Trevor Rabin, former "Yes" guitarist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, returned to Cleveland and the “house that rock built” Friday for the release of his first solo vocal album since 1989.
“I had these songs in my pocket and they were burning a hole,” he said. “I had to get these things out.”
It’s the latest achievement for the South Africa native who has music coursing through his veins.
“Soon out of diapers, we had to study piano,” Rabin said.
When both your parents are musicians, the keys of a keyboard can unlock some frustrations for a kid.
“I wanna go and play catch, whatever it is,” he said. “Yes, you can, but you’re gonna, half an hour of scales and then half an hour of compositional study.”
But Rabin was born to play.
“My dad used to make this joke,” he said. “He always used to say, ‘My son read music before he read English.’ And it’s kind of true.”
The classical piano training helped the instrument become instrumental in Rabin’s life, but its playing guitar that really struck a chord.
He joined the band "Yes" in the 80s and wrote the group’s only number one single, “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” Rabin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside other band members in 2017.
“I can’t believe this place, the Hall of Fame,” he said. “It was not like this the last I was here. It’s an amazing place.”
But, he doesn’t think of himself as a legend.
“My son, when he was 12, thought I was the smartest guy on earth,” Rabin said. “And then at 15, I just became an idiot. And I’ve stayed that way up until now. So, it kind of humbles you.”
Rabin’s latest album is named after his 2-year-old granddaughter, Rio, and features some pretty personal songs.
“But, the great thing for me is when I went in to doing it, whereas most albums you go in with ideas, but there’s also a lot of exploration. This seemed to just flow," he said.
A flow Rabin followed to each phase of his career, going on to compose the scores for some of the most memorable soundtracks of our time.
“I look back at one of my earlier movies, 'Armageddon,' and it feels like it was yesterday,” he said. “But there’s 50 movies since I did that.”
He’s now excited to return to his rock roots.
“I remember playing Cleveland many times,” he said. “I can’t remember where. I think it was where the Cavaliers played. Before LeBron.”
He was back in town Friday for a Hall of Fame Series Interview and album signing at the Rock Hall.
“It turns out I love this place, so it’s a good thing,” Rabin said. “And it’s an honor to be inducted.”