The Hey everyone and welcome to Soda Jerker on songwriting. This is Simon. I'm here as always with my esteemed

colleague Brian and joining us today is a singer-songwriter and broadcaster who

first came to prominent in the late 1970s as the bass-toting frontman and

principal songwriter of his eponymous band

before embarking on a long and varied solo career.

Over the last decade he's also established himself as one of the most familiar and best

love voices on British radio with a hugely popular BBC Radio 6 music show dedicated largely to

showcasing new and up-and-coming artists. We are decidedly chuffed to welcome the great Tom Robinson to the podcast.

Yeah, Tom's such an interesting guy with a fascinating history and a damn good songwriter of course.

I'm really looking forward to hearing that familiar voice very shortly,

but first guess what's coming next, Simon?

Oh, I don't have. Have a guess? A pot of history? Got it in one friend.

Tom Robinson was born in 1950 in Cambridge where he spent his early life. At age 16 he was sent to a

T-side boarding school where tormented by a combination of his awakening homosexuality and

academic pressure he suffered a nervous breakdown.

Returning to the south of England he entered Finchton Manor, a facility for troubled

teenagers in Kent remaining there for six years.

A visit by noted blues musician Alexis Corner proved pivotal.

Corner became Tom's friend and mentor and inspired him to try his hand at the music business.

Moving to London in 1973, Tom briefly joined the band Cafe Society,

a vocal harmony group whose only album was produced by Ray Davies of the Kinks.

As he settled into life in the capital, our guests became increasingly involved in gay activism,

...