Early Years
Rabin was born into a family of classical musicians in Johannesburg, South Africa, where his father Godfrey was lead violinist for the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra and also a lawyer. Educated at Parktown Boys' High School in Johannesburg, he took formal piano training before discovering the guitar at age 12. He joined one of his first bands, The Other, when he was 13. His parents encouraged his talents toward rock music, although Rabin would maintain his interest in classical music throughout his career. Rabin also briefly studied orchestration at the University of Johannesburg and trained to be a conductor; he later arranged and conducted for many artists in South Africa.
Rabin's early influences included Arnold Schoenberg, Tchaikovsky, Cliff Richard and the Shadows, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix. He also dabbled with progressive and heavy rock with his first band, The Conglomeration, as well as joining the prominent anti-apartheid rock band Freedom's Children for a year in 1972. During this same period, Rabin became a highly sought after session guitarist and bassist, playing with many jazz bands in South Africa. When Rabin fulfilled his obligation to the South African Army at age 19, he served with the entertainment division.
Rabin formed his first major recording group, Rabbitt, along with Neil Cloud (drums), Ronnie Robot (bass guitar), and Duncan Faure (keyboards, guitar, vocals). Rabbitt evolved from The Conglomeration prior to Rabin's year of military conscription in 1973. The band started to gain popularity in 1975 after appearing at Johannesburg's "Take It Easy" club. Their first single, released in 1972, was a cover of Jethro Tull's "Locomotive Breath", which later appeared on their debut album, Boys Will Be Boys released on Jo'Burg Records in 1975. The album features original songs mostly penned by Rabin.
Rabbitt's second album, A Croak and a Grunt in the Night, was released in 1977. Rabin went on to win a South African Sarie music award (that country's answer to the Grammy Awards) for his co-production on the album, and the band won a Sarie for Best Contemporary Music Artist in 1976 and 1977. The band then gained with a short-term record distribution deal with Capricorn in the United States, but Rabbitt were unable to tour abroad because of continuing international disapproval of South Africa's apartheid policies. As a result, Trevor Rabin decided to leave South Africa. Rabbitt went on to record the album, Rock Rabbitt without Rabin before disbanding in 1978.
Rabin recorded his first solo album Beginnings in 1977 featuring Trevor on all instruments save drums. After an initial South African release on RPM Records it was re-sequenced with new material and given a different cover for release in England and the US simply as Trevor Rabin (Re-issued on CD in 2003 by Voiceprint Records under the original title). While some songs were reminiscent of Rabbitt, Rabin's guitar playing was more prominent as it would continue to be on his successive solo albums.
Beginning in 1977, Rabin fronted various disco-oriented studio projects, including Disco Rock Machine, which released two albums Time To Love and Disco Rock Machine 2 in South Africa and continental Europe as well as The Tee Cee's and Slang. Rabin acted as producer, arranger, songwriter, guitarist and keyboard player for these projects.
Rabin relocated to London in 1978 after establishing the production company Blue Chip Music and struck an international deal with Chrysalis Records.
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