Knowing The Score: Death of a Snowman

Author's note: this essay was originally published on the Yesfans website in April 2009.


"I did a movie when I was 19, long before MIDI or anything. My wife and I went to a resort and took a projector and projected the movie on a sheet. I sat there with manuscript paper. It was a terrible film, but I was very young and had just finished studying orchestra. So, it was very exciting to be doing a film and working in a large way with an orchestra."
- Innerviews, 2004

"It was a terrible film and not a great score."
- Score Magazine, 2004
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Trevor’s first professional credit as a film scorer, Death of a Snowman (later to be known as Soul Patrol and Black Trash), debuted in South Africa in 1976, although overseas distribution would not come till a couple years later. An unused cue, “Death of Tulio,” appears on the first Rabbitt album Boys Will Be Boys! which was released in 1975.

A sight we would become accustomed to, twenty years later.


Although it is normally classified as Blaxploitation, Death of a Snowman is more of a typical crime drama; it has been posited that the film does a disservice by not making any true reference to the socio-political climate in South Africa at the time, though there are a few references regarding the economic disparity between the races (in the long view, of course, the cause can be inferred). The plot, such as it is: a black vigilante goes after those in the Johannesburg criminal underworld while on the other side of the fence a black reporter and a white detective work together to try and stop him, believing that the law is greater than any one man…but is the vigilante’s motivation as pure as they are led to believe?

While it’s true there is bad acting, bad dialogue, badly-staged fight sequences (people do a lot of falling through windows and partitioned walls), equally bad editing and the entire film was made on the cheap…well, I’ve seen worse in my time. Admittedly I have a soft spot for 70s films of all kinds.

The protagonists: Steve (Ken Gampu) and Ben (Nigel Davenport). Is this why there are so many ZA expats in Los Angeles? They crave the “real” KFC?


There are orchestral elements in the soundtrack, but the majority of the score is actually rock and R&B; much of what Trevor was playing at the time both in Rabbitt and also as a session player at RPM and Satbel. A desire to work as a scorer/arranger was already somewhat fulfilled by session work (and during subsequent recording with Rabbitt) but this project was perceived, it occurs to me, as a direct evolution of Trevor’s studies with conductor/composer Walter Mony. A sort of putting his knowledge to the test, as it were.

In keeping with what I perceive as his drive and ambition (with just a slight touch of youthful arrogance), it made sense to try just about anything which came along in Trevor’s musical purview – rock, pop, jazz, soul/R&B, disco, even commercial jingles – and so scoring a film wasn’t likely considered something he couldn’t do, it was only a question of doing it as well as he could. And for a 19-year-old who was already considered a wunderkind it’s a definite achievement…its’ elements might strike one as typical for the time, but there are some memorable themes and performances, in my opinion (as someone who has attempted to familiarize herself with all the aspects of Trevor’s career).

Some of those memorable cues…
-the music during the airport stake-out scene has some great violin runs
-there is a scene where the smugglers are tailed, featuring some interesting guitar work which makes me think of chickens (and there are chickens in the scene)
-when Tulio (one of the Snowman’s thugs) gets his, the cue is much more spooky and dramatic than what was originally planned, it seems
-during a fashion shoot with Steve’s girlfriend (whose name happens to match that of the song) we hear “Charlie” (Rabbitt's biggest hit) playing in the background
-a scene in a park where Steve is reflective and feeding the ducks features a lovely solo piano cue
-there is a theme for Heather (the girlfriend of another of the Snowman’s thugs) which is rather pretty
-the end theme has a haunting melancholy quality to it.

The film also features an appearance by the mighty “Lady Afrika,” vocalist Margaret Singana, whom Trevor worked with on several records, mostly notably as a co-producer, arranger, and musician on four of her studio albums (Love Is The Power,Where Is The Love, Stand By Your Man and Tribal Fence), as well as a duet on the song “Tribal Fence” (written by Ramsey McKay of Freedom’s Children) for the Rabbitt album A Croak and A Grunt in the Night. There are two nightclub scenes, in one of them Margaret is singing “Love Is The Power,” I believe.

I apologize for the quality, the film stock is really washed-out in this sequence, it was difficult to get a good screenshot.

Rabbitt rumbles: scenes from a not-so-amicable split

Author’s note: one of my aims in this blog is to provide historical commentary in regards to Trevor’s career in all (or nearly so) incarnations. But what follows is merely speculation and commentary based on applicable research; I’m not presuming to be an authority on Rabbitt relations.



Trevor’s decision to go alone must be respected, and we wish him well for the future;
-text from the sleeve of the Morning Light maxi-single (Jo’Burg Records, 1977) credited to Duncan Faure, Ronnie Robot and Neil Cloud


In 1977, not long after their “Farewell Tour” in South Africa as the members of Rabbitt were expecting to journey to America for the purposes of expanding their fanbase one country at a time - having secured an international distribution deal with Capricorn Records the previous year - a shocking announcement rocked the nation: the lynchpin of the entire enterprise, their singer, songwriter, guitarist, arranger and co-producer Trevor Rabin was bowing out as the master plan fell apart, the band unable to obtain the necessary clearance to work outside the country. Censures against South Africa, the nation which practiced apartheid, were becoming more and more prevalent worldwide. After passing on (regrettably in hindsight no doubt) an offer from Mutt Lange to produce the band in London, Trevor had decided the easiest route to further success was simply to move to London, as the UK was more accepting of its Jaarpie relations. However his bandmates declined to participate in what he considered the logical course of musical ambition.

But Trevor had a deeper reason for deciding to exit: his conscience would no longer allow him to live in a country whose government administered such an abominable methodology of legally-sanctioned discrimination.

Before Trevor’s career could be advanced on foreign soil he had to provide recorded proof he could succeed without benefit of the band or their production team, to prove he was truly the artistic soul behind the music.

And so two records were released within a month of each other and the nation witnessed a rivalry likely never before experienced (nor ever after, to my reckoning).

In one corner stood Trevor’s near-one-man-band solo declaration of independence, the album Beginnings. Its fanciful cover portrayed Trevor as an amalgam of imaginative imagery. but with his famous face intact by way of illustration. On the back cover the feathery-haired teen idol more familiar to the populace looked very serious indeed.

By contrast, weighing in at one member less, Rabbitt’s follow-up Rock Rabbitt seemingly displayed a tougher side to the band’s image, from the title (an interesting choice of adjective), along with the group photo: showing the trio glowering at the camera and Ronnie’s shirt summing up the overriding sentiment, printed with the most famous line from Gone With The Wind.

There could be little doubt who the message was directed at.

And it could be said it was in response to Trevor firing the opening salvo with the first (and only in ZA) single from his album, a song called “Fantasy” which led with this refrain:
You taking all my money
you trying to take away my fame.
But there’s one thing you can’t have, babe
you can’t share my name.

As well as this possible declaration to Duncan, who authored all the songs on the new Rabbitt album:
You trying hard to show me
that you can do it all alone.
I’m not particularly interested
I wanna do it all alone.
…and indeed he did. Trevor played all instruments on the album save for the drums (provided by studio cohort Kevin Kruger) as well as guest appearances on violin by his father Godfrey on “I Love You” and “Love Life.” Only one song featured backing vocals by Rene Arnell (nee Veldsman), Trevor sang everything else himself, with stacked harmonies and intricate arrangements. He wrote the songs, produced and arranged the album, and although Hennie Hartmann is credited as the recording engineer, Trevor likely manned the console as well. He retreated to their former studio, RPM, while Rabbitt remained ensconced at Satbel, the state-of-the-art facility which had been built for the band only a year before.

Even if the album had not been successful Trevor had absolutely proven once again that he was the wunderkind of South African rock. And in my estimation his album definitely did rock, much more than his former band’s follow-up. Varied and ambitious (in a way which his next two solo albums would not be), this was the sound of a man finding his artistic freedom and liking it very much.

But the difference in intensity is not so surprising in relation to the other release, given Duncan Faure’s propensity for sweet pop hooks and melodies. The album bears a gentler dreamier version of the Rabbitt sound with elaborate arrangements and strong playing, but it could be said it’s missing a bit of the bravura which Trevor creates so easily. And that specific absence is addressed on the second song - likely a response to the pointed jibes in “Fantasy” - entitled “Mr. Muso.”
Mr Muso
with your new show
will you succeed with your dream
succeed with the ambition you knew
see it through.
Will your life change
for a while re-arrange
after hearing your song
I really can’t see you go wrong.

Mr Muso
with your new show
will you star while they scream
as big as the dream you once knew
see it through.

Years later, it’s likely Duncan realized the irony of his suggestion that Trevor would never be as big as he was in Rabbitt. Interestingly enough the two experienced a shared destiny in that they each later joined an established band – although in Trevor’s case he did not originally join Yes, the brand name was revived as a result of professional machinations after the assemblage was mostly finished recording their album. And in both cases they came to be credited with bringing further success to those enterprises as a result of the addition of their unique talents.

So despite the diplomatic statement printed on the back cover of the last release from the original lineup, Morning Light, which attempts to sooth the hysteria of thousands of distraught young women, the breakup wasn’t as forgiving as the boys wanted their fans to believe. More interesting is the consideration that despite the band being unable to properly focus in regards to what became an aborted third album (with only four tracks ultimately recorded), once the split was final both sides seemed to produce an album’s worth of material overnight. It is perhaps a sad commentary on how bad things had become in the organization. But they all were equally determined to rule the roost on their home turf, and Duncan acknowledges what a formidable force Trevor is in regards to his ambition:
So your life it may seem
is obsessed by this dream.
After hearing your song
I really can’t see you go wrong
get it on.

The competition aspect can be inferred by the bridge to the chorus of "Fantasy"
Baby baby it's lovin'
but it's loving just for one.
Trevor displayed a more philosophical perspective in another song from his album, “Live A Bit:”
Now I know what's it like to be alive
I look around and try and find solid ground.
Feet still hanging up and blowing in the wind
the only thing that's permanent is change.

And in this very significant crossroads for four young men with a dream which succeeded, then shattered, then reformed and moved on, the character of obsession and determination would provide the crucible of the rest of their lives.

Fusion Furor: fulfilling the promise of Trevor’s (jazzy) artistic destiny

Author’s note: I’d like to state from the outset that what follows in this essay is speculation and opinion. No one (I don’t care who they are or who they talked to) has the authority to make any kind of announcement online or anywhere else regarding this project save Trevor himself. So let’s all keep that in mind, shall we?



Primarily I think John McLaughlin’s been a major influence. Funny enough some time back he was doing a Shakti tour, and some people had told him about me, or something, I’d just moved to LA…and I can’t remember exactly the story, the management phoned up because…I think it was, uh, Al DiMeola couldn’t make it at the time, or something. So there was a…they asked if I would be interested in doing it and I said ‘Well of course, you know, it’s a silly question.’ But I couldn’t do it contractually, I wasn’t allowed to do it.
-Trevor Rabin, interviewed for the Behind-the-Scenes footage of Yesyears, April 1991


I wanted to start off this essay with that anecdote - wherein Trevor recounts how he missed out on a particular dream job - for a reason which will become obvious in further reading. But I wished to verify that the gig was not with McLaughlin’s ensemble Shakti, but rather The Guitar Trio, which means now the world will never know how John McLaughlin, Paco De Lucia, and Trevor Rabin would have sounded in all-acoustic splendor. I for one am gutted to consider it. But life must go on…

Loyal Rabinites have been aware of the next solo album project as a topic of discussion in interviews and exchanges with Trevor for about a decade; as he first made mention in 2002 of having enough material for “half an album at least.” So hints and glimmers of possibility have been teasing us for what might seem an eternity. But anyone who’s been actively awaiting a solo project possesses multiple reserves of patience…especially anyone who’s been waiting for a release in the style of Trevor’s previous incarnation of AOR guitar god.

For me, when the hints began regarding what kind of album it would be, starting around 2004, then things got interesting. Because knowing Trevor is a fan of music of many stripes, his comments regarding moving beyond expectations into something more “eclectic” were exciting. Over the course of his entire career, Trevor has written and played in numerous styles and idioms and possessed what could be referred to as a “catholic” taste in regards to music as a whole – both a product of his particular upbringing, his musical education and experience, and his personal preferences. His versatility as a writer, arranger, and musician means he can apply himself to any style and create engaging music. This has been borne out by fifteen years worth of film scores which represent myriad genres: rock, bluegrass, techno, orchestral, jazz, world music, chorale…whatever the emotional requirements of the imagery, Trevor is there to provide the soundtrack. His musical identity as a whole made him a perfect fit for this particular profession from the outset…and beyond that his work in popular music for twenty years prior.

And interest was further peaked when Trevor's website was given a revamp in 2008 and visitors were greeted by a piece of fleet fretwork entiled "Barney IIa," which definitely displayed more of a jazz feel than just about anything we'd ever heard from him, and rightly so - as the title and style seem to indicate it was a tribute of sorts to Barney Kessel, a jazz guitarist whom Trevor has named as one of his favorites.

As I like to state in fandom discussions, why would we seek to put someone so insanely talented into a box? Why would we desire to limit him with our expectations if we truly appreciate his entire talent? For me, this project seemed – by virtue of Trevor’s comments about it – to be a way to finally throw away the box once and for all: an album wherein he possessed the freedom to express himself in any style of his choosing, and because it would be an instrumental record, without the limitations of the typical pop/rock song structure. A soundtrack for the movie in your mind, as it were (or his, possibly) but again without expectation – without any guidance but his own as the auteur.

Like anyone else, I have my prejudices and preferences and so they were rewarded when I began to read particular comments regarding the classification, but in particular Trevor’s comment in the March 2010 issue of Classic Rock Presents:Prog interview:
It’s a jazz-rock labour of love.

(And when I read that quote I had the whole fist-pump “YES!” moment.)

Because I’m a big fusion fan, a good chunk of my music collection is dedicated to what I believe was the golden era of jazz fusion: the mid-to-late 1970s, with albums by Miles Davis (who is acknowledged as inventing the genre), Billy Cobham, Tony Williams, Weather Report, Bill Bruford, Larry Coryell…and one of Trevor’s musical heroes, John McLaughlin, both solo and with such collaborations as Mahavishnu Orchestra, Shakti, Carlos Santana, and the one-off dream team called Trio Of Doom.

As he’s stated numerous times, the man who most influenced Trevor as a player is the aforementioned Johnny Mac: truly an amazing musician, a humble man, and a person who has never allowed himself to be confined by expectation or limitation. It can be said McLaughlin follows the spirit of the music wherever it may lead, and some of the destinations have been strange, but never boring. As a burgeoning guitar player it’s likely Trevor was wearing down the grooves of Mahavishnu Orchestra’s Apocalypse, which Trevor has listed as one of his all-time favorites; and it’s no surprise, considering Trevor’s love for orchestral power and form - the London Symphony Orchestra is a distinct presence on the recording.

Trevor’s professional career began before his own specific recognition as a recording artist, but once he became the mastermind of Rabbitt the influences flowed through him to be expressed in his own music: written, arranged, performed and co-produced to his own standards. One specific quotation of McLaughlin’s impression upon him can be heard on the track “I Sleep Alone” from Rabbitt’s second album A Croak and A Grunt in the Night. A dramatic and melodically lovely interlude, it features a classical turn from Trevor on nylon-string guitar against a swelling backdrop of strings and glockenspiel, followed by a plaintive vocal recounting the perils of heartbreak. Trevor already possessed a reputation as the best rock guitarist in South Africa, and Rabbitt’s popularity allowed the band and their production team to further illustrate their world-class status in more experimental and controversial material.

Perhaps the most well-known composition which points to the instrumental voice which might be heard on the new release is “Solly’s Beard,” Trevor’s acoustic tour de force named for the Rabin family dog, which he developed as a setpiece mere days before Yes was set to begin touring in 1983. Both lyrical and complex in its voicing, the piece evolved to where it was augmented with other motifs and parts of songs as it came to be performed on subsequent Yes tours and also on Trevor’s solo tour in 1989. As such it became an expression of a side of Trevor which fans unaware of his previous work or influences could appreciate in regards to his versatility.

But there is another piece which tends to be a tipping point among Rabinites, either in its originally-recorded form or live rendition. One either loves it or dislikes it (“hate” might be too strong of a term). First appearing as an interestingly-edited instrumental interlude on Trevor’s fourth solo album Can’t Look Away, “Sludge” (which Trevor joked was originally going to be called “Villians from the Swamp Beyond”) is a sly shifting montage of intricate chord sequencing and tricky time signatures. Those used to the singer/songwriter of catchy choruses and great hooks were no doubt slightly mystified. But when Trevor assembled a band to promote the record on a short club tour, the song was re-arranged and augmented to give all the musicians a chance to joyfully jam and individually shine (most notably Lou Molino III, who performed an epic drum solo before dropping right back into the groove as if he’d never left). The live version of “Sludge” is an incredible slab of fusion furor: full of fire and bravado and sheer mastery. There is a playful quality to their performance while at the same time displaying the inherent chemistry and professionalism of all participants. Trevor had a chance to display his guitar hero pyrotechnics on many songs in the setlist, but none as flat-out badass as “Sludge.”

And with first hearing the fusion-flavored version of “Sludge” I was firmly convinced of Trevor’s ascension to the ranks of those masters I have so loved over the course of my musical life. Whenever I’ve had occasion to provide proof of Trevor’s status as a guitar god, “Sludge” is the track I play first.

For me, jazz (and more specifically fusion) is a thrilling medium because the best of it involves great players playing together and going for broke, to get to a space where their collective greatness will merge and mesh and create something new and exciting. Often an impromptu and experimental form, it’s the sound of excellence striving for more.

Now if you apply that philosophy to our favorite musician? How could that not be amazing?

So the promise of jazz structures and bluegrass influences is a heady consideration, to imagine what kind of musical adventure Trevor is going to take us on.

And yet, fandom expectation means there will likely be disappointed or confused listeners, listeners who long for someone who existed twenty-five years ago. Listeners who desire to place Trevor back in the box they found him in. But the best of people – let alone musicians – are portraits of evolving artistic development and emotional epiphany.

It’s certainly not my job to convince anyone to embrace something they might be suspicious of, for whatever reason. All I can say is that I am beyond excited for this project when it is finally shared with all of us: excited for the prospect of hearing a love of music and acknowledgment of the legacy of the artistic forebearers who have inspired and astounded Trevor Rabin as a musician and an artist, to hear him go for it, whatever lies on his musical horizon.

To be who he is, for now and always. Because that is why I’m a fan.

good (fan)works: how fandom impacts Trevor's online presence

In our wired world, the most obvious source of fandom activity in the 21^st century is the online communities and fansites devoted to the celebrity of one’s choosing.   Fans now have access to an unprecedented amount of information and interest courtesy of the Internet, and Trevor – always a friend of new technologies – is no exception.

Within the last three years or so the online world has seen a rise in fandom activity associated with Trevor Rabin.  For example, the longest-running Facebook fan page is “Trevor Rabin Composer” which was created in 2008.  But a dearth of fandom sites associated with Trevor makes the social networking hubs a more appropriate outlet in regards to interest and traffic.  There are various MySpace pages associated with Trevor, for example, although his official page wasn’t established until 2008.  Likewise there is an unofficial YouTube channel which was created last year and some Facebook pages (none of which are official).  The entry for Trevor on Wikipedia (which remains the primary source of information for anything online in the minds of Internet users) was first created in 2004.

But there are sources and sites which go back even further than the creation of Trevor’s own website in 2005.  Mike Tiano, one of the titans of Yesfan activity online, established his own website/fanzine Notes From The Edge in 1990 before becoming associated with the band as a webmaster for their official site Yesworld for a number of years.  Utilizing contacts both in and out of official circles, Mike was a main source of current Yes information as well as for those who had done their service in the band then gone on to other projects.   The precursor to Trevor’s website was a section of NFTE devoted to Trevor (created by Tom Lorenz and Bo Sease), which served as a source of information and access for nearly a decade, providing a total online presence for Trevor of fifteen years as of this writing (which is also the length of his career as a film and television scorer).

 Another trailblazing source of information was provided by Trevor fan T.H. Cutler, who created a Rabbitt fansite in 1999 which remains one of the best sources of information regarding the band, as her research was bolstered by accounts from those who knew and worked with the band, as well as South African rock music historians.  It appears another fan had created a site for Trevor, a site for Rabbitt, and a fan-based newsletter, but those pages are now lost to online history.

One continual source of fan activity and information has remained the Yesfans discussion forum, which was established in 2001 and has a membership of over 10,000 worldwide.  Loyal Rabinites gather to post their latest discoveries in the subforum devoted to Trevor and sometimes might manage to scoop the official site when it comes to news!  Other fansites have borrowed and passed along the information and images provided by the regulars of the subforum, proving the adage that information does indeed move at the speed of light.  Likewise Henry Potts, a long-time Yesfan, maintains an unofficial news site for all associated members (called “Yes: Where Are They Now?”) and he often receives and shares news faster than official sources.

Interest in Trevor’s current career as a film scorer has resulted in the creation of a fan site by Fabrice Steurer in 2008 which is spotty at best.   In the opinion of your humble narrator, if any good fanwork could reflect this phase of Trevor’s musical evolution, it would be a site which could provide a complete discography of Trevor’s scoring credits (even those which never received a soundtrack release) as well as those pieces created for television and other installations, news, and links to interview sources regarding Trevor’s work.

Despite a vocal presence on social networking and other online hubs, if one wishes to keep up-to-date with the latest information, the best bet is always the official site.  There is much discussion online these days as to interest in Trevor, but the majority of it is unofficial and in many cases potentially superfluous or misleading.    But hopefully this essay assists in separating the digital wheat from the chaff in regards to what a 21^st Century Rabinite can hope to find in regards to his/her favorite musician.