Robin George will be known to many for his hit single ‘Heartline’ but he has worked with David Byron (Uriah Heep), Roy Wood, Magnum, Asia and his most recvent band are Damage Control whose line-up features UFO’s Pete Way, Spike from the Quireboys and drummer Chris Slade (AC/DC,Asia/Uriah Heep). He is also doing an EP around Xmas, and will be donating copies and royalties to various charities including the Donna Louise Trust & the Nordoff-Robbins Music Threapy. It includes Nick Tart (DIAMOND HEAD/NOTORIOUS), Andy Pike, Vix, Ruby Turner, Pete Way (UFO) and of course Robin himself.
What are you currently up to? (e.g. recording, gigs etc.i
We’ve just released RAW, which is the original inspiration of the Damage Control album.
Pete and I are singing, so it’s a very different sounding album than Spike’s version. We always intended to release ‘Raw’ as our original inspiration for the songs on the album, and this is it.
I’m In the studio working on Damage Control 2 demos at the moment. Thanks to the internet we’re writing across the world, (I’m in Spain, Pete’s in Brum and Chris is in California) but we’re coming together in Spain to record and gig later this year.
I’ve also helped form a record label, Damage Control Music. After so many years of being ripped off and badly marketed, we’ve decided to fight back by being open and honest with our artists, which is working really well for all concerned.
2. What have been the best five gigs you have been to or involved in?
0ne of the best as in the audience was the Reading Festival when Slade blew the roof off. Not bad at an open air festival!
Also playing in the band at Reading with Magnum was a great gig.
Madrid with The Byron Band was great as well. My first visit to Spain, I live here now.
Touring with Dangerous Music was also a great experience.
The charity gigs with Asia were really memorable as well…there’s talk of a release of the Marquee nights soon.
3. Have you been pleased with how the Damage Control CD was received by fans and reviewers? Will there be a second album from the band and if so would Spike be on vocals again?
Very pleased. As I said, we’re working on album 2 right now, and input from fans and reviewers was really positive, so we have a strong commitment to deliver more of the same.
Spike came in as a friend of Pete’s to do some backing vocals on Damage Control ‘Damage Control’. Spike added a level of Spikeness we really liked, so we decided to do a version of the album with him singing lead vocals. Unfortunately, when the time came to tour, Spike had previous commitments with his own band, which left us unable to fulfil commitments as the original Damage Control band.
We’re still in touch and we’ll probably do more together in the future.
4. Any recent music/books/films you would recommend?
I read so much I forget most books as soon as I finish them, which means I can re-read them!
I really rate a book I’ve just read called The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, maybe ‘cause it’s set partly in Andalusia.
I spend most of my time making music, so I don’t really listen apart from in bars…We’re about to sign a couple of great bands to Damage Control Music, one Spanish and a great young British rock band. We’re also releasing a re-mastered version of the David Byron Band One Minute More, and an album spanning 20 years of Vix , who was lead singer with Fuzzbox.We’ve also signed Marshall Law, Nick Tart from Diamond Head in Life, and an album of my history, so obviously I would recommend those. Check out damagecontrolmusic.com for more info.
I don’t really watch many films either…there’s not enough time these days, which is good…
I did like Saving Grace as a gentle English comedy.
Mr Brooks is a great American thriller; also Wild Hogs is a good daft road movie.
5. Message for your fans…
As always, thanks for all your support. It’s priceless to me.
Two signed promo copies of the excellent ‘The Old Road’ album by Martin Orford (IQ/Jadis) raising funds for the Insulin Dependent Diabetes Trust and the White Lodge centre in Surrey.
