You may not know it, but those casual family get-togethers could very well be the launching pad of some future pop or rock icons.
At least, that’s how it all started for the Robertson Brothers. Touted as Australia’s newest pop group, the trio is currently in Manila for a promotional tour for their latest album, Here, (released locally by Dyna Records) and a special Valentine’s Day gig at the Hard Rock Café in Makati City.
With the entire clan gathered around the piano one lazy afternoon barbeque, brothers Geoff, Stuart and Ben — all preschoolers then — accidentally discovered their innate vocal blending abilities.
And with a little help from their dad, the kids soon cut their first record: a rough, but otherwise charming version of It’s A Small World. Now prized as much as the family jewels, the group’s squeaky misadventures prodded them to further their God-given gifts.
Growing up in the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales, the young Robertsons were weaned on a staple of easy-listening harmony-based vocals. "Back then, and even up to now, we’d say that the Bee Gees were probably our biggest influence," narrates Ben, the youngest of the trio.
"But as we grew older, we were also turned on to the likes of the Eagles, Steely Dan, Air Supply and other harmony-intensive groups," he continues.
Little did they know that a few years hence, they would be sharing stellar billing with none other than their idols, including the folk-rock group America (who they toured with in Europe in 1997 and Australia in 1999), John Denver ("about a year before he died," Stuart recalls), and the Electric Light Orchestra.
"We officially christened the group in 1994," reminisces the ever-smiling Geoff. "And pretty soon, we made the rounds of the local clubs, sometimes having as much as four to five gigs per week!"
By some stroke of luck, the brothers were whisked off to the US to cut their debut album with producer Barry Beckett. Thanks to rave reviews, the group slowly carved its niche in Australia, Germany and several Southeast Asian countries.
But so far, their biggest audience so far was the 300,000 strong crowd that witnessed the opening of the Sydney 2000 Olympics — where they sang the John Lennon classic, Imagine.
As expected of most first-time Manila visitors, the Robertson Brothers were stupefied by the horrendous traffic ("Never seen crazier drivers before," Stuart remarked) but pleasantly surprised by the ‘warm reception and the friendly smiles virtually everywhere.’
Despite the ‘boyband tag,’ the brothers’ music steers clear of the flat and lifeless arrangements and vocal harmonies of their contemporaries. This was clearly dispelled by their stirring rendition of one of their best hits, The Last Love Song, and a chugging a cappella version of Lean On Me during their presscon.
With Geoff comping away on his trusty Yamaha steel-string, the group’s precise harmonies reverberate with a raw, folksy appeal — reminiscent of their early influences such as Crosby, Stills and Nash, the Eagles and even Air Supply.
Asked to name their dream gig, Ben quickly replies, "It would have to be a back-to-back gig with the Bee Gees! It’s too bad, because we WERE supposed to do that concert around ’98, but was cancelled when Barry had a heart attack."
One can only imagine their pain upon hearing of Maurice Gibb’s recent death.
Like the Bee Gees’ Andy Gibb, the Robertson Brothers’ fourth and youngest brother, Dave, is himself a reluctant singer who occasionally dabbles in stage shows.