Robert Hazard
Robert Hazard | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Robert Rimato |
| Born | August 21, 1948 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | August 5, 2008 (aged 59) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Genres | New wave |
| Labels | RHA Records, RCA Records |
| Formerly of | Robert Hazard and the Heroes |
Robert Hazard (né Rimato;[1] August 21, 1948 – August 5, 2008)[2] was an American musician. He wrote, composed,[3][4] and recorded (as a demo) the song "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" in 1979, which was recorded in 1983 by Cyndi Lauper, who turned it into a best-selling hit.[5] He also composed the new-wave and MTV songs "Escalator of Life" and "Change Reaction", which he performed with his band, Robert Hazard and the Heroes, that was popular in the Philadelphia club scene during the 1980s.[6] These songs appeared on the five song EP Robert Hazard, released in June 1982 by his own record label "RHA Records", and the next November by major label RCA Records.[7] RCA released his first LP album, Wing of Fire, in January 1984.[8][9]
Biography
[edit]Early life and studies
[edit]Robert Hazard was born on August 21, 1948, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of an opera singer.[1] He grew up in Springfield Township, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Springfield High School in 1966.
Music career and genres developed
[edit]Kurt Loder profiled him in a 1981 Rolling Stone article, describing Hazard as a musician "...who started out as a Dylan-era folkie, then spent eight years singing country & western. 'I just love country music', he explains, which of course explains nothing, least of all the two years he subsequently spent with a reggae band... or his current electro-pop approach, which owes little to any of the above."[10]
Last albums made of country music
[edit]His final recordings were country albums, beginning with The Seventh Lake (2003) and continuing with Blue Mountain (2004). In 2007, Rykodisc signed Hazard and released his album, Troubadour.[2]
Death and Family
[edit]Hazard died 16 days before his 60th birthday at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston on August 5, 2008, following surgery for pancreatic cancer with which he had recently been diagnosed.[11] He was living with his wife Susan K Selander and two sons Rex and Remy near Old Forge, New York, at the time of his death. He also is survived by an older daughter, Corrina, from a previous marriage.[12]
Discography
[edit]Studio albums
[edit]- Wing of Fire (1984)
- Darling (1986)
- Howl (1998)
- The Seventh Lake (2004)
- Blue Mountain (2004)
- Troubadour (2007)
Extended plays
[edit]- Robert Hazard (1982) – No. 102 (Billboard 200)[9]
Compilation albums
[edit]- Out of the Blue (as Robert Hazard and the Heroes) (2005)
Singles
[edit]- "Escalator of Life" (1982) – No. 58 (Billboard Top 100)[9]
- "Change Reaction" (1982) – No. 106 (Bubbling Under Hot 100)[13]
- "Hard Hearted" (1984)
References
[edit]- ^ a b Klein, Michael (2008-08-06). "Robert Hazard, Philly rocker, dies at 59". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
- ^ a b "Robert Hazard, musician and songwriter, dies at 59". USA Today. Associated Press. 2008-08-07.
- ^ "Robert Hazard – Girls Just Want to Have Fun".
- ^ "Original versions of Girls Just Want to Have Fun written by Robert Hazard | SecondHandSongs". SecondHandSongs.
- ^ Thornton, Linda R. (1984-05-09). "Cyndi Lauper Squeaks". Miami Herald. p. 1B.
The catchy, chanting Girls Just Want to Have Fun, which Lauper rewrote from the demo by Robert Hazard, was her first hit...
- ^ Kolson, Ann (1983-05-17). "Hazard Goes Cable". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. D01.
- ^ Sasfy, Joe (1983-04-08). "Just a Routine Hazard". The Washington Post. p. WK29.
- ^ Tucker, Ken (1984-01-31). "A Local Hero Hoping For National Stardom". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. E01.
- ^ a b c "Robert Hazard". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
- ^ Loder, Kurt (November 1981). "Robert Hazard, Philly Hero". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
- ^ "Robert Hazard". The Guardian Pop and rock. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
- ^ "Robert Hazard, musician and songwriter, dies at 59". USA Today Pop and rock. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
- ^ "US Hot 100 Bubbling Under". Top40Weekly.com. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
External links
[edit]- https://web.archive.org/web/20090106180501/https://roberthazard.com/ (Robert Hazard on MySpace)
- Robert Hazard and the Heroes homepage at phillyrockers.com
- Robert Hazard and the Heroes history page at phillyrockers.com
- Robert Hazard Biography at phillyrockers.com (archived)
- Robert Hazard on MySpace
- 2007 performance of "Escalator of Life" on YouTube by students of The Paul Green School of Rock Music, with Robert Hazard singing
- Robert Hazard (obituary) in The Independent
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