Music
Press
This band has no press
Discography
In the Pale Moonlight (Band: Ghost) 3-track EP – recorded at Linford Manor Studios, Milton Keynes – released Easter 1996
The Orpheus Project (Band: The Orpheus Project)- instrumental new millenium concept album – recorded at Riverrun Studios, Potton – released January 2000
Behind The Orchard Tree (Solo Album) – recorded at Linford Manor Studios, Milton Keynes released March 2002
Stay (Solo EP) – 2-track EP recorded at Lost Boys Studio, Cranfield - released November 2002
Curious Angel (Band: Touchstone) - 4-track EP recorded at Appletree Studios & Heavy Right Foot Studios - mixed, engineered & produced by Cottingham - released January 2005.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
A semi-finalist in the UK Songwriting Competition 2005, Rob is a prolific, talented and accomplished writer and composer, keyboard player, and vocalist. His music ranges from intensely intimate and acoustic to a broad atmospheric sound with swirling synthesisers and deep bass sounds.
Influences
Vast – from Genesis and Peter Gabriel, to Sting and Elton John; from Pink Floyd and Yes to Coldplay and P J Harvey, and so the list goes on…
History
In the early days, he formed a school band called ‘Telpa Europa’ (Latin for ‘earthworm’!). As he says ‘great name…not so great band!’.
A few years later, in the early ‘80’s, he and Andrew Wildman collaborated to form a contemporary rock band called ‘Cinema’ and wrote the concept album ‘Golden Ring’.
In the early 90’s, he gigged regularly on keyboards with a Rhythm’n’Blues band, The Waterbreakers. This gave him extensive gigging experience as well as an insight into, and an overview of, a different musical genre. He was, however, always itching to write his own material, work on developing his own musical style, and form a band in which he could express himself.
He then formed ‘Ghost’ in late 1995 with Andrew, and became the main writer and core of the group, at which time they met guitarist Michael Daly, and the ‘Ghost’ sound was born.
In 1999/2000 he was then heavily involved with developing and composing parts of the music for ‘The Orpheus Project’ which included a short classical piano piece written by him especially for the project.
The next natural progression was to write and produce his own solo album - the result of which is his thought-provoking album - ‘Behind The Orchard Tree’ – see www.robcottingham.com.
Touchstone
Whilst Rob enjoys his solo work, as a result of a wish to gig the album the next step was to form a new band to work on developing the album material for a live set, as well as working on more material, and exploring different genres.
A Meeting of Minds
After Adam Hodgson sent Rob his masterpiece debut instrumental album, SSOTS, Rob met up with Adam on 4th February 2003, and it was clear from day one that the similarity in tastes, difference in influences and diversity in creative thinking would lead to a new and exciting sound
…and so the Touchstone sound was born.
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