Robert Throb Young (Primal Scream) - 1965-2014
by Anthony Strutt
published: 16 / 9 / 2014

intro
Anthony Strutt pays tribute to the former Primal Scream guitarist Robert 'Throb' Young, who died at the age of 49 on the 9th September
Robert “Throb” Young, of Primal Scream has passed away at the tender age of a mere 49 years. He was original founder member of the band from when they first got together in 1982, and remained with them until 2006 when he was allegedly asked to leave because of his habits! Robert, or as us hardcore fans knew him, Throb, looked the rock star much more than their front-man Bobby Gillespie ever could. With his long hair and tight leather trousers, he oozed cool on the band’s 1987 debut album, ‘Sonic Flower Groove’. Primal Scream may have topped the indie charts, but in my early years they were a tribute band to the great bands of their and our past and ‘Sonic Flower Groove’ was a homage to the Byrds. As soon as Jim Beattie, their first guitarist, left later on in 1987, Throb downed his first instrument of the bass and picked up a flying V guitar, and the band moved along to a sound found on Elektra Records in approximately 1968/1969 via the grunge of MC5 and the Stooges, for their next album, 1989’s self-titled ‘Primal Scream’. Throb really pushed the sound forward, and, while not be easily digestible by most at that stage, Primal Scream up until about 1991 were great to my ears, as they played every dive bar in the country. They finally met with major success after they took up the sounds of Acid House that delivered the 1991 album ‘Screamadelica’, which won the first Mercury Prize, before moving on again with the Black Stax-influenced ‘Give Out But Don’t Give Up’ (1994). There were four other albums that featured Throb, the alternative soundtrack to 1971 road movie ‘Vanishing Point’ (1997), the industrial-influenced ‘XTRMNTR’ (2000), and ‘Evil Heat’ (2002) and ‘Riot City Blues’ (2006). For me, however, Primal Scream will always be to me that band pre-fame that gave me loads of pleasure and that C86 jangly guilty pleasure, Rest in Peace, Robert.
most viewed articles
current edition
Spear Of Destiny - InterviewRobert Forster - Interview
Fiona Hutchings - Interview
When Rivers Meet - Waterfront, Norwich, 29/5/2025
Carl Ewens - David Bowie 1964 to 1982 On Track: Every Album, Every Song
Brian Wilson - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Pistol Daisys - Waterfront, Norwich, 29/5/2025
Nils Petter Molvaer - El Molino, Barcelona, 24/4/2025
Credits - ARC, Liverpool, 17/5.2025
Gary Numan - Berserker
previous editions
Heavenly - P.U.N.K. Girl EPDwina Gibb - Interview
Boomtown Rats - Ten Songs That Made Me Love....
Oasis - Oasis, Earl's Court, London, 1995
Sound - Interview with Bi Marshall Part 1
Trudie Myerscough-Harris - Interview
Serge Gainsbourg - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Brad Elvis - Interview
Susie Hug - Interview
Chuck Prophet - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
most viewed reviews
current edition
Peter Doolan - I Am a Tree Rooted to the Spot and a Snake Moves Around Me,in a CircleGarbage - Let All That We Imagine Be The Light
Little Simz - Lotus
Suzanne Vega - Flying With Angels
John McKay - Sixes and #Sevens
Billy Nomates - Metalhorse
Vinny Peculiar - Things Too Long Left Unsaid
HAIM - I Quit
Eddie Chacon - Lay Low
Only Child - Holy Ghosts
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart