This is shared with fondest and ever-loving memory of Roop…my constant, my love and best friend for 12 extraordinary years…in honour of what would have been his 75th Birthday.

It’s a delightful piece from a 7” single produced by Roop of Rupert Hine Productions for Fuse Music in 1976 at Air Studios, London. And, there was quite a bit going on that year, including productions for Cafe Jacques, John Perry, Cactus Choir and Dave Greenslade, Quantum Jump and the extraordinary single Snakes Don’t Dance Fast – unique in that it contained only sounds made by Rupert/his voice, no instruments.

However, I never heard this mentioned, not even in passing – maybe he forgot about it…

Please enjoy, not the ‘A’ side, Hooray for Hollywood, but the track on side ‘B’, written by Rupert and Jeannette Obstöj, I’ll Be Gentle (Ain’t Sentimental) … it’s performed by him and so very … well, Rupert-ish!

Rupert Hine, born over 400 years ago, started record producing as an alternative to flogging wretched peasants; found overnight success with Queen Mary’s now legendary “Orange” album and suffered the intolerable pressures of the famous as Producer Laureate for over 200 years. Perhaps, he is most noted for his adept use of topical ‘hooks’; Queen Vic’s classic ‘Amused’ series, Lord Nelson’s controversial “Kiss Me, Hardy, Kiss Me” single and his very own “Pathetic Fibs” LP.

More recently, Rupert teamed up with David McIver in the sixties and as “Rupert & David” released singles for Decca, to no avail. Roger Glover found them meandering thru’ the Northern ‘Club’ circuit took pity on them and signed Rupert as a solo recording artist to Purple Records. Two albums were released “Pick Up A Bone” and “Unfinished Picture” both co written with David.

At this time Yvonne Elliman asked them to write the songs for her “Food of Love” album, and with Rupert’s first-hand experience of Will Shakespeare and his hit shows, she also asked him to produce her. Since then, 1974, Rupert has produced some thirty albums for C.B.S., Chrysalis, Phonogram, Arista, etc artists including Kevin Ayers, Café Jacques, Anthony Phillips of Genesis, Murray Head, Camel, After the Fire and his own band Quantum Jump.

1979 saw Rupert open his own 24-track studio with partner Trevor Morais in the summer and Brand X, Camel, Random Hold, Quantum Jump and Wildlife filled the rest of the year.

1979 also saw two of Rupert’s single productions hit the top thirty, After the Fire “One Rule for You” and a silver disc for Quantum Jump’s “Lone Ranger” No 4 in the charts for 12 weeks, featuring Rupert on lead vocals & keyboards as well as production.

Rupert has recorded over the last five years, some fifty radio and TV jingles including the award winning Bacardi series and four years of Weetabix commercials(?).

Rupert’s most recent departure into film scores started with the Cannes Award winning film “The Shout” with Alan Bates, Susannah York, John Hurt and Tim Curry. A fully electronic score benefitting from Rupert’s ten year experiences with synthesisers.

Rupert is now one of the select breed of writer/producers who are capable of sculpting idea/image for new artists or artists requiring a fresh look at their own market identity.

Rupert feels that amidst the praise he should own up to his own failures (street credibility?) e.g the hideously unsuccessful Idi Amin “Friends and Lovers” Album, Enoch Powell’s “Paint it Black” cover single, Barbara Cartland’s “Spit on You” (not in the top 100 charts in over 140 countries) and the all cardboard Beatles re-union LP.

“…It’s a super flat, very modern & spacious with such small luxuries as instant electric disposal units set in the sink (as you can imagine that fascinated me for a long time), and very thick pile carpets which made one feel like a kangaroo…

I’ve come to the conclusion, Father, that you are a trendsetter: first Duke Ellington (now enjoying “sell-out” concert tour in the States and shortly here too) – then Mahler, who appears to have no less than 6 symphonies at the Festival Hall this month alone…and now your hero yesterday, the world’s hero today, Francis Chichester…

Last week I saw the French award-winning film “un homme et une femme”…it really is a tremendous film…the photography is so brilliant I was going to throw my camera away after I saw it! 

Songwise, have just received a bit of a down, having spent the last five weeks writing, with David, two songs*, arranging and producing them…discover on listening to the finished product reflectively, that the proposed ‘A’ side is a load of ___! and the ‘B’ side which everyone admits, including Ronnie & Bruce Chapman, a B.B.C. producer, is a beautiful song, is just not commercial, it’s more of a standard song (which can’t be bad actually because seemingly Matt Monro is interested in recording it for an album or possible single release; But nevertheless they were both originally intended for me! Still there you go!…

I’ve just discovered a lot of white hairs under my fringe, I think I ought to see the Doc…Love Rupert!

P.S. I am starting to look for a more interesting job that I can get my teeth into as I find myself getting very restless now and then…”