24 Facts About Robyn Hitchcock

Robyn Rowan Hitchcock was born on 3 March 1953 and is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist.

Robyn Hitchcock continues to tour and record prolifically and has earned strong critical reviews over a steady stream of album releases and live performances, and a dedicated "cult following" for his unique body of work.

In 1981, Robyn Hitchcock released his solo debut, Black Snake Diamond Role, which included instrumental backing by several former Soft Boys.

Robyn Hitchcock followed it in 1982 with the generally critically maligned Groovy Decay.

Early in 1994, after disbanding the Egyptians, Robyn Hitchcock embarked on a short reunion tour with the Soft Boys.

Robyn Hitchcock's work received a slight boost in 1995 when his back catalogue were re-packaged and re-issued in the United States by the respected Rhino Records label.

In 2001, Robyn Hitchcock reunited and toured with Kimberley Rew, bassist Matthew Seligman, and Morris Windsor for the Soft Boys' re-release of their best-known album, 1980's Underwater Moonlight.

The 2002 double album Robyn Hitchcock Sings comprised cover versions of Bob Dylan songs, including a live re-creation of Dylan's so-called Live at the Royal Albert Hall 1966 concert.

Robyn Hitchcock celebrated his 50th birthday in 2003 with a concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London at which his then-new solo acoustic album Luxor was given away as a gift to all those attending, and an original poem of his was read by actor Alan Rickman.

Late in 2007, Robyn Hitchcock's music was again re-packaged and re-released in the US; Yep Roc Records began an extensive reissue campaign with three early solo releases and a double-CD compilation of rarities, which would be available separately or as part of a new boxed set release, I Wanna Go Backwards.

In 2009, the electro-pop artist and remixer Pocket released an EP featuring Robyn Hitchcock called "Surround Him With Love", while Robyn Hitchcock released an entirely separate new album, Goodnight Oslo, with the Venus 3.

Concurrent with the redesign of his official website in early 2010, Robyn Hitchcock began to offer a series of "Phantom 45s" as downloads, each "45" being two newly recorded songs that would initially be offered as a free download.

Robyn Hitchcock released the Propellor Time album, containing new material partially based on the "Sex, Food, Death" sessions shown in the 2007 documentary, but mainly featuring the Venus 3.

Robyn Hitchcock was chosen by Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel to perform "I Often Dream of Trains" at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival, to be curated by Mangum in March 2012 in Minehead, England.

Robyn Hitchcock wrote the song "Sunday Never Comes" for the 2018 film Juliet, Naked, which was sung in the movie by Ethan Hawke's character, an aging, reclusive musician.

Robyn Hitchcock later released a companion video of his own version of the song.

In September 2019, Robyn Hitchcock collaborated with XTC frontman Andy Partridge on a four-song EP Planet England, co-writing the songs and both singing.

Robyn Hitchcock appeared on Emma Swift's album of Bob Dylan covers, Blonde on the Tracks, recorded between 2017 and 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee and produced by Wilco's Pat Sansone.

Robyn Hitchcock was born in Paddington in West London, son of novelist Raymond Robyn Hitchcock.

Robyn Hitchcock grew up in the small village of Abbots Worthy, Hampshire, near Winchester.

Robyn Hitchcock was educated at Winchester College, where he was a "groovy and alternative" friend of Julia Darling, daughter of a physics teacher at the college; his song "Underground Sun" is about her.

Robyn Hitchcock collaborated with director Jonathan Demme in 1998 for a live concert and film Storefront Hitchcock, and later appeared in Demme's 2004 remake of The Manchurian Candidate, in which he played double agent Laurent Tokar.

Robyn Hitchcock appeared in Demme's Rachel Getting Married in 2008, singing and playing guitar in the wedding-party band.

Robyn Hitchcock had a daughter, Maisie, from a previous relationship; she died in 2023 of peritoneal cancer.