Trevor Rabin

Trevor Rabin (born Trevor Charles Rabin on January 13, 1954) is a South African guitarist and film composer, best known for being the guitarist and writer for the band Yes from 1983 - 1995, and since then, as a film composer.

Early years

He is from a respected family of classical musicians in Johannesburg, South Africa. Educated at a public school in Johannesburg, Trevor took formal piano training before discovering the guitar at age 12. His parents encouraged his talents toward rock music, although Rabin would continue to demonstrate a certain level of classical virtuosity throughout his career. After briefly taking classical composition at university, Rabin concentrated on his musical career.

Related Topics:
Johannesburg - Piano - Guitar

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Trevor Rabin's early rock influences included Cliff Richard and the Shadows, the Beatles, and Jimi Hendrix. However, he dabbled with progressive and heavy rock, as evidenced by his first bands, The Conglomeration and Freedom's Children. The latter were older musicians whose songs questioned the South African government, especially its racial policy of apartheid.

Related Topics:
Cliff Richard and the Shadows - Beatles - Jimi Hendrix - The Conglomeration - Freedom's Children

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Although it would be an overstatement to portray Trevor Rabin as an activist musician, he seems to have had strong sympathies with civil rights. His cousin, the late Donald Woods, was a newspaper editor and political activist who became close friends with Black Consciousness leader Steve Biko. Some of Rabin's more mature songs have expressed concerns for his home country. However, success in South Africa's music scene meant leaving the political message in the background. And so it was, with Trevor Rabin's first major recording group, Rabbitt (1974-1978).

Related Topics:
Donald Woods - Black Consciousness - Steve Biko - Rabbitt

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Rabbitt began just prior to Rabin's term of military conscription in 1974, but it really took off in 1976. Their first single, a slightly bowdlerised cover of Jethro Tull's "Locomotive Breath," came out in 1975. It became a centerpiece of their hugely successful debut album, Boys Will Be Boys, which featured more original songs penned by Trevor Rabin and Duncan Faure. The band has been characterised as South Africa's answer to the Beatles. The four members of Rabbitt were considered handsome, and were often followed by teenage girls, in a "Rabbitt-mania," of sorts.

Related Topics:
Jethro Tull - Trevor Rabin - Duncan Faure

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A Croak and a Grunt in the Night (1977) revealed slightly more ambitious compositions. Trevor Rabin also co-produced Croak, winning a South African counterpart to the Grammy for his efforts. Momentum gained with a record distribution deal with Capricorn in the United States, but Rabbitt were unable to tour abroad because of continuing international disapproval of South Africa's apartheid policies. As a result, Trevor Rabin decided to leave South Africa. After recording one album without Trevor Rabin, Rabbitt disbanded that same year.

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Moving to London, Trevor Rabin recorded a solo album, Beginnings (1978), released in England as Trevor Rabin.

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