Photo by Rob Shanahan

Photo by Neal Burstyn

Photo by Neal Burstyn

Photo by Neal Burstyn

Photo by Rob Shanahan

Photo by Neal Burstyn

12.11.07

Hi John, Thanks for allowing me an opportunity to ask you a question. I'll preface the question by saying you and Jeff Porcaro are by far my biggest influences. I was wondering as many records that you and Jeff both played on, if or how often you two actually crossed paths? If so, what was your relationship like? Being "A" list players was there any competitiveness between the two of you or was there simply enough to go around for everyone? John, thanks for your time and inspiration. Have a great day! Stan Anderson Muscle Shoals, Alabama P.S. - Is it true the other session players laughed at you when you showed up for the "Off the Wall" session with Michael Jackson because all Quincy Jones set up for you was a HiHat, bass drum and snare? To Stan, Thanks for the great words. Jeff was a true friend. He called me when I first came to LA in 1978 and welcomed me. My band Rufus and his band Toto shared the management company, Fitzgerald/Hartley. We attended meetings together and shared albums together such as Jude Coles', "Start The Car". His passing came at such a young age of 38 and shocked us all. Jim Keltner and I organized several prominate LA drummers to march at his funeral. His will always be missed. As far as that Quincy Jones session, it was not "Off The Wall", it was on "The Dude"! After a few days of recording, I came into the studio at Weslake B and saw Steve Lukather laughing at my kit. I said, 'What are you laughing at?" He said, "look at you kit". I peeked over the riser and there was a fully stripped down drumset, NO toms and NO cymbals. Just kick, snare and hihat! Bruce Sweden came up to me and said, "QUINCY DOESN'T WANT ANY TOMS AND CYMBALS THIS RECORD!" I said, "OK, whatever Q wants, Q gets!" John Robinson

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12.5.07

Hi John: I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed my lessons with you. You and your wife made me feel very welcome. I got just what I wanted out of the time I spend in your studio. The sound you get there is something to go for, since it's fantastic. I never heard a sound quite as good as in your studio and I think your engineer Steve Sykes is right when he says your place gets the best sound in LA.. -Also many thanks for all the good advice playing with a conductor, the Urei click etc.. It's something to read these things in a magazine, but to have The guy tell it face to face is so much more valuable. I definetly hope I get the chance to meet you again somewhere.. -maybe if you go on tour with Rufus, -I'd love to see that. All the best Lars

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11.18.07

Dear John Robinson. I downloaded the "Off The Wall"-record some weeks ago from iTunes, and it's some of the best drumming I have ever heard! It's looks like every little detail on the record is extremely well planned, everything has a meaning and nothing is casual. Sometimes you syncopate what Michael sings and sometimes it's the melodies of the synth you syncopate. You have a unique time and it's extremely tight. Still, it has a lot that you play with your heart. I'm learning a lot just by listening to this record. It's truly a masterpiece. I have also noticed that you rarely uses the crash cymbal on the record. How is it possible? It doesn't kill the groove a bit, it's simply brilliant. Me and my friends have been joking that the crash cymbal came in the mail a few days later, therefore you only used it on a couple of songs :-) Was it common not to use the crash cymbal as often in those days? How did you come up with that twist? Antoher question; Did you play with click in the studio on this record? For example how to keep the energy and still be relaxed? I am full aware that it's almost 30 years since this record came out, but I thought I should let you know that I truly appreciate your work on it. I have also listened to your later work, for example "Change The World" by Eric Clapton. This is also really great drumming! Best wishes: Simon Berg, a 19 year old Norwegian drummer that is a great fan of yours. (PS: Sorry about some of the poor language, I'm not that good in English grammar)

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11.16.07

John: My wife and were here at the house listening to "Higher Love" cause we were featuring "drum" songs on music night. Long story, but we just discovered you played on many of the songs we were diggin tonight. Excellent work!!! Take care, John and Sylvia Avey Studio City, Ca

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Dear Mr. Robinson, Thank you very much for the autographed CD you sent along with Sam Purkin and his dad to me in Calgary. I love all the music that you play on but some of my favorite stuff is September on the Danny Jung CD, Steven Curtis Chapman – Heaven in the Real World and the Benoit/Freeman Project and a lot more. I have sent you a couple of pictures of myself and I have your poster behind my drum set. I'm 12 years old and I can already play Carry on Wayward Son and Toto. I play Roland electronic drums so that I don't drive my family crazy. Thanks again and I hope someday I can play like you. Matt Schultz Calgary, AB

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Hey Jr, I got your cd................................. AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! fucking groooving.. as always !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! An idea for you: why don'you make a play along of it! I thinks would be a hugely selling !!!!!!!!!!! I will check the Frontiers web site for the TRW cd. When you come to Italy for lice voncerts, let me know !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Take care Mario Calandrelli -Perfect Groove Music Group, Inc.

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Dear John, We are two brothers - drummers from Bulgaria, Roumen & Borislav... We wish to thank you for every song you play all these years, you've been our teacher from the beginning, the right way to playing drums - beat, groove, arrangement, feel... We are far away from your home, but we follow every day your career and new releases... Thanks for all and Good luck :) ! Roumen & Borislav from Sofi, Bulgaria

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Hey John, thank you for all you have done for me thus far. I found a copy of Killer Grooves on Amazon.com and it will arrive Monday. I would like to bring it with me for my next session, another tool to have in the box. You're the bomb. I can feel and hear a difference and I feel like I have better direction. Thank you. Sincerely, In His grip, Ronald T.

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Hey JR, Just got back from an early screening of "Pirates of the Caribbean" I must say... the Jungle drums were pretty darn cool! Great Job! Joel Stevenett

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Love ya buddy and thanks to get back to me, i'll send it 2 u but please always remember John that: You, Carlos Vega and Jeff Porcaro, you were and are my main men... i still copy your chops from you all the times... thanks to give to me your Arts... you are the best... really being a studio muso as i am, ;.... you are still... unmatched! Lot's of love from a small drummer out there in the world... i still love you so much! E. Really John, one day my dream it would be really like to talk with you buddy... i've got some things to share with ya... but it's very personal... Luis Conte he knows about me and i would really like that one nite (that's my biggest dream), we could be all together to talk and i could gain experiences from you all my brothers; i still need those tips from you guys to improve myself as a Man and as a Drummer. Love to you all and may the Lord will give you all the best to your lives to you and to all your dears. Really my deepest love from Elyan Fernova... God Bless! PS-When you will get the c/d John, please let me know what you will think of it! Any advices or comments are really welcome! I won't send the c/d to Thomas Lang..... ;-)-;);-) Love from a brother on drums!

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Hello, I want to thank you (Joe Testa, Yamaha) and JR Robinson for your role in creating the Flying Dragon Pedals, especially the direct drive model which I am now playing.I grew-up playing an old Speed King, went through some other pedals and then found the Axis pedal. DW pedals never worked for me. My most recent pedal was an Airlogic Pedal (a technological breakthrough) and a DW 9000, but I think what you've done with the Flying Dragon has superseded most of these other pedals. Your direct drive model is just so easy to control and it has the power that Speed King and the Axis never had. You've struck a wonderful balance here in designing this pedal and the price is reasonable too. There is so much hype over the cam pedals coming from DW, TAMA, and Pearl and yet if you try all of these pedals, the Flying Dragon has the best feel! Thanks again, Bill McBrayer

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