Meet robert

Robert is the taller half of Runestone.

A self-taught musician, Robert’s first instrument was the family piano in the house where he spent his early childhood. A natural ability to pick up tunes from an early age encouraged him to experiment with new musical ideas. Teenage years saw a brief interest in violin before discovering the guitar.

Robert’s first guitar cost £5 of hard-earned pocket money and, it is fair to say, was not exactly one of the finest instruments ever made. As part of the deal, the guitar came with a copy of the world-renowned “Play in a Day” by Bert Weedon. Reckoned by many to be one of the best guitar tutorials ever written, people still rave about this publication today and it is still available. Early guitar influences ranged from Hank Marvin, to Eric Clapton via Van Halen, and numerous other notorious but lesser known virtuosos like Albert Lee, not to forget John Williams during his involvement with Sky

Subsequent searching for musical identity entailed fleeting escapades with school rock & pop bands, playing material vaguely resembling Beatles & Rolling Stones before becoming actively involved in the local live-music circuit. Musical style of choice consisted mainly of vague improvisation in the lead guitar role with the volume turned up to maximum. This really was fun at the time although the countless late nights in smoke filled rooms full of bar leaning clientele seems less attractive on reflection now. It was around this time when Robert crossed paths and started working with another local musician, Chris Green.
 
And so life leaps a few years forward to where Robert and Chris begin experimenting with something very new to them. They had found New Age Music thanks to somebody giving Robert a tape of music by somebody he’d never heard of, Medwyn Goodall. After a number creative attempts the evolution of the first Runestone demo album “Whispered Secrets” was complete, accepted by 5 record companies to be published as “Stonehenge” by New World Cassettes. Regarded as a classic of its time, Stonehenge remained in the active catalogues for around fifteen years.

Robert plays a variety of instruments including keyboards, electroclassical, acoustic and electric guitar and mandolin. He gains inspiration from walking in the Sussex countryside, mysteries of forgotton times, ancient legends and beliefs.

His musical aim is to create relaxing music that listeners can unwind to, lose themselves in and feel as if they are visiting in another dimension of reality.