Rabbitt

Rabbitt was a South African rock band formed in 1972, evolving from a band called The Conglomeration. The group's members (Trevor Rabin, Duncan Faure, Ronnie Robot, and Neil Cloud) were arguably the first real pop stars South Africa had ever had, unless one counts ex-pat Manfred Mann. Their successes included making it to the top of the South African charts with the hit "Charlie" in 1976. Rabbitt broke up in 1978. Rabin would later become a member of Yes, and Faure went on to join the Bay City Rollers.

Musicians

Original line-up (recorded 'Locomotive Breath') single

* Trevor Rabin (born 13 January 1954)
* Errol Friedman
* Francois Roos
* Lou Forer
* Cedric Samson

Line-up from 1975

* Trevor Rabin: Vocals, lead guitar, keyboards
* Duncan Faure (born 16 December 1956): Vocals, guitars, keyboards
* Ronnie Robot (Ronald Friedman) (born 5 October 1954): Bass guitar
* Neil Cloud (born 3 September 1955): Drums

History

*1968 The Conglomeration is formed with Trevor on guitar, Allen Rosenberg on guitar, Ronnie on bass, and Neil Cloud on drums
*1971 Despite winning the South Africa Battle Of The Bands, The Conglomeration dissolves
*1972 Rabbitt recorded their first single, a cover of Jethro Tull's "Locomotive Breath". It was an instant hit and stayed on the charts for 14 weeks.
*1973 Rabbitt dissolves when Trevor is conscripted into the South Afican army
*1974 Rabbitt regroups and begins playing various clubs around South Africa
*1975 Rabbitt does a nine-month residency - five nights a week and one matinee - at a run-down club called the "Take It Easy" club
*1976 Rabbitt releases its first album, "Boys Will Be Boys" . Album becomes a gold record faster than any other South African record. Rabbitt wins a Sarie award, the South African equivalent of a Grammy award, for Best Contemporary Pop Music.
*1977 Rabbitt's second album, "A Croak And A Grunt In The Night" is released. It is the first time any South African album has achieved gold status immediately upon its release. Plans are made for a tour of the United States and Great Britain. Plans for the tour fall through, outside pressures take their toll on the band. Trevor leaves Rabbitt and heads for London.
*1978 As a trio, Rabbitt records one more album, "Rock Rabbitt", but disbands shortly after their tour.

Albums

Boys Will Be Boys

Tracks:

1. "Something's Going Wrong With My Baby" (Rabin) [4.45]
2. "Savage" (Rabin) [4.43]
3. "Lifeline" (Rabin/Van Blerk) [6.00]
4. "Locomotive Breath" (Ian Anderson) [3.35]
5. "Hard Ride" (Rabin) [4.05]
6. "Baby's Leaving" (Rabin) [2.20]
7. "Eventides" (Rabin) [2.34]
8. "Looking For The Man" (Rabin/Van Blerk) [4.00]
9. "Death Of Tulio" (Rabin) [0.22]
10. "Charlie" (Rabin/Van Blerk) [2.35]

Musicians:

* Trevor Rabin: Vocals, guitars, keyboards, producer, arranger
* Neil Cloud: Drums, percussion
* Duncan Faure: Keyboards, lead vocals on 'Hard Ride'
* Ronnie Robot: Bass

* Patric van Blerk: Producer
* Julian Laxton: Producer, engineer
* Strings by Pro Arte, led by Bram Verhoef
* Solo violin on 'Hard Ride' by Godfrey Rabin (Trevor's father)

Release information:

South Africa: 1975, Jo'Burg Records, TJL 13008
USA: 1975, Capricorn Records, 2310463
West Germany: 1989, Line Music GmbH. (CD)
USA: 1989, Jet Records, 900859 (CD)

A Croak And A Grunt In The Night

Tracks:

1. "T.C. Rabin In D-Minor" (Rabin) [0.24]
2. "I Sleep Alone" (Rabin) [2.52]
3. "A Croak And A Grunt In The Night" (Rabin/van Blerk) [2.37]
4. "Everybody's Cheating" (Rabin/van Blerk) [4.10]
5. "Sugar Pie" (Rabin) [3.22]
6. "Searching" (Rabin) [4.13]
7. "Working For The People" (Rabin/Robot/Faure/Cloud) [4.21]
8. "Pollyman" (Rabin) [2.23]
9. "Schumann" (Trad. arr. Rabin) [0.21]
10. "Hold On To Love" (Rabin/van Blerk) [4.06]
11. "Dingley's Bookshop" (Faure) [2.10] theme from a TV series
12. "Never Gonna Ruin My Life" (Rabin) [0.56]
13. "Tribal Fence" (MacKay) [3.51] featuring Margaret Singana
14. "Gift Of Love" (Rabin/van Blerk/Robot) [3.44]
15. "Lonely Loner Too" (Faure) [3.35]
16. "Take It Easy" (Rabin) [3.40]
17. "A Love You Song" (Faure) [1.46]

Musicians:

* Trevor Rabin: Vocals, guitars, piano, electric piano, harmonica, tubular bells, string arrangements, producer
* Neil Cloud: Drums, percussion
* Duncan Faure: Vocals, rhythm guitar, organ, piano
* Ronnie Robot: Bass

* Margaret Singana: Guest vocals on 'Tribal Fence'
* Patric van Blerk: Producer
* Julian Laxton: Remix engineer
* Peter Thwaites and Greg Cutler: Engineers

Release information:

1977, Jo'Burg Records, TJL 13014
1977, Capricorn (USA/Canada), CP 0190

Rock Rabbitt

Tracks:

1. "Rush Hour Scores"
2. "Mr. Muso"
3. "Love In My Heart"
4. "Within These Words"
5. "Rock 'N' Roll Part I & II"
6. "Getting Thru To You"
7. "I've Been Aware"
8. "Without Her Love"
9. "Hello And Welcome Home"
10. "Goodbye And So-Long"

Musicians:

* Duncan Faure: Vocals, guitars, keyboards
* Ronnie Robot: Bass
* Neil Cloud: Drums

Release information:

1978, JoBurg Records, TJC(X)13025

Revival

Tracks:

1. "Locomotive Breath" (Ian Anderson) [3:35] - from the album Boys Will Be Boys!
2. "Gift Of Love" (Rabin/van Blerk/Robot) [3.44] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
3. "Getting Through To You" (Faure) [4:07] - from the album Rock Rabbitt
4. "Hard Ride" (Rabin) 4:10 - from the album Boys Will Be Boys!
5. "Lifeline" (Rabin/van Blerk) [5:31] - from the album Boys Will Be Boys!
6. "Searching" (Rabin) [4:09] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
7. "T.C. Rabin in D-minor" (Rabin) [0:24] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
8. "I Sleep Alone" (Rabin) [2:52] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
9. "Charlie" (Rabin/van Blerk) [2:47] - from the album Boys Will Be Boys!
10. "Morning Light" (Faure/Rabin) [3:12] - from the EP single 'Morning Light' (1977)
11. "Brand New Love" (Rabin) [3.30] - from the EP single 'Morning Light' (1977)
12. "A Croak And A Grunt In The Night" (Rabin/van Blerk) [2:37] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
13. "Everybody's Cheating" (Rabin/van Blerk) [4:08] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
14. "Hold On To love" (Rabin/van Blerk) [4:04] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
15. "Tribal Fence" (MacKay) [3.51] featuring Margaret Singana - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night

Release information:

1987, PVB Music, PVBR 1007A

The Collection / The Hits

Tracks:

1. "Hard Ride" (Rabin) [4:10] - from the album Boys Will Be Boys!
2. "Charlie" (Rabin/van Blerk) [2:47] - from the album Boys Will Be Boys!
3. "Lonely Loner Too" (Faure) [3:34] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
4. "Searching" (Rabin) [4:09] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
5. "Dingley's Bookshop" (Faure) [2:11] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
6. "Locomotive Breath" (Ian Anderson) [3:35] - from the album Boys Will Be Boys!
7. "Baby's Leaving" (Rabin) [2:23] - from the album Boys Will Be Boys!
8. "Pollyman" (Rabin) [2:22] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
9. "T.C. Rabin in D-minor" (Rabin) [0:24] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
10. "I Sleep Alone" (Rabin) [2:52] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
11. "A Croak And A Grunt In The Night" (Rabin/van Blerk) [2:37] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
12. "Morning Light" (Faure/Rabin) [3:12] - from the EP single 'Morning Light' (1977)
13. "Schumann" (Trad. arr. Rabin) [0:24] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
14. "Hold On To love" (Rabin/van Blerk) [4:04] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
15. "Take It Easy" (Rabin) [3:40] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
16. "Lifeline" (Rabin/van Blerk) [5:31] - from the album Boys Will Be Boys!
17. "I Was Eleven" (Faure) listed on cover as "When I Was Eleven" [3:10] - from the EP single '1972-1978' (1978)
18. "Everybody's Cheating" (Rabin/van Blerk) [4:08] - from the album A Croak And A Grunt In The Night
19. "Savage" (Rabin) [4:43] - from the album Boys Will Be Boys!
20. "Getting Through To You" (Faure) [4:07] - from the album Rock Rabbitt
21. "Auld Lang Syne Rock" (Trad. arr. Rabin) [1:21] - b-side of 'Morning Light' single (1977)
22. "A Love You Song" (Faure) [1:43] - from the EP single 'Morning Light' (1977)

Release information:

1992, (as The Collection) ON records, RABCD1
1996, ( as The Hits) Gallo, CDRED 602

The Extended Plays (EPs)

*Rock 'n' Roll, Volume 2 (4-track EP, 1977) Capricorn, 2206 201 (Brazil):"Something's Going Wrong With My Baby":"Life Line":"Locomotive Breath":"Eventides"
*Morning Light (4-track EP, 1977) JoBurg Records, TJS57:"Morning Light":"A Love You Song":"Brand New Love":"When You're Without Her"
*1972-1978 Limited Souvenir Edition (4-track EP, 1978) JoBurg Records, TJM73:"Rock 'N Roll Part One & Two":"I Was Eleven":"Locomotive Breath":"Goodbye And So-Long"

The Singles

*"Locomotive Breath" [3.00] (Ian Anderson, prod. Patric van Blerk, arr. Fransua Roos) / "And The Planets Danced" :(1972) MAP, MP.513 Springbok #18 in January 1973
*"Backdoor Of My Heart" / "Share The Loving Things":(1973) JoBurg Records
*"Hallelujah Sunrise" / "Hidden Feelings":(1973) JoBurg Records
*"Yesterday's Papers" / B-side unknown:(1974) JoBurg Records
*"Charlie" / "Looking For The Man":(1976) JoBurg Records, TJS35 Springbok #14 in June 1976
*"Hard Ride" / "Baby's Leaving":(1976) JoBurg Records, TJS46
*"Hold On To Love" / "Working For The People":(1976) JoBurg Records, TJS49
*"Sugar Pie" / "Dingley's Bookshop":(1976) JoBurg Records, TJS51
*"Eventides" / "Charlie":(1977) Victor, VIP-2526 (Japan)
*"Everybody's Cheating" / "Gift Of Love":(1977) Victor, VIP-2561 (Japan)
*"Hold On To Love" / "Working For The People":(1977) Capricorn, CPS 0281 (USA)
*"Morning Light" / "Auld Lang Syne Rock":(1977) JoBurg Records, TJS57 Springbok #15 in September 1977
*"Gettin' Thru To You" (Teenage Love) / "Hello And Welcome Home":(1977) JoBurg Records, TJS64 Springbok #15 in December 1977