Robb Johnson

Robb Johnson is a British acoustic singer-songwriter from London. He works in folk, political song, chanson, blues and English-language songwriting, and is known for combining political satire with wit. He begins his musical career in folk clubs in the 1970s and also runs a folk club at Sussex University.

Career

Johnson forms the band Grubstreet, which splits up in 1983. In 1985 he makes his first solo album and sets up his own label, Irregular Records, to release it. He then forms the agitprop group The Ministry of Humour with Mark Shilcock and Graham Barnes. After that act ends, and after a failed attempt to form a new electric band, he returns to solo performance and also forms a duo with singer Pip Collings. He later works in several collaborations, including Robb Johnson & The Irregulars and Robb Johnson & Pip Collings.

His career continues through performances in pubs, clubs, pavements, pickets, benefits, arts centres, festivals, local radio and broadcasters including BBC Radio 3, Radio 4 and Belgian Radio 1, as well as on Nicaraguan TV and Channel 4. He also performs at the Albert Hole in Bristol as part of Roy Bailey’s 1998 concert and at the Albert Hall in London. He plays extensively in Belgium, Holland and Germany, tours in Britain supporting Chumbawamba, and tours the United States with David Rovics.

Recordings and releases

Johnson releases more than 25 albums, either solo or in collaboration. His 2005 album Metro features piano accompaniment by Russel Churney, who has also worked with Julian Clary, Barb Jungr and Fascinating Aida. The album receives praise in the music press and national press.

In 2016, he and a group billed as Robb Johnson & The Corbynistas release the single "JC 4 PM 4 Me" in support of Jeremy Corbyn, and it is considered a contender for the UK Christmas number one.

Songwriting, translations and other work

In 1997 Johnson composes Gentle Men, a song cycle based on the experiences of his grandfathers in the First World War. He records it with Roy Bailey and performs it at the commemorative Passendale Peace Concert, with a jazz combo led by Belgian jazz musician Koen De Cauter, before touring it in Britain.

Through Irregular Records, he also helps release work by other song-oriented artists, including an album celebrating Jacques Brel. Johnson translates several of Brel’s songs and performs concerts about Brel’s life and work. He also co-writes Woman, a biography of Yoko Ono, published by Chrome Dreams.