Robert Sargeant (20 November 1947 – 13 July 2021) was a British musician and record producer.

Life and career

Born in

North Shields North Shields () is a town in the Borough of North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England. It is north-east of Newcastle upon Tyne and borders nearby Wallsend and Tynemouth. Since 1974, it has been in the North Tyneside borough of Tyne and Wea ...

, Sargeant played keyboards in various local bands before joining regional R&B band the Junco Partners in 1966. He left in 1970 to become a

studio musician Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a ...

in London, and in the early 1970s played live with

Mick Abrahams Michael Timothy Abrahams (born 7 April 1943) is an English guitarist and band leader, best known for being the original guitarist for Jethro Tull from 1967 to 1968 and the frontman for Blodwyn Pig. Jethro Tull Abrahams was born in Luton, B ...

Al Stewart Alastair Ian Stewart (born 5 September 1945) is a Scottish born singer-songwriter and folk-rock musician who rose to prominence as part of the British folk revival in the 1960s and 1970s. He developed a unique style of combining folk-rock so ...

, and the band

Curved Air Curved Air are an English progressive rock group formed in 1970 by musicians from mixed artistic backgrounds, including classical, folk, and electronic sound. The resulting sound of the band is a mixture of progressive rock, folk rock, and fus ...

, appearing on the band's album ''

Airborne Airborne or Airborn may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Airborne'' (1962 film), a 1962 American film directed by James Landis * ''Airborne'' (1993 film), a comedy–drama film * ''Airborne'' (1998 film), an action film sta ...

'' (1976). In the summer of 1974, Seargeant began working on a solo album, ''First Starring Role'', and met

Mick Ronson Michael Ronson (26 May 1946 – 29 April 1993) was an English musician, songwriter, arranger, and producer. He achieved critical and commercial success working with David Bowie as the guitarist of the Spiders from Mars. He was a session music ...

who "was immediately impressed with Bob as both a songwriter and a performer". The

soft rock Soft rock is a form of rock music that originated in the late 1960s in Southern California and the United Kingdom which smoothed over the edges of singer-songwriter and pop rock, relying on simple, melodic songs with big, lush productions. S ...

album was recorded at

Trident Studios Trident Studios was a British recording facility, located at 17 St Anne's Court in London's Soho district between 1968 and 1981. It was constructed in 1967 by Norman Sheffield, drummer of the 1960s group the Hunters, and his brother Barry. ...

, with Ronson co-producing it with Sargeant and Dennis Mackay. It features a number of well-known musicians such as

Herbie Flowers Brian Keith "Herbie" Flowers (born 19 May 1938) is an English musician specialising in electric bass, double bass and tuba. He is noted as a member of Blue Mink, T. Rex and Sky. Flowers has contributed to recordings by Elton John (''Tumblewe ...

, Walt Monaghan,

Mike Garson Michael David Garson (born July 29, 1945) is an American pianist, who has worked with David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, St. Vincent, Duran Duran, Free Flight and The Smashing Pumpkins. Early career Garson went to Lafayette High School in Broo ...

and

Cozy Powell Cozy Powell (born Colin Trevor Flooks; 29 December 1947 – 5 April 1998) was an English rock drummer who made his name with major rock bands and artists such as The Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group, Gary Moore, Robert Plant, ...

. All the songs were written, arranged and sung by Sergeant, who also played electric guitars, keyboards and various percussion. It was released on 16 May 1975 on

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...

and three singles were also released, but it found little success.Biography by Jason Ankeny, ''Allmusic''
Retrieved 9 March 2022 He became a regular producer of sessions on

John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...

's radio shows on

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...

in the late 1970s and 1980s, especially on

post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...

and new wave acts, including

Joy Division Joy Division were an English rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist Ian Curtis, guitarist/keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris. Sumner and Hook formed the band after attend ...

the Cure The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in 1978 in Crawley, Crawley, West Sussex. Throughout numerous lineup changes since the band's formation, guitarist, lead vocalist, and songwriter Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith has re ...

Stiff Little Fingers Stiff Little Fingers are a punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. They formed in 1977 at the height of the Troubles, which informed much of their songwriting. They started out as a schoolboy band called Highway Star (named after the De ...

Gang of Four The Gang of Four () was a Maoist political faction composed of four Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials. They came to prominence during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) and were later charged with a series of treasonous crimes. The gang ...

Wire Overhead power cabling. The conductor consists of seven strands of steel (centre, high tensile strength), surrounded by four outer layers of aluminium (high conductivity). Sample diameter 40 mm A wire is a flexible strand of metal. Wire is c ...

, and

Dexys Midnight Runners Dexys Midnight Runners (currently officially Dexys, their former nickname, styled without an apostrophe) are an English pop rock band from Birmingham, with soul influences, who achieved major commercial success in the early to mid-1980s. They a ...

. He also produced several successful records for bands including the Fall (''

Live at the Witch Trials ''Live at the Witch Trials'' is the debut studio album by the Fall. It was released on 16 March 1979 through record label Step-Forward. It is not, despite its title, a live album and was recorded in a studio in a single day and mixed by produce ...

''),

the Ruts The Ruts (later known as Ruts DC) are an English reggae-influenced punk rock band, notable for the 1979 UK top 10 hit single "Babylon's Burning", and an earlier single "In a Rut", which was not a hit but was highly regarded and regularly pla ...

the Monochrome Set The Monochrome Set are an English post-punk/ new wave band, originally formed in London in January 1978. The most recent line-up consists of Bid, Andy Warren, Athen Ayren and Stephen Gilchrist. History Original band: 1978–1985 The Monoc ...

, and the Beat. For the Beat, he produced three successful albums and several hit singles including " Tears of a Clown", "

Mirror in the Bathroom "Mirror in the Bathroom" is a single by British ska band the Beat released as a single in 1980 from their debut album ''I Just Can't Stop It''. It reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart and consequently was their highest charting release in ...

", and "

Can't Get Used to Losing You "Can't Get Used to Losing You" is a song written by Jerome "Doc" Pomus and Mort Shuman, first made popular by Andy Williams in a 1963 record release, which was a number-two hit in both the US and the UK. Twenty years later, British band the Bea ...

". Later in the 1980s, Sargeant worked successfully as a producer for

Haircut 100 Haircut One Hundred (also Haircut 100) were a British new wave group formed in 1980 in Beckenham, London by Nick Heyward, Les Nemes and Graham Jones. In 1981 and 1982, the band scored four UK top 10 hit singles: " Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets ...

A Flock of Seagulls A Flock of Seagulls are an English new wave band formed in Liverpool in 1979. The group, whose best-known line-up comprised Mike Score, Ali Score, Frank Maudsley and Paul Reynolds, hit the peak of their chart success in the early 1980s. The ...

the Specials The Specials, also known as The Special AKA, are an English Two-tone (music genre), 2 tone and ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry. After some early changes, the first stable lineup of the group consisted of Terry Hall (singer), Terr ...

the Undertones The Undertones are a rock band formed in Derry, Northern Ireland in 1974. From 1975 to 1983, the Undertones consisted of Feargal Sharkey (vocals), John O'Neill (rhythm guitar, vocals), Damian O'Neill (lead guitar, vocals), Michael Bradle ...

, the Damned,

the Woodentops The Woodentops are a British rock band that enjoyed critical acclaim and moderate popularity in the mid-1980s. History The band formed in 1983 in South London with an initial lineup of Rolo McGinty (vocals, guitar, formerly of the Wild Swans an ...

, and many more. His final successes came in the late 1980s with the band Breathe, for whom he produced the hit singles "

Hands to Heaven "Hands to Heaven" is a ballad by English new wave band Breathe, taken from their debut studio album, '' All That Jazz'' (1987). The song released as their fifth UK single on 20 October 1987 by A&M Records and as the band's second single in the US ...

" and " How Can I Fall?".Clive Young, "Bob Sargeant, Top Post-Punk/New Wave Producer, Passes", ''Mix Online'', 14 July 2021
Retrieved 9 March 2022 Sargeant also made a habit of playing on the records he produced, particularly the

marimba The marimba () is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets. Below each bar is a resonator pipe that amplifies particular harmonics of its sound. Compared to the xylophone, the timbre ...

in the 1980s. A notable example of this is on " Love Plus One" by Haircut One Hundred. His activities after the early 1990s were less prominent. He died in

Kilburn, London Kilburn is an area of north west London, England, which spans the boundary of three London Boroughs: London Borough of Camden, Camden to the east, City of Westminster, London Borough of Brent, Brent to the west. There is also an area in the City ...

, in 2021, at the age of 73.Funeral notice: Bob Sargeant, ''Evening Chronicle Newcastle'', 17 July 2021
Retrieved 9 March 2022

Selected production credits

* ''24 Hours'' – The Transmitters (1978) * ''

'' – The Fall (1979) * ''

The Crack ''The Crack'' is the debut album by English punk rock band The Ruts, released in 1979. The album contains the UK hit singles "Babylon's Burning" (number seven on the UK chart in June 1979) and "Something That I Said" (number 29 in September ...

'' –

The Ruts The Ruts (later known as Ruts DC) are an English reggae-influenced punk rock band, notable for the 1979 UK top 10 hit single "Babylon's Burning", and an earlier single "In a Rut", which was not a hit but was highly regarded and regularly pla ...

(1979) * ''Frustration Paradise'' – The Carpettes (1979) * ''Jellied Eels to Record Deals'' – The Buzzards (1979) (only "Baby If You Love Me Say Yes If You Don't Say No") * ''

Strange Boutique Strange Boutique was a band from Washington, D.C. They were active between the years of 1987 and 1994 and released 4 full-length albums and 2 live albums on the Bedazzled Records label. They are also featured on several compilation albums. Mo ...

'' –

The Monochrome Set The Monochrome Set are an English post-punk/ new wave band, originally formed in London in January 1978. The most recent line-up consists of Bid, Andy Warren, Athen Ayren and Stephen Gilchrist. History Original band: 1978–1985 The Monoc ...

(1980) * ''

I Just Can't Stop It ''I Just Can't Stop It'' is the debut studio album by British ska band the Beat, released on 23 May 1980 by Go-Feet Records in the United Kingdom. It was released the same year in the United States on Sire Records under the band name "The Engl ...

'' – The Beat (1980) * ''Q-Tips'' – Q-Tips (1980) * ''

Wha'ppen? ''Wha'ppen?'' is the second studio album by British ska band the Beat (credited on the US release as the English Beat), released in 1981 via Go-Feet Records in the United Kingdom and Sire Records in the United States. After the critical and com ...

'' – The Beat (1981) * '' Pelican West'' –

Haircut One Hundred Haircut One Hundred (also Haircut 100) were a British new wave group formed in 1980 in Beckenham, London by Nick Heyward, Les Nemes and Graham Jones. In 1981 and 1982, the band scored four UK top 10 hit singles: "Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets ...

(1982) * ''

Special Beat Service ''Special Beat Service'' is the third studio album by British ska band the Beat, released on 1 October 1982 by Go-Feet Records. Like the rest of their material, it was released in the US under the name "the English Beat". It peaked at No. 39 on ...

'' – The Beat (1982) * ''

Mummer Mummers' plays are folk plays performed by troupes of amateur actors, traditionally all male, known as mummers or guisers (also by local names such as ''rhymers'', ''pace-eggers'', ''soulers'', ''tipteerers'', ''wrenboys'', and ''galoshins''). ...

'' –

XTC XTC were an English rock band formed in Swindon in 1972. Fronted by songwriters Andy Partridge (guitars, vocals) and Colin Moulding (bass, vocals), the band gained popularity during the rise of punk and new wave in the 1970s, later playing in ...

(1983) (only "Great Fire") * ''

Paint and Paint ''Paint and Paint'' is the second and final studio album by the British new wave band Haircut One Hundred, released in 1984 by Polydor Records. It was their only album released after the early 1983 departure of lead singer Nick Heyward. As a r ...

'' – Haircut One Hundred (1984) * ''

No Sense of Sin ''No Sense of Sin'' is the debut studio album of English band The Lotus Eaters (band), the Lotus Eaters. It was released in 1984 by record label Arista Records, Arista. It contains their popular single, "The First Picture of You", released the pr ...

'' – The Lotus Eaters (1984) * ''Trapped and Unwrapped'' – Friends Again (1984) * ''

Theodore and Friends ''Theodore and Friends'' is the debut album from the Northern Irish rock band the Adventures, released in 1985. The album contained four minor UK chart hits; "Another Silent Day" (UK #71), "Feel the Raindrops" (UK #58), "Two Rivers" (UK #96), a ...

'' –

The Adventures The Adventures were a Northern Irish rock/pop band, formed in Belfast in 1984 who had a number of hits during the 1980s and early 1990s. The band moved to London where they signed to Chrysalis Records and released their first single in 198 ...

(1985) (only "Send My Heart") * ''

Phantasmagoria Phantasmagoria (, also fantasmagorie, fantasmagoria) was a form of horror theatre that (among other techniques) used one or more magic lanterns to project frightening images, such as skeletons, demons, and ghosts, onto walls, smoke, or semi- ...

'' – The Damned (1985) (only " Grimly Fiendish") * ''Face Another Day'' – The Monroes (1985) * ''

Giant In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: '' gigas'', cognate giga-) are beings of human-like appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''giant'' is first attested in 1297 fr ...

'' –

The Woodentops The Woodentops are a British rock band that enjoyed critical acclaim and moderate popularity in the mid-1980s. History The band formed in 1983 in South London with an initial lineup of Rolo McGinty (vocals, guitar, formerly of the Wild Swans an ...

(1986) * '' All That Jazz'' – Breathe (1987) * ''

Ultra Modern Nursery Rhymes ''Ultra Modern Nursery Rhymes'' is the only album released by the short-lived group Terry, Blair & Anouchka. Overview Terry, Blair & Anouchka were formed shortly after the dissolution of Terry's previous musical project the Colourfield. All three ...

'' –

Terry, Blair & Anouchka Terry, Blair & Anouchka were a musical group, active in the early 1990s. They were formed by Coventry-born singer Terry Hall, American musician Blair Booth and jeweller Anouchka Grose. Terry Hall was previously a founding member and lead singe ...

(1990) * ''Witness'' –

Halo James Halo James were a British pop group active from 1988 to 1991. They are best known for their hit single, "Could Have Told You So", which reached number 6 in the UK Singles Chart in 1990. Career Formation Halo James formed in London. Named aft ...

(1990) * '' Peace of Mind'' – Breathe (1990) * ''Your Beauty'' – Grethe Svensen (1995) * ''Here We Go Love!'' – The Beat Starring

Dave Wakeling David Wakeling (born 19 February 1956) is an English singer, songwriter and musician, best known for his work with the band the Beat (known in North America as the English Beat) and General Public. Career Wakeling began his professional career ...

(2018) (executive producer)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sargeant, Bob 1947 births 2021 deaths English record producers English keyboardists English male singer-songwriters People from North Shields Musicians from Tyne and Wear RCA Records artists