History of the classic keyboards of 1950s-80s rock noted by Adelaide industrial designer David Robertson
David Robertson brought his industrial design interest and high-resolution photography to the Classic Keys book.
Honoured Adelaide industrial designer David Robertson immersed himself for seven years researching, writing and photographing for Classic Keys: Keyboard sounds that launched rock music, a book detailing an a noted aspect of the world of 1950s-80s popular music.
The 2019 book had its origins in 2008 when Robertson took on playing keyboard in an amateur cover band. Andrew Moncrieff at Derringers Music helped a curious Robertson compile a list of the most significant instrument keyboards of the rock era. From that list, Robertson bought an 88-note Rhodes Stage electric piano made in 1976. To explore the other side of keyboards – the organs, he bid online for a sample of the most iconic early example: the Vox Continental. It arrived from London “road worn and heavily gigged”.
Restoring the Vox Continental, Robertson was able to join the online Yahoo combo-organ forum where he made contact with vintage-keys blogger who became the other author of Classic Keys: Alan Lenhoff in Detroit.
Lenhoff and Robertson divided the writing of the book, with Lenhoff taking on the classic American instruments, such as the Hammond organ, Wurlitzer electronic piano and Rhodes pianos. Robertson concentrated on German and Japanese instruments with more exposure in Australia; also the historic chapters that set up the reference framework. Robertson also contributed his years of experience with custom high-resolution photography of that instruments – setting off the major task of getting access to or buying them.
The book had 560 photographs and illustrations, selected from thousands sourced during the project. The core of the book was a dozen chapters on the best-known instruments produce significant signature keyboard sounds of the rock era. But the scope of the material grew over seven years.
Despite the broad nature of the content in Classic Keys, and its potential interest to musicians, social historians, instrument collectors, museum curators, and music educators, it still represented a niche interest publication. The breakthrough was finding the University of North Texas, with a high-profile music faculty and a press with a special interest in books about music. A contract to publish was signed with UNT Press in 2018.
