How Ziggy Stardust Changed My Life: Robin Mayhew on Working With David Bowie and More
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Published 2020-07-30
Following a brief stint in South Africa, he returned home to the U.K. and fell into a new career in the music industry as the live sound engineer for Tucky Buzzard, David Bowie, Lou Reed, David Essex and many other influential acts of the 1970s. He even changed the lyrics on a few Bowie songs!
2021 Update: Unfortunately, Robin passed away in late 2021 in his homeland of the United Kingdom. This interview lives on as a legacy to his remarkable life.
Editorial Note: The Presidents' first bass player who helped The Stones out was Colin Golding (not Tony Busson, as pictured in the video). Read more about Colin's history here:
www.the-presidents.org.uk/Colin%20Golding.htm
Visit Robin's site:
www.robinmayhew.co.uk/
More about The Presidents:
www.the-presidents.org.uk/
"She Said Yeah" by The Presidents:
• WOW She Said Yeah. The Presidents 5...
#YCUT #Interviews #Music
00:00 Robin's Early Days in the U.K.
02:45 The Presidents & The Rolling Stones
05:15 Glyn Johns and The Music Biz
06:48 The 'Lost' Acetate...Found!
09:00 A Chance Encounter With The Who
11:00 The Journey to David Bowie
16:45 The Leather...Leper Messiah
18:50 Life on the '72 Ziggy Stardust Tour
24:00 After Bowie: Lou Reed and More
27:00 Coming Back Again to Music
All Comments (21)
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Thanks so much for these lovely comments and needless to say it was great to find Raymond and put this together believe me when I say ' I'm very excited'. One little edit regarding the Rolling Stones playing at our club The Red Lion in Sutton. Because they were just starting out nobody knew them and there was hardly a soul at the club on the few Fridays we let them have a go. However a few months later it all happened for The Rolling Stones and we were support so the tables turned :)
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2021 Update: I've learned the unfortunate news that Robin passed away recently from cancer. Although we only had a brief overlap in our lives, I feel honored to have been able to get to know him. He had so many more stories to tell and musical ideas to share with the world, and I'm glad that I was able to capture a small bit of them to share with you all.
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Excellent, Robin is such a lovely guy. His recording of the Last Ziggy concert is amazing. I think you can buy it from his website. It’s the best version by far.
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My wife and I had the pleasure of visiting Robin and his wife last year on a trip to the U.K. and I interviewed Robin years before while writing my book, What About Us? A Rocklopaedia Of Britain's Other Recording Groups 1962 - 1966. It's so great to see him here sharing stories of his incredible time in the music business in one of the most vibrant periods of musical history. Loved this interview!
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A great interview from a top man. Wonderful stories and anecdotes from somebody who was there and really did it. I know, as Robin was somewhat of a mentor to me in the early 1970's during those Bowie, Mott, Lou Reed, Mick Ronson and Ground Control days. I'm honoured to feature in one of the photos ! At the time it all felt like a great adventure - it was hard work, but fun, however, the dedication and professionalism was always paramount. The interview brought back some very happy memories of when we were young and took it all in our stride. Thanks Robin. All the best Peter
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Enjoyed very much. RIP Robin🕊🙏✨✨✨✨Thoughts with the family.🌠💐🎸🎹🎷🎶🎶🎶
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Had to stop this video to listen to the Bowie concert. I’ve got it on cd and vinyl. I hadn’t listened in years and forgot about it, until today
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Such a great interview, I've known Robin for quite some years now and his stories of his great career have always been interesting to me.
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I found the interview with Rob Mayhew most interesting. As a founding member and drummer for The Presidents I was fascinated by Rob's experiences after the band broke up in 1965.
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Never heard of Tucky Buzzard. Now I'm so glad I have.
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Great stories! This man deserves a film
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Thank you, YCUT, for your hard and great work. Keep it up
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What a lovely man - such a gentleman with no airs and graces! I'm pretty sure I saw the earlier David Bowie concert he was involved with in 1971 at The Top Rank Club in Liverpool, then in 1972 I saw The Ziggy Stardust concert at The Stadium, Liverpool. Thanks so much for the upload it was fascinating, I look forward to your next one as always!
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Great stories from a top man. I was lucky enough to have Robin as a mentor when I joined the Ground Control crew. He taught me how to think about sound and how to relate to musicians. I learnt so much working on tours with The Stranglers, Blondie, The Vibrators and more for Ground Control. As Peter Hince says - it all felt like a great adventure - hard work and lots of fun. I went onto enjoy a long, rewarding career as a live sound engineer. Thank you Robin for your wisdom, your lateral thinking and your great sense of humour. All the best, Mick
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Why was I expecting you to look like Paul McCartney
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Fantastic video. Amazing stories thank you Robin. It gave me a glimpse of what is was like in those incredible times making the music i love. All the best
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I think they had the right man for the job! Nice one Rob and it was a pleasure to see you yesterday.
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Just found this intending to hear the Bowie stories but the real draw here turned out to be Robin Mayhew himself. What a nice person.
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Amazing interview. Good questions and interesting answers. Thank you.
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I like this video and saw it today. At the same time I am saddened by the news of the passing Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones.
