Rob Fisher (5 November 1956 - 25 August 1999) was a British keyboardist and songwriter from Cheltenham, England, who achieved chart success as a member of the new wave band Naked Eyes and later Climie Fisher. He attended Lord Wandsworth College in Hampshire, where he was a member of a band called Cirrus.

Career

Fisher's early bands were Whitewing (1975-1978) and the Xtians (1978), both during his time at the University of Bath. In 1979 he joined up with Pete Byrne to form Neon, whose first single "Making Waves/Me I See You" was released on their own 3D Music label. The band later went on to recruit Neil Taylor, Manny Elias, Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal, before they finally broke up in December 1981. In 1982, Fisher and Pete Byrne, who were key figures in the early days of synthpop, formed the duo Naked Eyes, while in 1981 Smith and Orzabal formed Tears for Fears.

Naked Eyes' two biggest hits were their rendition of the Burt Bacharach song "Always Something There to Remind Me", and the self-penned "Promises, Promises". They had two more US Top 40 hits, "When the Lights Go Out" and "(What) In the Name of Love", before going their separate ways. They resumed their writing partnership after a five-year break, and some of the songs written during this period were on the Naked Eyes album released in 2010.

In 1987, Fisher re-emerged as one half of the pop duo Climie Fisher with singer-songwriter Simon Climie. Together they took "Love Changes (Everything)" to the UK No. 2 spot, while the hip-hop inspired "Rise to the Occasion" also cracked the Top Ten in the United Kingdom.

After the break-up of Climie Fisher, Fisher collaborated on several songs with Rick Astley and Jules Shear. For some years, Fisher had owned his own studio, The StoneRoom, in Shepherd's Bush, where, until shortly before his death, Fisher had been working with Pete Byrne on a new Naked Eyes studio album.

Death

Fisher died on 25 August 1999, aged 42, following bowel surgery for cancer.

Discography

Naked Eyes

• "Always Something There to Remind Me" (1983) No. 8 US, No. 59 UK
• "Promises, Promises" (1983) No. 11 U.S.
• "When the Lights Go Out" (1983) No. 37 U.S.
• "(What) In the Name of Love" (1984) No. 39 U.S.

Climie Fisher

• "Love Changes (Everything)" - 1987 - No. 67 UK
• "Keeping the Mystery Alive" - 1987
• "Rise to the Occasion" - 1987 - No. 10 UK
• "Love Changes (Everything)" - 1988 - No. 2 UK
• "This Is Me" - 1988 - No. 22 UK
• "I Won't Bleed for You" - 1988 - No. 35 UK
• "Love Like a River" - 1988 - No. 22 UK
• "Facts of Love" - 1989 - No. 50 UK
• "Fire on the Ocean" - 1989
• "It's Not Supposed to Be That Way" - 1990

[ Source: Wikipedia ]