Rob Townsend | |
|---|---|
 Townsend with The Blues Band in 2013. | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Robert Townsend |
| Born | 7 July 1947 Leicester, England |
| Genres | Rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Drums |
| Years active | 1967–present |
| Labels | Arista, Polydor, RCA |
Rob Townsend (born 7 July 1947) is an English rock and blues drummer. He was the drummer for progressive rock band Family and later The Blues Band. [1]
Townsend was born near Frog Island, Leicester, England, where he spent his teenage years playing in various bands, such as the Beatniks, Broodly Hoo and Legay. He became drummer for Family, [2] replacing Harry Overnall in 1967. Family broke up in 1973 and Townsend joined Medicine Head. [2] After eighteen months he left Medicine Head and spent much of the late 1970s as freelance session drummer for Peter Skellern, [3] George Melly and Bill Wyman amongst others. During this time he played drums for Kevin Ayers [4] and Charlie Whitney's Axis Point. [1] [5]
In 1982 Townsend joined The Blues Band, in a line up including Paul Jones, guitarists Dave Kelly and Tom McGuinness also bassist Gary Fletcher. [6] In 1991 he also joined Jones and McGuinness as part of the Manfred Mann splinter band The Manfreds, recording and touring, as well as backing other performers including Georgie Fame, [7] Colin Blunstone, Long John Baldry, and Chris Farlowe. [8]
Townsend once said in an interview:
I have come home from tours absolutely dead on my feet and I will get a call to go and play at a local pub because their regular drummer can't do it and I say yes…When I am not playing I go to drum shops or music shows. I just love it. I feel so lucky to be able to be doing something I love to do and to be able to earn a living from it. [1]
Townsend mentioned jazz greats Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa as influences in the same interview. [1]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
The Adverts were an English punk rock band formed in 1976 that existed until late 1979. They were one of the first punk bands to achieve mainstream success in the UK; their 1977 single "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" reached No. 18 on the UK Singles Chart. The Virgin Encyclopedia of 70s Music described bassist and founding member Gaye Advert as the "first female punk star".
Surrealistic Pillow is the second studio album by the American rock band Jefferson Airplane, released by RCA Victor on February 1, 1967. It is the first album by the band with vocalist Grace Slick and drummer Spencer Dryden. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It is considered to be one of the most influential and quintessential works of the early psychedelic rock era and the 1960s counterculture.
Galaxie 500 was an American alternative rock band that formed in 1987 and split up in 1991 after releasing three albums: Today, On Fire and This Is Our Music. The band was made up of guitarist/vocalist Dean Wareham, drummer Damon Krukowski and bassist and vocalist Naomi Yang.
A Certain Ratio are an English post-punk band formed in Greater Manchester in 1977 by Peter Terrell (guitar), Simon Topping, Jez Kerr, Martin Moscrop and Donald Johnson (drums), with Martha Tilson (vocals) joining soon after.
Spear of Destiny is a British rock band, formed in London in 1982 by lead vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Kirk Brandon and bassist Stan Stammers. It has had an ever-changing line-up through the years.
"Jugband Blues" is a song by English rock band Pink Floyd, released on their second album, A Saucerful of Secrets, in 1968. Written by Syd Barrett, it was his sole compositional contribution to the album, as well as his last published for the band. Barrett and Pink Floyd's management wanted the song to be released as a single, but were vetoed by the rest of the band and producer Norman Smith.
Medicine Head were a British blues rock band – initially a duo – active in the 1970s. Their biggest single success was in 1973 with "One and One Is One", which reached number 3 on the UK Singles Chart. The group recorded six original albums, the first three of which were released by John Peel's Dandelion label.
Climax Blues Band is a British blues rock band. The band has released at least 19 albums. "Couldn't Get It Right" reached #10 on the UK Singles Chart and #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977. "I Love You" peaked on Billboard at #12 in 1981.
Kenneth John Hyslop is a Scottish drummer.
The Blues Band was a British blues band formed in 1979 by Paul Jones, former lead vocalist and harmonica player with Manfred Mann, and guitarist Tom McGuinness also of Manfred Mann and The Roosters. The band’s first line-up also included bassist Gary Fletcher, slide-guitarist Dave Kelly who had previously played with The John Dummer Band, Howling Wolf and John Lee Hooker and drummer Hughie Flint, of John Mayall's Blues Breakers and McGuinness Flint, the band he formed with Tom McGuinness. In 1982, Flint left and was replaced by former Family drummer Rob Townsend. The group broke up in 2022.
Hughie Flint is an English drummer, known for his stint in John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, for his group McGuinness Flint in the early 1970s and for his subsequent association with The Blues Band.
John G. Blowers Jr. was an American drummer of the swing era. Born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States, Blowers ("Blau-ers") learned to play percussion during his schooldays and began performing with the Bob Pope Band in 1936. Blowers attended college at Oglethorpe College, now Oglethorpe University.
Michael John Hugg is a British musician who was a founding member of the 1960s group Manfred Mann.
The Manfreds is a British pop group, formed in 1991 as a reunion of former members of the 1960s pop group Manfred Mann, however without their eponymous founder Manfred Mann.
Benny Profane were a rock band from Liverpool, England that existed from 1985 until 1990. They released two albums, various singles and EPs, and recorded three John Peel sessions.
BOB were an indie pop band from North London, England, formed in 1986.
Serious Drinking were an English humorous punk rock band from Norwich, England, whose lyrical themes often covered football and drinking.
Robert Tench is a British vocalist, guitarist, sideman, songwriter and arranger.
"Diddley Daddy" is a song by Bo Diddley. The song was issued as a single on Checker Records in June 1955. His second single, it followed on the heels of the success of the eponymous "Bo Diddley." The song spent four weeks on the Billboard R&B chart in the summer of 1955, peaking at No. 11.
Pink Military were a post-punk band from Liverpool. Led by former Big in Japan singer Jayne Casey, other band members included former Deaf School drummer Tim Whitaker, guitarist Martin Dempsey who also played in Yachts and It's Immaterial and drummers Chris Joyce and Budgie.
