LAUNCH OF THE ROB STRONG BIOGRAPHY WITH TWO GIGS AT WORKMAN’S CLUB DUBLIN SUNDAY 19th SEPT 2021
The legendary Rob Strong recently celebrated an amazing 55 years on the road and as the title of his biography suggests, is ‘STILL GOING STRONG’! Rob’s biography, written by his manager, Paul Holland, will be launched at the fabulous Workman’s Club, Wellington Quay, in Dublin, with TWO gigs by The Rob Strong Band on Sunday 19th September at 6.30 pm and 9pm. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, only a limited number of tickets at €25, for both gigs, will be on sale on Monday 26th July at 10 am, from the www.theworkmansclub.com website.(please check website spelling carefully)
The Biography comes with a free CD, ‘Soul Affair’, and includes 15 of Rob’s all-time favourite tracks. The book is signed by Rob and Paul and is available now from the band’s website www.robstrong.ie . Skid Row legend, BRUSH SHIELS, describes it as ‘a phenomenal biography, which also includes a fascinating history of the Rock scene and Showband Era in Ireland’. JOHNNY LOGAN is on record as saying that the book is ‘a wonderful tribute to Rob Strong, and a privilege to play with one of the best singers to ever come out of Ireland’. THE SUNDAY WORLD highly recommends the biography as ‘a fantastic read, a fully deserved tribute to a modest genius and the best soul singer Ireland ever had’. On the 30th anniversary of the Commitments movie in 2021, Andrew Strong gives an exclusive interview in a special chapter in the book, on the making of the movie and how his dad, Rob, has always been a huge influence on his career. Many of Ireland’s stars contribute many glowing tributes to Rob Strong in a series of fascinating interviews.
Rob started out with The Polka Dots in 1965 in the Showband era and progressed to front the iconic band, The Plattermen, one of the biggest bands in Ireland in the 60’s and 70’s. Rob spent a year with Johnny Logan in a band called The Giants in 1975 and also fronted The Las Vegas Showband, The Rockets and right up to today, The Rob Strong Band, in a career that has spanned almost six decades. The man known as “The Godfather of Irish Soul”, once turned down the opportunity to become the lead singer of Deep Purple, while his son, Andrew Strong, starred as Deco Cuffe in “The Commitments” the smash-hit movie worldwide in 1991. Rob’s daughter, Niamh Strong, is a fine singer in her own right and guests with The Rob Strong Band, which includes two more fabulous musicians, Sean Behan on lead guitar and Cormac Crowley on drums. Here are just some of the incredible quotes on Rob Strong from the Biography, given by his fellow Irish legends:-
“Rob Strong is unique. He is incredibly talented. In my opinion he is the best Blues or Soul singer to ever come out of Ireland. His innate gift is his voice and his timing is incredible” COLM WILKINSON
“Seeing Rob Strong with the Plattermen in the late ‘60s was big influence on me. To hear a fellow Northerner sing the soul music I loved so well, gave me a lot of confidence that one day I could find my own voice. Rob is one of the true originals!” PAUL BRADY
“When I first heard Rob Strong sing ‘Living Doll’, I felt that Rob sang it better than Cliff Richard himself! BRIAN COLL
“When I think of Rob Strong I think of a big voice doing Bluesy stuff with a raw edge. Rob Strong has a big engine and a great vocal range. PHIL COULTER
“Rob Strong would have been a big hero of mine back in the day. I was starting to be a bass player myself but he was on a different level. The thing about Rob is, he’s a serious package, bass chops, voice and presence BARRY DEVLIN (HORSLIPS).
“For me Rob is world class. I’d say he is one of the best Blues/Soul/Rock singers in the world. Rob is also a great bass player. He has a beautiful tone on the bass. It’s like he’s caressing the bass. I’ve played with lots of bass players- Rob is the best! DON BAKER
“With that mane of hair, the shades, the microphone way up high so he had to lean the head back and sing right up into it… He really did look and sound like he’d just been beamed down from the Whiskey in LA or the Fillmore in San Francisco. Not only would he have fitted right in there, he’d have blown them away. “JIM LOCKHART (HORSLIPS)
“There is no doubt in my mind that Rob Strong is world class. There’s so much passion in his voice, which is really unique. He’s got that big soulful voice which you can see etched all over his face when he’s singing. PAT SHORTT (RTE)
For further information please contact
Paul Holland (Tel 087 9630375, info@robstrong.ie, ROB STRONG BAND LIVE on Facebook
