We Will Rock You

In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that I wrote the liner notes to this re-issue  -  Sterling Whitaker, We Will Rock You

Iconoclassic Records announces the reissue of Robin Trower’s seminal debut album TWICE REMOVED FROM YESTERDAY.

Following Robin Trower’s departure from Procol Harum he embarked upon a remarkable solo career with the aid of James Dewar (vocals and bass) and Reg Isidore (drums). The power trio’s debut release TWICE REMOVED FROM YESTERDAY has been remastered by Grammy-winning engineer Vic Anesini and features new liner notes that include a fresh interview with Robin himself.

When Trower left Procol Harum in 1972 and struck out on his own, there was no way of knowing he would become one of the most legendary and celebrated rock guitarists of his generation. There was no guarantee of commercial success or even that he could find a record deal. It was simply a move the guitarist felt he had to make out of creative necessity. “I was starting to write a lot more music for the guitar,” Trower recalls. “Procol Harum were a keyboard band, and musically I was going off in a different direction. I had to find my own way to pursue that, and so I decided to form my own band… I’d already been working with James Dewar in another band. I’d already heard that great voice, so when I decided I was gonna have a three-piece I knew that Jimmy was the one. And then Jimmy found Reg. Reg came and played with us, and we just hit it off.”

Initial offering TWICE REMOVED FROM YESTERDAY was produced by former Procol band mate Matthew Fisher and the album unleashed the full force of Trower’s incredible guitar playing. The Fender Stratocaster was his weapon of choice and the sheer fury with which Robin attacked uptempo rock and blues was astonishing considering that those elements of his playing had only been hinted at in his former band. The contrast of that was the subtlety and pure lyricism that was displayed on less aggressive materiel like “Daydream,” an FM radio staple from back in the day. “I think the material is still potent, a lot of it,” Robin says. “I’ve always felt if anything is my strength, it is my compositional ability. ‘Hannah’ in particular is one of my all-time favorite tracks.”

Released in May 1973, TWICE REMOVED FROM YESTERDAY was a success both critically and commercially. It charted for twenty-four weeks, peaking at #106, and earned a Gold record. This is the album that paved the way to Bridge Of Sighs and superstardom. The Iconoclassic release is augmented by “Take A Fast Train,” the B-side of the album’s single “Man Of The World.”

TWICE REMOVED FROM YESTERDAY by Robin Trower (Iconoclassic ICON 1017, originally issued 1973 as Chrysalis CHR 1039)
Selections: 1. I Can’t Wait Much Longer • 2. Daydream • 3. Hannah • 4. Man Of The World • 5. I Can’t Stand It • 6. Rock Me Baby • 7. Twice Removed From Yesterday •
8. Sinner’s Song • 9. Ballerina BONUS TRACK: 10. Take A Fast Train – from Chrysalis 7” single CHS 2009

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