InsideOut Music has announced the signing of Trevor Rabin, the South African guitarist, singer, multi-instrumentalist, writer and producer. The label will release “Rio”, his first solo album of vocal material in 34 years on October 6 worldwide.
Of the signing and the forthcoming album, Trevor comments: “Signing to InsideOut Music was the most natural and happy signing. Thomas [Waber, InsideOut Music label head] and I have been friends for a while, and we’ve wanted to work together for a while. As I got close to completing the project, I called Thomas. It was that simple. I am extremely happy to be working with the InsideOut Music team and being part of the Sony family.”
Waber adds: “Working with Trevor is a big bucket-list moment for me and the label. I became a fan of his signature writing style at the beginning of the ’80s and have been following him ever since. He is one of the true greats in rock music. ‘Rio’ is everything we could have hoped for and more!”
Although he has carved a lengthy and diverse career, Johannesburg-born Rabin is best known for membership of the band YES over a 12-year, four-album spell that began in 1983, his smash hit song “Owner Of A Lonely Heart” of the same year topping America’s Billboard chart and inspiring the iconic prog-rock band to cross over into a far larger audience. Rabin was inducted to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the band in 2017 and more recently teamed up with former YES members Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman in the trio ARW.
Given that his previous vocal-led solo album, “Can’t Look Away”, was released in 1989 (2012’s “Jacaranda” was all instrumental),Rabin has kept us waiting for more than three decades for a follow-up. Trevor admits that there was pressure from all sides, including his own family, to have sped up the process. However, the delay is excusable. Since leaving YES following the “Talk” album in 1994 and largely as a prequel to touring as part of ARW in 2016, the guitarist entered the time-consuming world of movie soundtracks. Trevor‘s name appears as composer for such blockbusters as “Con Air”, “Armageddon”, “Remember The Titans”, “Enemy Of The State”, “Deep Blue Sea”, “Glory Road” and “Gone In 60 Seconds” and both “National Treasure” movies, amongst many others.
“Over the past ten years I was having ideas, concepts that I couldn’t implement due to my busy schedule,” he explains, adding: “To be honest, those years flew by in a flurry. I knew that this was the time, and once I found my momentum, I worked on the album 24/7.”
“Rio”, named after Rabin‘s granddaughter, features a painting by Trevor himself and will be available to pre-order from August 4 on several different formats. More information will be available soon.
Photo courtesy of Chipster PR And Consulting