ROBIN JACKSON

Robin Jackson was born in Watford on 21 September 1951 and moved to Norwich in circa 1953, although he adds that his family orginated from King's Lynn. He later attended Sprowston Secondary Modern school and in March 1970 emigrated to Australia. In Australia he co-formed Hush with Keith Lamb and the band went on to become one of Australia's most famous bands of the seventies glam era. He currently lives in Sydney, Australia.

Band timeline:

The Kace

Sleepy Talk

Bus Stop

Hush (Australia)

“I was inspired to start playing after seeing a band playing Shadows' music. I do not recall the name of the group but remember going to a fete, and as I walked down the hill towards the attractions, I could hear the drums and bass, and I liked what I was hearing!

I built my own guitar at school and then started having lessons. The lessons were with a blind piano and guitar teacher [Eddie Gates?], who lived near Norwich train station. I would catch the bus to him on Monday nights; I believe he taught me to read music and pick fingerstyle; this was around June 1966.

My first band was a pick-up outfit brought together to play at our annual St John’s Ambulance camp near the grounds of Sandringham. I think we called ourselves Robin & the Rhythm Makers, but I’m not sure of that. I think the band was me, Keith Lamb, who I was at Sprowston Secondary Modern with, Brian Sadler, and Ian Graves, but I can not remember who played bass, if anyone.

The Kace formed after the camping trip. Keith and I were in the same class at school, and I asked him if he wanted to sing as the person we had couldn’t do it. We used to practice at our drummer Brian Sadler's house in Sprowston. Brian Harrison, ex-Warders, then joined on bass. Brian, or Harry as we always called him, did quite a few gigs with us around East Anglia and, looking back, we had a lot of fun and laughs!

The group became Sleepy Talk, but I think I soon left and answered some adverts. I had an audition with The Rubber Band but then joined Bus Stop. Keith went on to join Mister Toad, and when Bus Stop finished, I helped to roadie for them.

We got to know an Australian band playing in Norwich called The Wright Of Way/Black Stump. Keith and I were interested in emigrating, and their guitarist Alan Bottle got his family to sponsor us, so we emigrated in March 1970. The band we put together in Australia was called Hush. We had a couple of chart hits and toured the country; we also played gigs with the likes of AC/DC and Leo Sayer." RJ 30/10/2022