Robert Grey (born 21 April 1951) is an English
musician
A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who w ...
best known as the drummer for
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 co ...
. He is sometimes credited as Robert Gotobed.
Career
In 1973, Grey joined his first band, an R&B group called the Snakes, as vocalist. The Snakes released one single, "Teenage Head". After the group folded, Grey began teaching himself to drum.
He has been
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 co ...
's regular drummer since their start in 1976; at first he used the stage name 'Robert Gotobed'.
Grey left the band in 1990, after the release of the album ''
Manscape'', because of Wire's increasing use of sequencers, computers, and drum machines.
He began to feel uncomfortable as the band moved further into a computer-based environment. After his departure, the band dropped one letter from its name, becoming "Wir". Grey started exploring African drumming and devoted his time to organic agriculture, running a small farm in
The Midlands, England
The Midlands (also referred to as Central England) are a part of England that broadly correspond to the Mercia, Kingdom of Mercia of the Early Middle Ages, bordered by Wales, Northern England and Southern England. The Midlands were important in ...
.
He rejoined Wire in 2000, dropping his Robert Gotobed alias and using his birthname Robert Grey. He has recorded and toured with the band since.
References
1951 births
English punk rock drummers
Living people
Wire (band) members
People from Harborough District
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