Robin Zander

Robin Zander

Zander performing in Hallandale Florida, 2006
Background information
Born January 23, 1953
Beloit, Wisconsin
United States
Genres Rock, Power pop, Hard rock, Southern rock
Occupation(s) Musician
Instruments Vocals, rhythm guitar
Years active 1973–present
Associated acts Cheap Trick, RZB
Robin Zander performing live at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, FL – January 31, 2014

Robin Zander (born January 23, 1953) is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Cheap Trick.

Early life

Robin Wayne Zander was born in Beloit, Wisconsin, the fourth of five children; he has two older brothers, and older and younger sisters.

Zander reportedly was reading books by age three, and learned to play the guitar by age 12. He played with his first group, The Destinations, while in seventh grade. The next year he was with a group called Butterscotch Sundays, playing summer festivals, and after that formed a band called Robin and the Hoods. In high school, Zander sang for three years in the Madrigals, the most demanding of the three choral groups at his school, played basketball and football, and had a part-time job at a sandwich shop.

Cheap Trick

In 1972, Zander was offered the lead singer role in a new band called Cheap Trick by the group's drummer, Bun E. Carlos. At the time, Zander was under contract with a resort in Wisconsin Dells, where he sang and played cover songs, and Cheap Trick had a lead vocalist, Randy "Xeno" Hogan. Hogan left the band around the same time Zander's resort contract expired, and Zander joined Cheap Trick as lead singer. Guitarist Rick Nielsen introduces Zander at concerts as his "favorite lead singer in the whole wide world".

In 1993, Zander released a self-titled solo album.

Zander and his Cheap Trick band mates had cameo roles in the 2003 Eddie Murphy comedy Daddy Day Care. Zander continues to perform with Cheap Trick around the world. In 2008, the group played in Japan for the 30th anniversary of their original Budokan album release.

Influence

Zander's vocal style has influenced many other rock singers from 1980s hard rockers such as Joe Elliott of Def Leppard, Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe, Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses, Bret Michaels of Poison, and Sebastian Bach of Skid Row, 1990's punk revivalists, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, to alternative icons Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, and Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots.

Solo projects

Robin Zander released the solo album Robin Zander in 1993. A country-rock album, Countryside Blvd. was released online in 2011 but was pulled from online music outlets within hours of being released. In January 2013 Zander formed The Robin Zander Band with drummer and long time friend Steve Luongo. The band also includes Mark Hitt on guitar and Larry Hobbs on bass.

Personal life

Robin Zander performing in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2008

Zander currently resides in Safety Harbor, Florida with his wife, former Playboy Playmate Pamela Stein[1] and two children: a son, Robin Zander Jr., and a daughter, Robin-Sailor Zander. He has two children from a previous marriage, Ian and Holland, who currently reside in Rockford, Illinois.[2]

Discography

Singles

References

  1. ↑ "533 Harbor Grove Circle, Safety Harbor, 34695 | Tampa". blockshopper.com.
  2. ↑ Sean Daly(November 10, 2006) "Floridian: Trick Daddy Zander surrenders to the bay area beauty". sptimes.com.

External links