Stints with some of Hollands top bands such as Line, 1st Avenue and Zinatra helped give Robby Valentine some exposure before branching out on his own in 1992.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Robby Valentine
ALBUM: Robby Valentine
LABEL: Polydor
SERIAL: 847 986-2
YEAR: 1992
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Netherlands
LINEUP: Robby Valentine – vocals, grand piano, synthesizers, guitars, drum and synth programming, synth bass * Arthur Polini – bass, vocals * Lex Bolderdijk, Rob Winter, Michael Landau – guitars * Attie Bauw – fairlight programming * Hans Eijkenaar – drums * Johan Willems – backing vocals
TRACK LISTING: 01 The Magic Breeze * 02 Broken Dreams * 03 Live Your Life * 04 One Day * 05 The Gift Of Life * 06 Over And Over Again * 07 Heaven Is Callin’ * 08 I’m Searchin’ * 09 Here There And Everywhere * 10 Angel * 11 Love Is Alive * 12 I Believe In You * 13 Love Takes Me Higher
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
Robby Valentine: a Dutch keyboardist very much revered here at GDM. For obvious reasons really. The guy has more talent wrapped up in one fingernail than most of us put together. Born in 1968, Robby Valentine (real surname Kempe) has been trained on piano since the age of six. Equally adept on a number of other instruments, it was his role as a synthesizer god that his reputation was forged.
Stints with some of Hollands top bands such as Line, 1st Avenue and Zinatra helped give Robby Valentine some exposure before branching out on his own in 1992. Given a solo recording deal by Polydor, Robby utilised the help of friends Arthur Polini, Rob Winter and Hans Eijkenaar (plus some others) to assist with his debut album.
From here, you can tell how much of an influence Freddie Mercury and Queen were. Transfixed by the song/video ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ when growing up, Robby moved his talents away from classical to rock, or perhaps created a subtle combination of the two.
The Songs
Some great songs all over this 13 track opus (15 if you have the Jap copy). One could say this is an extension of his work with Zinatra (‘The Great Escape’), though perhaps more pomp/AOR than hard rock oriented. For instance, ‘Over And Over Again’ (featuring Mike Landau on lead guitar) went to No. 5 in Holland.
Other supreme moments include the Queen like bombast of ‘The Magic Breeze’, and the AOR delights of ‘Angel’, and ‘I’m Searchin’. Listen too for the uptempo melodic rockers ‘Love Takes Me Higher’ and ‘The Gift Of Life’. But really there a plenty of other moments to get wrapped up in!
In Summary
To top it off, Robby is absolutely huge in Japan. So much so that his albums sell very well, and he is considered to be a near demi-god in the land of the rising sun. Many albums later, and a musical association with fellow dutchman Valensia, has seen Robby Valentine still very much at the forefront of melodic rock, especially in Japan.
Robby Valentine on Video
The Magic Breeze
Click to go to YTM album page.
