Like the other Manfreds, it was a
love of jazz which drew Rob Townsend into music back in the late 60s in
his native Leicester. But Rob's career took an altogether dramatic
turn when he met up with Roger Chapman and Charlie Whitney. Family
were one of Britain's most creative and original bands, taking the basic
blues format down new avenues of almost operatic invention with an
instrumental line-up which included flute and violin - unheard of in
those early guitar, bass & drums days.
After seven great albums and four hit
singles, Family broke up, but Rob went into a varied carer, finding
himself back in the charts with Medicine Head and Peter
Skellern, and then drumming for the legendary Memphis Slim
and Duane Eddy. When Hughie Flint vacated The Blues
Band's drum stool in 1982, Rob was a natural replacement, and he's
been there ever since, as well as thoroughly enjoying thumping the tubs
for the mighty Manfreds.
