Bonnaroo 2009 artist profile: Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3

May 25, 5:40 PMNashville Festivals ExaminerChris Griffy

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Robyn Hitchcock may be rock music’s ultimate unlikely survivor. He burst onto the English rock scene in the late seventies with The Soft Boys, a ground breaking band who were alternative before there was a word for it, post-punk before punk had even taken off. His solo work has been cited as influential by everyone from REM to Gillian Welch. He was and still remains a sought after guest performer on other artists’ albums.

Despite, or perhaps because of, the groundbreaking nature of his work, the one thing Robyn Hitchcock has never been is a hit maker. The often psychedelic nature of his lyrics and his constant refusal to be shoe horned into any genre has, while making him a critic’s darling, also made him very much a cult act, attracting a small but fervent following. But Robyn Hitchcock’s music lends itself well to this moniker and he’s never seemed bothered by it.

Robyn Hitchcock’s current backing band, The Venus 3, is a testament to his far reaching popularity in the musical community. His drummer is Bill Rieflin, founding member of industrial metal band Ministry and current drummer for alternative legends REM. His bassist is Fresh Young Fellows and Minus 5 founding member Scott McCaughey. His guitarist is Peter Buck, the lead guitarist for REM. It’s a pretty impressive backing lineup for an artist who has never scored a hit record in the United States.

If all of these reasons don’t convince you to check out Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3 at Bonnaroo, take a look at his past collaborations. Hitchcock has recorded albums with, among others, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Andy Partridge, and John Paul Jones, making his set a safe pick for the kind of big-name guest appearance that Bonnaroo has become known for.

If you’d like to check out Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3 at Bonnaroo, their performance will be Saturday June 13 from 2:00-3:00 at the This Tent. Hitchcock will be sharing a bill with Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Bon Iver, Of Montreal, The Decemberists, and moe.

www.bonnaroo.com
www.robynhitchcock.com