An Immaculate Records Subsidiary
Concert Reviews, Artist Features, Previews, Interviews & Contests
ROB HYMAN
First published on Lauperland.com
May 4th, 2020
By Curtis Newart
Rob Hyman (Photo credit: Miklas Wrieden)
Anyone who has
listened to Cyndi Lauper's 1984 hit song "Time After Time" has heard co-writer Rob Hyman sing the chorus with her."Time After Time" was the second single released from her debut studio album She's So Unusual (1983). The worldwide smash hit song earned them a Grammy™ Award-nomination for Song of the Year in 1984.It became Lauper's first number 1 hit in the U.S.
Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time (Official Video) (1984)
Rob Hyman and Cyndi Lauper
In 1983,
Hyman's old college roommate Rick Chertoff got the job to produce Lauper's first major label album, and subsequently brought her to see Hyman and Eric Bazilian's band The Hooters play in New York.
The musicians clicked and they went to work on She's So Unusual, which has sold 16 million albums worldwide.
Rob Hyman, Cyndi Lauper and Eric Bazilian
Eric Bazilian, Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman
Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual album (1983)
"Time after Time"
hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart, and has been covered by over fifty artists including Miles Davis, Willie Nelson, Matchbox 20, Everything But The Girl and Cassandra Wilson.
Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time single (1984)
"Girls Just Want to Have Fun"
features an iconic xylophone-like synth solo played by Hyman.
"Cyndi was crashing on a friend’s couch in Philadelphia.
I’d pick her up everyday, and we would all jump into creating arrangements and demos for She's So Unusual, including 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun' and 'All Through the Night'".
Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want to Have Fun single (1983)
Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want To Have Fun (Official Video) (1983)
Cyndi Lauper - All Through the Night single (1984)
Connecticut-born
Hyman was nominated for a 2018 Tony Award® for Best Original Score for his work on SpongeBob SquarePants, The Broadway Musical.
Bikini Bottom Day from Spongebob Squarepants, The Broadway Musical at the 91st Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (2017)
The Hooters
is an American rock band created by Hyman and Bazilian in Philadelphia in 1980.Their indie album release Amore sold over 100,000 copies, and their 1985 album Nervous Night (their first national release on Columbia Records) sold over 2 million copies.
The Hooters at the famous Circus Krone in Munich (2013)
The Hooters album Amore (1983) (Antenna)
The Hooters album Nervous Night (1985) (Columbia)
Nervous Night
includes the Billboard Top 40 hits "Day by Day" (#18), "And We Danced" (#21) and "Where Do the Children Go" (#38).
The Hooters - Day by Day
The Hooters - And We Danced
The Hooters - Where Do the Children Go
Nervous Night went Gold in Canada, and multi-Platinum in the US. Their album One Way Home attained Gold status in the US. Their albums Zig Zag and Out of Body went Gold in Sweden.In addition to touring in the US and abroad, The Hooters opened several huge events, including Live Aid in Philadelphia in 1985.
The Hooters - Live Aid (Philadelphia)
Largo,
the Americana album named for a Dvořák symphony, was produced by Hyman and Chertoff in 1998. It included tracks by Lauper, Joan Osborne and Carole King, Taj Mahal, and The Chieftains.
Largo album (1998)
Buy now
Hyman previously worked with Osborne on her multi-Grammy™ Award-nominated debut album Relish, and her later album Little Wild One.
Mick Jagger,
Bette Midler, Jon Bon Jovi, Patty Smyth, and Ricky Martin have all enlisted Hyman's talent.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas,
starring Jim Carrey, featured Hyman's work.
The Walk of Fame
in Philadelphia honors both Hyman and The Hooters.
in Philadelphia, PA is owned and operated by Rob Hyman.
HOT SEAT
Breakfast cereal: Shredded Wheat, Bran Flakes, Granola, etc. with a banana and some walnuts. Basically fiber! At least start the day with one healthy meal...even if it tastes pretty much like cardboard.
Next Halloween costume: Gave it up awhile ago. But I think Drs. Fauci and Birx might get a lot of action here. Let’s see what the Fall brings.
Birthday wish present: Keep my family close, happy and healthy. And a COVID-19 vaccine soon, please.
Fave cartoon: Daffy Duck’s Quackbusters, Rugrats, all the Toy Stories, My Neighbor Totoro, and Gumby The Movie (nutty one there). Enjoyed ‘em all with my kids.
Fave movie: Dr. Strangelove. Still the darkest, funniest, scariest film around with a fantastic cast.
Fave song: Who can possibly pick one but “Whiter Shade Of Pale” was a big influence, with that beautifully spooky organ. I always turn that one up when it comes on...what a strange monster hit that was.
Celebrity run-in: Bob Marley, Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, George Harrison...been very lucky in that department. And Cyndi of course!
Celebrity crush: Beyond that now.
Fragrance: None.
What do you drive: Lexus RX 350. And I hope to rehab my 5-speed ‘82 Honda Prelude one of these days!
Pet peeve: Being late. Unfortunately, it’s usually my fault.
Room service food: Burger and a beer. Safest way to go.
Curtis Newart, in addition to being the webmaster of Lauperland, was first influenced by Rob Hyman's music at age 13.
Curtis Newart is a Gen Xer who grew up listening to 80s music in cowboy country.