Rob Burns (born Robert George Henry Burns, 24 February 1953), earlier also known as Robbie Burns, is an English-born New Zealand bass player, author and academic. Burns' career spans five decades, encompassing musical genres such as pop, rock, R&B, soul, jazz, gospel, folk, and country. From the late 1970s until 1999 he toured and worked several sessions a week for artists of international fame, as well as for many major British TV shows, before embarking upon an academic career. Burns earned a PhD in music in 2008 and has published work in several academic publications. He resides in

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

, gaining citizenship of New Zealand on 4 June 2014. Burns is currently Honorary Associate Professor in the Music Programme (School of Performing Arts) at the

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate ...

Early life

The only child of George and Doris Burns, Robert Burns was born in

Willesden Willesden () is an area of northwest London, situated 5 miles (8 km) northwest of Charing Cross. It is historically a parish in the county of Middlesex that was incorporated as the Municipal Borough of Willesden in 1933, and has forme ...

, London. When he was four years old, the family moved to the new town of

Hemel Hempstead Hemel Hempstead () is a town in the Dacorum district in Hertfordshire, England, northwest of London, which is part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2011 census was 97,500. Developed after the Second World War as a new ...

, some 27 miles (43 km) north-west of central London, where he attended Blessed Cuthbert Mayne School, St. Albert the Great and Hemel Hempstead Grammar School (now

Hemel Hempstead School The Hemel Hempstead School is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form located in the town of Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. History Grammar school The school was officially opened on 14 October 1931 as Hemel Hempstead Gramma ...

). In 1969 at age 16, Burns co-founded the band ''Lifeblud'' whose live performances included as support act for

Wizz Jones Raymond Ronald Jones (born 25 April 1939), better-known as Wizz Jones, is an English acoustic guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was born in Thornton Heath, Surrey, England and has been performing since the late 1950s and recording from 19 ...

, Uriah Heep,

Heads Hands & Feet Heads Hands & Feet was a British rock and country rock band. It was formed in 1969 after the breakup of Poet and the One Man Band, which included some of the same members (see ''Members'' below). Music and performances Heads Hands & Feet reco ...

, Caravan (at the

Marquee Club The Marquee Club was a music venue first located at 165 Oxford Street in London, when it opened in 1958 with a range of jazz and skiffle acts. Its most famous period was from 1964 to 1988 at 90 Wardour Street in Soho, and it finally closed wh ...

Egg An egg is an organic vessel grown by an animal to carry a possibly fertilized egg cell (a zygote) and to incubate from it an embryo within the egg until the embryo has become an animal fetus that can survive on its own, at which point the a ...

and Stray. They recorded three albums as acetates.

Career

Touring

Burns began his career as a professional musician in Britain in September 1972, performing as a touring bass guitarist for visiting major American soul artists

Sam and Dave Sam & Dave were an American soul and R&B duo who performed together from 1961 until 1981. The tenor (higher) voice was Sam Moore (born 1935) and the baritone/tenor (lower) voice was Dave Prater (1937–1988). Nicknamed "Double Dynamite", "The S ...

, Isaac Hayes,

The Stylistics The Stylistics are an American, Philadelphia soul group that achieved their greatest chart success in the 1970s. They formed in 1968, with a lineup of singers Russell Thompkins Jr., Herb Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith and James Dunn. All ...

and

Edwin Starr Charles Edwin Hatcher (January 21, 1942 – April 2, 2003), known by his stage name Edwin Starr, was an American singer and songwriter. Starr was famous for his Norman Whitfield-produced Motown singles of the 1970s, most notably the number-one ...

. In 1973, Burns co-founded the band Gateway Driver with guitarist/songwriter Martin Springett and drummer Jim McGillivray (later of German band

Epitaph An epitaph (; ) is a short text honoring a deceased person. Strictly speaking, it refers to text that is inscribed on a tombstone or plaque, but it may also be used in a figurative sense. Some epitaphs are specified by the person themselves be ...

), with whom he toured extensively, notably as support act for Soft Machine. Late in 1979, Burns became the original bassist with Cayenne, a

jazz-rock Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, amplifiers, and keyb ...

and

Afro-Cuban Afro-Cubans or Black Cubans are Cubans of West African ancestry. The term ''Afro-Cuban'' can also refer to historical or cultural elements in Cuba thought to emanate from this community and the combining of native African and other cultural el ...

band formed by guitarist Robert Greenfield with musicians from the R&B and funk band Gonzalez. Live performances and touring continued with jazz trumpeter

Ian Carr Ian Carr (21 April 1933 – 25 February 2009) was a Scottish jazz musician, composer, writer, and educator. Carr performed and recorded with the Rendell-Carr quintet and jazz-fusion band Nucleus, and was an associate professor at the Guildhall ...

(author of biographies of

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of musi ...

and Keith Jarrett) as a member of Carr's band, ''

Nucleus Nucleus ( : nuclei) is a Latin word for the seed inside a fruit. It most often refers to: *Atomic nucleus, the very dense central region of an atom * Cell nucleus, a central organelle of a eukaryotic cell, containing most of the cell's DNA Nucl ...

'', with Burns appearing on seven tracks on their ''Live at the BBC'' CD box-set, and an appearance in 1981 with Morrissey-Mullen. Burns also worked with Christian singer Garth Hewitt and performed on two world tours as musical director for

Eric Burdon Eric Victor Burdon (born 11 May 1941) is an English singer. He was previously the lead vocalist of R&B and rock band the Animals and funk band War. He is regarded as one of the British Invasion's most distinctive singers with his deep, pow ...

The Animals The Animals (also billed as Eric Burdon and the Animals) are an English rock band, formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in the early 1960s. The band moved to London upon finding fame in 1964. The Animals were known for their gritty, bluesy sound and ...

between 1982 and 1987, appearing on his 1985 ''

That's Live ''That’s Live'' is a live album by Eric Burdon and his band, recorded live in Karlsruhe, Germany, on 8 March 1985, during a European tour. It was originally marked ''Limited Compact Disc Reference Edition'' in 1985, and achieved more widespread ...

'' album. Between 1989 and 1996, he played the bass in the Dolphins with

Robin Lumley Robin Lumley is a British jazz fusion musician, keyboardist, record producer, and author who was a member of the band Brand X with drummer Phil Collins, guitarist John Goodsall, and bassist Percy Jones. He is a second cousin of the actress Joan ...

Brand X Brand X were a jazz fusion band formed in London in 1974. They were active until 1980, followed by a reformation between 1992 and 1999, and were active following a 2016 reunion until 2021. Members have included John Goodsall (guitar), Percy ...

, Willie Wilson of Sutherland Brothers and Quiver, and Pink Floyd guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour, within whose ranks

Clem Clempson David "Clem" Clempson (born 5 September 1949) is an English rock guitarist who has played as a member in a number of bands including Colosseum and Humble Pie. Career Clempson began his career in the late 1960s with the power trio, Bakerloo (or ...

and Mick Ralphs would come to jam in the band's fluid line-up. Burns also performed live with

James Burton James Edward Burton (born August 21, 1939, in Dubberly, Louisiana) is an American guitarist. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2001 (his induction speech was given by longtime fan Keith Richards), Burton has also been recognized ...

Frank Gambale Frank Gambale (; born 22 December 1958) is an Australian jazz fusion guitarist. He has released twenty albums over a period of three decades, and is known for his use of the sweep picking and economy picking techniques. Recording career Solo ...

Snowy White Terence Charles "Snowy" White (born 3 March 1948, Barnstaple, Devon) is an English guitarist, known for having played with Thin Lizzy (permanent member from 1980 to 1982) and with Pink Floyd (as a backing guitarist; he was first invited to tour ...

and

Albert Lee Albert William Lee (born 21 December 1943) is an English guitarist known for his fingerstyle and hybrid picking technique. Lee has worked, both in the studio and on tour, with many famous musicians from a wide range of genres. He has also mai ...

during this period.

Recording

Burns became a studio bass guitarist in the 1980s and recorded for

Jon Lord John Douglas Lord (9 June 194116 July 2012) was an English orchestral and rock composer, pianist, and Hammond organ player known for his pioneering work in fusing rock with classical or baroque forms, especially with the British rock band Deep ...

and

Ian Paice Ian Anderson Paice (born 29 June 1948) is an English musician, best known as the drummer and last remaining original member of the rock band Deep Purple. He is often cited as one of the greatest drummers of all-time. He remains the only membe ...

of Deep Purple for their Paice, Ashton and Lord project, Donna Summer, Atomic Rooster,

Zoot Money's Big Roll Band Zoot Money's Big Roll Band is a British rhythm and blues and soul group, also influenced by jazz, formed in England by Zoot Money, in the early autumn of 1961. The band has had a number of personnel changes over the years and was still performing ...

and

Vivian Stanshall Vivian Stanshall (born Victor Anthony Stanshall; 21 March 1943 – 5 March 1995) was an English singer-songwriter, musician, author, poet and wit, best known for his work with the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, for his exploration of the British upper ...

The Bonzo Dog Band The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band (also known as The Bonzo Dog Band or The Bonzos) was created by a group of British Art school, art-school students in the 1960s. Combining elements of music hall, trad jazz and psychedelic music, psychedelia with surre ...

(including the track " (There's) No Room To Rhumba In A Sports' Car" on the

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

1990 compilation album in aid of the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy charity). In 1981, Burns played on two singles on Chrysalis Records, “ Love’s Made A Fool Of You” and “Boys In Love”, as a member of Brian Copsey And The Commotions. He appeared on

Jerry Donahue Jerry Donahue (born September 24, 1946, Manhattan, New York City) is an American guitarist and producer primarily known for his work in the British folk rock scene as a member of Fotheringay and Fairport Convention as well as being a member of t ...

's solo album ''Neck of the Wood'', David Wilcox's '' Bad Reputation'' and

Arthur Louis Arthur Louis (21 June 1945 – 24 December 2014) was a British rock, blues and reggae cross-over musician. His surname is pronounced as ''luːɪs (Lewis)'' and he held British nationality. He released three solo albums and was responsible for ...

' ''Back From Palookaville''. Burns also arranged songs for

Chris Martin Christopher Anthony John Martin (born 2 March 1977) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, pianist, rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay. Born in Exeter, Devon, he went to Uni ...

in his pre-

Coldplay Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University ...

era of the mid-1990s. In 2001, Burns joined ex-

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

musician

in the formation of a band called SETI, including drummer

Graeme Edge Graeme Charles Edge (30 March 1941 – 11 November 2021) was an English musician, songwriter and poet, best known as the co-founder and drummer of the English band the Moody Blues. In addition to his work with the Moody Blues, Edge worked as ...

of the Moody Blues and Rod McGrath (former cellist in the

WASO Waso ( my, ဝါဆို; formerly Nweta () or Myayta (Old Burmese: မ္လယ်တာ (မြေတာ)) is the fourth month of the traditional Burmese calendar. Festivals and observances * Dhammacakka Day () - full moon of Waso *Beginning ...

and LSO), being an attempt to integrate of the styles of Classical cello and a Rock band. Despite a prolonged period of inactivity, due in part to Burns’ move to New Zealand, the SETI project is described as “ongoing”. In 2011, Burns traveled to

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

to play on Canadian artist/musician Martin Springett's album, ''Diving Into Small Pools''. During 2019–20, the tracks ''Waxing of the Moon'', ''Bridge'' and ''So Be It'', recorded during 1970-71 by Lifeblud, for whom Burns played bass, appeared respectively on three CD box set compilations: ''Strangers In The Room: A Journey Through The British Folk Rock Scene 1967-73'', ''New Moon’s In The Sky: The British Progressive Pop Sounds Of 1970'', and ''Peephole In My Brain – The British Progressive Pop Sounds Of 1971'', all on Cherry Red Records' imprint Grapefruit Records. In 2020-21 Seelie Court Records issued the complete Lifeblud 1970 acetate on vinyl and CD as ''Esse Quam Videri'',, from tapes recorded at

Gooseberry Sound Studios Gooseberry Sound Studios, also known as just Gooseberry Studios, were recording studios at 19 Gerrard Street, Chinatown, London, located in a cellar underneath a dental practice. The studio was owned by Peter Houghton and was known in its ear ...

as ''Be Thou My Very Armour'' and, from an archive

cassette Cassette may refer to: Technology * Cassette tape (or ''musicassette'', ''audio cassette'', ''cassette tape'', or ''tape''), a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback ** Cassette single (or "Cassingle"), a music single in th ...

, ''Live At Bowes Lyon House 1971''.

Film and television

Burns has played on several major television and film soundtracks including

Not the Nine O'Clock News ''Not the Nine O'Clock News'' is a British television sketch comedy show which was broadcast on BBC2 from 1979 to 1982. Originally shown as a comedy alternative to the '' Nine O'Clock News'' on BBC1, it features satirical sketches on then-cur ...

, Three of a Kind,

The Lenny Henry Show ''The Lenny Henry Show'' is a comedy sketch show (and in its 1987–1988 incarnation, a sitcom) featuring Lenny Henry. It was originally broadcast between 1984 and 1988, and was later revived twice, in 1995 and 2004–2005. History Original vers ...

Alas Smith and Jones ''Alas Smith and Jones'' is a British comedy sketch television series starring comedy duo and namesake Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones that originally ran for four series and two Christmas specials on BBC2 from 1984 to 1988, and later as ''Smit ...

, Red Dwarf, Blackadder,

Mr. Bean ''Mr. Bean'' is a British sitcom created by Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis, produced by Tiger Aspect and starring Atkinson as the title character. The sitcom consists of 15 episodes that were co-written by Atkinson alongside Curtis and R ...

A Perfect Spy ''A Perfect Spy'' (1986) is a novel by British author John le Carré about the mental and moral dissolution of a high-level intelligence-officer. Major aspects of the novel are lifted from the real life of the author, including the relationsh ...

, 2.4 Children and

French & Saunders ''French and Saunders'' is a British sketch comedy television series written by and starring comedy duo and namesake Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders that originally broadcast on BBC2 from 1987 to 1993, and later on BBC One until 2017. It is a ...

. During this time, Burns became a mainstay of composer Howard Goodall's "TV" Band. In 1987, he formed Robert Burns Music and composed film and advertising music for MTV,

DeBeers De Beers Group is an international corporation that specializes in diamond mining, diamond exploitation, diamond retail, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors. The company is active in open-pit, large-scale alluvial and ...

Diamonds,

The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, w ...

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlant ...

McDonald's McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechristened their business as a hambur ...

, IBM,

P&O Cruises P&O Cruises is a British cruise line based at Carnival House in Southampton, England, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. It was originally a subsidiary of the shipping company P&O and was founded in 1977. Along ...

, and

British Aerospace British Aerospace plc (BAe) was a British aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was at Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire. Formed in 1977, in 1999 it purchased Marcon ...

Theatre

In 1979, Burns was invited to perform in the West End production of the rock opera ''

Tommy Tommy may refer to: People * Tommy (given name) * Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Tommy'' (1931 film), a Soviet drama film * ''Tommy'' (1975 fil ...

'', by its composer

Pete Townshend Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (; born 19 May 1945) is an English musician. He is co-founder, leader, guitarist, second lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. Townsh ...

the Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

, and in 1984 joined the ''

Abbacadabra ''ABBAcadabra'' is a French children's musical based on songs from the pop group ABBA. It was originally produced for French television in 1983 by Alain and Daniel Boublil, but which was later also transferred to an English stage version and tw ...

'' musical, working with

Elaine Paige Elaine Jill Paige (née Bickerstaff; born 5 March 1948) is an English singer and actress, best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige attended the Aida Foster Theatre School, making her first professiona ...

for

Björn Ulvaeus Björn Kristian Ulvaeus (; born 25 April 1945) is a Swedish singer, songwriter, producer, a member of the musical group ABBA, and co-composer of the musicals '' Chess'', '' Kristina från Duvemåla'', and ''Mamma Mia!'' He co-produced the films ...

and

Benny Andersson Göran Bror Benny Andersson (; born 16 December 1946) is a Swedish musician, singer, composer and producer best known as a member of the musical group ABBA and co-composer of the musicals ''Chess'', ''Kristina från Duvemåla'', and '' Mamma M ...

ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group ...

and Sir

Tim Rice Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice (born 10 November 1944) is an English lyricist and author. He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote, among other shows, ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'', ...

. Following on from his work on British TV comedy shows, Burns played bass in subsequent theatre productions, namely the " Rowan Atkinson in Revue" tour (1981), which won an

Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known a ...

, and "Not in Front of the Audience" with the ''Not the Nine O'Clock News'' cast in London (1982). Around this time, Burns played, along with drummer Jeff Allen, in support of comedian

Spike Milligan Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan (16 April 1918 – 27 February 2002) was an Irish actor, comedian, writer, musician, poet, and playwright. The son of an English mother and Irish father, he was born in British Colonial India, where he spent his ...

, Lynsey de Paul, and

Gerard Kenny Gerard W. Kenny (born July 8, 1947, New York City, United States) is an American singer-songwriter, based in London, England. In 1981, he received the Ivor Novello Award for Best Television Theme Music for his song "I Could Be So Good for You", ...

at a charity event at the

Commonwealth Institute The Commonwealth Education Trust is a registered charity established in 2007 as the successor trust to the Commonwealth Institute. The trust focuses on primary and secondary education and the training of teachers and invests on educational pro ...

in London.

Academia

From 1992, Burns was departmental head at the Guitar Institute in Acton (assisted by

Dave Kilminster David Kilminster (born 25 January 1962) is a British guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, producer and music teacher, who has toured as a sideman to several prestigious musicians, including progressive rock artists Steven Wilson and Roger Waters. ...

, Shaun Baxter, Terry Gregory and Iain Scott), BassTech, and

Drumtech The British and Irish Modern Music Institute, now styled as the BIMM Institute, is a group of eight independent colleges which specialise in the provision of creative education in Brighton, Bristol, London, Dublin, Manchester, Berlin, Birmingh ...

, the contemporary music departments of the London College of Music. He led the design team that developed a one-year foundation programme in popular music followed by the first popular music performance degree, validated by Thames Valley University (now

University of West London The University of West London (UWL) is a public research university in the United Kingdom with campuses in Ealing, Brentford, and in Reading, Berkshire. The university has roots in 1860, when the Lady Byron School was founded, later Ealing C ...

) in 1999. Burns taught as a visiting lecturer at

Brunel University Brunel University London is a public research university located in the Uxbridge area of London, England. It was founded in 1966 and named after the Victorian engineer and pioneer of the Industrial Revolution, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. In June ...

, Leeds College of Music,

Guildhall School of Music and Drama The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a conservatoire and drama school located in the City of London, United Kingdom. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz ...

and The Royal Academy of Music. He was principal examiner for grade exams in bass guitar for Rockschool/ Trinity College of Music from 1992 to 1998. He gained a B.A.(Hons) at Brunel (1996) and became a

Fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

of the London College of Music in 1997 and a Fellow of the

Higher Education Academy Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy) is a British charity and professional membership scheme promoting excellence in higher education. It advocates evidence-based teaching methods and awards fellowships as professional recogniti ...

in 2006. He is a member of th
International Association for the Study of Popular Music
From 2001 until 2018, Burns lectured in music at the University of Otago where he earned his PhD and attained the position of associate professor in music, specialising in popular music performance, arranging, composition, music industry studies and cultural studies. His interests included progressive rock music, jazz, research into the globalisation of traditional English folk music, and jazz/fusion bass guitar performance. Burns was nominated for a Teaching Excellence Award in the 2018 OUSA Teaching Awards, via feedback from the students of the University of Otago. In November 2021, Burns was awarded an RSL fellowship (FRSL (Hon)) for demonstrating outstanding achievement in the area of Music and the Contemporary Arts. Burns' authored works include: * "Rama and the Worm: A Performance–Based Approach to Applied Ethnomusicology" in ''Dialogues in Applied Ethnomusicology: Practices, Policies and Challenges,'' Burns, Robert.G.H., Bendrups, D., Johnson, H. (2021, Beijing: Central Conservatory of Music Press) * "Experiencing

Progressive Rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. In ...

– A Listener’s Companion" (June 2018, Rowman & Littlefield), * "Transforming folk: Innovation and tradition in English folk-rock music" (2011, Manchester University Press), * "British Folk Songs of the Great War - Then and Now" in ''

The Journal of Military History ''The Journal of Military History'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal covering the military history of all times and places. It is the official journal of the Society for Military History. The journal was established in 1937 and the ed ...

(Centennial Edition),'' Volume 79, No. 4 - October 2015, pp. 1059-77 (2015,

Society for Military History The Society for Military History is a United States–based international organization of scholars who research, write, and teach military history of all time periods and places. It includes naval history, air power history, and studies of technol ...

), * "Liebe ist für alle da: A Visual Analysis of Rammstein’s 2009 Album Artwork" Chapter in ''

Rammstein Rammstein (, "ramming stone") is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band formed in Berlin in 1994. The band's lineup—consisting of lead vocalist Till Lindemann, lead guitarist Richard Kruspe, rhythm guitarist Paul Landers, bassist Oliver Riedel, ...

on Fire: New Perspectives on the Music and Performances'' edited by John T. Littlejohn and Michael T. Putnam (2013,

McFarland McFarland may refer to: People *McFarland (surname) Places in the United States *McFarland, California, a city *McFarland, Kansas, a city *McFarland, Missouri, a ghost town *McFarland, Wisconsin, a village Other uses * USS ''McFarland'' (DD-237) ...

), * "Depicting The Merrie: Historical Imagery in English Folk–Rock" in ''Music and Art: The International Journal of Music Iconography'', Volume 35, Spring–Fall 2010, * "German symbolism in rock music: national signification in the imagery and songs of Rammstein" (2008, Popular Music,

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press in the world. It is also the King's Printer. Cambridge University Pre ...

), and * "British Folk Songs in Popular Music Settings" in ''Folksong: Tradition, Revival and Re-creation'' ed. Ian Russell and David Atkinson, (2004,

English Folk Dance and Song Society The English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS, or pronounced 'EFF-diss') is an organisation that promotes English folk music and folk dance. EFDSS was formed in 1932 when two organisations merged: the Folk-Song Society and the English Folk Dan ...

and the

University of Aberdeen , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

Influence

Some of Burns' former students play for bands and artists such as Basement Jaxx, K. T. Tunstall, Chaka Khan, Moby and Radiohead.

Other recent activities

Burns has recently performed and recorded with jazz/fusion sextet, Subject2change NZ,

The Verlaines The Verlaines are a New Zealand rock band from Dunedin. Formed in 1981 by Graeme Downes, Craig Easton, Anita Pillai, Phillip Higham and Greg Kerr, the band went through multiple line-ups. History The band was named after French poet Paul Ve ...

, country songwriter John Egenes, and the Oxo Cubans.

Instruments and endorsements

Burns plays 4, 5, and 6-string bass, and has long been a proponent of Wal basses. He first began holding Musicians' Union clinics during his session career (replacing

Colin Hodgkinson Colin Hodgkinson (born 14 October 1945, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England) is a British rock, jazz and blues bassist, who has been active since the 1960s. Career Hodgkinson played in several bands, but was even more prolific as a sessi ...

) to showcase the Wal basses (originated by electronics specialist Ian Waller and luthier Pete Stevens) and

Trace Elliot Trace Elliot is a United Kingdom-based bass amplification manufacturer, and has a sub-brand, Trace Acoustic, for acoustic instruments. History In 1979, a music shop in Romford, Essex, UK, called Soundwave was building and hiring out PA sys ...

amplification, leading to a long-standing relationship with Mark Gooday and Ashdown Amplification. Burns also included

as a featured guitarist in these clinics. Burns has been endorsed by Picato Musicians' Strings, Electric Wood Basses (Wal) and J Retro preamps.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burns, Rob 1953 births Living people English emigrants to New Zealand English bass guitarists Male bass guitarists Nucleus (band) members People from Hemel Hempstead Musicians from Hertfordshire English jazz guitarists English male guitarists English country guitarists British male jazz musicians Morrissey–Mullen members