Robin George: Remembering the 'most overlooked' rock guitar great

BBC News

2 days ago

Once heralded as the next greatest rock guitarist and touted as a member of Duran Duran and Thin Lizzy, but due "cruel twists of fate", fame always eluded Robin George. The artist, who died last year, is remembered by a dedicated group of fans and a new book which charts his career highs, as well as the catalogue of bad breaks that plagued it. Featured on the front cover of Kerrang! magazine, described as "The Axe of Tomorrow" with a lauded debut album and collaborations with Phil Lynott and Robert Plant, George had all the ingredients to be a huge star. But it was never to be. The Wolverhampton-born musician was one of the most "insanely" talented guitarists ever, said author Martin Tracey, "but also one of the most overlooked".
He suffered so many bad breaks, he added, "including studio thefts, industry collapses, the tragic loss of key collaborators"."Which all conspired to keep true global fame agonisingly just out of reach," Mr Tracey said. George's musical career started at the Smithy studios in Worcester, where he worked as a session guitarist as well as producer and engineer. It was there he would meet musicians such as Roy Wood, founder member of The Move and ELO, as well as members of the rock band Magnum. He was the "full package," Mr Tracey added, "including the chiselled good looks"."But there came a point where he wanted to make his own mark."A first album, released in 1985, Dangerous Music, and single Heartline was seemingly well-received.But shortly after its release his record label Bronze Records collapsed, hampering the album's distribution."That was his first bit of bad luck."
George was then courted by Birmingham band Duran Duran as a possible replacement for John Taylor, with headlines in the Sun newspaper to that effect, Mr Tracey said. "There were journalists camping in his garden from the tabloids in his little cottage in Wolverhampton."But I think he was too true to his own sound and his own principles around rock music, so didn't go for it." His next collaboration was with Phil Lynott in 1985.The star was at the time a solo artist but had wanted to reform Thin Lizzy, eyeing a spot for George. The pair performed together on TV in a Razamatazz Christmas Special on 18 December.They also wrote and recorded an album's worth of songs together, the author said."It was coming up to Christmas and Phil said he wanted to take the tape home to make some changes, but then, in January, Robin takes a phone call telling him Phil had sadly passed away, which devastated him." Lynott died in January 1986 from heart failure aged only 36, after years of alcohol and drug addiction."The one and only tape, which was in Phil's possession, went with him," Mr Tracey said.In an interview years later, George claimed he had tracked the tape down, although the owner refused to part with it.
Another collaboration, with Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant, also ended in disaster. "There was a lot of songs written and recorded, but there was a theft in the studio, and the tapes got stolen, along with some instruments," said Mr Tracey."He thinks the tapes were just binned."Both artists were massive in Wolverhampton at the time. One fan recalled seeing them together in a local pub, the author said."He told me he and his mate walked into the Hollybush and they were sitting together, and his mate went, 'there's Robin George, there's Robin George', and they never even thought 'oh, he's sitting next to Robert Plant.'"
His fans "meant the world to him," added the author. One, Richard Jennings, described seeing the George play at Newcastle Polytechnic's students union "We were part of the poly's Rock Soc (society), and someone came up with the idea of asking him to be the club's president," he said.After the gig "we went and knocked on the door of what would be classed as the green room, and he was just such a nice guy, very accommodating, and nothing was too much trouble. "And he accepted, it was a bit of a buzz for us to have such a cool guy rock guitarist as an honorary president."Years later Mr Jennings reconnected with the musician via social media, describing him as a "cracking guy" who was always happy to chat.Rich Earl had also seen a live show in the 1980s, again reconnecting with the artist on Facebook 10 years ago. "It was just a delightful relationship really, you asked him a question and he would get back to you immediately with an honest answer," he said.
George continued making music after moving with his wife Debbie to Spain, where he died in April 2024 aged 68."He faced his illness like he faced the knock backs in his career, where he would just dust himself down, and get back up," added Mr Tracey."He was such a resilient man, I've never known anyone with that sort of drive to just keep going again."Announcing his death, his family said: "He was devastated when he was no longer able to play his beloved guitars but he continued to write songs, do interviews, make videos and tell his story here on Facebook and through his biography."He desperately wanted his music to live on because music was in his heart and soul. Robin leaves behind his adored wife, four beloved children, two beautiful sisters, nine lovely grandchildren, many dear friends and the animal family that he rescued over the years."
Heartline: The Authorised Biography of Robin George is available as a paperback and e book via the author.
Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.