Mourn...

My dear friends mourn, mourn one of the greatest artists of our century. Mourn Frank Robinson - the 'Xylophone Guy'™!

When I was over in Nottingham there were two true artists that enlightened my stay in Robin Hood Ville with their musical performances from day one till the day I left. The day I arrived in Nottingham, I was greated, arriving from the station close to one of two large shopping centres by the Jazz-Man. That was what the black guy with a voice somewhere between Eric Clapton and Elvis called himself, playing blues, Jazz and Dixieland on his Guitar in the streets. God that boy was good! When I threw some money into his hat after listening a while he bowed and whispered: "Thank you, at least there are some lovers of real music left! Good Luck in Notts, boy!"

I came to the town hall and had the next musical encounter. It was quite different but again it made me smile: A rather ruggy old geezer was playing or rather entusically trying to play on a children's xylophone. The tunes he produced were up to the level of musical quality that we sometimes encounter with kids around 4 trying 'creatively' to get as much sound as possible out of the little 8 key instrument, rather lacking a sense of melody, flow and rythm.

Well the geezer at least had some rythm which he demonstrated by shaking his foot off beat. He was so cheery, calling out to people with a gnomes voice at times that I just had to laugh about the funny old man with his 'instrument'. I gave him my second little donation of the day and walked happily into my new life in Notts.

Well he and the Jazz-Man played throughout the whole time (he even played the day I left and send a nod and a salute to me, saying good bye, singing a blues song about either leaving a girl or trying to keep her...) of my stay and brightened up my life, but no one caused as much laughter and joy around me and my pals as little Frank Robinson - the Xylophone Guy did. I last heard him play a week or so before I left Nottingham.


Frank died on July 4th of last year (2004). No one will ever hear him play again. Mourn the loss of one of Nottinghams greatest celebrities, the old geezer and busker Frank Robinson 'The Xylophone Guy'™! We will always remember you Frank!

PS: Maybe Jeff still has that video we took of Frank playing, I'll see if I can get that and post it here (and thus void my last statement >;o) )...