Trevor Charles Rabin ( ; born ) is a South African musician, songwriter and composer, known as a guitarist and singer in the pop rock band Rabbitt from 1972 to 1978, and the English progressive rock band Yes from 1983 to 1995, as well as for releasing solo albums and composing numerous film scores including Con Air, Armageddon, Remember the Titans and National Treasure. Rabin is also a multi-instrumentalist who plays piano, assorted keyboards, bass guitar, banjo and other instruments as well as being a seasoned producer, programmer and orchestral arranger, performing most of the instrumental parts on his own releases and recordings.
Born into a musical family and raised in Johannesburg, Rabin took up the piano and guitar at an early age and became a session musician, playing and producing with a variety of artists. In 1972, he formed and fronted Rabbitt, which became one of the most popular and influential bands in South Africa. In 1978, Rabin left Rabbitt and moved to London to further his career, working both as a solo artist and as a producer for various other artists including Manfred Mann's Earth Band. From 1977 to 1981, he released the solo albums Beginnings (1977), Face to Face (1979) and Wolf (1981).
After moving to Los Angeles in 1981, Rabin gained prominence as the guitarist in the reunited and relaunched Yes with the album 90125 (1983). Developed mostly from his own demos, it remains their best-selling album, helped by the US number one single "Owner of a Lonely Heart"; it was followed by 1987's Big Generator. In 1989, during a lull in Yes activity, Rabin released his fourth solo album Can't Look Away. He was part of the expanded Yes band for its multi-line-up Union album of 1991 and played on the accompanying eight-man tour, until the band reverted to the 90125 line-up for 1994's Talk, which Rabin produced and predominantly wrote and performed.
Rabin left Yes in 1995 after the Talk tour and changed career to become a prolific film composer. He has since scored over forty feature films, most notably his frequent collaborations with producer Jerry Bruckheimer. He has won numerous awards, including eleven BMI Awards. Rabin is also behind the theme song for the NBA on TNT and MLB on TBS. He released another solo album, the almost all-instrumental Jacaranda, in 2012, and reunited with a version of Yes to tour as Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman during 2016. In 2017, Rabin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Yes. His sixth and latest solo album Rio was released in 2023.
Early life
Rabin was born on 13 January 1954 in Johannesburg, South Africa, into a family of musicians. His mother, Joy, was a painter, ballet dancer, actress, and classical pianist, and his father, Godfrey, was a lawyer, musician, conductor, and the lead violinist in the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra. The two met during their service in the South African army entertainment division. His uncle Morrie Rabin was a piano teacher. Rabin's brother Derek is three years his elder. Rabin described his family as "extremely anti-apartheid". Rabin's mother converted to Judaism, and the family observed Jewish holidays and celebrations. Lawyer and judge Sydney Kentridge, and journalist and activist Donald Woods are his uncles.
Rabin attended Parktown Boys' High School in Johannesburg and took up the piano at age six. He recalled, "Pushed by my parents, I had two lessons a week and practised an hour a day for twelve years, whether I liked it or not, as did my brother and sister." using piano exercise books and never had a formal lesson in the instrument. For several months Rabin studied arrangement, orchestration, and conducting from Walter Mony, a professor at the University of Johannesburg in preparation to be a conductor, but he decided to pursue a career in rock music.
At sixteen, Rabin was discovered by a local record producer and became a session musician, playing a variety of styles including jazz, fusion, country, classical, conga, and kwela. He cites Arnold Schoenberg, Tchaikovsky, Hank Marvin, He said, "I used to go into what was called the garrison. I would just go there, find a little corner and literally sit for hours practising the guitar ... although I would always play the piano."
Career
1972–1978: Rabbitt and solo projects
In 1972, Rabin reunited with his bandmates in Conglomeration to form the rock band Rabbitt with drummer Neil Cloud, bassist Ronnie Robot, and singer, keyboardist, and guitarist Duncan Faure. Their first single, released in 1972, was a cover of "Locomotive Breath" by Jethro Tull. A re-recorded version of the track appeared on their debut album, Boys Will Be Boys, released in 1975 on Jo'Burg Records. Rabin won an award for his orchestral arrangements on the album in 1975. Later that year Rabin received a SARI Award for his production work on the album and Rabbitt received their second award for Best Contemporary Music Artist. Rabin also produced and arranged Margaret Singana's album Where is the Love (1976). His career as a session musician included his two albums released under the pseudonym Trevor Terblanche, organised by producer Rob Schroder and released on a budget record label. Rabin also produced various disco-oriented projects including The Tee Cee's, Slang, and Disco Rock Machine.
In 1977, Rabin recorded and released his first solo album, Beginnings, for RPM Records. It was recorded in approximately six and a half weeks in Johannesburg. He recalled: "I don't think I ever left the studio at that time. I virtually lived and worked there around the clock". Rabin played all instruments except the drums, for which he used session player Kevin Kruger. Also in 1977 Rabbitt agreed to a distribution deal with the US label Capricorn Records, but they were unable to tour abroad due to the international disapproval of South Africa's apartheid policies and restrictions on South Africans obtaining visas. The situation became a catalyst for Rabin to leave both the country and the band. He was encouraged to move by music entrepreneur Ivor Schlosberg, who hired Rabin to kick start the English branch of his production company, Blue Chip Music, and become its first producer. The album was remixed at Wessex Sound Studios in London and released with some new tracks and in a different track order. Later in 1978, Rabin produced, performed on, and arranged Noel McCalla's debut album, Night Time Emotion (1979).
In 1979, Rabin released his second solo album, Face to Face. He promoted the album with a UK tour as an opening act for guitarist Steve Hillage. Rolling Stone criticised the record for its hook-ridden ballads but still gave his first two albums good ratings for their technical qualities. In the same year, he co-produced Wild Horses, the debut album by Wild Horses. In 1980, Rabin played the guitar and co-produced Chance by Manfred Mann's Earth Band with Manfred Mann.
Wolf, Rabin's third solo album for Chrysalis, released in 1980, was co-produced with Ray Davies. During this time, David Geffen also put him in contact with musicians that went on to form the supergroup Asia. Rabin attended an early rehearsal, but felt his songs were not suitable for the group which led to the label dropping him. Another proposed rock supergroup with Rabin, singer and bassist John Wetton, drummer Carl Palmer, and keyboardist Rick Wakeman never came to fruition.
Rabin then sent a tape of his new songs to various labels, including Clive Davis at Arista Records who praised his vocals but deemed his songs unsuitable for the Top 40 format.
Released in 1983, 90125 remains the band's highest selling album with three million copies sold in the US alone, helped by its lead single "Owner of a Lonely Heart", one of Rabin's songs, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles and Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks charts. When it reached number one, Rabin sent a letter to Davis and wrote, "I guess you were wrong". Released in July 1989 by Elektra Records, the album peaked at No. 111 on the Billboard 200. Its lead single, "Something to Hold on To", peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Short Form Music Video. In 1989 and 1990, Rabin completed a solo tour of the US with drummer Lou Molino III, bassist Jim Simmons, and keyboardist Mark Mancina. Recordings from the tour were used on the live album Live in LA released in 2003, featuring songs from Wolf, 90125, and Big Generator. In addition to his solo work, Rabin worked on new music with Supertramp singer Roger Hodgson who was asked to replace Anderson as Yes's singer.
From 1990 to 1992, Rabin was a part of an eight-member formation of Yes. Anderson had asked him to submit a song that he would allow ABWH to record on their second album; Rabin said "What I read into that was they needed a single", and sent three demos. Despite requesting only one be used, Anderson wished to use all three which prompted discussions among the two group's management over the idea of Yes and ABWH working on a single album, Union. Rabin thought a merge "was useful and convenient to everyone" as it was a quick way to get the band back on the road touring, and completed "Lift Me Up", "Miracle of Life", and "Saving My Heart". The tour featured the eight members playing on stage; though it did little to improve relations between Howe and himself, Rabin began a good relationship with Rick Wakeman.
Rabin's final album with Yes was Talk, released in 1994. Carson had approached him to make an album with the 90125 line-up for his independent label, Victory Music. Knowing the importance of having a close collaboration with Anderson, the two wrote the album at a motel in San Clemente, California. The group chose Rabin to oversee its production, the recording for which occurred at Rabin's home studio and A&M Recording Studios using digital non-linear recording and editing with Digital Performer over traditional tape. "The Calling" and "Walls" were released as singles that charted at No. 3 and No. 24 on the Hot Mainstream Rock chart, respectively. After touring the US, South America, and Japan through 1995, Rabin left the band in the following year to work in film.
1995–2012: Film composer
In 1995, Rabin scored additional music to the film Fair Game. He then produced a complete score for The Glimmer Man (1996), directed by John Gray for Warner Bros. starring Steven Seagal. Rabin landed the job after Seagal asked him for guitar lessons. Rabin said: "I went to his house and afterwards he said 'Thank you so much, I really appreciate it. If there's anything I can do for you...' and I said to him 'You know, I really want to get into film scoring'." Rabin then accepted Seagal's offer to score the film. Rabin has twice scored for silent films as a way of practising his composition and orchestration skills, first on the piano and transcribing the music for orchestra.
In 1997, Rabin performed "I Can't Look Away" at a Prince's Trust concert for Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg. Rabin called his meeting with Mandela and his family as "an immensely proud moment" of his life. In the early 2000s, Rabin declined an offer to join Foreigner as keyboardist due to contractual obligations with film scoring. In 2003, Rabin released several of his demo tracks, of which some were recorded by Yes on 90125, as 90124. Later that year, he released Live in LA, a live album recorded in 1989 on his Can't Look Away tour. In 2004, Rabin joined former and current members of Yes to perform "Cinema" and "Owner of a Lonely Heart" at a tribute concert for producer Trevor Horn at Wembley Arena in London, in aid of the Prince's Trust. On 9 July 2010, Rabin performed with Yes at their show in Los Angeles for "Owner of a Lonely Heart", the show's encore.
Rabin's score for Glory Road features vocals from Alicia Keys. The album came about in 2007 when Rabin began, without any direction from a record company, write "music that I enjoy ... that will be challenging for me to play".
In 2016, Rabin took a break from film scoring to co-form a self-described new version of Yes with Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman. He had toured worldwide with the group from October 2016 to 2018. A studio album was in development, but it was scrapped partly due to the inconvenience of the three having to share ideas online as Wakeman lived in England and Anderson and Rabin in different parts of California.
In 2020, a 10-CD career-spanning box set of Rabin's solo material, Yes outtakes, and soundtracks was released entitled Changes. Rabin performed at the Alan White tribute concert on 2 October 2022.
In December 2022, Rabin announced that his sixth studio album Rio was complete. The album took several years to make; in 2017 Rabin said he was roughly halfway through recording and in 2020, said he was working hard on the album. The album is Rabin's first album featuring lead vocals since Can't Look Away. "Big Mistakes" was released as a digital single on 4 August, followed by "Push" on 5 September, and "Oklahoma" on 29 September. The album was released on 6 October 2023 by Inside Out Music and Sony.
Personal life
Rabin has been married to his wife Shelley May since 1978. The pair first met when they were at school. They have resided in Hollywood, Los Angeles since 1984 and have one son, Ryan. Ryan is a drummer and record producer, and a former member of The Anthem, The Outline, and from 2009 to 2017, the alternative rock band Grouplove. He said that Yes were offered to perform in Sun City, but Rabin refused as it was indirectly sanctioning the country's apartheid system.
Awards
Rabin has received eleven Broadcast Music Incorporated film score awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Temecula Valley International Film Festival.
In June 2011, Rabin received an award at the 26th ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards in the Top Box Office Films category for The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010). On 28 June 2012, Rabin received a Henry Mancini Award at the 27th ASCAP Film & Television Music Awards. Rabin also performed "Owner of a Lonely Heart" with his son's band Grouplove.
In 2017, while still a member of ARW, Trevor Rabin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with fellow members of Yes. He performed on "Owner of a Lonely Heart" and 'Roundabout," the latter which featured Geddy Lee of Rush on bass guitar.
Influences
Rabin names Bernard Herrmann as his favourite score composer.