MUSIC BIOGRAPHY

ROBERT FIRST BEGAN COMPOSING AND PRODUCING MUSIC IN 1983 WITH THE POST PUNK INDUSTRIAL BAND SAVAGE REPUBLIC AND THE ECLECTIC ART POP GROUP 17 PYGMIES WHILE AN ART STUDENT AT UCLA. HE JOINED SAVAGE REPUBLIC IN 1982 AND IN 1983 WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE SR SPIN-OFF BAND 17 PYGMIES. DURING THE 1980’S HE TOURED WITH DIFFERENT INCARNATIONS OF SAVAGE REPUBLIC AND MADE 6 FULL LENGTH VINYL RECORDS AND CDs WITH THESE BANDS. HE ALSO PLAYED PIANO ON THE FIRST LP FOR THE BAND PANIOLO AND CREATED THE COVER ART FOR MOST OF THE 17 PYGMIE RELEASES.

IN 1987 HE BEGAN PROFESSIONALLY ENGINEERING SOUND FULL TIME FOR LIVE MUSIC AND THEATRICAL SHOWS WHICH HE STILL DOES (PART TIME) TO THIS DAY. IN THE LATER PART OF THE 1980s AS HIS GROUP THE '17 PYGMIES' WERE WORKING ON WHAT WAS TO BE THEIR LAST MAJOR RECORDING PROJECTS ROBERT BEGAN COMPOSING MUSIC FOR DANCE PERFORMANCES AND PLAYS. DURING THIS PERIOD AND INTO THE EARLY 90s HE COLLABORATED IN A FEW INTERESTING GROUPS IE. THE POET POP BAND SANDBOX WITH JACK BREWER OF THE BAND 'SACCHARINE TRUST' AND THE GROUP REX VOTO, WHICH INCLUDED THE BEAUTIFUL SULTRY SINGER/ACTRESS ESTER BALANT (BEST KNOWN FROM JIM JARMUSCH'S CULT MOVIE "STRANGER THAN PARADISE") AND PASCEL HUMBERT OF 16 HORSEPOWER & LYLIUM.

ROBERT STUDIED MUSIC COMPOSITION AND ARRANGING AT LACC FROM 1992 TO 1994 AT WHICH TIME HE STARTED COLLABORATING WITH THE INSTRUMENTAL GROUP SCENIC ON THEIR FIRST CD AND SINCE THEN HAS COMPOSED AND PRODUCED 3 FULL LENGTH CDs, THREE EPs AND THREE SINGLES WITH THE BAND. SCENIC DID SOME U.S. TOURING IN THE MID TO LATE 1990s AND IN 2003. IN 2002 SCENIC RELEASED THEIR 3rd FULL LENGTH CD THROUGH IPR, PARASOL RECORDS AND EMIGRE MAGAZINE (WHICH PRODUCED 25,000 COPIES FOR THEIR SUBSCRIBERS).

JANET KLEIN AND ROB FIRST MET IN THE FALL OF 1980 AS NEW ART STUDENTS AT UCLA . THEY QUICKLY BECAME GOOD FRIENDS SHARING MANY INTERESTS IN COMMON ALONG WITH A MUTUAL ATTRACTION FOR CERTAIN OLDER PERFORMERS AND STYLES OF MUSIC. BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL 1996 WHEN MS KLEIN BEGAN SINGING PRE 1940s JAZZ TUNES WITH HER UKULELE (DURING HER POETRY READINGS) THAT ROBERT NOTICED HER CHARMINGLY UNIQUE SINGING STYLE AND INNATE MUSICALITY. HE ENCOURAGED HER NEWFOUND MUSICAL EXPRESSIONS AND IN 1997 ROB AND MS KLEIN STARTED RECORDING HER SONGS ON A 4 TRACK CASSETTE RECORDER IN HIS LIVING ROOM TO MAKE 6 SONG CASSETTE TAPES FOR FRIENDS. BUT AS HER VIVACIOUS TALENT AND REPERTOIRE QUICKLY BLOSSOMED THEY DECIDED TO TAKE THINGS A LITTLE MORE SERIOUSLY AND ENDED UP RECORDING 26 PRE 40s SONGS IN A STUDIO AND PRODUCING JANET'S FIRST HEART FELT LOVELY CD "COME INTO MY PARLOR". THESE SONGS WERE PERFORMED MOSTLY SOLO WITH SOME LIGHT ACCOMPANIMENT BY ROB AND THE GREAT EARLY JAZZ STYLE GUITARIST JOHN REYNOLDS. SOON AFTER MAKING THIS CD JANET ATTRACTED SOME OTHER UNIQUE EARLY JAZZ STYLE MUSICIANS AND FORMED A BAND SHE NAMED JANET KLEIN & HER PARLOR BOYS. SINCE THAT TIME JANET HAS MADE THREE MORE CDs OF OBSCURE, NAUGHTY AND LOVELY SONGS FROM THE 1910s, 20s AND 30s WITH THIS TALENTED GROUP CONSISTING OF MEMBERS FROM ROBERT CRUMB'S CHEAP SUIT SERENADERS AND IAN WHITCOMB OF 1960S POP FAME. ALL 4 OF JANET'S CDs WERE PRODUCED BY ROBERT WHO ALSO HAS BEEN HELPING JANET WITH PHOTOGRAPHY, LABEL MANAGEMENT AND GRAPHIC DESIGN.

IN NOVEMBER OF 2002 ROBERT PERFORMED WITH SAVAGE REPUBLIC ON A REUNION TOUR TO PROMOTE MOBILIZATION'S RE-RELEASE OF SR's 1980s RECORDINGS. THE BAND BROKE UP IN 1989 AND HADN'T PLAYED TOGETHER UNTIL THIS TOUR. THEY PERFORMED 6 NIGHTS IN ONE WEEK ACROSS THE U.S.

ROBERT IS NOW CURRENTLY PRODUCING JANET’S 5th CD AND WORKING ON A SOLO PROJECT.

BESIDES MUSIC HE HAS BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN PAINTING AND DRAWING SINCE THE EARLY 1970s AND SOME OF HIS WORK CAN BE VIEWED ON THE GALLERY PAGE.
-Updated APRIL 2005

DISCOGRAPHY

MAJOR RELEASES COMPOSER AND/OR PRODUCER

2004 JANET KLEIN SCANDALS CD BY JANET KELIN & HER PARLOR BOYS
(COEUR DE JEANETTE) PRODUCER
2002 THE ACID GOSPEL EXPERIENCE CD BY SCENIC, (PARASOL/IPR)
COMPOSER AND PRODUCER.
2002 PUT A FLAVOR TO LOVE CD, 22 PRE-40s SONGS PERFORMED BY JANET
KLEIN AND HER PARLOR BOYS (COEUR DE JEANETTE) PRODUCER
AND PHOTOGRAPHY.
2000 SPHERES EP CD BY SCENIC, (IPR) COMPOSER AND PRODUCER.
2000 PARADISE WOBBLE CD OF 23 1910's, '20s and 30's SONGS
PERFORMED BY JANET KLEIN AND HER PARLOR BOYS (COEUR DE
JEANETTE PRODUCTIONS) PRODUCER AND PHOTOGRAPHY.
1998 COME INTO MY PARLOR 26 PRE-40s SONGS BY JANET KLEIN (COEUR DE JEANETTE) PRODUCER, MUSICIAN AND PHOTOGRAPHY.
1996 AQUATICA LP VINYL/CD BY SCENIC (WORLD DOM./IPR) COMPOSER.
1995 INCIDENT AT CIMA LP VINYL/CD BY SCENIC, (IPR) COMPOSER.
1991 MISSYFISH LP VINYL/CD BY 17 PYGMIES (EFA) RE-RELEASE OF
‘HATIKVA’ PLUS 6 UN-RELEASED SONGS RECORDED IN 1987-8.
COMPOSER AND PRODUCER.
1988 WELCOME CD/LP VINYL BY 17 PYGMIES (ISLAND/GREAT JONES)
COMPOSER AND PRODUCER. ALBUM/CD COVER DESIGNER.
1986 CEREMONIAL LP VINYL BY SAVAGE REPUBLIC (IPR/SWEET BEAT)
COMPOSER AND PRODUCER.
1985 CAPTURED IN ICE LP VINYL BY 17 PYGMIES (RESISTANCE RECORDS)
COMPOSER, PRODUCER AND COVER PHOTOGRAPHY.
1985 CITY OF REFUGE LP VINYL BY MAT MATSUDA AND PANIOLO
(RESISTANCE) COMPOSER.
1984 JEDDA BY THE SEA LP VINYL BY 17 PYGMIES (RESISTANCE)
COMPOSER, PRODUCER AND COVER DESIGNER.
1983 HATIKVA EP VINYL BY 17 PYGMIES (RESISTANCE) COMPOSER
AND COVER DESIGNER.

SINGLES, COMPILATIONS, LIVE RECORDINGS, GUEST SPOTS & OTHER RELEASES

2002 ACID GOSPEL CD BY SCENIC SIMILAR TO 2002 PARASOL RELEASE
WITH A FEW DIFFERENT SONG VERSIONS (EMIGRE MAGAZINE/IPR)
2002 FOLKNIK BY BOB MOSS, GUEST MUSICIAN ON 3 SONGS.
2002 SAVAGE REPUBLIC BOX SET RE-RELEASE OF SAVAGE REPUBLIC'S
1980s RELEASES, INCLUDING CEREMONIAL (MOBILIZATION)
2002 CURRENTS AND DIRECTIONS ONE SONG BY SCENIC (MERIDIEN)
2002 SAVAGE REPUBLIC LIVE RECORDIGS CD RECORDED 1981-83 (IPR)
1998 HATIKVA/JEDDA BY THE SEA RE-RELEASE OF 1st TWO VINYL 17
PYGMIES' RECORDS (LAZY DOG, ITALY)
1997 SLASHED WITH MANY A SPECK COMPILATION SCENIC (DEWDROPS)
1997 SLOW DEATH IN THE METRONOME FACTORY COMP. SCENIC (WDM)
1997 BRINE-THE ANTI-SURF SOUNDTRACK COMP. SCENIC (BEACH REC.)
1996 SAGE/ANOTHER WAY 2 UNIQUE SONGS 7" VINYL/CD BY SCENIC (IPR).
1996 SCENIC/LANTURNA IN LIVE PERFORMANCES 1995. 7" VINYL/CD (IPR).
1994 THE KELSO RUN THREE SONG 7" VINYL BY SCENIC (IPR).
1992 SAVAGE REPUBLIC LIVE RECORDINGS VINYL RECORDED 1981-1983 (IPR).
1990 VIVA LA 2 COMP. ONE SONG BY 17 PYGMIES (VIVA RECORDS, ITALY).
1988 HATIKVA RE-RELEASE PLUS TWO UN-RELEASED 1987 SONGS BY
17 PYGMIES (NATE STARKMAN AND SON)
1987 LIVE TREK LIVE RECORDINGS 1985-6 OF SAVAGE REPUBLIC (IPR).1986
1986 VIVA LOS ANGELES ONE SONG FOR COMPILATION, BY 17 PYGMIES
CHAMELEON' (VIVA RECORDS, ITALY).
1984 RADIO TOKYO TAPES-VOL. 2 ONE SONG-'CHAMELEON' BY 17 PYGMIES
(EARMOVIE).
1983 FILM NOIR/O ANDONIS 7" SINGLE BY SAVAGE REPUBLIC (IPR)

PLAY AND DANCE SCORES

1992 OWA TAFU LYAM DANCE CHOREOGRAPHED BY GERG GIBBS.
1990 MUD PIES DANCE CHOREOGRAPHED BY STEVEN CRAIG.
1989 THE WORLD IS PERMEATED BY THE ODOR OF PEANUTS PLAY
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY CHARLES SCHNEIDER.

SAMPLES OF ROBERT'S ART WORK CAN BE VIEWED ON THE GALLERY PAGE.

CONTACT ROBERT LOVELESS