live concert film Storefront Hitchcock (1998) and the 2004 remake of The Manchurian Candidate, in which Hitchcock portrayed double-agent Laurent Tokar.

Discography

• Black Snake Dîamond Röle, 1981
• Groovy Decay, 1982
• I Often Dream of Trains, 1984
• Fegmania!, 1985
• Gotta Let This Hen Out!, 1985
• Groovy Decoy, 1985
• Element of Light, 1986
• Invisible Hitchcock, 1986
• Globe of Frogs, 1988
• Queen Elvis, 1989
• Eye, 1990
• Perspex Island, 1991
• Respect, 1993
• The Kershaw Sessions, 1994
• You & Oblivion, 1995
• Gravy Deco, 1995
• Moss Elixir, 1996
• Mossy Liquor, 1996
• Greatest Hits, 1996
• Uncorrected Personality Traits, 1997
• Live at the Cambridge Folk Festival, 1998
• Storefront Hitchcock, 1998
• Jewels for Sophia, 1999
• A Star for Bram, 2000
• Robyn Sings, 2002
• Luxor, 2003
• Spooked, 2004

External link

• The Museum of Robyn Hitchcock (official site)

• VegetableFriends, the original Syd Barrett – Robyn Hitchcock Discussion Group