Originally a teenage photographer in Dublin, Dave Robinson opened the first Beat Club in Ireland. He took pictures for Rave magazine at the Cavern with the Beatles and on the Rolling Stones first tour of Ireland ; He befriended Van Morrison, and briefly managed him, and he was Jimi Hendrix’s Road and Tour manager from his first tour of the UK with the Pink Floyd, The Nice and The Move.
He shared flats with Jimi and Noel Reading in London and toured with The Experience across America and the world until just before Jimi’s death. He also did major tours in the US with Eric Burden & The Animals, The Young Rascals and the Vanilla Fudge. He partied and clubbed with The Grateful Dead, Janice Joplin, The Who, Jim Morrison and the Doors. He then returned to London and started and managed Brinsley Schwartz, Graham Parker, Nick Lowe, Dave Edmonds, Ian Dury and Elvis Costello.
In London, he single-handedly created a network of 35 pubs where bands could play what they liked and this became the forerunner of punk. Dave built a recording studio above the legendary Hope and Anchor Pub in Islington and with Jake Riviera, he started Stiff Records and signed The Damned, Motorhead, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Tracey Ullman, The Plasmatics, Jona Lewie, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, Kirsty McColl, The Box Tops, The Adverts, Lene Lovich, Shane McGowan &The Pogues, Madness and many more.
As well as running Stiff, Dave was installed by Chris Blackwell as president of Island Records, where he oversaw the careers of U2, Robert Palmer, Stevie Winwood, & Frankie Goes to Hollywood. He personally compiled and marketed Bob Marley’s 40 million selling LEGEND album. The biggest reggae album in the World.
He represented Rick Rubin running Def Jam Records and American Recordings outside North America working with Johnny Cash, the Black Crows, Slayer, Danzig and the Jayhawks. He settled the vicious two year litigation between Rick Rubin and Roger Ames, Chairman of PolyGram and signed American Recordings to BMG.
Dave then ran The Famous Blue Note Club and Acid Jazz Label in London helping to launch the Drum and Bass dance movement.
Dave has been at the helm or in the mix of the most exciting and important musical developments and he is still active in the music industry as a consultant for various labels and projects - from Van Morrison for EMI to the Gregory Isaacs for Universal, as well as keeping an eye on some of the most enduring repertoire the music industry has even seen.
Where possible we will update our listings to notify of cancelled, postponed and rescheduled events, however we STRONGLY ADVISE that you check with the venue/organiser in the first instance for updates.
All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.GOT AN EVENT TO SHARE? It's free to post your events on What's On Renfrewshire, click here to find out more!
Want to be the first to hear about what's happening in Renfrewshire? Just hit 'Like' on our Facebook page, join the What's On Scotland Facebook Group and 'Follow' on our Twitter account and you're all set!Europe's WILDEST wrestling show returns to Venue Paisley with their FIRST EVER all ages welcome event on Saturday 5th April!
READ MOREEnjoy a fun filled day at Venue Paisley when they host their Ladies Boozy Brunch, featuring live music from Havana Blonde, on Saturday 12th April!
READ MOREImmerse yourself in a performance that recapture the magnetism and glory of Elvis's iconic stage presence when Shaun Hamilton brings his Memories of the King show to Paisley!
READ MOREComing to Venue Paisley, The Paul Weller Experience are the UK and Ireland's definitive tribute to the live performance and sound of The Jam, The Style Council and Paul Weller!
READ MOREVenue Paisley is proud to welcome Glasgow's very own Motown Brothers to the venue on Saturday 19th July!
READ MORETaking you back to the 90s indie explosion with a set list of Roses classics don't miss The Absolute Stone Roses live at Venue Paisley on Friday 25th July!
READ MOREThe Madchester Experience is coming to Venue Paisley on Saturday 26th July, playing all the bangers for the early Manchester bands, LIVE!
READ MORETake a closer look at Renfrewshire's stunning night sky at a series of Dark Sky Viewing Nights led by Led by John Pressly, Science Curator at One Ren's Paisley Museum, and the Countryside Rangers!
READ MOREJoin Elspeth Cherry and Neil McMcLean at Paisley Heritage for their fascinating talk and presentation all about the Paisley Punk scene from 1976-1982.
READ MOREMichael Hopcroft will give a talk on the links of Lochwinnoch to the Caribbean and how it influenced the making of the village as part of Lochwinnoch Mini March Festival!
READ MOREThe Discover Paisley & Renfrewshire History Cafe for March will explore Paisley's early thread industry.
READ MOREThe Ginger Cat Presents an Evening with Author Claire Douglas in Conversation with Journalist and Broadcaster Paul English on Friday 21st March at Bernie's Cafe Deli, Bridge of Weir!
READ MOREJoin poet A C Clarke at Paisley Central Library as she delves into the turbulent world of Dada and Surrealism, born from the disillusionment of war.
READ MOREThe Paisley Book Festival returns in 2025 for a sixth year from Friday 25th April to Sunday 27th April, centered around the theme 'The Lives We Live'.
READ MOREOn Saturday 3rd May, join Paisley Heritage Group for an introductory talk and walk around of the Donald Malcolm Heritage Centre, Linwood.
READ MORE