Frank Robson

FRANK ROBSON

Robson (1973)

Atrain: Loose Wheel / Armchair (1975)

Frank Robson: Stay Awhile (1976)

Robson: Beggar Man / It Must Be Love (1979)

Robson Tapes: I Painted a Picture (1986)

Frank Robson Sings Mick Hanian (1987)



1967 FRANK ROBSON & MOSAIC: Happier Man / Crazy Train

1968 FRANK ROBSON & BLUES SECTION: Faye / Sun of Love

1973 FRANK ROBSON & DOPPLERIN ILMIÖ: Mr. Madman / I Bring You Spring

1973 Robson (LP): Sky Deep - What Did You Do About It - House Without a Name - Jenny - Fantasy Opens - I Bring You Spring - Ticket Train - After the Party

1975 ATRAIN: Loose Wheel / Armchair

1976 Stay Awhile (LP)

1979 Beggar Man / It Must Be Love

1983 The Dictator / Colour the Night

1985 Tomorrow / Indian Girl

1986 I Painted a Picture / Yesterday News

1986 I Painted a Picture (LP): Tomorrow - Mask of Eternity - Paper Words - Yesterday News - Club Midnight Rendez-Vous - I Painted a Picture - The Needle - Indian Girl - Just Like a Tiger - Under Pressure

1987 Kun Kohdataan (12" single that was released as promotion for Karjala beer, includes "One For the Road" + three more songs)

1987 One For the Road / With the Parting Comes the Tears

1987 Frank Robson Sings Mick Hanian (LP)

1997 Junk Food / Walk the Path / In the Morning Light (For Helena)

1998 Back in Business (CD album): Are You Really There - Walk the Path - Peace of Mind - In Times of Trouble - Roller Coaster Ride - Junk Food - Dealer - Miles Away - In the Morning Light - Mind of Man


British-born Frank Robson (1946-) came to Finland in 1967, a little after Jim Pembroke. His first band here was Mosaic, who originally had Kirka as vocalist. The band produced one single, "Happier Man / Crazy Train" in 1967. Kirka was not in the band anymore, instead Robson sang and played organ.

Another quick visit in Blues Section followed, after Pembroke had quit. Robson performed on the single "Faye / Sun of Love". After Blues Section disbanded, Robson drifted between Finland and England, until he got an offer from Tasavallan Presidentti, who needed a vocalist. Robson was present on the band's first three albums, but he had to leave before a major tour in England in 1972. This was probably because they were about to open for Traffic, and Robson's voice was considered too similar to Steve Winwood's.

In 1973 he released his first solo album "Robson", an ambitious record which sold poorly.

Compared to "Stay Awhile" (1976), which had a funky, full, meaty sound, this is more jazzy, closer to the Tasavallan Presidentti records in style. Seppo Paakkunainen adds nice sax throughout, top drummer Tapani "Nappi" Ikonen does complex, spot-on drumming and Esa Kotilainen is right on a par with those guys with his organ and moog. Markku Lievonen's bass is prominent and fills out the sound. As a matter of fact, I can't find anything to complain about.

The fun instrumental "Ticket Train" reminds me of Mosaic's "Crazy Train", so it's a good companion piece. The album finishes with the comic "After the Party", where a varispeed Frank says 'bye to all listeners, but is almost driven nuts when the band refuses to stop playing.

The Atrain single is the most laid-back of Robson's 1970's output, you'd really wish the band had been less subtle in the studio. "Armchair" was too long for single use, so it had to be heavily edited - the "Stay Awhile" album presents the song in its full glory.

Another solo LP followed in 1976, titled "Stay Awhile". The album doesn't rate high on originality, a problem which has often plagued Robson's records, but the musicianship is excellent. Sami Hurmerinta introduces his skills as guitarist (his own solo debut was still two years away), especially on the fiery "Armchair". There's also a very prominent horn section consisting of top men Pentti Lahti, Pertti Päivinen, Tom Bildo and Simo Salminen.

Robson's releases became few and far between after "Stay Awhile". Poor record sales and few gigs resulted in his backing bands splitting, so he kept a regular job selling musical instruments. The single "Beggar Man / It Must Be Love" (1979) and subsepuent 1980's releases sank without a trace. As a songwriter Robson has been rather much in demand, he's written material for a vast array of artists in the 1970's and 1980's.

The "Beggar Man" single is one of my personal faves from this man, two upbeat and swinging songs, one of them tight and funky, the other a steadily rolling piano boogie tune. A lost gem!

In 1985 he tried again with a radio-friendly pop/rock outfit called Robson Tapes. One album, "I Painted a Picture", followed, and obviously the record company had some trust in the project, as two singles were culled from the LP. I have no idea how well "Tomorrow / Indian Girl" and "I Painted a Picture / Yesterday News" fared, but the latter a-side won the first (and last) "Kevään Sävel" pop song contest held in 1986, so maybe the single sold rather well.

"I Painted a Picture" isn't bad, but I find it hard to get turned on by all this commercialism. I find myself wishing for some surprises somewhere, but no - this record stays in a rather safe path. "Paper Words" is nice, though.

BTW, who are those four guys posing with Frank on the back cover?

Something important is missing from the sleeve. Thankfully some googling can get you a long way:

- Jorma Leppänen

- Arno Söderberg (guitar?)

- Juha Tikka (bass, most likely)

- Pauli Ylhäinen

Recently I picked up his "Frank Robson Sings Mick Hanian" (1987) LP ultra-cheap, not recalling it to be a great listening experience.

So, who is Mick Hanian? His name undoubtedly rings no bells to most Finns, but he's lived in Finland for nearly 30 years now, he's written music for short films, composed a musical "Calypso" (2002) based on Homer's "Odyssey", and written songs for a number of Finnish artists. His own solo album "All the Long Way" came out in 1985.

Hanian produced, arranged and played keyboards, and created a very ethereal, beautiful and deep album with a stagnated mood. Not the type of music I usually listen to, but I have to admit that the more I hear it the more it grabs on me. "It's Over" and "Vision" might be songs you most gladly pick up and cherish for years to come.


Siinä kaikki FinnArctic-esittelyt yhteenkoottuina.

Beggar Man oli ensikosketukseni Robsoniin, se kun oli nauhoitettuna yhdelle äitini kasetille. Oli yllätys, kun 90-luvun alussa luin kirjastossa Esko Lehtosen Suomalaisen rockin tietosanakirjaa ja siitä selvisi, että Beggar Man olikin suomalainen levytys. Aiemmin vain vähän kiinnostanut biisi muuttui heti pari pykälää mielenkiintoisemmaksi.

Dopplerin Ilmiön Mr. Madman -singlen b-puolella on I Bring You Spring -kappaleesta tasan sama versio kuin Robson-LP:llä. Varmistin asian kaveriltani Harrilta, joka oli saanut singlen haltuunsa. Harri soitti vielä Kadonneen levyn metsästäjiin ja toivoi Mr. Madman -biisiä, ihan vain koska halusi perehdyttää muutkin ihmiset tähän huikeaan, suomen- ja englanninkieltä yhteen sotkevaan levytykseen. Hänellä siis oli tuo sinkku jo siinä vaiheessa. Minulle aika yllätys, kun kuuntelin KLM:ää YLE Areenasta ja tunnistin tutun äänen.


I Painted a Picture on tosiaan harmittavan turvallista poppia, mutta Mick Hanian -tribuutin (minulla on kirjastopoistokappale) seesteinen tunnelma rupesi muutaman kuuntelun jälkeen jossain määrin vetoamaan. Tosin levyä kuunnellessani odotan lähinnä vain noita mainitsemiani kahta laulua. Etenkin It's Over on sykähdyttävä.

Mistään ei ole vielä löytynyt The Dictator -singleä. Harmi. Se ei sentään ole enää kuulematta, sillä YLE Areenasta löytyi 1982 tehty Tuubi-telkkariohjelma, jolla Frank esittää molemmat biisit. Äänitin kopiot sekä Dictatorista että Colour the Nightista.