Robb Johnson


Robb Jenner Johnson is a British musician and songwriter who has been called "one of the last genuinely political songwriters". He is known for his mix of political satire and wit. He has his own record label, Irregular Records, and has released more than 40 albums since 1985, either solo or in several collaborations.
WWW Official Site

Biography

Johnson began his musical career playing in folk clubs in the 1970s. He ran a folk club at the University of Sussex, before forming a band called Grubstreet, which split up in 1983. Two years later, he made his first solo album, In Amongst the Rain, setting up his own label on which to release it, before forming an agitprop group, The Ministry of Humour, with Mark Shilcock and Graham Barnes. After the break-up of this act and a failed attempt at forming a new electric band, he returned to performing solo, and also formed a duo with female singer Pip Collings.
In 1997, he composed the song cycle Gentle Men, based on the experiences of his grandfathers in the First World War. The song cycle was recorded by Johnson in collaboration with Roy Bailey, and performed at the commemorative Passchendaele Peace Concert. In 2006 he was a special guest at the BBC's "Folk Britannia" concert at the Barbican Centre, ending the night with a rendition of the World War I song "Hanging on the Old Barbed Wire". He remains active and has released at least one album annually for over 20 years, as well as playing regular gigs, including benefits and political events.
In 2016, Johnson and a group billed as the Corbynistas released the single "JC 4 PM 4 Me" in support of Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, which was considered a contender for Christmas number one. However, it did not chart.

Discography

Albums

  • In Amongst The Rain
  • Songs for the New Jerusalem
  • Skewed, Slewed, Stewed & Awkward
  • Small Town World
  • Overnight '
  • Tourists and Casualties '
  • Heart's Desire '
  • 1-2-3 '
  • Lack of Jolly Ploughboy '
  • Lavender Blues
  • Interesting Times '
  • The Night Café
  • Hell's Kitchen '
  • Ugly Town
  • Invisible People
  • Gentle Men '
  • The Big Wheel
  • 21st Century Blues '
  • The Triumph of Hope Over Experience
  • Clockwork Music
  • Metro
  • All That Way For This '
  • Love & Death & Politics '
  • The Liberty Tree '
  • The Ghost of Love '
  • Man Walks into a Pub
  • Some Recent Protest Songs
  • Once Upon a Time '
  • Happily Ever After '
  • Bring Down the Moon
  • Us and Them
  • Here Goes Nothing '
  • My Best Regards
  • Ordinary Giants
  • Eurotopia
  • Pandemic Songs
  • Stay Cool, Keep Left, Shine Bright ''''
  • The Mystery Gets Your Number & The Poetry Makes The Call ''''

Compilations, re-issues and live

  • This Is the UK Talking
  • Overnight
  • Yeah Yeah Yeah: So Far So Good 1991–1998 '
  • The Big Wheel – The Second XI and Alternative Versions
  • Margaret Thatcher: My Part in Her Downfall
  • Maximum Respect
  • Friday Night in Brentford
  • Tony Blair: My Part in His Downfall
  • A Beginner's Guide
  • Saturday Night at The Fire Station '
  • Margaret Thatcher: My Part in Her Downfall – Deluxe
  • West Pier Serenade
  • Gentle Men
  • Gentle Men – A Live Performance
  • A Reasonable History of Impossible Demands 1986–2013
  • Best Regards – Live
  • ''Songs From The Past Seven Years''

Singles and EPs

  • "The Animals Song" 7"
  • "The Herald of Free Enterprise" 7"
  • "Wasted Years" 7"
  • Living in the Rubbish 12"
  • Saturday Afternoon Red Army CD EP
  • "Sweet Jane" / "Bay of Angels" 7"
  • "Cheap and Cheerful" / "The Top of This Wheel" 7"
  • "Don't Close the Bar" / "Even Steve McQueen" 7"
  • "JC 4 PM 4 Me" / "What Would You Like For Christmas?"
  • The Beautiful Dark 10" EP
  • "Tony Skinner's Lad" – UK Singles Downloads Chart no. 19

Other appearances

Personal life

Johnson married Meeta Kanabar on 22 August 1992. The couple have two sons, Hari and Arvin. Johnson worked as a teacher at various schools in London, but relocated to Hove in around 2006. He is a supporter of Brentford F.C. and has performed fund-raising concerts for the club.