robertcourtney

Robert Courtney; Composer and Solo Singer / Guitarist; also Composer, Singer / Guitarist and founder member of Cycle Annie, Skin Patrol, One Million Fuzztone Guitars, Doll, Liberty Cushion and The Sunatarot Group. Born in the UK, early childhood in Jamaica and Guernsey, school in Wallingford, Art School in Banbury, college in Nottingham, worked in London, New York, Paris and China, currently living in London. Early influences "My Boy Lollipop" by Millie Small, "Bachelor Boy" by Cliff Richard and "Telstar" by The Tornados. Despite an early love of pop music, a non-musician who preferred the sounds and feel of Formula One and Formula 5000 cars (as a very young spectator) until he heard "Silver Machine" by Hawkwind, followed by seeing them live at The New Theatre, Oxford. Given the chance to combine and replicate these two experiences at a friend's house with a Zenta Telecaster "copy", a Wem Copycat, Coloursound Fuzzbox, Selmer T&B Amp and Homemade 4x12 cab (Orange Vinyl covering), the artist heard on these pages was (re)born. First recorded Music in 1976 at Trent School Of Art Using a multi-tracked (1/4" 4-track) Classical Guitar, played using own systems based notation through an H&H Echo Unit at various speeds, an organ at the local Cathedral again played with systems notation and field based recordings of journeys, water and electronic household objects. First live performance with the Group "Cycle Annie" at Trent Polytechnic in 1977. Second live performance with the Group "The Post Impressionists" at The Boat Club, Nottingham, in 1978. Third live performance with the Group "Skin Patrol" at The Sandpiper Club, Nottingham in 1978. Skin Patrol went through many line-up and stylistic changes before becoming "One Million Fuzztone Guitars", after a brief rehearsal period known as "The Graveyard". One Million Fuzztone Guitars released two singles "Heaven b/w Annuese" and "Men's Hearts b/w Creepy Crawl" and an LP "(Roman, I Have Some Bad News For You) 26" on the Manchester based "Monsters In Orbit" label, before disbanding. Robert Courtney recorded the "Everything's Happening" Solo LP (released on Slot Records in 1988) shortly before moving to London and recording the unreleased "Guitars, Girls and God" LP. Robert Courtney then went on to record some long improvised live sessions with Guitarist Phil Bourne, (formerly of sister Manchester band "The Colours Out Of Time") entitled "Sister Rave", shortly before forming the Group "Doll" as guitarist and composer. Doll's demise after one year was followed up by the long time rehearsing, but short lived (one gig in Oxford) Group, "Liberty Cushion", a band fronted by Martin Spear (ex lead vocalist with Oxford based Madamadam), that played obscure cover versions with Robert Courtney on Rickenbacker Bass Guitar put through a separate H&H PA System and a Marshall Guitar Stack, (described by the venue promoter as "either the best or the worst bass playing I've ever heard, it is difficult to decide which”). Robert Courtney is now solo.