Robert Heaton

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This article is about the British rock drummer. For the U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania, see Robert Douglas Heaton.

Robert Charles Heaton (July 6, 1961 - November 4, 2004) was the drummer in British rock band New Model Army. Together with Justin Sullivan he was the core of the Bradford based band. Originally along side Stuart Morrow on bass and then later with Jason 'Moose' Harris. He wrote many of NMA's best known compositions, which are still played nowadays at their gigs.

He left NMA in 1998 due to health reasons and was replaced by Michael Dean, his drum roadie, by his own recommendation.

Heaton died of pancreatic cancer on November 4, 2004, and left in stand-by the projects of Gardners of Eden and the recent Fresh Milk for the musical local scene.

Further tributes were posted (including the moving one by Moose, a close friend and student of Rob's Life University) via www.newmodelarmy.org: [1]

[edit] Drumming

Heaton's drumming is trademarked by his amazing, metronomic precision. He was a very technical, talented and inventive drummer, who never overhelmed his music with his own incredible technical skills, focusing on emotion, feeling and a great sense of beat.

[edit] Legacy

Heaton wrote or co-wrote many of the best known New Model Army songs. Below are some of his most important contributions to NMA's repertoire.

  • 125 MPH
  • 225
  • 51st State of America (written by Ashley Cartwright and Jeff Rowland of The Shakes)
  • Afternoon Song
  • Aimless Desire
  • All of This
  • Archway Towers
  • Ballad of Bodmin Pill
  • Believe it
  • Big Blue
  • Brave New World
  • Brave New World 2
  • Brother
  • Bury the Hatchet
  • The Charge
  • Chinese Whispers
  • Coming Up
  • Courage
  • Curse
  • Drag it Down
  • Drummy B
  • Eleven Years
  • F#NY
  • Family
  • Flying Through the Smoke
  • Get Me Out
  • Gigabyte Wars
  • Green and Grey
  • Headlights
  • Here Comes the War
  • The Hunt
  • If You Can't Save Me
  • I Love the World
  • Inheritance
  • Innocence
  • Killing
  • Lights Go Out
  • Living in the Rose
  • Lovesongs
  • Lurhstaap
  • No Greater Love
  • No Rest
  • No Sense
  • Over the Wire
  • Poison Street
  • Queen of My Heart
  • Rainy Night 65
  • Refugee
  • R.I.P.
  • See You in Hell
  • Sex (The Black Angel)
  • Shot 18
  • Song of the Men of England
  • Space
  • Still Here
  • Understand U
  • Wanting
  • Western Dream
  • Whirlwind
  • White Coats
  • White Light
  • Whites of Their Eyes
  • Wonderful Way to Go
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