Robert Crenshaw

Last updated

Robert Crenshaw
Born Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
GenresRock
Occupation(s)Musician, robotics instructor, author
Instrument(s)Drums, backing vocals
Years active1981–present

Robert Crenshaw is an American drummer, recording artist, author, and robotics instructor/trainer. He is known primarily for his solo recordings and his years in his brother Marshall Crenshaw's band.

Contents

Biography

Early years

Crenshaw grew up outside of Detroit in Berkley, Michigan. His parents and three brothers (Marshall, Mitchell, and John) were musically inclined. He was gifted his first drums at age 9, a red Trixon set. Crenshaw's first band Rasputin included younger brothers of members of Marshall's band Astigafa. In his teens he was drummer for Denny and the Robots, an oldies band. In 1976, Crenshaw and his lifelong friend Stewart Simon studied recording engineering at the Institute of Audio Research in New York City. [1]

Marshall Crenshaw Band

After Marshall Crenshaw finished his involvement in Beatlemania , he recruited Robert as drummer for his new band, along with bassist Chris Donato. Marshall signed with Warner Brothers in 1981, and the trio recorded the album Marshall Crenshaw . [2]

Robert also drummed on Marshall's follow-up album Field Day in 1983, but only appeared on two tracks on Downtown . [3] He was back on drums for 1987's Mary Jean & 9 Others , along with Graham Maby on bass. [4]

Recordings

On Crenshaw's first three albums: Full-Length Stereo Recordings, Victory Songs and Dog Days, Crenshaw recruited Dixon, Marti Jones, and Jamie Hoover, among others. For 2014's Friends, Family, and Neighbors, Crenshaw was assisted by his brother John, a sound mixer, producer Don Dixon, bassist Maby, and engineer Stewart Simon. [1]

Cinema

In 1986, Robert and Marshall Crenshaw played members of the reunion band at the beginning of the film Peggy Sue Got Married . [5]

Memoir

In June 2019, Crenshaw published his memoir, "My Mythological Narrative A Rock Odyssey." The book chronicles Crenshaw's life and experiences including growing up in Berkley, Michigan, playing drums for brother, Marshall's band, and interactions with musicians such as Tina Turner, Joe Jackson, and Hall and Oates. [6]

Personal life

Besides performing music whenever possible, Crenshaw is a curriculum writer and robotics instructor in the automation industry. He also wrote a mechatronics curriculum. [1]

Discography

Solo recordings

EPs

With Marshall Crenshaw

Also appears on

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marshall Crenshaw</span> American musician (born 1953)

Marshall Howard Crenshaw is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and guitarist best known for hit songs such as "Someday, Someway," a US top 40 hit in 1982, "Cynical Girl," and "Whenever You're on My Mind." He is also the co-author of one of the biggest radio hits of the ‘90s, the Gin Blossoms, "Til I Hear It from You." His music has roots in classic soul music and Buddy Holly, to whom Crenshaw was often compared in the early days of his career, and whom he portrayed in the 1987 film La Bamba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitch Easter</span> Musical artist

Mitchell Blake Easter is a musician, songwriter, and record producer. Frequently associated with the jangle pop style of guitar music, he is known as producer of R.E.M.'s early albums from 1981 through 1984, and as frontman of the 1980s band Let's Active.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ricky Fataar</span> South African musician

Ricky Fataar is a South African-English multi-instrumentalist of Cape Malay descent, who has performed as both a drummer and a guitarist. He gained fame as an actor in The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash, a spoof on the actual history of the Beatles in which he also performed as a member of The Rutles. He is also known for his stint as a member of The Beach Boys between 1971 and 1974. Fataar is also recognized for his contributions as a record producer, and has worked on projects scoring music to film and television.

Don Dixon is an American record producer, songwriter, and musician. He is considered to be one of the key producers of what is called the jangle pop movement of the early 1980s, including working with R.E.M. and The Smithereens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Leisz</span> American musician

Gregory Brian Leisz is an American musician. He is a songwriter, recording artist, and producer. He plays guitar, dobro, mandolin, lap steel and pedal steel guitar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay Lane</span> American drummer

Jay Lane is an American drummer. He is a founding member of Bob Weir's RatDog, with Weir and Rob Wasserman, Wolf Bros, Furthur, Golden Gate Wingmen and Alphabet Soup. He was the 7th drummer to play in Primus, playing with the band for around eight months in 1988 and later rejoining the band from 2010-2013. Lane was a member of San Francisco Bay Area bands The Uptones from '83-'85, and The Freaky Executives '84-'89

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graham Maby</span> English musical artist

Graham Maby, is an English bass guitar player. He has recorded and toured with Joe Jackson since his first album, appearing on most of Jackson's albums and tours. He has continued to record and tour with Jackson even while working with other artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omar Hakim</span> American drummer, arranger and composer

Omar Hakim is an American jazz, jazz fusion and pop music drummer, producer, arranger and composer. He has worked with Weather Report, David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Sting, Madonna, Dire Straits, Bryan Ferry, Journey, Kate Bush, George Benson, Miles Davis, Daft Punk, Mariah Carey, The Pussycat Dolls, David Lee Roth, and Celine Dion.

<i>Marshall Crenshaw</i> (album) 1982 studio album by Marshall Crenshaw

Marshall Crenshaw is the debut studio album by American musician Marshall Crenshaw. It was released on April 28, 1982, by Warner Bros. Records. Crenshaw, a performer in the musical Beatlemania, had begun to write songs for the album while staying in New York. The album was recorded with his backing band and producer Richard Gottehrer, engineer Thom Panunzio, and second engineer Jim Ball.

<i>Good Evening</i> 1989 studio album by Marshall Crenshaw

Good Evening is a 1989 album by Marshall Crenshaw. Although critically well-received, it failed to chart.

Luna Halo was a rock band formed in 1999 by Nathan Barlowe and Jonny MacIntosh, as a replacement for their former band, Reality Check, which was known for its hip-hop and rock blend, its dancers, and its trumpet player.

Marti Jones is an American singer and visual artist known for her albums and her paintings. She sings, records, and performs as "Marti Jones" and exhibits visual art as "Marti Jones Dixon."

<i>Field Day</i> (Marshall Crenshaw album) 1983 studio album by Marshall Crenshaw

Field Day is the second album by American rock musician Marshall Crenshaw. Recorded quickly after the moderate success of his self-titled debut album, Field Day featured a change in style and production after Crenshaw switched producers from Richard Gottehrer to Steve Lillywhite. The recording of the album was remembered positively by Crenshaw as was the album's sound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fight or Flight (band)</span> American rock band

Fight or Flight was an American rock band started by Disturbed members Dan Donegan and Mike Wengren. The band's members consisted of guitarists Dan Donegan and Jeremy Jayson, vocalist Dan Chandler, bassist Sean Corcoran, and drummer Mike Wengren. Fight or Flight released their debut single, First of the Last, on May 21, 2013. Their debut album, titled A Life by Design?, was released on July 23, 2013. via Warner Bros. Records.

<i>Mary Jean & 9 Others</i> 1987 studio album by Marshall Crenshaw

Mary Jean & 9 Others is the fourth album by singer-songwriter Marshall Crenshaw. The album was produced by Don Dixon and features a return to the sounds of Crenshaw's earlier work after the country rock excursion of his previous album, Downtown.

<i>Whats in the Bag?</i> 2003 studio album by Marshall Crenshaw

What's In The Bag? is the ninth studio album by singer/songwriter Marshall Crenshaw.

Patrick "Pat" Jay Buchanan is an American guitarist, known for his work with the band Cameo and as a Nashville-based session musician.

Greg Morrow is an American drummer, percussionist, session musician, mixing engineer, and vocalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Someday, Someway</span> 1982 single by Marshall Crenshaw

"Someday, Someway" is a 1982 song by American rock musician Marshall Crenshaw. The song was released on his 1982 debut album, Marshall Crenshaw.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whenever You're on My Mind</span> 1983 song by American rock musician Marshall Crenshaw

"Whenever You're on My Mind" is a 1983 song by American rock musician Marshall Crenshaw. The song was released on his 1983 album Field Day. The song, notable for its booming production, originally was written during the making of Crenshaw's debut album but was saved for his second album release. Crenshaw felt the song was his best to date, and the song was released as Field Day's first single.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Karras, Steve (October 6, 2014). "Robert Crenshaw's Friends, Family and Neighbors: Detroit Rocker on Roots and Working With Talented Loved Ones". HuffPost . Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  2. Borack, John M. (2007). Shake Some Action – The Ultimate Guide To Power Pop (1 ed.). ISBN   9780979771408. Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  3. Bogdanov, Vladimir; Woodstra, Chris; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2001). All Music Guide: The Definitive Guide to Popular Music (1 ed.). Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN   9780879306274 . Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  4. Kot, Greg (April 21, 1991). "One Tough Critic: Crenshaw Reviews Crenshaw". Chicago Tribune . Archived from the original on August 12, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  5. Catalano, Jim (1995). "Interview: Marshall Crenshaw". steamiron.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  6. Twitter, Gary Graff ggraff@medianewsgroup com; @GraffonMusic on. "Robert Crenshaw book details truths, and myths, about his "Rock Odyssey"". The Oakland Press.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  7. "Robert Crenshaw: Full Length Stereo Recordings". gadflyrecords.com. Gadfly Records. Archived from the original on March 17, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  8. "CD Reviews". MWE3.com. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  9. Heyward, Wayne (August 14, 2000). "Robert Crenshaw: Victory Songs". PopMatters. Retrieved July 23, 2017.
  10. "Robert Crenshaw: "Dog Dreams" (Gadfly 285)". gadflyrecords.com. Gadfly Records. Archived from the original on March 17, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  11. Borack, John M. (December 30, 2014). "Album Reviews". Goldmine. Archived from the original on May 10, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2017.