Trevor Charles Rabin ( ; born ) is a South African musician, songwriter and composer, known as a guitarist and singer in the pop rock band Rabbitt from 1972 to 1978, and the English progressive rock band Yes from 1983 to 1995, as well as for releasing solo albums and composing numerous film scores including Con Air, Armageddon, Remember the Titans and National Treasure. Rabin is also a multi-instrumentalist who plays piano, assorted keyboards, bass guitar, banjo and other instruments as well as being a seasoned producer, programmer and orchestral arranger, performing most of the instrumental parts on his own releases and recordings.
Born into a musical family and raised in Johannesburg, Rabin took up the piano and guitar at an early age and became a session musician, playing and producing with a variety of artists. In 1972, he formed and fronted Rabbitt, which became one of the most popular and influential bands in South Africa. In 1978, Rabin left Rabbitt and moved to London to further his career, working both as a solo artist and as a producer for various other artists including Manfred Mann's Earth Band. From 1977 to 1981, he released the solo albums Beginnings (1977), Face to Face (1979) and Wolf (1981).
After moving to Los Angeles in 1981, Rabin gained prominence in the reformed Yes with the album 90125 (1983). Developed mostly from his own demos, it remains their best-selling album, helped by the US number one single "Owner of a Lonely Heart"; it was followed by 1987's Big Generator. In 1989, during a lull in Yes activity, Rabin released his fourth solo album Can't Look Away. He was part of the expanded Yes band for its multi-line-up Union album of 1991 and played on the accompanying eight-man tour, until the band reverted to the 90125 line-up for 1994's Talk, which Rabin produced and predominantly wrote and performed.
Rabin left Yes in 1995 after the Talk tour and changed career to become a prolific film composer. He has since scored over forty feature films, most notably his frequent collaborations with producer Jerry Bruckheimer. He has won numerous awards, including eleven BMI Awards. Rabin is also behind the theme song for the NBA on TNT and MLB on TBS. He released another solo album, the almost all-instrumental Jacaranda, in 2012, and reunited with a version of Yes to tour as Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman during 2016. In 2017, Rabin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Yes. His sixth and latest solo album Rio was released in 2023.
Early life Rabin was born on 13 January 1954 in Johannesburg, South Africa, into a family of musicians. His mother, Joy, was a painter, ballet dancer, actress, and classical pianist, and his father, Godfrey, was a lawyer, musician, conductor, and the lead violinist in the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra. The two met during their service in the South African army entertainment division. His paternal great-grandfather was a Lithuanian Jew who was a cantor, and his grandfather, Gershon Rabinowitz, was a kosher butcher who arrived in South Africa in the late nineteenth century. His uncle Morrie Rabin was a piano teacher. Rabin's brother Derek is three years his elder.Benarde 2003, p. 274. Rabin described his family as "extremely anti-apartheid". Rabin's mother converted to Judaism, and the family observed Jewish holidays and celebrations.Berkwits, Jeff. "Owner of a Jewish Heart." San Diego Jewish Journal. September 2004. Retrieved 13 March 2010. Lawyer and judge Sydney Kentridge, and journalist and activist Donald Woods are his uncles.
Rabin attended Parktown Boys' High School in Johannesburg and took up the piano at age six. He recalled, "Pushed by my parents, I had two lessons a week and practised an hour a day for twelve years, whether I liked it or not, as did my brother and sister." At twelve, he started to teach himself the guitarWelch 2008, p. 213. using piano exercise books and never had a formal lesson in the instrument. A year later he played in The Other before forming Conglomeration, and later joining Freedom's Children for a one-year stint until 1973. He wrote their song "State of Fear" and toured the country extensively with a same-titled tour. For several months Rabin studied arrangement, orchestration, and conducting from Walter Mony, a professor at the University of Johannesburg in preparation to be a conductor, but he decided to pursue a career in rock music.
At sixteen, Rabin was discovered by a local record producer and became a session musician, playing a variety of styles including jazz, fusion, country, classical, conga, and kwela. He cites Arnold Schoenberg, Tchaikovsky, Hank Marvin, Cliff Richard and the Shadows, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix as early influences. At nineteen, Rabin took a mandatory year of military conscription in the South African Army by serving in its entertainment division, arranging its big band, performing in a rock group, and did outside session work at Gallo Record Company. He said, "I used to go into what was called the garrison. I would just go there, find a little corner and literally sit for hours practising the guitar ... although I would always play the piano." In 1972, Rabin bought a Fender Stratocaster.
Career 1972–1978: Rabbitt and solo projects In 1972, Rabin reunited with his bandmates in Conglomeration to form the rock band Rabbitt with drummer Neil Cloud, bassist Ronnie Robot, and singer, keyboardist, and guitarist Duncan Faure. Their first single, released in 1972, was a cover of "Locomotive Breath" by Jethro Tull. A re-recorded version of the track appeared on their debut album, Boys Will Be Boys, released in 1975 on Jo'Burg Records. Rabin won an award for his orchestral arrangements on the album in 1975. The band won a SARI (South African Recording Industry) Award for Best Contemporary Music Artist in 1976.
Rabbitt's second album, A Croak and a Grunt in the Night, was released in 1977. Later that year Rabin received a SARI Award for his production work on the album and Rabbitt received their second award for Best Contemporary Music Artist. Rabin also produced and arranged Margaret Singana's album Where is the Love (1976). His career as a session musician included his two albums released under the pseudonym Trevor Terblanche, organised by producer Rob Schroder and released on a budget record label. Rabin also produced various disco-oriented projects including The Tee Cee's, Slang, and Disco Rock Machine.
In 1977, Rabin recorded and released his first solo album, Beginnings, for RPM Records. It was recorded in approximately six and a half weeks in Johannesburg. He recalled: "I don't think I ever left the studio at that time. I virtually lived and worked there around the clock". Rabin played all instruments except the drums, for which he used session player Kevin Kruger. Also in 1977 Rabbitt agreed to a distribution deal with the US label Capricorn Records, but they were unable to tour abroad due to the international disapproval of South Africa's apartheid policies and restrictions on South Africans obtaining visas. The situation became a catalyst for Rabin to leave both the country and the band. He had scored his first feature film by this time, the 1976 blaxploitation film Death of a Snowman (later rereleased as Soul Patrol). Rabin recalled: "We stuck a sheet up on the wall and I wrote the score ... I still haven't watched it".
1978–1982: London and Los Angeles In January 1978, Rabin arrived in London to continue his solo career. He was encouraged to move by music entrepreneur Ivor Schlosberg, who hired Rabin to kick start the English branch of his production company, Blue Chip Music, and become its first producer. By July, Rabin had struck a recording deal with Chrysalis Records which, in September 1978, reissued his debut solo album under the name Trevor Rabin. The album was remixed at Wessex Sound Studios in London and released with some new tracks and in a different track order. Billboard magazine gave a positive review: "An impressive outing marked by a rock style that invites comparisons to Boston at times or a Tom Petty" with "explosive" keyboards and guitars. Later in 1978, Rabin produced, performed on, and arranged Noel McCalla's debut album, Night Time Emotion (1979).
In 1979, Rabin released his second solo album, Face to Face. He promoted the album with a UK tour as an opening act for guitarist Steve Hillage. Rolling Stone criticised the record for its hook-ridden ballads but still gave his first two albums good ratings for their technical qualities. In the same year, he co-produced Wild Horses, the debut album by Wild Horses. In 1980, Rabin played the guitar and co-produced Chance by Manfred Mann's Earth Band with Manfred Mann.
Wolf, Rabin's third solo album for Chrysalis, released in 1980, was co-produced with Ray Davies. Recorded at Konk Studios in London, Rabin provided lead vocals, guitars, and keyboards while using various musicians to contribute, including drummer Simon Phillips, bassists Jack Bruce and Mo Foster, keyboardists Mann and John Bundrick, and Chris Thompson and Noel McCalla on additional vocals. Following its release, Rabin severed ties with Chrysalis as he felt the label did little to promote the album. During this time, Rabin played guitars on "Runner" and a rendition of "Redemption Song" by Bob Marley for Manfred Mann's Earth Band's album Somewhere in Afrika (1982).
In 1981, Rabin moved to Los Angeles upon the encouragement from Geffen Records A&R man John Kalodner, and began to develop material for a fourth solo album for the label with drummer Frankie Banali and bassist Mark Andes. During this time, David Geffen also put him in contact with musicians that went on to form the supergroup Asia. Rabin attended an early rehearsal, but felt his songs were not suitable for the group which led to the label dropping him. Another proposed rock supergroup with Rabin, singer and bassist John Wetton, drummer Carl Palmer, and keyboardist Rick Wakeman never came to fruition.
Rabin then sent a tape of his new songs to various labels, including Clive Davis at Arista Records who praised his vocals but deemed his songs unsuitable for the Top 40 format. RCA Records executive Ron Fair was, according to Rabin, "the first one to really hear that I had something interesting", and talks began regarding a new group of Rabin, Bruce, and keyboardist Keith Emerson. The group fell through, yet Fair offered Rabin a solo deal which was declined after Rabin decided to work with bassist Chris Squire and drummer Alan White, formerly of the progressive rock band Yes after his demos were discovered by producer Mutt Lange and Phil Carson of Atlantic Records.
1982–1995: Yes and Can't Look Away
In late 1982, Rabin, Squire and White formed Cinema which included original Yes keyboardist Tony Kaye, and recorded 90125 with former Yes singer Trevor Horn as producer. Based mostly on Rabin's demos, the album displayed a more commercial direction, much different than their progressive rock-themed albums in the 1970s. During the mixing stages in mid-1983, former Yes singer Jon Anderson returned to sing on the album which led to the group becoming a reformed line-up of Yes. Rabin was uncomfortable with the decision, feeling the new music did not represent what the band became popular for and wished for the album to be judged as its own.