I’m Andy Robinson. I'm based in San Diego, California, and I’ve been playing music for more than 40 years. I like to think of the music on my new CD, EXOTIC AMERICA, as a sort of shimmering reflection of everything I’ve learned and loved about music. You could call it "progressive folk", and I'll toss a few major influences into the pond, just to make some ripples: The Beatles, Brian Eno, the Penguin Café Orchestra, Weather Report, The Kinks, Terry Riley and NRBQ.
I’ve played in garage bands, blues bands, psychedelic and progressive rock bands, jug bands, new wave, synth-pop and folk groups, and other musical projects less easily classified. I’ve taught myself to play a variety of unusual instruments, including mountain dulcimer and kalimba. As a singer/songwriter I’ve worked both as a solo act, and as a bandleader. I’ve performed for an audience of one sleepy bartender in the crappiest dive you can imagine, and I’ve opened for national touring acts, playing for some pretty large crowds. I’ve written, recorded and played music for films and TV commercials. I’ve had record deals – in the early '80's, the new wave group I played drums with, Elton Duck, signed to Arista, and in the early '90s, my own folk-pop group, Different World, signed to the legendary Vanguard label. I've also released a couple of records on my own, which I've found to be a far more satisfying experience!
The amazing thing is, after all this time, I honestly feel that I’m just scratching the surface of what music can do. Music can express feelings that are beyond words, and that’s where I find myself these days – doing eclectic instrumental music, attempting to create something that sounds fresh and meaningful to me.
EXOTIC AMERICA was recorded and mixed on a succession of VS machines: I did most of the basic tracks on a VS880 Xpanded, I did overdubs on a 1680, and then my brother, Doug Robinson, helped me out with additional overdubbing and mixing on his 2480.
Doug also produced a CD for THE ANDY ROBINSON BAND, a group I had in Los Angeles during the late '90s. That was when I first began to appreciate his talents as a producer. The ARB had male and female lead vocalists, bottleneck Dobro, mountain dulcimer, harmonica, and a repertoire of the best songs with lyrics that I've written (check out "I'm in Love with Your sister" and "God Loves a Joke".) Doug added quite a bit of additional instrumentation and some terrific arrangement ideas; he really helped bring each song to life. In addition to being an amazing musician, he’s got a great set of ears and an innate sense of when things are musically "right".
Working on EXOTIC AMERICA was a fantastic experience. I learned a tremendous amount about recording, and about myself as a musician and as a person. I enjoyed myself, and I'm very proud of what Doug and have accomplished together. I think you'll like it.
Visit www.andyrobinsonmusic.com for more information. And don't forget to sign my guestbook!
Peace,
Andy R
Oh yeah, a word about these song files and which CDs they come from: "Moving Mountains", "Nameless Parade", "The Different World Song", "After the Fires" and "Penguin" are all from EXOTIC AMERICA. "I'm in Love with Your Sister" and "Flyin'in Her Dreams" are from THE ANDY ROBINSON BAND, and Mr. Funloving is from THE QUESTIONAIRES.
