John Peter Robinson (born 16 September 1945) is an English composer,
musician
A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who w ...
, and
arranger
In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orchestra ...
known for his film and television scores.
Early years and pop music career
He studied piano and composition at the
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the first Duke ...
and enjoyed a successful career as a session keyboardist throughout the 1970s, working with artists such as
Brand X
Brand X were a jazz fusion band formed in London in 1974. They were active until 1980, followed by a reformation between 1992 and 1999, and were active following a 2016 reunion until 2021. Members have included John Goodsall (guitar), Percy J ...
,
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 and ...
,
Mike Rutherford
Michael John Cloete Crawford Rutherford (born 2 October 1950) is an English guitarist, bassist and songwriter, co-founder of the rock band Genesis. Rutherford and keyboardist Tony Banks are the group's two continuous members.
Initially servin ...
,
Shawn Phillips
Shawn Phillips (born February 3, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter and musician, primarily influential in the 1960s and 1970s. His work is rooted in folk rock but straddles other genres, including jazz fusion and funk. Phillips has rec ...
Carly Simon
Carly Elisabeth Simon (born June 25, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, memoirist, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records; her 13 Top 40 U.S. hits include " Anticipation" (No. 13), " The Right Thi ...
,
Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry CBE (born 26 September 1945) is an English singer and songwriter. His voice has been described as an "elegant, seductive croon". He also established a distinctive image and sartorial style: according to ''The Independent'', Ferry and ...
,
Stealers Wheel
Stealers Wheel were a Scottish folk rock/ rock band formed in 1972 in Paisley, Scotland, by former school friends Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty. Their best-known hit is " Stuck in the Middle with You". The band broke up in 1975 and re-formed br ...
,
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musica ...
,
The Hollies
The Hollies are a British pop rock band, formed in 1962. One of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, they are known for their distinctive three-part vocal harmony style. Allan Clarke and Graham Nash founded the ban ...
and others. As a successful pop arranger, he has also collaborated in later years with Eric Clapton, Manhattan Transfer,
Al Jarreau
Alwin Lopez Jarreau (March 12, 1940 – February 12, 2017) was an American singer and musician. His 1981 album '' Breakin' Away'' spent two years on the ''Billboard'' 200 and is considered one of the finest examples of the Los Angeles pop and R ...
and
Melissa Etheridge
Melissa Lou Etheridge (born May 29, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and guitarist. Her eponymous debut album was released in 1988 and became an underground success. It peaked at No. 22 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and its lead ...
, among others.
Film music career
He made his film music debut as a solo composer in 1985, scoring a number of successful films including ''
The Believers
''The Believers'' is a 1987 Canadian-American crime thriller horror film directed by John Schlesinger, starring Martin Sheen, Robert Loggia and Helen Shaver. It is based on the 1982 novel ''The Religion'' by Nicholas Conde.
Plot
After his wif ...
Cocktail
A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink. Most commonly, cocktails are either a combination of spirits, or one or more spirits mixed with other ingredients such as tonic water, fruit juice, flavored syrup, or cream. Cocktails vary widely acr ...
'' (1988), ''
Blind Fury
''Blind Fury'' is a 1989 American action comedy film directed by Phillip Noyce and starring Rutger Hauer, Brandon Call, Terry O'Quinn, Lisa Blount, Randall "Tex" Cobb, and Noble Willingham. The screenplay by Charles Robert Carner is a loosely b ...
'' (1989), ''
Wayne's World
"Wayne's World" was originally a recurring sketch from the NBC television series ''Saturday Night Live''. It evolved from a segment titled "Wayne's Power Minute" (1987) on the CBC Television series '' It's Only Rock & Roll'', as the main characte ...
'' (1992), ''
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
''Wes Craven's New Nightmare'' (also known simply as ''New Nightmare'') is a 1994 American meta slasher film written and directed by Wes Craven, creator of 1984's ''A Nightmare on Elm Street''. A standalone film and the seventh installment in ...
Firestorm
A firestorm is a conflagration which attains such intensity that it creates and sustains its own wind system. It is most commonly a natural phenomenon, created during some of the largest bushfires and wildfires. Although the term has been us ...
'' (1998), ''
The World's Fastest Indian
''The World's Fastest Indian'' is a 2005 New Zealand biographical sports drama film based on the Invercargill, New Zealand speed bike racer Burt Munro and his highly modified 1920 Indian Scout motorcycle. Munro set numerous land speed rec ...
'' (2005) and ''
The Bank Job
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in ...
'' (2008). He also composed for numerous
television film
A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...
The Wonder Years
''The Wonder Years'' is an American coming-of-age comedy/drama television series created by Neal Marlens and Carol Black. It ran on ABC from January 31, 1988, until May 12, 1993. The series premiered immediately after ABC's coverage of Supe ...
,
Eerie, Indiana
''Eerie, Indiana'' is an American horror science fiction television series that originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1991, to December 09, 1993. The series was created by José Rivera and Karl Schaefer, with Joe Dante serving as creativ ...
Todd McFarlane's Spawn
''Todd McFarlane's Spawn'', also known as ''Spawn: The Animated Series'' or simply ''Spawn'' is an American adult animated superhero television series that aired on HBO from 1997 through 1999 and reran on Cartoon Network's Toonami programming ...
,
The Outer Limits ''The Outer Limits'' or ''Outer Limits'' may refer to:
Television
* ''The Outer Limits'' (1963 TV series), a black-and-white science fiction series that aired from 1963 to 1965
* ''The Outer Limits'' (1995 TV series), a revival of the older series ...
,'' and '' Charmed.''
In addition he scored the horror films ''
The Wraith
''The Wraith'' is a 1986 independently made American action-fantasy film, produced by John Kemeny, written and directed by Mike Marvin, and starring Charlie Sheen, Sherilyn Fenn, Nick Cassavetes, and Randy Quaid.The Gate'' (1987) with
Michael Hoenig
Michael Hoenig (born 4 January 1952) is a German composer who has composed music for several films and games, in addition to two solo albums, including the highly acclaimed 1978 album ''Departure from the Northern Wasteland''. In 1997, he was n ...
, and scored the English-language version of ''
Godzilla 2000
is a 1999 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Takao Okawara, written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara and Wataru Mimura, produced by Shogo Tomiyama and starring Takehiro Murata, Hiroshi Abe, Naomi Nishida, Mayu Suzuki and Shiro Sano. Produced and d ...
''. He also composed music for the 1989 movie '' The Wizard'', as well as two songs from the film ''
Shelter
Shelter is a small building giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger.
Shelter may also refer to:
Places
* Port Shelter, Hong Kong
* Shelter Bay (disambiguation), various locations
* Shelter Cove (disambiguation), various locat ...
'' (2007), and music in dozens of episodes of the TV series '' Charmed''.
Discography
Quatermass
Singles:
* 1970: "Black sheep of the family/Good Lord Knows"
* 1971: "Gemini/Black sheep of the family"
* 1971: "One Blind Mice/Punting"
Album:
* 1970: '' Quatermass''
Jesus Christ Superstar
* 1970: ''
Jesus Christ Superstar
''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Loosely based on the Gospels' accounts of the Passion, the work interprets the psychology of Jesus and other characters, with ...
'' - With
Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan (born 19 August 1945) is a British singer who is best known as the lead singer and lyricist for the rock band Deep Purple. He is known for his powerful and wide-ranging singing voice.
Initially influenced by Elvis Presley, Gillan ...
,
Murray Head
Murray Seafield St George Head (born 5 March 1946) is an English actor and singer. Head has appeared in a number of films, including a starring role as the character Bob Elkin in the Academy Award, Oscar-nominated 1971 film ''Sunday Bloody Sun ...
,
Yvonne Elliman
Yvonne Marianne Elliman (born December 29, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress who performed for four years in the first cast of the stage musical ''Jesus Christ Superstar''. She scored a number of hits in the 1970s and achieved ...
and
Mike D'Abo
Michael David d'Abo (born 1 March 1944) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of Manfred Mann from 1966 to their dissolution in 1969, and as the composer of the songs " Handbags and Gladrags" and " Build Me Up Bu ...
Shawn Phillips
* 1970: ''Contribution''
* 1970: ''Second Contribution''
* 1971: ''Collaboration'': Piano, organ, bass on "Moonshine" and orchestral arrangements on "The Only Logical Conclusion"
* 1973: ''Bright White'': Keyboards and orchestral arrangements on "All The Kings and Castles"
* 1974: ''Furthermore''
* 1974: ''Do you wonder''
* 1976: ''Rumplestiltskin's Resolve''
* 1977: ''Spaced''
* 1978: ''Transcendance'': Piano on "Implication"
Carly Simon
* 1972: '' No Secrets'': Piano on "Embrace Me, You Child"
Yvonne Elliman
* 1972: ''
Yvonne Elliman
Yvonne Marianne Elliman (born December 29, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress who performed for four years in the first cast of the stage musical ''Jesus Christ Superstar''. She scored a number of hits in the 1970s and achieved ...
* 1973: ''The Man From The East'' - Original Score - Robinson on Fender Rhodes on 4 songs
* 2007: ''Two Originals - ''The Man From The East & Red Buddha Theater'' - Compilation
* 1974: ''Ablution'' - With John Gustafson, Barry De Souza, Jayson Lindh, Jan Schaffer,
Malando Gassama
Malando Gassama (born Malang Omar Gassam; 7 February 1946 – 25 January 1999) was a Gambian percussionist who spent most of his music career in Sweden. He recorded and performed with many notable Swedish and international artists such as ...
Subterraneans
"Subterraneans" is a song by David Bowie, the closing track of his 1977 album '' Low''. As with most of Side 2, "Subterraneans" is mostly instrumental, with brief, obscure lyrics sung near the song's end.
"Subterraneans" was first recorded in 19 ...
"
Stomu Yamashta's Go
* 1977 : ''Go Too'' - Keyboards
Brand X
* 1978: ''
Masques
The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment that flourished in 16th- and early 17th-century Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy, in forms including the intermedio (a public version of the masque was the pageant). A masq ...
''
* 1979: ''
Product
Product may refer to:
Business
* Product (business), an item that serves as a solution to a specific consumer problem.
* Product (project management), a deliverable or set of deliverables that contribute to a business solution
Mathematics
* Prod ...
'' - With Phil Collins
* 1980: '' Do They Hurt?'' - With Phil Collins
Phil Collins
* 1981: ''
Face Value
The face value, sometimes called nominal value, is the value of a coin, bond, stamp or paper money as printed on the coin, stamp or bill itself by the issuing authority.
The face value of coins, stamps, or bill is usually its legal value. Ho ...
'': Prophet V on "Behind the lines"
* 1982: '' Hello, I Must Be Going!'': Piano, vibes on "You can't hurry love"
* 1998: '' …Hits'' - Compilation: On "You can't hurry love"
* 2004: '' The Platinum Collection'' - Compilation: On "Behind the lines"
* 2016: '' The singles'' - Compilation: Robinson on "Behind the lines" and "You can't hurry love"
Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Frida)
* 1982: ''
Something's Going On
''Something's Going On'' is the third solo album by Swedish singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Frida), one of the founding members of the Swedish pop group ABBA, and her first album recorded entirely in English. Her previous two albums had been recorde ...
'' - Robinson on keyboards, string and horn arrangements. With Phil Collins,
Daryl Stuermer
Daryl Mark Stuermer (born November 27, 1952) is an American musician, songwriter, and producer best known for playing the guitar and bass for Genesis during live shows, and lead guitar for Phil Collins during most solo tours and albums. He has al ...
, Mo Foster, The Phenix Horns from Earth, Wind & Fire and The Martyn Ford Orchestra. Album produced by Phil Collins
Mike Rutherford
* 1982: ''
Acting Very Strange
''Acting Very Strange'' is the second and final solo album by Genesis guitarist/bassist Mike Rutherford and the only album to feature him on lead vocals. It was released on 7 September 1982. Unlike the previous album ''Smallcreep's Day'', ''Act ...
Tony Levin
Anthony Frederick Levin (born June 6, 1946) is an American musician and composer, specializing in electric bass, Chapman Stick and upright bass. He also sings and plays synthesizer. Levin is best known for his work with King Crimson (since ...
Manu Katché
Manu Katché (born 27 October 1958) is a French drummer and songwriter of Ivorian descent. He has worked extensively as a session musician, notably with Sting and Peter Gabriel, and his solo albums as a bandleader are largely in the jazz fusio ...
, The London Metropolitan Orchestra, etc.
Partial filmography
Film
* ''Police Story'' (1985) - 1998 New Line Cinema home video version
* ''
The Wraith
''The Wraith'' is a 1986 independently made American action-fantasy film, produced by John Kemeny, written and directed by Mike Marvin, and starring Charlie Sheen, Sherilyn Fenn, Nick Cassavetes, and Randy Quaid.Michael Hoenig
Michael Hoenig (born 4 January 1952) is a German composer who has composed music for several films and games, in addition to two solo albums, including the highly acclaimed 1978 album ''Departure from the Northern Wasteland''. In 1997, he was n ...
Michael Hoenig
Michael Hoenig (born 4 January 1952) is a German composer who has composed music for several films and games, in addition to two solo albums, including the highly acclaimed 1978 album ''Departure from the Northern Wasteland''. In 1997, he was n ...
The Believers
''The Believers'' is a 1987 Canadian-American crime thriller horror film directed by John Schlesinger, starring Martin Sheen, Robert Loggia and Helen Shaver. It is based on the 1982 novel ''The Religion'' by Nicholas Conde.
Plot
After his wif ...
'' (1987)
* '' Police Story 2'' (1988) - 1998 New Line Cinema home video version
* ''The Blob'' (1988) - with
Michael Hoenig
Michael Hoenig (born 4 January 1952) is a German composer who has composed music for several films and games, in addition to two solo albums, including the highly acclaimed 1978 album ''Departure from the Northern Wasteland''. In 1997, he was n ...
Blind Fury
''Blind Fury'' is a 1989 American action comedy film directed by Phillip Noyce and starring Rutger Hauer, Brandon Call, Terry O'Quinn, Lisa Blount, Randall "Tex" Cobb, and Noble Willingham. The screenplay by Charles Robert Carner is a loosely b ...
Cadillac Man
''Cadillac Man'' is a 1990 American black comedy film directed by Roger Donaldson, starring Robin Williams and Tim Robbins.
The plot of the film centers on car salesman Joey O'Brien (Williams) whose life is consumed by turmoil, which all comes ...
Encino Man
''Encino Man'' (known as ''California Man'' in France, Finland, Sweden, Great Britain, Asia, South Africa, and New Zealand) is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Les Mayfield in his directorial debut. The film stars Sean Astin, with a suppo ...
'' (1992)
* ''
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
''Wes Craven's New Nightmare'' (also known simply as ''New Nightmare'') is a 1994 American meta slasher film written and directed by Wes Craven, creator of 1984's ''A Nightmare on Elm Street''. A standalone film and the seventh installment in ...
Michael Kamen
Michael Arnold Kamen (April 15, 1948 – November 18, 2003) was an American composer (especially of film scores), orchestral arranger, orchestral conductor, songwriter, and session musician.
Biography Early life
Michael Arnold Kamen was born ...
* ''
Rumble in the Bronx
''Rumble in the Bronx'' (Chinese title: 紅番區, ''Hong Faan Kui'' (transl. ''Red Turn District'') is a 1995 American-Hong Kong martial arts film starring Jackie Chan, Anita Mui and Françoise Yip. It was directed by Stanley Tong, with action ...
Godzilla 2000
is a 1999 Japanese ''kaiju'' film directed by Takao Okawara, written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara and Wataru Mimura, produced by Shogo Tomiyama and starring Takehiro Murata, Hiroshi Abe, Naomi Nishida, Mayu Suzuki and Shiro Sano. Produced and d ...
'' (1999) - with
Takayuki Hattori
is a Japanese film, television, video game and non-soundtrack music composer, arranger and conductor. He is the son of the composer Katsuhisa Hattori and grandson of composer Ryoichi Hattori. He has won three Japan Academy Prize awards in the ...
The World's Fastest Indian
''The World's Fastest Indian'' is a 2005 New Zealand biographical sports drama film based on the Invercargill, New Zealand speed bike racer Burt Munro and his highly modified 1920 Indian Scout motorcycle. Munro set numerous land speed rec ...
The Bank Job
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in ...
Brink!
''Brink!'' is a 1998 Disney Channel Original Movie that depicts the sport of aggressive inline skating. Written by Jeff Schechter and directed by Greg Beeman, the film stars Erik von Detten as Andy "Brink" Brinker, a high school inline skate ...
The Linda McCartney Story
''The Linda McCartney Story'' is a 2000 British-American drama television film directed by Armand Mastroianni, starring Elizabeth Mitchell and Gary Bakewell. Based on the book ''Linda McCartney: The Biography'', presenting the life story of Linda ...
The Wonder Years
''The Wonder Years'' is an American coming-of-age comedy/drama television series created by Neal Marlens and Carol Black. It ran on ABC from January 31, 1988, until May 12, 1993. The series premiered immediately after ABC's coverage of Supe ...
Eerie, Indiana
''Eerie, Indiana'' is an American horror science fiction television series that originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1991, to December 09, 1993. The series was created by José Rivera and Karl Schaefer, with Joe Dante serving as creativ ...
Deadliest Catch
''Deadliest Catch'' is a reality television series that premiered on the Discovery Channel on April 12, 2005. The show follows crab fishermen aboard fishing vessels in the Bering Sea during the Alaskan king crab and snow crab fishing seasons. Th ...
Saturn Award for Best Music
The Saturn Award for Best Music is one of the annual awards given by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. The Saturn Awards, which are the oldest film-specialized awards to reward science fiction, fantasy, and horror achieve ...
Saturn Award for Best Music
The Saturn Award for Best Music is one of the annual awards given by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. The Saturn Awards, which are the oldest film-specialized awards to reward science fiction, fantasy, and horror achieve ...
: ''
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
''Wes Craven's New Nightmare'' (also known simply as ''New Nightmare'') is a 1994 American meta slasher film written and directed by Wes Craven, creator of 1984's ''A Nightmare on Elm Street''. A standalone film and the seventh installment in ...
The World's Fastest Indian
''The World's Fastest Indian'' is a 2005 New Zealand biographical sports drama film based on the Invercargill, New Zealand speed bike racer Burt Munro and his highly modified 1920 Indian Scout motorcycle. Munro set numerous land speed rec ...