*'Hellbent In Hobart' tape - 1990*'Beautiful Girls' ep - 1991
*'Off Your Faith' album - 1993
*'Off Your Faith' album - 1993*'The Gag Reflex' ep - 1995
*'Shirts & Skins' collection - 2003
*'Shirts & Skins' collection - 2003*'Zone One' album - 2005
*'Hamper' Candle Compilation - 2006
'Twenty-Five Songs You've Heard Before' & 'The Day I Heard You Were Pregnant'
The Lyric section has all of Rob's lyrics, as they don't appear on 'Zone One' or 'Shirts & Skins'. Rob also plays in Ruck Rover, for more information visit their band page on the Candle homepage.
Rob also has a Myspace page at www.myspace.com/robclarkson
Album Tracks - Real Audio
*Photo And Audio from 'Zone One'
*Will You Be In My Posse? from 'Shirts & Skins'
*Season's Greetings from 'Shirts & Skins'
Rob Clarkson returns after a 10-year absence from his solo career with a brand new album titled ‘Zone One’. An example of his best solo work yet, ‘Zone One’ features 11 new songs full of wit, charm and pathos that highligh! t Rob’s unique perspective on life. In 1996, Rob postponed his solo career and left behind a vast following that had gathered from releases such as the hit song ‘Beautiful Girls and Beautiful Boys’ and a succession of other popular albums. In the intervening years, Rob was the front-man of indie-pop band, Ruck Rover. In 2003, Candle Records had huge success with the release of a retrospective double CD of Rob’s earlier releases titled ‘Shirts and Skins’ and became the pre-cursor for Rob Clarkson to embark on the eagerly-awaited second phase of his solo career.
‘Zone One’ captures all of Rob’s trademarks – his lyrical smarts, great turn of phrase and gentle dig of middle Australia – this time wrapped around interesting arrangements and musical accompaniment. Highlights on the album come in many forms, the infectious ‘Days and Nights’, the vulnerable ‘Bridges and Ties’ and the amazing ‘Photo and Audio.’
Combining biting social commentary with humour, ‘Zone One’ is a great return to the musical landscape for Rob. The album also marks the return of Rob performing solo, which has always been wonderful treat.
A message from Rob on ‘Zone One.'
"Your friend and mine, George Orwell, once wrote that good prose is like a window pane. To a certain extent (and for certain types of songs) I think that good songwriting could claim the same simile. But whether we like it or not (and, God knows, when we don't like it we really don't like it) a fair amount of songwriting involves taking a peep at the mirror too. So writing about your own songs (reflecting on reflection) can either; (a) drive you a little bit mad or (b) throw you into some sort of narcissistic twister from which you may never escape.
Or (c) induce pretty cumbersome opening paragraphs.
The blueprint for the sound and style of "Zone One" came from the recording of two of my songs on Ruck Rover's most recent album "No Hints, No Clues, No Lies". "Please Respect Our Neighbours" and Matinee Saturday" were both fairly sparse recordings driven by acoustic guitars and vocals with bits and pieces of additional instrumentation. I hadn't recorded this way since the "old days" (if you can be bothered, refer to the Candle release "Shirts and Skins") and it didn't hurt half as much as I thought it would.
Three songs that I wrote over a few weeks mid-last-year "The Unfortunate Choice of Words", "Do You Even Believe?" and "Bridges and Ties" seemed suited to this blueprint. And before I knew it, something approaching momentum was developing. It's always kind of enjoyable when a 'bunch-o-songs' starts to become a "project".
So off to Michael Allen's joint; a few blocks past the McDonald's in Balwyn. We began the recording with a view to making an e.p. but things were running smoothly and that momentum-thingy appeared to remain with us enough to contemplate an album. Mikey's contribution to "Zone One" was fabulous. His taste, temperament and talent not only made the album possible but also, I hope, passable.
So, why "Zone One"? This album was written, is set and was recorded there. For those of you outside Melbourne, Zone 1 is the name used by this city's public transport providers to define the CBD and inner-city suburbs. I think every city, country town or community has it's own Zone One. The Zone One of this title is more about a mind-set than a geographical location. It's where you'll find the sub-cultures you left home for. It's also where the irrelevant people live, as Australia's Prime Minister and Treasurer gloated after the last federal election. The black-armband-wearers, the work-shy lefties and greenies and - get this - the "elites". Yeah, right.
I figure that even irrelevant people need to listen to songs once in a while and I hope at least a few of these ones work well in your Zone 1, wherever that may be."
‘Shirts & Skins’ Double Collection CD
In 2003 we released Rob Clarkson’s double retrospective CD ‘Shirts & Skins’. The collection features 19 studio tracks ‘Shirts’ and 9 live tracks ‘Skins.’ The first CD compiles the four wonderful solo releases ‘Hellbent In Hobart’, ‘Beautiful Girls & Beautiful Boys’, ‘Off Your Faith’ and ‘The Gag Reflex’. The live CD is taken from Rob’s farewell show at The Punters Club, November 30th, 1996 and features 7 previously unreleased tracks. All these recordings are no longer available so we decided to do the compilation so these songs have another life. After 71 releases it’s our first retrospective and our first double CD.
Before Ruck Rover, Rob was an amazing solo performer. He sang and wrote songs like no one else. On many occasions we offered to release his CD’s, but he was happy doing it his own way. In a gesture of goodwill Rob produced The Simpletons ‘Matter’ album and sung on a few of their songs. And when Ruck Rover formed he gave us a call.
Anyone that saw Rob solo live would remember how great his shows were. This collection of 28 songs is a good document of Rob’s songs from 1990-1996. And who knows with a bit of encouragement we might be able to get him to play a solo show or two.
Tracklisting
'Shirts' - Disc One
1. The Parties I Used To Avoid 2. Didn’t I See You In…? 3. Whatever You Say 4. Smother Me In Ether 5. The Human Equivalent of Penicillin 6. I’m Not Sleeping (very well at all) 7. A Can of Lemonade and a Pastie 8. Want It…Get It…Know It 9. Season’s Greetings 10. Jimmy Stewart Talks Funny 11. Wish 12. The Sphinx, The Parthenon and Me 13. Great Day Alright 14. Chief Goes Shopping In The Suburbs 15. Subtly Blatant 16. Hobart: City of Love 17. Will You Be In My Posse? 18. Beautiful Girls and Beautiful Boys 19. Everything I Thought Was Funny I Know Now Was Cruel
'Skins' - Disc Two
Live at The Punters Club: November 30th, 1996.
1. With You Not At You 2. Daddy’s A Doctor But I’m Artistic 3. Don’t Sleep With Your Best Friends 4. How’s Your Headache? 5. University Grounds 6. Only With Boys Now 7. Distracted 8. Faraday Street 9. Fiona and Her Yellow Car
Message From Rob
Hi. Thanks for following the link and ending up on this page. It’ll be interesting to see how long you stay here.
My name is Rob. I’m 34 now, but between the ages of 20 and 28 I was a solo “singer-songwriter-performer”. They’re awful words to read in the cold light of day, aren’t they? But strangely enough, it can be a lot of fun to actually be one. I was born and grew up in Tasmania and after finishing up at Uni I really had no idea to do with my life. Dan from Wild Pumpkins at Midnight had a room in his house in Albert Park, Melbourne, and asked me if I wanted to move in. This was a major piece of luck. I said yes. I moved to the Mainland and began playing the songs I’d been screeching at people in Hobart for the previous year. And then “Hellbent In Hobart” was recorded, and I supported the Pumpkins around Australia on a couple of tours. My luck continued as I went out on the road with Weddings Parties Anything on several occasions.
I recorded some CDs. Some of them sold quite well. I was surprised. People everywhere were helping me. For little or no money. I mean, how friggin’ lucky was I? I played gigs. Some of them were terrific and some weren’t. You know, the usual stuff. By the end of 1996, I decided that solo “singer-songwriter-performers” should be able to break up in the same way that bands do, so I drew a line in the metaphorical sand and played a long set at the Punters Club and said “Enough is, in fact, enough”.
And that’s the end of the story, really. Until October last year when Candle’s Chris Crouch gave me a call and said “Hey, how about we put out a compilation of all that old gear?” Gosh, I thought. I went for a metaphorical walk down to the metaphorical beach, found the metaphorical line in the sand and realized that the tide had come in and out enough times to blur the edges. None of those old CDs are available anymore and, realistically, this was the only way to give them some life again. I also realized that Mr Luck was still looking over my shoulder.
So a compilation was - how shall I put this - compiled. I also had a DAT recording of that last Punters Club show which had plenty of songs which were never released. How about a live disc? In for a penny…and all that. So a live disc there is.
So what are these songs like? It’s virtually impossible to assess your own stuff but I will say this: I try to write songs that are “honest” but not “autobiographical”. That can be cake and eat it stuff I know, and it doesn’t always work. Sometimes “honesty” trips up and lets a little “autobiography” in. This isn’t as contradictory as it seems. I try to write songs that reflect life but not lives. That’s a big call, I know, and don’t worry, I’m aware that there are plenty of people who achieve that better than I do, but the way I see it, you may as well aim high.
These days I’m living happily in a band called Ruck Rover. If you like “Shirts and Skins” then I hope you give us a listen, and vice versa. Thanks for staying so long on this page. I guess you’ve got one of those unlimited-online-set-fee plans. They’re good, aren’t they?
'Off Your Faith' Review
By Cameron Adams, Beat Magazine, June 1993
'Forget Rik, Rob Clarkson is the new people’s poet. This man does for words what Sally Jessy Raphael does for people visited by unfriendly ghosts. And he writes good tunes too.
Rob writes about life, love and Uncanny X-Men. He also writes about phlegm, South Yarra, MTV, diaphragms, Lan Choo Tea, Hitler, nightclub bouncers, Telecom, speed, Joe Orton and bursting bladders. He is kind of like a 90’s version of Skyhooks, except not crap.
Rob has a healthy interest in life, and not just his own. He is obviously a square-eyed TV fiend and a practicing lyrical voyeur, soaking up situations for inspiration. When it comes to his own affairs, whether it is his foot or someone elses tongue in his mout, he lets you know without fail. All of which means word of Rob rings true, he is never pretentious or oblique like modern poetry can be.
And he is a comedian in the same way that Henry Rollins in story-telling mode is. Rob weaves jokes into his songs for light relief (Fools Fall Down) or just comic value (Didn’t I See You In…?), roller blading on that line between clever-funny and clever-smart-arse. If you think rap is word-heavy, try Rob on for size. He fills up every space with his urban pearls of wisdom, and you will love him for it. Rob not only prints the lyrics here, but amends them and justifies himself with the benefit of hindsight.
The Billy Bragg connection is obvious, just by virtue of arming himself with little else but a guitar and some words, but for the moment Rob’s politics are of the personal variety. Musically, Off Your Faith takes the simple acoustic splendour of the Beautiful Girls and Beautiful Boys EP and supplements it with some well-placed guest musicians and voices.
Helping out are Mark Wallace (Weddings Parties Anything) with his trademark piano accordion on I’m Not Sleeping(very well at all), making Rob sound like he’s fronting the Weddoes. Whose Son, John gets the full band treatment, and Tlot Tlot provide a Pet Shop Boysation of live favourite and classic-to-be The Sphinx, The Parthenon and Me proving that Rob is no luddite. He even samples the Benny Hill Show theme on the sobering Fools Fall Down.
Yet, as songs like The Human Equivalent of Penicillin resoundingly prove, Rob needs nothing but a few chords and the truth to entertain. Let Off Your Faith be your friend – listen to it, take care of it, take it to parties – and you will find yourself submitting to the powerful force that is Mr Rob Clarkson before too long at all.' (8/10)
Live Review By Geoffrey Forrester, Drum Media
Harold Park Hotel, Friday July 12, 1991
'It looked at first like we’d stumbled in on Rob Clarkson’s soundcheck. There he was gallantly bashing out tunes on an acoustic guitar for the benefit of a gathering the size of an unpopular brat’s birthday.
But do you think this cocky, crewcut young Tasmanian was perturbed? Gob aflash with pearly whites, wide eyes ceaselessly roaming, Clarkson laid on the good oil for the few in the know, who loudly lapped it up, dining on lyrics rich with warmth, charm, sarcasm, cynicism, wry humour, understatement (“’e knew ‘em all”), in a word, verve.
Clarkson lampoons the pompous and lances the vacuous while his whole attitude champions the individual. Tonight, aside from the odd furtive glance toward the unfrequented entrance, he played like he was fronting to a packed theatre; played with a ravenous passion and gutfire commitment that didn’t once falter or turn despondent.
And he was rewarded. By set’s end, the few had done a loaves and fishes, swelling to a throng that vigorously vented its appreciation at the disarming soul-laid-bareness and winning melodic charm of Clarkson’s style; a style that, while superficially acknowledging The Smiths, Housemartins et al, never stoops to wallow in maudlin self-pity or grate with irksome chirpiness.
Rather, despite a wry lyric about types who look to “…Oz Rock in search of great Australian poetry”, it’s a style with a perceptibly indigenous bent – not ugly and uncouth, but frank, in an endearing way.
But while he can certainly call a spade a spade, Clarkson’s garden shed has many implements: trowels, pruning shears, brushsaws, rakes, pesticides, mowers and hoes; instruments sharp, blunt, bitter and ludicrous – the right tool for every occasion and he’s not afraid to turn them on himself.
Unlike many solo performers, Clarkson had no difficulty sustaining interest. He performed with the easy air of a natural, exuding a vitality and presence that demanded, and repayed, attention.
When the solo player’s nightmare of a broken string occurred, Clarkson routed any awkward silence or momentum sapping delay by delivering an ace acappella reading of a Housemartin’s tune as he nonchalantly restrung his guitar. It was a terribly endearing moment, and served to highlight the voice – a beautifully flexible, subtle and warm instrument, now vulnerable and naïve, now rapaciously world-wise and wicked.
But its perhaps the lyrics that are going to take Clarkson places: “Beautiful boys go out with beautiful girls / And average boys go out with average girls”, takes an unexpected sidestep into: “Beautiful boys go out with beautiful boys” etc.
And then in another: “Don’t cremate me, don’t bury me either / Come on baby, smother me in ether”. Will accolades do, Rob?'
'Shirts & Skins' reviews at the Reviews Section
*'Hamper' Candle Compilation - 2006'Twenty-Five Songs You've Heard Before' & 'The Day I Heard You Were Pregnant'
The Lyric section has all of Rob's lyrics, as they don't appear on 'Zone One' or 'Shirts & Skins'. Rob also plays in Ruck Rover, for more information visit their band page on the Candle homepage.
Rob also has a Myspace page at www.myspace.com/robclarkson
Album Tracks - Real Audio
*Photo And Audio from 'Zone One'
*Will You Be In My Posse? from 'Shirts & Skins'
*Season's Greetings from 'Shirts & Skins'
Rob Clarkson returns after a 10-year absence from his solo career with a brand new album titled ‘Zone One’. An example of his best solo work yet, ‘Zone One’ features 11 new songs full of wit, charm and pathos that highligh! t Rob’s unique perspective on life. In 1996, Rob postponed his solo career and left behind a vast following that had gathered from releases such as the hit song ‘Beautiful Girls and Beautiful Boys’ and a succession of other popular albums. In the intervening years, Rob was the front-man of indie-pop band, Ruck Rover. In 2003, Candle Records had huge success with the release of a retrospective double CD of Rob’s earlier releases titled ‘Shirts and Skins’ and became the pre-cursor for Rob Clarkson to embark on the eagerly-awaited second phase of his solo career.
‘Zone One’ captures all of Rob’s trademarks – his lyrical smarts, great turn of phrase and gentle dig of middle Australia – this time wrapped around interesting arrangements and musical accompaniment. Highlights on the album come in many forms, the infectious ‘Days and Nights’, the vulnerable ‘Bridges and Ties’ and the amazing ‘Photo and Audio.’
Combining biting social commentary with humour, ‘Zone One’ is a great return to the musical landscape for Rob. The album also marks the return of Rob performing solo, which has always been wonderful treat.
A message from Rob on ‘Zone One.'
"Your friend and mine, George Orwell, once wrote that good prose is like a window pane. To a certain extent (and for certain types of songs) I think that good songwriting could claim the same simile. But whether we like it or not (and, God knows, when we don't like it we really don't like it) a fair amount of songwriting involves taking a peep at the mirror too. So writing about your own songs (reflecting on reflection) can either; (a) drive you a little bit mad or (b) throw you into some sort of narcissistic twister from which you may never escape.
Or (c) induce pretty cumbersome opening paragraphs.
The blueprint for the sound and style of "Zone One" came from the recording of two of my songs on Ruck Rover's most recent album "No Hints, No Clues, No Lies". "Please Respect Our Neighbours" and Matinee Saturday" were both fairly sparse recordings driven by acoustic guitars and vocals with bits and pieces of additional instrumentation. I hadn't recorded this way since the "old days" (if you can be bothered, refer to the Candle release "Shirts and Skins") and it didn't hurt half as much as I thought it would.
Three songs that I wrote over a few weeks mid-last-year "The Unfortunate Choice of Words", "Do You Even Believe?" and "Bridges and Ties" seemed suited to this blueprint. And before I knew it, something approaching momentum was developing. It's always kind of enjoyable when a 'bunch-o-songs' starts to become a "project".
So off to Michael Allen's joint; a few blocks past the McDonald's in Balwyn. We began the recording with a view to making an e.p. but things were running smoothly and that momentum-thingy appeared to remain with us enough to contemplate an album. Mikey's contribution to "Zone One" was fabulous. His taste, temperament and talent not only made the album possible but also, I hope, passable.
So, why "Zone One"? This album was written, is set and was recorded there. For those of you outside Melbourne, Zone 1 is the name used by this city's public transport providers to define the CBD and inner-city suburbs. I think every city, country town or community has it's own Zone One. The Zone One of this title is more about a mind-set than a geographical location. It's where you'll find the sub-cultures you left home for. It's also where the irrelevant people live, as Australia's Prime Minister and Treasurer gloated after the last federal election. The black-armband-wearers, the work-shy lefties and greenies and - get this - the "elites". Yeah, right.
I figure that even irrelevant people need to listen to songs once in a while and I hope at least a few of these ones work well in your Zone 1, wherever that may be."
‘Shirts & Skins’ Double Collection CD
In 2003 we released Rob Clarkson’s double retrospective CD ‘Shirts & Skins’. The collection features 19 studio tracks ‘Shirts’ and 9 live tracks ‘Skins.’ The first CD compiles the four wonderful solo releases ‘Hellbent In Hobart’, ‘Beautiful Girls & Beautiful Boys’, ‘Off Your Faith’ and ‘The Gag Reflex’. The live CD is taken from Rob’s farewell show at The Punters Club, November 30th, 1996 and features 7 previously unreleased tracks. All these recordings are no longer available so we decided to do the compilation so these songs have another life. After 71 releases it’s our first retrospective and our first double CD.
Before Ruck Rover, Rob was an amazing solo performer. He sang and wrote songs like no one else. On many occasions we offered to release his CD’s, but he was happy doing it his own way. In a gesture of goodwill Rob produced The Simpletons ‘Matter’ album and sung on a few of their songs. And when Ruck Rover formed he gave us a call.
Anyone that saw Rob solo live would remember how great his shows were. This collection of 28 songs is a good document of Rob’s songs from 1990-1996. And who knows with a bit of encouragement we might be able to get him to play a solo show or two.
Tracklisting
'Shirts' - Disc One
1. The Parties I Used To Avoid 2. Didn’t I See You In…? 3. Whatever You Say 4. Smother Me In Ether 5. The Human Equivalent of Penicillin 6. I’m Not Sleeping (very well at all) 7. A Can of Lemonade and a Pastie 8. Want It…Get It…Know It 9. Season’s Greetings 10. Jimmy Stewart Talks Funny 11. Wish 12. The Sphinx, The Parthenon and Me 13. Great Day Alright 14. Chief Goes Shopping In The Suburbs 15. Subtly Blatant 16. Hobart: City of Love 17. Will You Be In My Posse? 18. Beautiful Girls and Beautiful Boys 19. Everything I Thought Was Funny I Know Now Was Cruel
'Skins' - Disc Two
Live at The Punters Club: November 30th, 1996.
1. With You Not At You 2. Daddy’s A Doctor But I’m Artistic 3. Don’t Sleep With Your Best Friends 4. How’s Your Headache? 5. University Grounds 6. Only With Boys Now 7. Distracted 8. Faraday Street 9. Fiona and Her Yellow Car
Message From Rob
Hi. Thanks for following the link and ending up on this page. It’ll be interesting to see how long you stay here.
My name is Rob. I’m 34 now, but between the ages of 20 and 28 I was a solo “singer-songwriter-performer”. They’re awful words to read in the cold light of day, aren’t they? But strangely enough, it can be a lot of fun to actually be one. I was born and grew up in Tasmania and after finishing up at Uni I really had no idea to do with my life. Dan from Wild Pumpkins at Midnight had a room in his house in Albert Park, Melbourne, and asked me if I wanted to move in. This was a major piece of luck. I said yes. I moved to the Mainland and began playing the songs I’d been screeching at people in Hobart for the previous year. And then “Hellbent In Hobart” was recorded, and I supported the Pumpkins around Australia on a couple of tours. My luck continued as I went out on the road with Weddings Parties Anything on several occasions.
I recorded some CDs. Some of them sold quite well. I was surprised. People everywhere were helping me. For little or no money. I mean, how friggin’ lucky was I? I played gigs. Some of them were terrific and some weren’t. You know, the usual stuff. By the end of 1996, I decided that solo “singer-songwriter-performers” should be able to break up in the same way that bands do, so I drew a line in the metaphorical sand and played a long set at the Punters Club and said “Enough is, in fact, enough”.
And that’s the end of the story, really. Until October last year when Candle’s Chris Crouch gave me a call and said “Hey, how about we put out a compilation of all that old gear?” Gosh, I thought. I went for a metaphorical walk down to the metaphorical beach, found the metaphorical line in the sand and realized that the tide had come in and out enough times to blur the edges. None of those old CDs are available anymore and, realistically, this was the only way to give them some life again. I also realized that Mr Luck was still looking over my shoulder.
So a compilation was - how shall I put this - compiled. I also had a DAT recording of that last Punters Club show which had plenty of songs which were never released. How about a live disc? In for a penny…and all that. So a live disc there is.
So what are these songs like? It’s virtually impossible to assess your own stuff but I will say this: I try to write songs that are “honest” but not “autobiographical”. That can be cake and eat it stuff I know, and it doesn’t always work. Sometimes “honesty” trips up and lets a little “autobiography” in. This isn’t as contradictory as it seems. I try to write songs that reflect life but not lives. That’s a big call, I know, and don’t worry, I’m aware that there are plenty of people who achieve that better than I do, but the way I see it, you may as well aim high.
These days I’m living happily in a band called Ruck Rover. If you like “Shirts and Skins” then I hope you give us a listen, and vice versa. Thanks for staying so long on this page. I guess you’ve got one of those unlimited-online-set-fee plans. They’re good, aren’t they?
'Off Your Faith' Review
By Cameron Adams, Beat Magazine, June 1993
'Forget Rik, Rob Clarkson is the new people’s poet. This man does for words what Sally Jessy Raphael does for people visited by unfriendly ghosts. And he writes good tunes too.
Rob writes about life, love and Uncanny X-Men. He also writes about phlegm, South Yarra, MTV, diaphragms, Lan Choo Tea, Hitler, nightclub bouncers, Telecom, speed, Joe Orton and bursting bladders. He is kind of like a 90’s version of Skyhooks, except not crap.
Rob has a healthy interest in life, and not just his own. He is obviously a square-eyed TV fiend and a practicing lyrical voyeur, soaking up situations for inspiration. When it comes to his own affairs, whether it is his foot or someone elses tongue in his mout, he lets you know without fail. All of which means word of Rob rings true, he is never pretentious or oblique like modern poetry can be.
And he is a comedian in the same way that Henry Rollins in story-telling mode is. Rob weaves jokes into his songs for light relief (Fools Fall Down) or just comic value (Didn’t I See You In…?), roller blading on that line between clever-funny and clever-smart-arse. If you think rap is word-heavy, try Rob on for size. He fills up every space with his urban pearls of wisdom, and you will love him for it. Rob not only prints the lyrics here, but amends them and justifies himself with the benefit of hindsight.
The Billy Bragg connection is obvious, just by virtue of arming himself with little else but a guitar and some words, but for the moment Rob’s politics are of the personal variety. Musically, Off Your Faith takes the simple acoustic splendour of the Beautiful Girls and Beautiful Boys EP and supplements it with some well-placed guest musicians and voices.
Helping out are Mark Wallace (Weddings Parties Anything) with his trademark piano accordion on I’m Not Sleeping(very well at all), making Rob sound like he’s fronting the Weddoes. Whose Son, John gets the full band treatment, and Tlot Tlot provide a Pet Shop Boysation of live favourite and classic-to-be The Sphinx, The Parthenon and Me proving that Rob is no luddite. He even samples the Benny Hill Show theme on the sobering Fools Fall Down.
Yet, as songs like The Human Equivalent of Penicillin resoundingly prove, Rob needs nothing but a few chords and the truth to entertain. Let Off Your Faith be your friend – listen to it, take care of it, take it to parties – and you will find yourself submitting to the powerful force that is Mr Rob Clarkson before too long at all.' (8/10)
Live Review By Geoffrey Forrester, Drum Media
Harold Park Hotel, Friday July 12, 1991
'It looked at first like we’d stumbled in on Rob Clarkson’s soundcheck. There he was gallantly bashing out tunes on an acoustic guitar for the benefit of a gathering the size of an unpopular brat’s birthday.
But do you think this cocky, crewcut young Tasmanian was perturbed? Gob aflash with pearly whites, wide eyes ceaselessly roaming, Clarkson laid on the good oil for the few in the know, who loudly lapped it up, dining on lyrics rich with warmth, charm, sarcasm, cynicism, wry humour, understatement (“’e knew ‘em all”), in a word, verve.
Clarkson lampoons the pompous and lances the vacuous while his whole attitude champions the individual. Tonight, aside from the odd furtive glance toward the unfrequented entrance, he played like he was fronting to a packed theatre; played with a ravenous passion and gutfire commitment that didn’t once falter or turn despondent.
And he was rewarded. By set’s end, the few had done a loaves and fishes, swelling to a throng that vigorously vented its appreciation at the disarming soul-laid-bareness and winning melodic charm of Clarkson’s style; a style that, while superficially acknowledging The Smiths, Housemartins et al, never stoops to wallow in maudlin self-pity or grate with irksome chirpiness.
Rather, despite a wry lyric about types who look to “…Oz Rock in search of great Australian poetry”, it’s a style with a perceptibly indigenous bent – not ugly and uncouth, but frank, in an endearing way.
But while he can certainly call a spade a spade, Clarkson’s garden shed has many implements: trowels, pruning shears, brushsaws, rakes, pesticides, mowers and hoes; instruments sharp, blunt, bitter and ludicrous – the right tool for every occasion and he’s not afraid to turn them on himself.
Unlike many solo performers, Clarkson had no difficulty sustaining interest. He performed with the easy air of a natural, exuding a vitality and presence that demanded, and repayed, attention.
When the solo player’s nightmare of a broken string occurred, Clarkson routed any awkward silence or momentum sapping delay by delivering an ace acappella reading of a Housemartin’s tune as he nonchalantly restrung his guitar. It was a terribly endearing moment, and served to highlight the voice – a beautifully flexible, subtle and warm instrument, now vulnerable and naïve, now rapaciously world-wise and wicked.
But its perhaps the lyrics that are going to take Clarkson places: “Beautiful boys go out with beautiful girls / And average boys go out with average girls”, takes an unexpected sidestep into: “Beautiful boys go out with beautiful boys” etc.
And then in another: “Don’t cremate me, don’t bury me either / Come on baby, smother me in ether”. Will accolades do, Rob?'
'Shirts & Skins' reviews at the Reviews Section