{{short description|New Zealand record producer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2025}} '''Rob Aickin''' was New Zealand's top record producer in the late 70's early 80s. He produced many gold and platinum records for artists like, Patsy Riggir, Hello Sailor, Golden Harvest, Th Dudes With Dave Dobbyn, Toni Williams, Murray Grindlay and many others while working for Stebbing Recording studios.
==Career==
===1960s=== In the early 1960s, he was in a band from an Auckland called Papakura. The band was called Four Quarters.<ref>''NZ Musician Magazine'' June/July 2015 [https://issuu.com/nzmusician/docs/nzm161_june_july_2015_pacific_music_e2348d2cdceed8/33 Page 30 - 31 moments like these - Curated by Trevor Reekie]</ref> Later he was bass player in a group from Clevedon, just outside of Auckland called The Clevedonaires. Other members were Ron and Graham Brown on guitar and drums and sister Gaye playing keyboards. In 1966, they were signed by Benny Levin to his record label, Impact. After releasing a few singles they were set to go to Vietnam to entertain the troops. As the Vietnam War was escalating their promoter didn't guarantee them return tickets. So they went to Australia instead. They did quite well and eventually became a group called Bitch. Aickin came back to New Zealand in the mid-1970s.<ref>Radio New Zealand 14 May 2011 [http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/musicalchairs/20110514 Sweet Folk to Bitchin Prog Rock]</ref>
In 2015, he was interviewed for the ''NZ Musician'' magazine about his days with The Clevdonaires and Bitch. It was published in the June/July issue.<ref>''NZ Musician Magazine'' June/July 2015 [https://issuu.com/nzmusician/docs/nzm161_june_july_2015_pacific_music_e2348d2cdceed8/33 Page 30 - 31 moments like these - Curated by Trevor Reekie]</ref>
==Producer== Rob Aickin was the "in house" producer at Stebbing Studios in Auckland.<ref>witchdoctor.co.nz 1 May 2013 [http://www.witchdoctor.co.nz/index.php/2013/05/karl-gordon-sights-set-high/ Karl Gordon: Sights Set High - Gary Steel]</ref><ref>Audio Culture 13 May 2013 [http://www.audioculture.co.nz/people/bitch Bitch Profile - Grant Gillanders]</ref>
In 1978, he won the Producer of the year award for the ''Hello Sailor'' album by Hello Sailor.<ref>NZ Music Awards [http://www.nzmusicawards.co.nz/award-category/producer-of-the-year-1978/ Producer of the Year 1978, Nominees, Winner: Rob Aickin – ‘Hello Sailor’ (Hello Sailor)]</ref>
==Production== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |+ EP and mini albums |- ! scope="col" | Artist ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Release info ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |- ! scope="row" | Gary Havoc & The Hurricanes | ''Havoc!'' | RTC RTS 71012 | 1979 | Co-produced with Gary Havoc |- ! scope="row" | Th'Dudes | ''So You Wanna Be A Rock'n'Roll Star'' | Key L 20041 | 1982 | |- ! scope="row" | Hello Sailor | ''Last Chance To Dance'' | Key L 20042<br>Festival Records L 20042 | 1982 | |- |}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |+ Albums |- ! scope="col" | Artist ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Release info ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |- ! scope="row" | Hello Sailor | ''Hello Sailor'' | Key L 36336 | 1977 | |- ! scope="row" | Murray Grindlay | ''Murray Grindlay '' | Key KK4 | 1977 | |- ! scope="row" | Toni Williams | ''The One I Sing My Love To'' | Interfusion L-36339 | 1977 | |- ! scope="row" | Golden Harvest | ''Golden Harvest'' | Key L 36681 | 1978 | |- ! scope="row" | Hello Sailor | ''Pacifica Amour'' | Key L 36682 | 1978 | |- ! scope="row" | Th'Dudes | ''Right First Time'' | Key L 36685 | 1979 | |- ! scope="row" | Patsy Riggir | ''Lay down beside me & Are you lonely'' | EPIC | 1981 | Both albums made Gold & Platinum sales | |- ! scope="row" | Th'Dudes / Hello Sailor | '' So You Wanna Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star'' / ''Last Chance To Dance'' | Key D 30560 | 1991 | CD compilation<br>Production: Ian Morris (tracks: 1 to 12)<br>Production: Rob Aicken (tracks: 1 to 4, 6 to 11) |- ! scope="row" | Hello Sailor | ''The Sailor Story 1975-1996'' | Festival Records D 31672 | 1996 | 2 x CD compilation |- ! scope="row" | Various artists | ''Give It A Whirl''<br>(The Soundtrack To The Major Television Series) | Propeller REV504<br>Universal New Zealand 99632 | 2003 | 2 x CD compilation<br>Producer on, Hello Sailor - "I'm A Texan"<br>Th'Dudes - "Right First Time" |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://robaickin.com.au/ Website] * [https://www.discogs.com/artist/830863-Rob-Aickin?filter_anv=0&subtype=Production&type=Credits Discogs: List of productions]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Aickin Rob}} Category:New Zealand record producers Category:New Zealand musicians Category:New Zealand bass guitarists Category:New Zealand male bass guitarists Category:New Zealand guitarists