Robert Courtney, One Million Fuzztone guitars founder member, composer, guitarist and singer was born in the UK, surviving an early childhood in Jamaica and Guernsey, and Art School.
Early influences “My Boy Lollipop” by Millie Small, “Bachelor Boy” by Cliff Richard and “Telstar” by The Tornados.
Despite an early love of pop music, a non-musician who preferred the sounds and feel of Formula One and Formula 5000 cars (as a very young spectator) until he heard “Silver Machine” by Hawkwind, followed by seeing them live at The New Theatre, Oxford.
Given the chance to combine and replicate these two experiences at a friend’s house with a Zenta Telecaster “copy”, a Wem Copycat, Coloursound Fuzzbox, Selmer T&B Amp and Homemade 4×12 cab (Orange Vinyl covering), the artist heard on these pages was (re)born.
First recorded Music in 1976 at Trent School Of Art Using a multi-tracked (1/4″ 4-track) Classical Guitar, played using own systems based notation through an H&H Echo Unit at various speeds, an organ at the local Cathedral again played with systems notation and field based recordings of journeys, water and electronic household objects.
History of One Million Fuzztone Guitars:
Robert Courtney's first live performance was with the Group “Cycle Annie” at Trent Polytechnic in 1977.
Second live performance with the Group “The Post Impressionists” at The Boat Club, Nottingham, in 1978, featuring Harry Stephenson of Stiff Records Plummett Airlines on bass.
Third live performance with the Group “Skin Patrol” at The Sandpiper Club, Nottingham in 1978.
Skin Patrol went through many line-up and stylistic changes before becoming “One Million Fuzztone Guitars”, after a brief rehearsal period known as “The Graveyard”.
One Million Fuzztone Guitars released two singles “Heaven b/w Annuese” and “Men’s Hearts b/w Creepy Crawl” and an LP “(Roman, I Have Some Bad News For You) 26″ on the Manchester based “Monsters In Orbit” label, before disbanding.
Robert Courtney recorded two One Million Fuzztone Guitars LP's during five sepatate sessions (later released as “Everything’s Happening” on Slot Records in 1988 under his own name) shortly before moving to London and recording the also unreleased "Blue Baby", “Guitars, Girls and God” and "New York" LPs.
Robert Courtney then went on to record some long improvised One Million Fuzztone Guitars live sessions with Guitarist Phil Bourne, (formerly of sister Manchester band “The Colours Out Of Time”) entitled “Sister Rave”, shortly before forming the Group “Doll” as guitarist and composer.
Doll’s demise after one year was followed up by the long time rehearsing, but short lived (one gig in Oxford) Group, “Liberty Cushion”, a band fronted by Martin Spear (ex lead vocalist with Oxford based MadamAdam), that played obscure cover versions with Robert Courtney on Rickenbacker Bass Guitar put through a separate H&H PA System and a Marshall Guitar Stack, (described by the venue promoter as “either the best or the worst bass playing I’ve ever heard, it is difficult to decide which”).
Robert Courtney has now reformed One Million Fuzztone Guitars after recording tracks for the "God of A Small Planet" and "Automatic Kaos Foundation" LP's
In more detail:
CYCLE ANNIE
Formed in late 1976 as a punk outfit. Did no more than 4 gigs. Personnel sometimes included Harry Stephenson of Plummet Airlines on bass.
Robert Courtney — Guitar.
Richard Elgood — Vocals.
Kent Hewitt — Bass.
Phil Denton — Drums.
Kent Hewitt was later to form the bands “Kent & the Home Counties” & ”Rubbish”.
SKIN PATROL # 1
Formed on Friday 13th January 1978. Specialised in Stooges and Velvet Underground cover versions, and psychedelic punk jams based on lyrics by Rick Elgood and riffs by Robert Williamson (Courtney). No definite drummer was used though usually it was Bob Fawcett of Nottingham based “Some Chicken”.
“Some Chicken” wrote the great song “Number 7″.
Robert Williamson (Courtney) — Guitar.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Bass.
Richard Elgood — Vocals.
Andrew Turnbull — Lead Guitar.
Leon — Drums.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) came from the “House of Wax”. Formed in 1974 — split 1976, the “House of Wax” was a heavy rock outfit based in Crewe which also featured future Fuzztone Dave Robbins. (See below).
SKIN PATROL # 2
September 1978 — July 1979. Progressed to self-penned set of “Death Rock” numbers, including “Rock Section” (November 1978, after a series of séances with Jim Morrison), which became a stage favourite, although the group itself was extremely unpopular.
Robert Williamson (Courtney) — Vocals / Guitar.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Bass / Guitar.
Richard Elgood — Drums.
Oliver Hoon — Guitar / Bass.
Oliver Hoon came from the Derby based “Pre-De” and later formed “Beatsville / Capersville” with Richard Elgood.
SKIN PATROL # 3.
May — September 1980. Reformed group follows Williamson’s excursion into the world of Avant-garde jazz in Nottingham and Hoon & Crewe’s return from the North, disillusioned with the “Manchester Sound”. Resultant bizarre funk group gathers large following with audiences spilling out onto the stairs of venues, coupled with interest from those involved in “Noise Abatement”. Group splits due to musical differences.
Robert Williamson (Courtney) — Vocals.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Bass.
Oliver Hoon — Guitar (Leaving to “Anti Pasti”).
Steve Harvey — Drums (Leaving to “Medium Medium”).
GRAVEYARD.
Pre – One Million Fuzztone Guitars. Recorded one demo in a cellar. Songs included: “I Meet The Night Alone”, “Passionate Love”, “I Kneel Beside Your Graveside”, “Heaven”, “Annuese”, “Rock Section” and the classic “Blue Baby”, all later firm stage favourites of One Million Fuzztone Guitars.
Robert Williamson (Courtney) — Vocals / Stylophone.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Bass / Stylophone.
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 1.
Originally a duo, the Fuzztones formed in August 1981 with Beausoleil joining in early 1982 to augment the Stylophone / Drum Machine based group. Released the single “Heaven” in January 1982 to a mixed reaction from press and public. Gigs during 1982 usually frantic, involving plenty of clothes, fighting, smoke bombs etc.
Robert Williamson (Courtney) — Vocals, Guitar & Stylophone.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Bass & Vocals.
Chris Beausoleil (Barnes) — Stylophone & Casio.
NB: Beausoleil joined the Fuzztones after seeing a very early gig in the summer of 1981 and being very impressed with their Velvet Underground Medley.
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 2.
Group finally reaches breaking point with their already very limited sound. Recruit Andrew Shread as drummer in July 1982. Record second single “Men’s Hearts” in October 1982. Produced by Dave Robbins of the “Colours Out of Time”, Robbins joins the group in January 1983.
Rob Williamson (Courtney) — Vocals, Guitar.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Bass & Vocals.
Dave Robbins — Guitar & Vocals.
Chris Beausoleil (Barnes) — 60′s Italian Organ.
Andrew Shread — Drums.
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 3
The surviving core trio record the LP “26″
Robert Williamson (Courtney) — Vocals, Guitar.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Bass & Vocals.
Dave Robbins — Guitar & Vocals.
Art Deakin’ (Taxi Driver) – Drums
THE KINKY MACHINE
The OMFTG trio perform one gigs worth of 60's cover versions, at The Garage, Nottingham as “The Kinky Machine”.
Robert Williamson (Courtney) — Vocals, Lead Guitar.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Drums
Dave Robbins — Bass & Vocals.
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 4.
Robert Williamson (Courtney) — Vocals, Guitar.
Crewe (Andrew Dickinson) — Bass & Vocals.
Dave Robbins — Guitar & Vocals.
Steve Harvey – Drums (due to Steve Harvey’s commitments to Medium Medium the Drum slot can vary)
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 5.
“Everything’s Happening” LP
Robert Courtney – Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Drum Machine Programming, Piano.
John E Moon — Drum Machine Programming, Bass, Keyboards.
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 6.
(The COURTNEY BOURNE Experience)
Robert Courtney – Guitar, Drum Machine, Keyboards.
Phil Bourne — Guitar, Keyboards.
DOLL
Robert Courtney – Guitar, (Guitar, Bass, Drum Machine, Keyboards on demo recordings)
PH — Vocals
SM — Drums
KL — Bass
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 7.
Robert Courtney – Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Drums & Drum Machine Programming, Piano, Keyboards, Viola.
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 8.
Robert Courtney — Guitar (Bass & Drum Machine Programming)
David Courtney — Guitar
LIBERTY CUSHION
Robert Courtney — Bass
David Courtney — Guitar
Martin Spear — Vocals
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 9.
The "God of a Small Planet" and "Automatic Kaos Foundation" LP's.
Robert Courtney — Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Drums & Drum Machine Programming, Piano, Keyboards, Viola.
ONE MILLION FUZZTONE GUITARS # 10.
Robert Courtney — Vocals, Guitar.
Dr Snake - Guitar.
Keith Gotheridge - Drums
The Legend of Rock Section is the mythic thread woven through The Department Store of the Soul, part alter ego, part spiritual archetype, part cosmic prank. Born from a psychic séance where the spirit of Jim Morrison allegedly dictated a song—“Rock Section”—to a group of young seekers, he emerged not just as a band name or song title, but as an encoded identity. A one-man revolution hidden in plain sight. A psychic download. A mystery school in a guitar riff.
Rock Section is the eternal outsider, forged in a cauldron of broken dreams, creative betrayal, and buried power. He disappears when wounded, retreats into myth, then resurfaces years later when the stars realign—namely, during the spiritual liberation of 2020, when time stopped and everything false burned away. He lives at the intersection of shamanism, glam punk, psychic rebellion, and esoteric truth.
He is the man who can walk through fire because he remembers he is the fire. The silent witness at your most transformative moment. The spirit that never dies, just reincarnates through melody, word, and spark. He is the part of you that refuses to give in to mediocrity. And when you’re ready to return to the truth of who you are, he’s already there—waiting with a leather jacket, a battered notebook, and the next verse of your life’s song.
Rock Section isn’t just a legend. He’s a code in your soul, waiting to be activated.
“The 31-track, Twenty-First Century Singles compilation album, featuring “New Rock Section”. A sonic time capsule cracked open, unleashing a swirling storm of fuzz-laden riffs and unrelenting rhythm. The track embodies the band’s signature blend of psychedelic garage rock, post-punk grit, and alternative audacity. It is a sound that has always been ahead of its time, whether in the 1980s or today’s era of genre-fluid rock revivalists”. Exposed Vocals
“An album getting more interest these days, as it was always meant to be, with the original cover and missing tracks. One of a few missing links between the One Million Fuzztone Guitars of the 1980s and the 2020s. Check out the article on Exposed Vocals and interview with the ‘Force behind the Fuzz’, Robert Courtney, here:
Volume II of live, improvised, one-take, gig-ready songs. The point of what I’m doing now musically is getting away from any form of artifice. They are all live, one-take stereo recordings, not multi-track, with no added effects other than minimal volume editing and EQ. The sound and mix is all set up in the room and is one voice, one guitar, 3 amps and a Pearl Export bass drum. No overdubs allowed. I got fed up with creating things I couldn’t possibly replicate. Not using click tracks or drum machines frees me up to speed up, slow down or instantly go in any direction I choose. It may be minimalist but it’s real.
A collection of demos and rarities from one weekend in 2024. Recorded live on an Android phone using Cubasis 3, mixed live, no editing apart from intros and outros, de-clipping and balancing. The future is hi-lo tech!
Sign up as a VIP Member to get the amazing nine-minute Manhattanhenge Meditative Experience. It’s by me so you know it’s not going to be normal! It’s a bonus replay day, so you can still join us for free” https://EnlightenElevate.com/
Find out about my new book, Department Store of the Soul, watch or listen to the interview, and read an excerpt here at Enlighten Elevate Summit. Free access today only! Don’t miss it, time is running out, less than 24 hours left!
“Have you seen Robert Courtney’s session…. Threads weaving through life and VIP Members get his amazing Manhattanhenge Meditative Experience . It’s a bonus replay day, so you can still join us for free” https://EnlightenElevate.com/
Supercharged, dynamic, Punk, Funk, Rockabilly Agitpop from Skin Patrol in 1980, restored and remastered from a PA desk mix cassette. The Ajanta Cinema put on many punk and post-punk bands at the time, including Joy Division, Psychedelic Furs, Crass and Throbbing Gristle, all bands we loved. It closed after one particularly riotous gig where the seats were ripped out and thrown on stage, not us, honestly.
and VIP Members get his amazing Manhattanhenge Meditative Experience 
. It’s a bonus replay day, so you can still join us for free” 
One Million Fuzztone Guitars / Skin Patrol 