In this episode, Robert tells his story about life as a musician and an artist living in Brooklyn, NY. From co-founding The Shirts, touring with Peter Gabriel, and playing regular dates at NYC’s famed CBGB’s, to discovering his love of painting, this story is an artist’s journey.

Robert remembers his father’s cameo in On the Waterfront down on the Brooklyn docks. He talks about the little flukes in life and how one tiny thing can change the course of your life’s path dramatically and forever.

After missing the Vietnam draft by a hair, Robert helped found the New Wave group The Shirts under manager Hilly Kristal - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilly_Kristal. After regular appearances at NYC’s CBGB’s playing with Television and The Talking Heads, The Shirts signed with EMI and toured with Peter Gabriel.

Later, after marriage and children, Robert discusses how painting and art saved him and how in many ways it was just by chance that he ended up where he is today.

Robert Box Twitter: @RBoxArt

[email protected]

Music: The Shirts - www.theshirts.net

Photography: Natalie Jennings - www.nataliechampajennings.com/

More info & view slideshow at http://www.afaceproject.com/podcasts/ep13-robert/

NOTES:

• [10:00] Talks about how his grandfather came through Ellis Island
• [10:40] Robert speaks about finding art in school
• [13:10] Robert graduates high school and goes to the School of Visual Arts and drops out shortly after
• [14:25] Talks about living in a storefront in NYC and starting his band, The Shirts
• [15:25] Robert talks about the draft for the first time and how luck was on his side
• [17:25] Talks about the opening of CBGB for the first time
• [18:45] Speaks about being signed at the band’s lowest point
• [21:15] The band opens for Peter Gabriel
• [22:17] Robert talks about his advice: Just go, just work
• [23:30] Talks about how that band wasn’t business smart and the ending of the band
• [25:50] Robert talks about how he turned to tennis to get through while many of his band members turned to drugs
• [28:00] Robert talks about his decision to set up outside of The Met and sell his art
• [29:15] Robert says it’s all about people resonating with your art
• [31:15] Robert talks about how people need art; like people need music