Robin Le Mesurier

Robin Mark Le Mesurier Halliley (22 March 1953 – 22 December 2021) was a British guitarist, known for his long collaborations with Rod Stewart[1] and Johnny Hallyday,[2] as well as for the wide-ranging nature of his musical performance, including membership of such bands as The Wombles.[3]

Life

Le Mesurier was the son of two of Britain's best-loved comedy actors, Hattie Jacques and John Le Mesurier. Le Mesurier gained a strong following during and after his appearance on Living TV's reality show Rehab (2009), in which he opened up about his battle with alcoholism.[4]

Education

Le Mesurier was educated at Sussex House School, where he described himself as being "completely out of place", and then Westminster City grammar school. This was also an unhappy experience and Le Mesurier would be teased about his famous mother. As a teenager he was offered a place at the Royal College of Music but turned it down.[5]

Music

In his prime, Le Mesurier was a fan of The Faces and of guitar stars Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, and Jeff Beck. His first official band was The Reign (whose first single was written by the Yardbirds members Keith Relf and Jim McCarty). The band lasted until 1973, then Le Mesurier became the guitarist of The Wombles, Mike Batt's novelty pop band that played his music for the British children's TV show The Wombles.

At the beginning of his collaboration with Rod Stewart, Le Mesurier was mainly a guitar technician and session musician. In 1976 he signed with a record company with which Rod Stewart was associated. He toured the United States with Air Supply in 1977 as the opening act for Rod Stewart. After a period with Lion, eventually renamed The Difference, he was invited in 1980 to join the Rod Stewart group.

In 1994, he recorded two tracks on French singer Johnny Hallyday's first English-language record Rough Town. He became Hallyday's musical director, besides founding the group Farm Dogs with Bernie Taupin and Jim Cregan.

In September 2015, Le Mesurier joined Rod Stewart and Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood for the Faces reunion.[6]

TV series

Le Mesurier appeared in a double episode in the TV series Sport Crime playing himself. The plot is about a campaign in which rock stars voluntarily submit to anti-doping rules the same as sportsmen.

Sport Crime is the first ever series based on sports investigation. Showrunner Daniela Scalia states that the main character "Dabs is a former rugbyman who is a rock fanatic, having Rolling Stones, Faces, Rod and Bowie as main life references. Hence the connection, Luca (Dabs) is the ultimate Rod encyclopedia, from Brentford to the Faces reunion… (which include Robin)”.[7][8][9]

Personal life and death

Le Mesurier died of cancer on 22 December 2021, at the age of 68.[10]

Discography

Reign
  • 1970: "Line of Least Resistance" / "Natural Lovin' Man" (single)

Limey
  • 1976: Limey
  • 1977: Silver Eagle

Lion
  • 1980: Running All Night

With Ron Wood

With Rod Stewart

Farm Dogs
  • 1996: Last Stand in Open Country
  • 1998: Immigrant Sons

With Johnny Hallyday
  • 1994: Rough Town
  • 1994: À La Cigale (inédit, sortie en 2003)
  • 1996: Lorada Tour
  • 1996: Destination Vegas
  • 1996: Live at the Aladdin Theatre (inédit, sortie en 2003)
  • 1998: Stade de France 98 Johnny allume le feu
  • 1999: Sang pour sang
  • 2000: 100% Johnny: Live à la tour Eiffel
  • 2000: Olympia 2000
  • 2000: Good Rockin' Tonight The Legacy of Sun Records
  • 2003: Parc des Princes 2003
  • 2006: Flashback tour: Palais des sports 2006
  • 2007: Le Cœur d'un homme
  • 2007: La Cigale: 12-17 décembre 2006
  • 2009: Tour 66: Stade de France 2009
  • 2013: On Stage
  • 2013: Born Rocker Tour
  • 2014: Rester vivant
  • 2016: Rester Vivant Tour

References
  1. "GQ Icon: Rod Stewart". GQ Magazine. 15 July 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  2. Chalmers, Robert (15 July 2013). "GQ Icon: Rod Stewart". GQ Magazine Britain 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  3. Andy Merriman (1 November 2011). Hattie: The Authorised Biography of Hattie Jacques. Aurum Press. ISBN 978-1-84513-817-2. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  4. Monkey (27 January 2009). "Media Monkey: Chance to see the 'stars' in Rehab". The Guardian.
  5. Merriman, Andy (2 February 2022). "Robin Le Mesurier obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  6. "Robin le Mesurier". 28 February 2019.
  7. "Robin le Mesurier makes appearance on TV Show". 30 October 2018.
  8. "Robin Le Mesurier, il chitarrista britannico di fama mondiale visita Como". EspansioneTv (in Italian). 13 November 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  9. "Fondotoce in una Serie TV Internazionale".
  10. Bureau, Eric (22 December 2021). "Mort de Robin Le Mesurier, le "frère" guitariste de Johnny Hallyday". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 23 December 2021.
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