WHERE IS ROBBIE McINTOSH?

en.wikipedia.org

The Paul McCartney Years

In 1988, McIntosh resumed doing studio work, doing sessions with Paul McCartney. McCartney was preparing a band for his 1989-90 World Tour, and with Chrissie Hynde's endorsement, McIntosh was chosen as the lead guitarist in the new Paul McCartney Band. He appears on all McCartney's albums from 1989 through 1993, and also can be seen in the concert films Get Back and Paul Is Live.

[edit]Forms The Robbie McIntosh Band

McIntosh went back to doing sessions until about 1998; he started to realise a dream by putting together a band of his own. "I decided to pick some of my favourite players and mates for a band that I thought would give a particular sound and edge to my songs; so I grabbed Paul Beavis, Pino Palladino, Mark Feltham and Melvin Duffy and The Robbie McIntosh Band was born. We did some gigs and recorded Emotional Bends, the debut album."

Prior to this, at his friend Douglas Adams' insistence, McIntosh had recorded all his instrumental tunes. "This was a collection of compositions and arrangements that I just played for fun at home to amuse myself. Douglas insisted that I record them. This collection became the album Unsung, which was to be my second album, even though it was recorded before Emotional Bends."

The Robbie McIntosh Band released their second album, Wide Screen, in June 2001. "We did a bunch of gigs after the release of Wide Screen, but owing to a certain amount of domestic upheaval (a house fire in July 2001, had to move out for 7 months), the band activity kind of fizzled out. Mark still plays with Nine Below Zero who I go and sit in with now and then. Melvin plays with Los Pacaminos as well as working with Robbie Williams, and I still do sessions and gigs with Paul and Pino so I still see a lot of the guys."

McIntosh has done session guitar work for many artists throughout his career including: Aynsley Lister, Kevin Ayers, Boyzone, Cher,Diane Tell, Eric Bibb, George Martin, Gordon Haskell, Heather Small, Chuck Berry, Joe Cocker, John Mayer, Kirsty McColl, Luz Casal,Mike + The Mechanics, Nine Below Zero, Paul Carrack, Paul Young, Mark Knopfler, Roger Daltrey, Russell Watson, Mark Hollis, Talk Talk, Tasmin Archer, Tears for Fears, Eros Ramazzotti, Thea Gilmore, Tina Arena, Tori Amos, Vin Garbutt, and Norah Jones.

McIntosh toured with John Mayer from 2006-2010, providing both rhythm and lead guitar, dobro, and mandolin. He performed all of Mayer's slide guitar work.

[edit]BluesClub

McIntosh is also currently a member of BluesClub, with William Topley, Peter Hope-Evans, Alan Rogan, and long-time Mark Knopflersidemen Guy Fletcher and Danny Cummings. BluesClub's debut album, Rollin' and Tumblin' Vol. 1 was released in September 2011.The album is a collection of blues covers.

bluesclubband.com

BluesClub - the band

Alan Rogan (Fender bass) is the legendary guitar technician for The Rolllng Stones, Joe Walsh and Pete Townshend. Because Alan was working closely with Keith Richards and played guitar on a Stones album as well as playing on 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' on Aretha Franklin's version of the song.

Peter Hope-Evans (mouth organ/Jews harp) who in 1968 together with John Fiddler formed the group Medicine Head. Peter is known for his eccentric and raw style of Blues Harmonica as well as his jew's harp, and mouthbow playing. Peter has also toured with Pete Townshend.
Peter Hope-Evans Website

Guy Fletcher (keyboards) has been Mark Knopfler's right-hand man on all his projects since joining Dire Straits in 1983, for the Brothers in Arms album and before that toured with Cockney Rebel and Roxy Music. Guy has appeared on albums by Mick Jagger, Tina Turner, Difford and Tillbrook, Chet Atkins, Bryan Ferry, Aztec Camera, Willie DeVille and Randy Newman. 
Guy Fletcher Website

Danny Cummings (drums) At age 12, Danny got hooked on percussion with a pair of bongos that his grandparents brought him from Trinidad. Apart from being Mark Knopfler's drummer, Danny has played percussion with Dire Straits, George Michael, the late John Martyn, Simply Red, Daniel Beddingfield, Talk Talk and Bryan Adams.

William Topley (vocals) was born and bred in England and nurtured on a diet of blues and rock and roll. His first album with his band The Blessing was produced by Neil Dorfsman (Sting, Dire Straits) who described him as “the most original songwriter I’ve heard for years.” The influences, still recognisable in his music, were already there - The Stones, Van Morrison, the best of soul and southern rock.
William Topley Website

Robbie McIntosh (guitar) The most recent member of BluesClub started playing guitar at the age of 10 and was influenced by Beatles, Stones, Kinks, Spencer Davis Group, Jimi Hendrix, Lightnin' Hopkins, Fats Waller, Django Rheinhardt, Louis Armstrong. Most well know for his stints with The Pretenders and Paul McCartney's band, Robbie is truly one of the finest guitar players in the land and has often been seen with Guy and Danny on Mark Knopfler's promo tours and more recently with Sinead O'Conner.
Robbie McIntosh Website




Although BluesClub has been in existence for only a few years, the occasions we've played together have been immensely enjoyable experiences. Our combined love for the Blues of America from the 1930's to the 70's is evident whenever we gig and a BluesClub setlist often includes songs from artists as varied as Leadbelly, Son house and Charley Patton to Slim Harpo, Sonny Boy Williamson, John Lee Hooker, Taj Mahal and Canned Heat. The band was conceived in the early nineties, Alan Rogan (legendary guitar technician for the Rolling Stones, Joe Walsh and Pete Townshend) teamed up with harmonica player Peter Hope-Evans (who in 1968 formed the band 'Medicine Head'.) Many musicians have passed through the 'club' since then and as such myself, Danny, Robbie and William are relatively new members.


After a recent get together, it occurred to me that the raw and spontaneous dynamic of our performances might lend themselves to a recording...a live recording! Having spent a lot of time over the years working at Mark Knopfler's amazing British Grove Studios in London with its collection of immaculately maintained vintage equipment, I knew this would be just the place for such a project.


So it was, the studio was booked, the band rehearsed for a day or two and we rolled up bright and early, for one day only on the morning of February 4th, 2011. With in-house engineer, Rich Cooper assisted by Jason Elliott, we discussed the setup and chose from an extensive microphone and compressor collection, with much consideration given to the equipment available at the time these songs were originally recorded. We played a maximum of three takes of each song then moved on to the next one, not dissimilar to the way it would have been done in the 50's and 60's. Our versions were recorded in the digital domain, then the whole thing was passed through a 16-track analog tape machine (Studer A800) and mixed from there, thus putting the finishing gloss (tape compression) on the authentic sound of BluesClub.

Live shots from the Half Moon, Putney. March 7th 2012

Supporting us was Max Fletcher

Pics Martina Weselowski