Rabbitt

Rabbitt was a South African rock band that released three albums between 1975 and 1977 on Jo’Burg. Trevor Rabin headed their first two albums, Boys Will Be Boys! and A Croak and a Grunt in the Night, both issued stateside on Capricorn. Duncan Faure led their third album, Rock Rabbitt. Rabin launched a solo career and resurrected Yes for their 1983 comeback album 90125. Faure surfaced in The Rollers.

Members: Trevor Rabin (guitar, vocals, keyboards, 1972-77), Errol Friedman (guitar, 1972), Fransula Roos (keyboards, 1972), Lou Forer (bass, 1972), Cedric Samson (drums, 1972), Ronnie Robot (bass, 1973-78), Neil Cloud (drums, percussion, 1973-78), Selwyn Schneider (guitar, 1973), Duncan Faure (vocals, guitar, keyboards, 1975-78)

Background

Rabbitt formed in 1972 from the ashes of Conglomeration, a teen rock group with bassist Ronald Friedman (aka Ronnie Robot), drummer Neil Cloud, and guitarist–keyboardist Trevor Rabin. They linked with local music mogul Patrick van Blerk and cut their first two singles for the South African label Map.

Early Singles

In late 1972, Rabbitt cut their first single: “Locomotive Breath,” a Jethro Tull cover backed with “And the Planets Danced,” a co-write by producer Patrick Van Blerk and arranger Fransua Roos.

A. “Locomotive Breath”
B. “And the Planets Danced”

In 1973, Rabbitt released “Hallelujah Sunshine,” an early production credit for Robert John Lange. Rabin co-wrote the b-side, “Hidden Feelings,” with producer Patrick Van Blerk.

A. “Hallelujah Sunshine”
B. “Hidden Feelings”

Rabbitt signed to the Jo’Burg label for their second 1973 single: “Backdoor of My Heart” backed with “Share the Loving Things,” both co-written by Van Blerk and Roos.

A. “Backdoor of My Heart”
B. “Share the Loving Things”

Rabbitt paused for a year and reformed as a quartet with keyboardist–guitarist Duncan Faure. They recorded the Rolling Stones cover “Yesterday’s Papers” and commenced work on their first album.

Boys Will Be Boys!

Rabbitt released their debut album, Boys Will Be Boys!, in 1975 on Jo’Burg. It features six originals by mastermind Trevor Rabin, whose songs range from smouldering rock (“Savage”) to velocity metal (“Hard Ride”). He co-wrote three songs with producer Patrick Van Blerk, including the ballads “Lifeline” and “Charlie,” the album’s hit single. Side One closes with their second take of the Jethro Tull cover “Locomotive Breath.”

Rabin plays all guitars (electric and acoustic), plus keyboards and synthesizers. He sings lead on eight songs. Keyboardist Duncan Faure sings lead on “Hard Ride,” which features a violin solo by Trevor’s father Godfrey Rabin.

A1. “Something’s Going Wrong with My Baby” (4:45)
A2. “Savage” (4:43)
A3. “Lifeline” (6:00)
A4. “Locomotive Breath” (3:35)

B1. “Hard Ride” (4:05)
B2. “Baby’s Leaving” (2:20)
B3. “Eventides” (2:34)
B4. “Looking for the Man” (4:00)
B5. “Death of Tulio” (0:22)
B6. “Charlie” (2:35)

Sessions took place in 1974–1975 at RPM Studios in Johannesburg, where Rabin arranged and co-produced the album with Patrick Van Blerk and engineer Julian Laxton, the former guitarist of Freedom’s Children and Hawk.

Boys Will Be Boys! features strings by the Pro Arte ensemble, conducted by Bram Verhoef. 

Pro Arte also played on Nomvula (aka Stand By Your Man), a 1975 soul-funk album by singer Margaret Singana. Van Blerk co-produced Nomvula with Rabin who plays guitar, bass, and keyboards on the album, which also features tenor saxophonist Mike Makhalemele, trumpeter Temba Mehlamakulu, and Dollar Brand alto saxist Kiepei Moeketsi (b. 1925). 

Rabin and the three hornists (with guitarist Malcolm Watson) constituted Soul of the City, an Afro-jazz-funk project that yielded the 1975 Jo’Burg release City Soul and Diagonal Street Blues, a Rabin/Van Blerk co-production comprised of three long tracks, including the two Rabin-composed title tracks. Rabin and Van Blerk also co-produced The Bull and The Lion, a 1976 Jo’Burg Afro-jazz album billed to Makhalemele and fellow saxist Winston Mankunku Ngozi, who both sing with instrumental backup by three-fourths of Rabbitt (Rabin, Robot, Cloud).

Boys Will Be Boys!  and the two subsequent Rabbitt albums feature cover design by Charles Coetzee, who also designed covers to Jo’burg titles by City Soul, Spirits Rejoice, and Makhalemele’s 1976 solo album Peaceful Eyes.

Rabbitt paired “Charlie” and “Looking for the Man” as their fourth single. It reached No. 1 on the South African singles chart.

In 1976, Boys Will Be Boys! appeared in the UK on Electric Light Orchestra‘s Jet Records label. In December of that year, the album appeared in the Germany and North America on the Allman Brothers‘ Capricorn label, which reversed the cover photo and added seventeen airbrushed rabbits to the image. In 1977, Capricorn issued Boys Will Be Boys! in Japan along with a 7″ of “Eventides” (b/w “Charlie”).

A Croak and a Grunt in the Night

Rabbitt released their second album, A Croak and a Grunt in the Night, in early 1977 on Jo’Burg. Each side opens with guitar preludes followed with linked songs; all composed by Trevor Rabin apart from the group-written “Working for the People” and contributions by drummer Neil Cloud (“Dingley’s Bookshop”) and keyboardist–guitarist Duncan Faure (“Lonely Loner Too,” “A Love You Song”).

Producer Patrick Van Blerk co-wrote four songs with Rabin: “Everybody’s Cheating,” “Hold On to Love,” “Gift of Love,” and the title track. Guitarist Rabin doubles on electric piano, harmonica, and tubular bells on Croak, which features Faure on rhythm guitar, organ, and piano.

Margaret Singana harmonizes with Rabin on “Tribal Fence,” which also became the title track on her concurrent album.

A1. “T.C. Rabin in D Minor” (0:24)
A2. “I Sleep Alone” (2:52)
A3. “A Croak and a Grunt in the Night” (2:37)
A4. “Everybody’s Cheating” (4:10)
A5. “Sugar Pie” (3:22)
A6. “Searching” (4:13)
A7. “Working for the People” (4:21)
A8. “Pollyman” (2:23)

B1. “Schumann” (0:27)
B2. “Hold On to Love” (4:06)
B3. “Dingley’s Bookshop” (2:10)
B4. “Never Gonna Ruin My Life” (0:56)
B5. “Tribal Fence” (3:51)
B6. “Gift of Love” (3:44)
B7. “Lonely Loner Too” (3:35)
B8. “Take It Easy” (3:40)
B9. “A Love You Song” (1:46)

Rabin and Van Blerk co-produced Croak in sequence with Singana’s 1977 Jo’Burg release Tribal Fence. Concurrently, Trevor played bass for the Julian Laxton Band on their Van Blerk-produced Jo’Burg release Celebration, which features a Rabin co-written title track.

Croak was co-engineered by Magnet Records’ Greg Cutler (Susan Cadogan, Alvin Stardust) and Peter Thwaites, a soundman on 1976/77 albums by Ballyhoo, Lulu-Wena, Mimi Coertse, Pendulum, and Uxulu. Both worked concurrently on In the Arena, the 1977 Sunshine Records release by Rabbitt’s chief rivals, Circus.

A Croak and a Grunt in the Night appeared in a gatefold with each member disrobed inside a separate red-tinted leaf cone. “Hold On to Love” appeared as an advance single (b/w “Working for the People”) followed by “Sugar Pie” (b/w “Dingley’s Bookshop”).

Morning Light

In mid-1977, Rabbitt released Morning Light, a four-song EP on Jo’Burg. Trevor Rabin wrote one song (“Brand New Love”) and co-wrote the title track with Duncan Faure, who wrote the other two songs. The EP served as a water-test for Faure’s promotion to band leader. The back-sleeve acknowledges Rabin’s pending departure.

A1. “Morning Light” (3:00)
A2. “A Love You Song” (1:00)
B1. “Brand New Love” (3:30)
B2. “When You’re Without Her” (3:25)

Rabin made his subsequent solo debut with “Fantasy,” a late-1977 single on the South African RPM label (b/w “Lovelife”).

Rock Rabbitt

Rabbitt released their third album, Rock Rabbitt, in 1977 on Jo’Burg. 

The album contains ten songs by guitarist–keyboardist and now-lead singer Duncan Faure, including the epic numbers “I’ve Been Aware” and “Hello and Welcome Home.”

Rock Rabbitt is their sole release as a power trio with bassist Ronnie Robot and drummer Neil Cloud.

A1. “Rush Hour Scores”  (5:02)
A2. “Mr. Muso” (5:14)
A3. “Love in my Heart” (3:40)
A4. “Within These Words” (3:12)
A5. “Rock ‘n’ Roll, Part I & II” (3:38)

B1. “Getting Thru to You” (4:08)
B2. “I’ve Been Aware” (6:16)
B3. “Without Her Love” (3:19)
B4. “Hello and Welcome Home” (5:38)
B5. “Goodbye and So-Long” (2:28)

Sessions took place in Johannesburg at Satbel Recording Studios, where Rabbitt co-produced the album with engineer Julian Laxton, who worked concurrently with City Soul on their 1977 Jo-Burg release Dazz, which features Cloud on drums.

Rock Rabbitt appeared in a gatefold sleeve with zoom shots and lyrics. Original copies contained a poster insert sponsored by the Western Flyer bicycle brand. 

Jo’Burg lifted “Hello and Welcome Home” as a single backed with “Getting Thru to You” (titled “Teenage Love (Getting Thru to You)”).

Post-Rabbitt

Trevor Rabin moved to London for his 1978 debut solo album Beginnings, a self-contained effort released eponymously in the Northern Hemisphere on Chrysalis. After his 1979/80 albums Face to Face and Wolf he produced titles by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band and Wild Horses. In 1982, he joined Cinema, a project with Chris Squire and Alan White that morphed into 90125, the Platinum 1983 album by the reconstituted Yes.

Duncan Faure headed a second, more serious iteration of Scottish pop act the Bay City Rollers — billed this time as simply ‘The Rollers’ — on the 1979–81 albums Elevator, Voxx, and Ricochet. Voxx contains a cover of “Working for the People.” In 1983, Faure and Roller Stuart ‘Woody’ Wood formed the New Pop one-off Karu.

Neil Cloud went solo with the 1978 South African Epic release St. Cloux, which contains two originals, a Zombies cover (“Time of the Season”), and a side-long mashup of Marmalade (“Reflections of My Life”), and Ennio Morricone (“The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”).

Discography:

• Boys Will Be Boys! (1975)
  
• Morning Light (EP, 1976)
  
• A Croak and a Grunt in the Night (1977)
  
• Rock Rabbitt (1977)

Sources:

• Discogs: Rabbitt
• 45cat: Rabbitt
• South Africa’s Rock Classics: Rabbitt