Robbin Crosby

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Robbin Crosby

Robbin Crosby (August 4, 1959 – June 6, 2002), born Robbinson Lantz Crosby, former guitarist in the glam metal band Ratt, who had several platinum albums in the U.S. in the mid to late 1980s.

Robbin Crosby's guitar playing was largely influenced by guitar hero Jimi Hendrix. He joined Ratt in 1982 as the co-lead guitarist along side lead guitarist Warren DeMartini.

The hulking blond guitarist was quite a sight on stage with his Jackson King V guitars, the style he prefered. He would also put a red rose on the end of his guitar because, "I thought the chicks would dig it". He requested six red roses on the item list of the tour rider.

Albums (with Ratt):

History

Not much is known about Robbin's personal life. He was born in La Jolla California and had two sisters. Robbin was 6'6" tall, and weighed around 245 pounds at his healthiest.

Eventually he bought a nice house in the Los Angeles area in which he proudly displayed his platnum albums, he bought a few cars including a 1979 Ferrari Dino. He dated Tawny Kitaen and Apollonia Kotero and eventually married Playboy Playmate Laurie Carr in 1987. They had no children. He had a reputation for the "rock and roll lifestyle" during Ratt's heyday, and he was a habitual heroin user for some time, allegedly it was Nikki Sixx who introduced him to the drug in Ratt's earlier days.

Interviewers in the 80's almost always mentioned that Robbin was a sweet person and a true gentleman who gave thoughful interviews. Things rarely mentioned about his peers in the business. There's footage on that shows the rest of the members running through crowds to the limo giving a wave on the way but Robbin would take the time to shake his fans hands, sign autographs and accept gifts which showed that he truly loved his fans.

By 1990, The pressure of fame and living the "sinful rock and roll lifestyle" finally got to him and Crosby's use of heroin and other drugs began taking over his life. There would be shows where he literally couldn't play. Due to the shame he had placed on his band and himself, he left Ratt. Later, Crosby worked as a producer for fellow metal band Lillian Axe, but always felt a feeling of guilt for wounding his real pride, Ratt.

Eventually he lost everything. His wife, his house and cars along with his place in Ratt. Between his habit and his divorce the millions he aquired in Ratt all went down the drain.

In 2001, Robbin Crosby publicly admitted that he had full-blown AIDS. He had been in and out of the hospital for eight years dealing with back problems and health issues associated with the virus. He was also drinking heavily to deal with the pain. He probably contracted HIV sometime in the late 1980s through a tainted needle while taking heroin, which was confirmed in the summer of 1994.

Things began to look up for him. He tried to work on musical projects including one with ex-Ratt bassist Juan Croucier but relasped on heroin after moving a friend from his past, who was still using, in to his new apartment. Robbin was generous to a fault and couldn't let his friend end up on the street even though it was risky to have that influence around him again. Crosby died in Los Angeles on June 6, 2002, two months prior to his 43rd birthday. Most credible reports state that he died of a heart attack brough on by AIDS complications. At the time of his death Crosby had also changed physically, due to a pancreatic condition that changed his metabolism, the once handsome blonde guitarist had gained quite a bit of weight since his '80s glam heyday. He was quoted as saying in an interview just before his death saying:

Apparently my pancreas has given up and I'm not metabolizing food the way I should," Crosby explained prior to his death. "It's real frustrating. ... I have a roommate that probably weighs 150 lbs. and he eats a lot more than I do. It's not like I'm a pig or a slob.

According to an autopsy report after his death, Crosby weighted over 400 pounds.

Robbin's remains were cremated.

Robbin's death is important because he was the first big musician from the decadent 80's to die of AIDS. It's a suprise there hasn't been more considering in the 80's AIDS was just starting to become known and even so it was still considered a gay disease by the general populace and media.

After reading past and present interviews it almost seems that the greatest loss was not Robbin the musician but Robbin the human being.

External links

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