MHBOX have been bopping to the classic hit ‘Pop Muzik’ for years and so we were very excited to receive a copy of the new Robin Scott album ‘Emotional DNA’ with it’s classic sounding melodic masterpieces and Robin’s distinctive vocals and beautiful melodies. We met up with Robin to discuss his new album and single ‘My Rescue Remedy’.
ROBIN SCOTT – INTERVIEW
How would you describe your music ?
It’s electro/acoustic pop folk.
What is your new single about and where did the inspiration come from ?
It’s about my personal journey surviving cancer. The inspiration came from the need to connect with emotions and behavioural patterns which define who I am at this point in my life.
What inspired you to start a career in the music business ?
Wanting to share the experience of working together with other creative artists in the field whilst paying homage to those I aspire to, who have provided me with a way to interpret the experience of growing and evolving.
What are your fave tracks or artists of all time ?
Bird on a wire, Leonard Cohen. Subterranean Homesick Blues, Bob Dylan. The long and winding road, The Beatles. Viva la Vida, Coldplay. Streets of Philadelphia, Bruce Springsteen.
Tell us about your creative process. Who writes and produces your material and what instruments or software do you use in creating your sound ?
I write and produce all my songs. I use Logic X, Pro tools, Native instruments but favour live performance musicians.
Where can we find you online ?
https://twitter.com/RobinScottUK
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/emotional-dna/id1275355935
ROBIN SCOTT – HISTORY AND NEW ALBUM ‘ EMOTIONAL DNA’
Robin Scott’s recording career spans four decades. He grew up in South London and after leaving school attended Art college where he met and lived with Malcom MacLaren and Vivienne Westwood.
He displayed a talent for writing topical songs which he performed on Radio and TV during this period which led to his first album, ‘Woman From The Warm Grass’ released on the independent label Head Records.
He spent a period playing folk clubs as a solo artist sharing bills with emergent artists such as David Bowie and Ralph McTell. In 1972 he won the EMI ‘Search For A Star’ national talent contest but declined the deal in favour of developing a musical and working together with Malcom and Vivienne developing ideas in the ‘Let It Rock’ boutique which became the spawning ground for the Punk movement.
Scott promoted and managed R&B funk band Roogalator , producing their debut LP ËœPlay It By Ear’ on his independent label Do-It Records as well as Adam & The Ants debut LP ‘Dirk Wears White Sox’ in 1976/7. This led to production opportunities in Paris with Barclay records who would also release the Sex Pistols in France.
Scott’s and McLaren’s paths crossed many times in 1977/8 prompting Scott and film director Julian Temple to record a historic debut of the Slits in a Paris night club for Malcolm who was now overloaded with the Sex Pistols implosion. This event triggered the desire to return to the studio to produce and perform again. Adopting the pseudonym ‘M’ Scott recorded and released ‘Moderne Man’ on his Do-It label in the UK and Barclay records in France.
Production projects in Paris included a band called the Spions who were Hungarian political refugees and a source of inspiration for Scott in the aftermath of the Punk. Now living in Paris with Brigitte Vinchon a circus artist, Scott began to concentrate on delivering the quintessential commercial single with Brigitte as his backing vocalist.
‘Pop Muzik’ was a huge international hit in 1979. The album ‘New York London Paris Munich’ was recorded in Montreux Switzerland and released in the UK at the end of that year. In 1980 M’s follow-up album ‘Official Secrets’ was recorded in the UK and Dublin.
In 1981 Scott co-produced rising star Ruichi Sakamoto who approached Scott after hearing ‘Official Secrets’ and in the same year recorded his third album ‘Famous Last Words’ .
During the 80’s Scott found a new musical direction producing a number of African acts in Kenya which led to the collaborative the album ‘Jive Shikisha’ in 1983/4. Recorded in Kenya and the UK it featured musicians from several different African states but its release was frustrated by legal issues for some years to come despite being Scott’s most rewarding recording experience Management conflict prompted Scott to withdraw from his musical career path in favour exploring other creative avenues, which would lead back to painting and mentoring other musicians.
It would be another decade before Scott returned to the music business to develop an online platform for DJ’s and dance producers. Then some unreleased independent titles appeared on the ‘Life Class’ double album released on Scott’s YUP label in 2003 concurrent with an exhibition of his artwork at the Ensign gallery in London together with other musicians and painters.
This compilation also included some early unreleased solo material.
In 2015 Scott began preparing material for his first studio album ‘ Emotional DNA’.
The single ‘My Rescue Remedy’ has been picked up by world famous DJ Mikey Gallagher ( Snow Patrol, Leona Lewis, Hed Kandi, Ministry of Sound ) who has remixed the track and it is hotly tipped to enter the official U.K Music Week Charts.
The album ‘Emotional DNA’ featuring the single ‘My Rescue Remedy’ is out now with distribution via Universal Music Operations.