| Brad Robinson | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Bradford Leigh Robinson |
| Born | 1958 Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Died | 13 October 1996 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Genres | rock |
| Occupations | musician, singer, songwriter, guitarist |
| Years active | 1976–1986 |
| Labels | EMI Geffen Virgin |
| Associated acts | Spiff Rouch, Clutch Cargo, Australian Crawl |
Bradford Leigh "Brad" Robinson (1958 – 13 October 1996)) was a rock musician best known as lead and rhythm guitarist with the 1980s band Australian Crawl.[1][2] Robinson had a later career as a manager for musicians and sports personalities.[3][4]
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Born in Adelaide, South Australia, Robinson was a son of Federal Arbitration Court Justice James Robinson.[5] He was raised in Frankston South on the outskirts of Melbourne and educated at The Peninsula School.
Spiff Rouch[1][2] formed in 1976 in the Mornington Peninsula suburb of Mount Eliza on the outskirts of Melbourne. The group lineup featured James Reyne, brothers Bill and Guy McDonough, Paul Williams, Robert Walker and Simon Binks.[2][6] By early 1978 Spiff Rouch had separated and a new band was formed with Robinson, Reyne, Binks and Williams, they were joined by James Reyne's younger brother David Reyne (drums).[2][6]
During the course of a night the band members went through a number of various names for the band, including Clutch Cargo, amongst many other discarded suggestions before they settled on Australian Crawl. The band performed their first live gig in October 1978.[7] Bill McDonough replaced David Reyne within the first year. Besides guitars, Robinson also supplied keyboards, backing vocals and song writing for the Crawl.[1] Robinson co-wrote[8] Australian Crawls' early song "Indisposed" from the band's debut 1980 album, The Boys Light Up. The song describes the car accident which resulted in Reyne breaking both wrists immediately before they recorded their first single "Beautiful People" (1979).[9] Co-writers of "Indisposed" included his father James Robinson who helped him write "Way I've Been" for the album and was the B-side of their fourth single "Downhearted".[8] Crawl's second album was 1981's Sirocco, which reached #1 on the Australian Albums Chart and became the best selling Australian album for the year.[10]
Early in 1981 Robinson was briefly married to actress Kerry Armstrong,[11][12] later an Australian Film Institute Award winner,[13] and they co-wrote "Easy On Your Own", which was also B-side of the single, "Errol".
I met Braddy at that time and he was the first person who absolutely, implicitly understood me and who loved me for every aspect of what I did and who I loved. I had a complete... a resting place finally.—Kerry Armstrong, 2003.[11]
Armstrong had received a scholarship to study at the Herbert Berghof acting school in New York City and so she emigrated to the USA.[11][12][14] In order to obtain residency, Armstrong and Robinson agreed she would have to marry a US citizen, so they separated and she married her friend Alexander Bernstein.[12] Armstrong only had a professional arrangement with Bernstein, but her long-distance from Robinson dissolved their relationship.[12]
The Crawl's 1982 release Sons of Beaches also reached #1 on the albums charts, this was followed by 1983's Semantics EP which topped the Australian Singles Charts containing the song "Reckless".[1] Upheaval occurred within the band with Bill McDonough leaving in 1983 and his brother Guy McDonough dying of viral pneumonia.[1] Other members left subsequently with the only mainstays, Robinson, Binks and James Reyne, remaining until Binks' resignation forced Crawl to disband in early 1986.[1][2]
After Australian Crawl disbanded Robinson moved into a career in television (with Network Ten's Page One) and as a co-producer of documentaries. Robinson was an award presenter on Countdown Music & Video Awards broadcast on 20 April 1986.[15] He was the manager for Chantoozies (included David Reyne) in the late 1980s.[3] In the 1990s he managed both Reyne brothers and worked as an agent for the Advantage Sports Management Group, including managing tennis player Mark Philippoussis.[16]
Robinson was a member of the Challenge Board of Management,[17] which assists children with cancer.[18] Australian Crawl had been inducted into the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame[19][20] two weeks before Robinson died in Melbourne on 13 October 1996, three years after being diagnosed with lymphoma.[1] His memorial service was held in Melbourne's Botanical Gardens.[21]
Australian Crawl studio albums with Robinson:
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