Rob was born on midsummers day 1965 and took an interest in his older brother Phil's'Burns' Six string approximately 14 years later. It was a curious start to his musical career as the strings were upside down,Phil being left handed. Despite this inconvenience Rob could soon pick out a few tunes despite being banned from using the Burns as he regularly put it out of tune. In order to stop Rob's clandestine raids on his bedroom , Phil very kindly strung his acoustic up the right way and things got a little less confused.

Two years later Rob had linked up with some other like minded college friends and had formed his first Band, Stride, named after Strider of Tolkien fame. Yes the music was a bit like that. A cross between Rush,Pink Floyd and with a bit of Black Sabbath thrown in. The songs were all 7 minutes long with titles like 'The Eye of the Portrait' and the Bass player (Chris Bloomfield,of whom more later) wore a cloak. The band's first performance was at an electric evening in February of 1982 and was a storming success.Rob played a black Fender USA Strat given to him by local businessman Dave Wise who was nominal manager at the time. He's still playing the same guitar 19 years later.It has accompanied him to Germany, Holland, Abu Dhabi and Hayling Island. Stride lasted four years, a long time for a college group. The band eventually ran out of steam after an A&R representative from CBS told them that the highlight of their stage show one night was a drunkard running onstage and making strange squawking noises from the drum riser. This gig was also notable as Rob's first performance on lead vocals. A tape of the gig still exists and includes the squawking drunk.

By 1985 the musical landscape had changed and Rob decided it was in his interests to change with it. He teamed up with good friend and bass player Mick Cambers and formed the curiously named 'Dibbles Beat' This was very much a band of the Eighties, with big spikey hair , loud plastic jackets and baggy trousers.The music was in keeping with the image. As in Stride a set of original songs were penned and this time the style was Funk Pop. Level 42 meets Go West. The guitar was, for the time being, shoved into the background,behind the two keyboard players and Rob's voice took on some strange 80's style affectations. The Dibs style of play altered steadily until, at the time of it's demise in 1990, Dibbles Beat had reached a kind of soft Rock late Genesis feel. There had been some flirtations with a management company or two but Rob felt little more could be achieved with Dibbles Beat so he wound up the band and moved on to his next project, Empyr. Rob came closest to success with Empyr than with any other project but the timing was not good. The style of the music was unashamedly bombastic stadium Rock. One keyboard player. Twin guitars. Lots of hair (how times have changed) massive epic heavy Rock anthems. It was all just a little too late because, as we now know,in the early 90's AOR was on it's way out. The band, formed from ex members of Dibbles Beat and Stride, lasted from mid '90 to early '93 then called it a day. There had been a fair bit of record company interest but nothing conclusive. There had been a spate of competitions won and a second place in a battle of the bands contest.There were Several demos, a video, and an airing of one of Empyr's songs on Radio one's Friday Rock Show as part of Tommy Vance's Rock War.

On a more personal note Rob had won the 1992 Mid Sussex Times Guitarist of the year award. The same year, the drummer award was won by a certain Darren Hilborn.

Rob now embarked upon what he knew was his last ditch attempt at a professional musical career. In early '93 he secured a slot on a USA tour.This was the first time he had had to audition. The artiste in question was Kezi O'neal, sister of Alicia Silverstone. You know, the bimbo from Clueless, the one on the bike in that Aerosmith video. Anyway the tour was cancelled so it doesn't really matter. At least Rob had finally got around to getting a Passport. This was put into use the following year when he went out to Abu Dhabi as part of Instant Replay. Instant Replay were a covers outfit put together by Simon Cambers, brother of Mick, ex drummer of Stride and Dibbles Beat. Rob had, for the previous Six months, been gigging around by himself, playing to backing tapes. He went under the DSS dodging name of Dennis Warner Solo Performer. (also known as Dennis Warner the man in the corner) This style of playing didn't appeal to Rob in the least so the offer of a contract out in sunny Abu Dhabi appealed. The three months in Abu Dhabi were extremely enjoyable, more like a paid holiday than a job.It was also a living, although the transfer had to be made from originals to covers which took a bit of getting used to. Further gigs followed in Germany at the army bases in the north. After one such gig Rob drove the van for a hundred miles in the wrong direction before another band member woke up and pointed out that there shouldn't be any trees. On the same trip, having filled up with petrol,everyone left it to everyone else to pay at the till.The mistake wasn't realised until the band were on the ferry home. Presumably Interpol are still on the lookout for ex members of Instant Replay.

In mid 1994 Rob played a gig with friend Karl Raccah otherwise known as Gabriel Wolf. The gig was a support at the Hawth for Abba tribute band Bjorn again. There was also a live session on GLR. Shortly after the stint with Gabriel Wolf came the offer of work with Kezi O'Neal as part of covers Duo, The Look. This was Rob's lowest point as a musician. In the belief that the Duo work would lead to recording work, Rob submitted to the performance of a setlist containing a painful mix of dance songs. Dance steps were also required as part of the act. Not a year to be dwelt upon.

In the late summer of 1995 When it became evident that no recording or touring work was in the offing Rob abandoned his two and a half year attempt at a professional career as a bad job.It was time to attain a more stable and better paid existence. There followed a period of sulking and the production of a rather self pitying autobiographical concept album intitled Chapter & Verse.

It was now time to set up a profit making covers outfit which could be run whilst also holding down a day job. In 1996, Rob had renewed his aquaintance of drummer Darren Hilborn whilst playing at the Haywards Heath town week. Darren expressed an interest in forming a band. When, a few months later, Rob found himself at a loose end, he remembered Darren's idea and, having also secured the services of Bassist Chris Bloomfield , ex Stride and Empyr,Rob drew up a setlist, booked the rehearsal studio, and Sonic Oblivion were born. Sonic Oblivion began rehearsing in early '97 and debuted at that year's HH town week.Following a further period of rehearsal they began regular gigs in late November of the same year. The band have averaged about a gig a week over the last Three or so years. The only significant break was last summer when Chris decided to leave the band. Enter Steve Porritt, Bassist with Touchstone. A very welcome addition to Sonic Oblivion. Another regular feature of the band is Phil Comber, brother of Rob, owner of the left handed Burns, lighting technician for the last Two years. In early 2001 Rob and Darren took the important step of retaining the services of their two most trusted helpers Lorna and Tracy by getting engaged to them.

Who can tell what lies ahead? Certainly a line up of Sonic Oblivion for the forseeable future.