After Dinner Speakers: Tom Robinson, The Manfreds, Kelsey Grammar

(b 1 July '50, Cambridge) Singer, songwriter, bandleader, gay activist. Studied oboe, clarinet, bass as a teenager; after nervous breakdown he entered a therapeutic community, met guitarist Danny Kustow and formed Cafe Society '73: trio was one of the first signings to the Kinks' label; eponymous LP sold about 600 copies and they left acrimoniously. Formed Tom Robinson Band with Kustow, drummer 'Dolphin' Taylor and keyboardist Mark Ambler; within months they were the talk of London: committed political activist Robinson was older and more articulate than most punks, soon the darling of the critics. Played safe with single 'Motorway' (top ten '77); live Rising Free EP incl. anthemic 'Glad To Be Gay'. Power In The Darkness '78 was an essential punk LP, like debuts of Clash and Sex Pistols, to understanding political/musical mood of UK late '70s, incl. strident 'Up Against The Wall', epic 'Winter Of '79'. TRB live were always good value, but TRB II '79 was TRB by numbers, acute lyrics largely replaced by sloganeering (prod. by Todd Rundgren). They split that year; Robinson collaborated on songs with Elton John (tongue-in-cheek gay single 'Never Gonna Fall In Love'), Peter Gabriel; formed Sector 27 (flaccid eponymous LP '80). He moved to East Germany. Solo North By Northwest '82 made in Hamburg was a return to form, with 'Now Martin's Gone', early version of 'Atmospherics' (co-written with Gabriel). He returned to the UK '82, worked in cabaret and fringe theatre (Cabaret 79 '82). 'War Baby' and 'Atmospherics: Listen To The Radio' were hits '83; Hope And Glory '84 incl. them plus impressive cover of Steely Dan's 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number'. Still Loving You '86 incl. anti-cocaine 'The Real Thing'; Midnight At The Fringe '87 was made at the Edinburgh Festival '83.