Connections: R is for ...

Philip Rambow (4+) Connecting in 1979. Guitar, songwriter.

The Canadian co-author of Still Life and There's a guy works down the chip shop swears he's Elvis, he played guitar on Desperate Character and later on the BBC Sessions album (What do pretty girls do?) and in live gigs. According to Smash Hits, Rambow was a man who has been tipped for success more times during the '70s than he'd probably care to remember. He also headed up the Winkies, who toured with Brian Eno at the time of his Seven Deadly Finns single around 1974, and appears to have released some solo albums in the early 80s - Shooting Gallery, Jungle Law and A star in her own right. Jamie West-Oram featured in the Phil Rambow Band for a time. He has worked with Mick Ronson from Bowie's Spiders from Mars lineup. He played in the band at the live tribute concert. He is currently a member of the Justice For Kirsty Campaign team.

The Ramones (1) Connecting in 1994. Songwriters.

Kirsty sang (I wanna be) Sedated on her tours around '94.

Elliott Randall (6) Connecting in 1991. Guitar.

Elliott Recognised by aficionados of such things as one of the world's finest rock musicians, Elliott Randall has played with countless bands and sessions over the years, for example David Sanborn, the Doobie Brothers, Nils Lofgren, Joan Baez, Art Garfunkel and most notably Steely Dan. His guitar solos on the Dan's Reelin' In The Years and Fame (the motion picture) have entered Rock history annals. Check out his excellent website at www.elliott-randall.com.

He played guitar on Walking down Madison, All I ever wanted, Lying down, He never mentioned love, We'll never pass this way again and My way home, and played in Kirsty's 1991 touring band.

Andrew Rankin (1+) Connecting in 1991. Drums.

Drums on The one and only as well as the other Pogues collaborations. "The Clobberer" also appeared alongside Jem Finer and Daryl Hunt on James McNally's 1998 album Everybreath.

Eddi Reader (1) Connecting in 1994. Singer.

Eddi Scottish singer/songwriter who rose to fame with Fairground Attraction, who included Mark Nevin, Simon Edwards and Roy Dodds. In addition to her official site (click on her name above the photo), there is an excellent alternative site - Honeychildren, run by Adrian Dover. Her earliest appearances in the limelight were as backing singer to Gang of Four, Eurythmics and Alison Moyet. However it was her work with Nevin & the boys which led to a number one single (Perfect) and the well received album First of a million kisses.

Like Kirsty though, Eddi was not destined to follow the pop star route for long, and has gone on to become a steadfastly supported solo singer with a fine catalog of work behind her: Mirmama, Eddi Reader, Candyfloss and medicine, Angels and electricity and Simple soul. For Mirmama Eddi worked with Neill and Calum MacColl. She has since formed a long standing professional partnership with Boo Hewerdine. She used to hold an unusual position in these pages, as she alone had recorded Kirsty's farewell to her husband, Dear John, a song never released by Kirsty herself and co-written with Nevin. Kirsty's original demo will soon be now available on the box set From Croydon to Cuba.

Lou Reed (1) Connecting in 1995. Songwriter.

Author of Perfect Day, we could fill a book on Mr. Reed's exploits in rock and roll. But we won't.

Ken Rice (1) Connecting in 1994. Violin.

From Country Kerry, Ken played his part in Irish band Engine Alley in the late 80s. He has also appeared with Phil Coulter (Lake of shadows and Winter's crossing), Idlewild (Hope is important), Roma Downey (Healing Angel), John O'Conor (My Ireland) and Nick Kelly (Between trapezes). He is also a member of the Irish Chamber Orchestra, and was part of the "Music in Education Programme" in Kerry in late 2000 - four primary and two secondary schools on the Dingle Peninsula undertook a series of participative workshops led by a team of professional musicians.

He played violin on Angel.

Paul Riley (1+) Connecting from 1979 to 1986. Bass.

Paul played on Desperate Character and on the BBC sessions album (What do pretty girls do?). In another life he contributed to Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers, Dave Edmunds, the Balham Alligators, Roogalator, Martin Belmont and the Tex Maniacs, who were aound in 1988 and loosely comprised Andy Roberts, Tim Renwick, BJ Cole, Al Stewart and Bob Loveday amongst others. He toured with Nick Lowe in 1995/96. Three years later he resurfaced on Kevin Brown's album Time marches on with Pete Thomas - who started out in hitsville as drummer with the Red Hot Peppers before finding lasting fame with Elvis Costello. Paul Riley now works as an A&R man for Demon Records, which is co-owned and run by 'Jake', who managed Chilli Willi until their demise and not many months later launched Stiff Records.

Rowland Rivron (6) Connecting in 19..

As half of Raw Sex, he was on screen during several of Kirsty's numbers for the French & Saunders show, also appearing in the video for All I ever wanted. He once claimed, "I think I've probably been at my most comfortable during those Raw Sex years as Duane Bishop. It was an opportunity to spend hours dressed in a beer sodden but hard-wearing whitish seventies suite, shirt opened to my then snake hips and trousers so tight we were actually banned for a time from appearing in Islington." Now he is a successful TV presenter.

Marty Robbins (1) Connecting in 1989. Songwriter.

Marty One of country music's legends, he penned El Paso, later to become one of Kirsty's less obvious cover versions. As Kristy's web page asks: The name "Marty Robbins" is generally synonymous with Country and Western music, and many know of his cowboy songs and ballads containing stories of the old west. Who hasn't at one time heard of perhaps his most well known cowboy ballad, El Paso?

Don Robertson & Hal Blair (1) Connecting in 1989. Songwriters.

This pair wrote Please help me I'm falling, originally a huge hit for Hank Locklin in 1960. The song has been recorded by the likes of Gladys Knight, Dolly Parton, John Fogerty, Eddy Arnold, Bobby Darin and Tom Jones. It was named #2 Country Song of All Time by Billboard Magazine. Robertson and Blair allegedly fought over the song because the theme of temptation mirrored their own personal lives a little too closely.

Rico Rodriguez (4) Connecting in 1981. Trombone.

Rico, venerated Jamaican horn player, played a key role in the Specials "new ska" sound and has played on numerous recordings over the years. Now he's with the Jools Holland Rhythm & Blues Orchestra - back in 1981 he played with Jools, Dick Cuthell (another Special), Pino Palladino and Lu Edmonds on four tracks which we assume were destined for the never released Real album.

Rolling Stones (1+) Connecting in 1981

Kirsty sang backing vocals on Lillywhite produced album Dirty Work. It's not a good album, Kirsty's vocals are less than prominent and the Stones need no further comment anyway!

Le Rosbifs (1) Connecting in 2000

Being Spee on vocals, Pete Marett on drums and Lee Groves on "Sonic Terrorism". As they told breakbeats.org.uk, "We got together having come from two very different backgrounds (Pete with bands, Lee with studios / programming) and just thought "bollocks, let's just write a few tunes". So we did and found that we made loads of different styles and thought "OK, this stuff we'll call Terminalhead, kind of nasty crunchy shouty stuff; this funky stuff we'll call Le Rosbifs, silly funky French party music; and this other stuff we'll call Lucid Source, bit more serious but funky too".

Remixers of In these shoes?. Lee also added some fine sonic touches to Tropical Brainstorm. Watch out for the High Fidelity Scream if you wanna go faster Terminalhead remix.

Mick Rossi (1) Connecting in 1981. Singer.

Mick Rossi's career kicked in during the glory days of punk. As the guitarist with Slaughter and the Dogs, Rossi had some notable hit singles in the UK and established cult status stateside. As well as playing on recent releases by both Andi Sexgang and ex-Gene Loves Jezebel crooner Michael Aston, Mick has an ongoing career as a TV and film character actor. Gary Holton and Mick Rossi sang backing vocals on an unreleased demo for the Real album - the track was called A Boy Like That, recorded on 4 track at Regents Park Studios in London.

Dave Ruffy (31+) Connecting from 1994

Dave Co-author of Just woke up, Mambo de la Luna and Alegria, Dave played drums throughout Titanic Days and Tropical Brainstorm, bongos on the BBC sessions album (What do pretty girls do?), programming throughout Tropical Brainstorm and helped to produce the album.

A stalwart of Kirsty touring bands down the years, he was a founder member of the Ruts along with Vince Seggs. He has also played with Sinead O'Connor, Neneh Cherry, Alison Moyet, Adam Ant, Mica Paris, World Party, the Waterboys (including a spell in 1999, and a connection with Anthony Thistlethwaite) and Aztec Camera.

Ruffy has done a lot of work with drum samples. According to reasonrefills.com, he "produced the World's first live drum loop CD". Check out Dave Ruffy's Ruff Cutz . He has done remixes for Brad (Glory bound) and worked closely with Lee Groves.

He played in the band at the live tribute concert, and was joint musical director.

Connections: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W

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