Eddie Rubin

Edward Donald Rubin (January 26, 1935 – April 24, 2014) was an American jazz and rock drummer, and composer. His repertoire included rock, jazz, pop, R&B, folk, and blues, although he had a preference for jazz drumming. Rubin is best known for his performances and recordings during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s with artists Neil Diamond, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Johnny Rivers, Dexter Gordon, Ornette Coleman, Paul Revere & The Raiders, Don Randi, and many others.   

Eddie Rubin
Birth nameEdward Donald Rubin
Born(1935-01-26)January 26, 1935
Cleveland, Ohio, United States
DiedApril 24, 2014(2014-04-24) (aged 79)
Los Angeles, California, US
GenresRock and roll, jazz, pop, R&B, blues, folk
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
InstrumentsDrums, percussion
Associated actsNeil Diamond
Johnny Rivers
Don Randi Trio

Early life

Rubin was born as Edward Donald Rubin in Cleveland, Ohio, to George and Betty Rubin. He relocated to Venice, Los Angeles, California with his mother when he was ten years old. Rubin's interest in drumming and percussion began and developed by pounding on boxes and playing rhythms on pots and pans in his parents’ kitchen. His parents started him on drum lessons at the age of five. After several years of continuing his pastime of drumming informally at home, Rubin joined band class when he entered junior high school and continued taking band classes throughout junior high and high school when he attended Venice High School in Venice, California. He also played in rock bands he formed with friends beginning in junior high school, and began playing outside gigs in high school. Eventually Rubin met and became a student of jazz drummer Freddie Gruber.

Career

1950s

After graduating Venice High School in 1953, Rubin entered college to study music. He took performing arts and musicianship courses at a local community college for a couple years and then quit, deciding he just wanted to go out and get whatever work he could find as a drummer. Rubin began his career as an on-call drummer performing gigs with bands at various local clubs and gradually over the course of a few years developed his reputation in the music industry and among musicians. In 1958, Rubin met bassist Scott LaFaro and the two played a casual gig together.[1]

1960s

In Los Angeles in early 60s, Rubin performed and recorded with Don Randi, a pianist, keyboard player, and composer who moved to Los Angeles from New York City.[2] In 1962 Rubin was working with Randi as a band member of the Don Randi Trio, and together they recorded the album “Last Night.” “Last Night” was recorded on December 14, 1962 at Sherry’s, a club in Hollywood California, and released in December 1963.[3][4] Rubin also would sometimes perform with Don Randi in Las Vegas. In 1963, they played at venues such as the Kon Tiki lounge at The Castaways, a Polynesian themed resort on the Las Vegas Strip that occupied the site where The Mirage resort now stands.[5]  

Later that same year, in 1963, Rubin was contacted by singer, songwriter, and guitarist Johnny Rivers, who made an offer to Rubin to play what was initially thought to be just a two or three-night gig with him. Rivers had relocated to Los Angeles from Baton Rouge Louisiana around 1961. After a couple years without much success making it as a singer and musician, Rivers was asked to perform at Gazzarri's, an Italian restaurant and music venue first located on La Cienega Blvd. in West Hollywood California until it later found its home on the Sunset Strip. Gazzarri’s house band was leaving and Bill Gazzarri, the venue owner, had no other band at the time to replace them. Rivers accepted Gazzarri’s offer to perform temporarily until a new house band was found. However, Rivers didn’t have anyone to perform with and needed to find other musicians to put a band together. Rivers met and knew Eddie Rubin from sitting in and watching his performances with the Don Randi Trio at Sherry’s Lounge, and decided to contact him to be his drummer. Rubin accepted River’s offer. Eddie Rubin and Rivers, with no time to rehearse, performed together as a duo (just guitar and drums) at Gazzarri’s and word quickly got out.[6][7] In the book Straight Whisky, author Erick Quisling states, “The two men set up their instruments at Gazzarri’s,” began playing, and “what happened after that was pure magic.”[8] Much to their surprise, by the second night people watching got up and started dancing. By the third night or later of performing, huge crowds and celebrities started gathering in Gazzarri’s to hear them play. In his book The Music of Johnny Rivers, Robert Reynolds described the sound of the music as “being driven with a catchy pulsating rhythm.” [9] After initial success, Gazzarri offered Rivers more work and allowed bassist Joe Osborn to join him and Rubin. Elmer Valentine, a club promoter, caught on to Rubin and Rivers’ popularity at Gazarri’s, and asked the band to perform on opening night at his new club he was planning to open on the Sunset Strip. The new club planning to open was called the Whisky a Go Go. The band accepted. On opening night Eddie Rubin and Johnny Rivers were the very first artists to ever perform at the Whisky a Go Go, which sparked the Whisky’s rise to one of the most famous music venues worldwide.[10][11] On opening night on January 15, 1964, the line of people waiting to get in stretched all the way around the block. Inside, there were go go dancers in cages on an elevated platform above the stage. Rubin and Rivers became the Whisky’s house band for the next two years with a packed house every night, attracting both locals and numerous celebrities. The Beatles showed up to the Whisky a Go Go one evening in the summer of 1964 after performing at the Hollywood Bowl, during their first tour in the United States. The Beatles were visiting Sunset Strip and wanted to see what all the hype about Eddie Rubin and Johnny Rivers at the newly opened Whisky a Go Go was all about.[9] During this first year run at the Whisky in 1964, Eddie and Johnny recorded two albums together live at the Whisky. The first live album, At the Whisky a Go Go, was released in February 1964 just one month after the Whisky’s opening. The album received a Gold award, and the hit single “Memphis,” included on the album, was certified as a Gold single. The second live album, Here We a Go Go Again!, was released in April 1964, and included the hit single “Maybellene.”

1970s

After years of performing and touring with Johnny Rivers throughout the United States and foreign countries, Eddie Rubin was in demand as a drummer. From 1969-1971, Eddie Rubin performed and recorded with singer and songwriter Neil Diamond.[12] Neil Diamond wrote his famous hit song “Sweet Caroline” in 1969 and after its massive success that same year, Diamond’s success was taking off. Diamond was in need of a promising new band he could tour with. In July 1969 Eddie Rubin was contacted by Diamond and his manager, who wanted Rubin as the band’s drummer. Rubin agreed to join, and immediately Rubin, Diamond, and the rest of the band prepared to go on tour.[13][14] In late September 1969 they did a six-night performance at the Troubadour nightclub in Hollywood California, and before the end of the year toured throughout the United States in Maryland, Utah, Texas, Pennsylvania, and many other states throughout the south. In the beginning of 1970, Rubin toured more states with Diamond and then in March 1970 throughout Canada.[13] Later in the summer, July 1970, Eddie Rubin performed with Diamond at the Troubadour (West Hollywood, California) once again. It was here at the Troubadour on July 15, 1970 that Rubin recorded the hit live album Gold: Recorded Live at the Troubadour with Diamond's band.[4] This album, released on August 22, 1970, included the hit songs “Sweet Caroline,” “Solitary Man,” and “Cherry Cherry.” The album was certified Gold by the RIAA in November 1970, and eventually went 2x Multi-Platinum.

Later years

After numerous years touring and performing around the world as a drummer, in the late 1970s, Rubin pursued his side interest of photography and love of animals. Rubin worked as a photographer for the American Kennel Club. Rubin continued his career as a professional dog photographer for American Kennel Club dog shows and for various private clients for many years through the 1980s and 1990s. Later in 2003, after retiring from his work as a professional photographer, Eddie moved back to Venice California, the place he grew up.

Rubin survived a second heart valve repair operation in 2007. On April 24, 2014, Eddie Rubin died from cardiac failure in his home in Venice Beach, California at the age of 79.

Discography

Albums

References
  1. Lafaro-Fernandez, Helene (2014). Jade Visions: The Life and Music of Scott Lafaro. Univ Of North Texas Press. p. 77. ISBN 9781574412734.
  2. Yanow, Scott. "Don Randi Biography". All Music. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  3. "Last Night with the Don Randi Trio". All Music. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  4. "Eddie Rubin Discography". All Music. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  5. "Las Vegas Sun". Newpaper Archive. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  6. Aswell, Tom (2010). Louisiana Rocks! The True Genesis of Rock and Roll. Pelican Pub. Co. p. 160. ISBN 9781455607839.
  7. Harris, George. "Johnny Rivers: A Life of Danger". Jazz Weekly. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  8. Quisling, Erik; Williams, Austin (2003). Straight Whisky: A Living History of Sex, Drugs, and Rock N Roll on the Sunset Strip. Bonus Books. p. 19. ISBN 9781566251976.
  9. Reynolds, Robert (2016). The Music of Johnny Rivers. Lulu Press, Inc. ISBN 9781365550942.
  10. MacKay, Kathleen (2010). Bob Dylan: Intimate Insights from Friends and Fellow Musicians. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857122414.
  11. Kamp, David. "Live at The Whisky". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  12. "Former Band Members". Neil Diamond Homepage, Since 1995.
  13. Jackson, Laura (2005). Neil Diamond: His Life, His Music, His Passion. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550227079.
  14. "Biography". I Am...I Said a Fan of Neil Diamond. Retrieved 15 February 2019.

Sources
  1. Clash, Jim. “Johnny Rivers On Whiskey a Go Go Club, Bob Dylan as First Rapper.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 16 May 2015, https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimclash/2015/05/16/johnny-rivers-on-whiskey-a-go-go-club-bob-dylan-as-first-rapper/#2109a6fe5980.
  2. Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. (n.d.). Retrieved August 2, 2019, from http://louisianamusichalloffame.org/content/view/95/114/.
  3. Harris, George W. “Johnny Rivers: A Life of Danger.” Jazzweekly.com, 1 Mar. 2014, https://www.jazzweekly.com/2014/03/johnny-rivers-a-life-of-danger/.
  4. “Johnny Rivers Biography.” http://johnnyrivers.com/jr/biography.html
  5. Junior, Chris. “Johnny Rivers Lets the Whisky Flow.” Goldmine Magazine, 25 Sept. 2012, https://www.goldminemag.com/blogs/johnny-rivers-lets-the-whisky-flow.
  6. Kelemen, Matt. “Q&A: Johnny Rivers.” The Magazine - Las Vegas Weekly, 19 Feb. 2016, https://lasvegasmagazine.com/interviews/qa/2016/feb/19/q-a-johnny-rivers-golden-nugget/.
  7. Lowman, Rob. “Johnny Rivers, Jimmy Webb Celebrate Whisky a Go Go’s 50th Anniversary, plus a Look Back at the Sunset Strip.” Daily News, Daily News, 10 Jan. 2014, https://www.dailynews.com/2014/01/10/johnny-rivers-jimmy-webb-celebrate-whisky-a-go-gos-50th-anniversary-plus-a-look-back-at-the-sunset-strip/
  8. Martino, Alison. “Vintage Los Angeles: How Go Go Dancing Took Off at the Whisky.” Los Angeles Magazine, 13 Jan. 2014, https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/vintage-los-angeles-how-go-go-dancing-took-off-at-the-whisky/
  9. Phill. “Will Johnny Rivers Ever Flow into The Rock Hall of Fame?” Goldmine Magazine, 14 Apr. 2011, https://www.goldminemag.com/blogs/will-johnny-rivers-ever-flow-into-the-rock-hall-of-fame
  10. Ragogna, Mike. “From Whisky a Go Go to the Royal Studios: Conversations with Johnny Rivers and Paul Rodgers, Plus Roy Orbison Reissued.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 31 Dec. 2013, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/from-whisky-a-go-go-to-th_b_4521991
  11. Randi, Don, and Karen Nishimura. You've Heard These Hands: From the Wall of Sound to the Wrecking Crew and Other Incredible Stories. Hal Leonard Books, 2015
  12. “Rock & Roll Geography: Whisky a Go Go.” Mind Smoke Music, https://msmokemusic.com/blog/blog/rock-roll-geography-whisky-a-go-go-los-angeles-ca
  13. “Secret Agent Man.” Jerry Reuss Las Vegas, NV Jerry Reuss, 2009, https://www.jerryreuss.com/johnnyriverssecretagentman.html.
  14. “The Original Neil Diamond Home Page, since 1995.” The Original Neil Diamond Home Page, since 1995, http://www.neildiamondhomepage.com/band.htm.
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