The Origins of PopKrazy

In 1971 Robert ventured East to Brown University where he met up with his two  legendary influences: comic artist The Mad Peck, and the greatest rock writer of all time, Lester Bangs.  After submitting 100 music reviews to Lester and getting his approval, Robert’s path was set and he abandoned any goals of becoming a solid citizen. He soon became a senior editor of Creem as Robot Hull and eventually wrote for every rock rag under the sun, from Rolling Stone to Billboard.  Later he was a senior producer for Time-Life Music where he compiled and produced thousands of CD compilations of lost popular music. He’s also taught pop music courses, worked as a music archivist, been a TV columnist, scripted syndicated comics, produced national radio shows, consulted on numerous TV/DVD rock histories, done the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame thing, and once had Lou Reed claim live onstage that "Robot" was his all-time favorite rock critic.

 

 At the end of this long and circuitous career as chronicler, producer, collector,  and creator of music and all things pop culture, Robert asked himself a profound question,  “What is the sound of The Cellos singing ‘Rang Tang Ding Dong (I am the Japanese Sandman)’”? 

 

was: complete and utter silence.  Not one ding dong would be heard  so long as the 45 (Apollo 510, b-side “You Took My Love”) stayed  in its storage box along with thousands of other records, cds, books, magazines, photographs, and other fascinating and semi forgotten artifacts.  The time had come, Robert realized, to re-circulate these pop treasures and let the music be heard.