Book Review: Stranded in the Future, by Robyn Hitchcock (2026)

Stranded in the Future, published earlier this year, is Robyn Hitchcock’s second memoir, following 2024’s excellent 1967: How I Got There and Why I Never Left. Stranded in the Future picks up the story after the Day-Glo marvelousness of 1967 and takes the reader through the next decade of Hitchcock’s life. 

One of the main characters in Stranded in the Future, besides Robyn, is a reclusive rock star, referred to as both Mr. A during his rock star period, and Mr. B after he gave up the spotlight. It’s no shock to reveal that Mr. A/B is Syd Barrett, formerly of Pink Floyd. Hitchcock is a huge Syd Barrett fan, and he’s often covered Barrett’s solo compositions in concert. 

Syd Barrett is quite a legend in rock and roll circles. One of the founders of Pink Floyd, Barrett was a key artistic voice during their first album, 1967’s The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and then left the group in early 1968. Barrett released two solo albums, both in 1970, and then largely disappeared from public life and performing. Hitchcock was fascinated by Barrett, and a continuing theme of Stranded in the Future is Hitchcock’s near misses with encountering Barrett. 

The Robyn Hitchcock that we encounter in Stranded in the Future is a young man who wants to be a singer-songwriter. The book follows his maturation as an artist and the first recordings he makes with his band The Soft Boys. Hitchcock had a relatively long gestation period as a rock musician. His debut long-playing record was The Soft Boys’ first album, A Can of Bees, released in 1979, when Hitchcock was 26 years old. That’s not old by lifespan standards, but in terms of rock and roll, it’s on the later side. Syd Barrett had already been in and out of Pink Floyd, made his two solo albums, and was on the train to nowhere by the time he was 26. Paul McCartney had just started recording the White Album when he was 26. I could give a dozen more examples, but you get the point. 

Hitchcock is an excellent writer with a vibrant, impressionistic style of writing. There are great quotes throughout the book. One of my favorites was from Robyn’s father, the painter and novelist Raymond Hitchcock: “My father, however, was fond of saying that we were given speech in order to not communicate with each other.” (p.26) That’s food for thought.

Just as Robyn is always missing Syd Barrett, he also just misses connecting with Bob Dylan on a kibbutz in Israel in 1971. Crazy, man. Speaking of Dylan, there’s another type of near miss when Robyn buys Dylan’s new album Planet Waves. However, the record inside the Planet Waves sleeve is actually Brian Eno’s solo debut, Here Come the Warm Jets. “They were, briefly, label mates at that stage, and the record pressing plant had, in delicious error, put Eno albums in Dylan sleeves.” (p.118)

Robyn eventually forms a band called The Soft Boys, which is a fantastic name for a band. It’s a bit silly and non-threatening, especially during an era when testosterone reigned supreme in rock and punk. 

Stranded in the Future also covers Robyn’s romantic relationships, which are complex. His on-again, off-again relationship with “Ms. C” is an example of two people who are constantly being drawn towards each other, even though it doesn’t seem as though they like each other very much. 

Stranded in the Future is an interesting book, chronicling an often difficult time in Hitchcock’s life. I hope he writes a third volume; I’d be fascinated to read about his emergence as a solo artist in the 1980’s, and his success touring America. 

Concert Review: Robyn Hitchcock and Emma Swift at the Turf Club

 

Robyn Hitchcock and Emma Swift at the Turf Club in Saint Paul, April 15, 2022. (Photo by Mark C. Taylor)

My Robyn Hitchcock swag: "Somebody Ring the Cheese Alarm!" tea towel, Robyn Hitchcock socks, and a Record Store Day 45 that Emma took to Robyn to get signed. And then re-signed after he signed the shrink wrap the first time! (Photo by Mark C. Taylor)

On Friday, April 15^th, I saw Robyn Hitchcock and Emma Swift at the Turf Club in Saint Paul. It’s the first time I’ve seen Robyn in concert since 2018, although I’ve seen him and Emma many times through my computer since 2018 during their “Sweet Home Quarantine” web concerts. This concert at the Turf Club was the first time I’ve seen Emma sing with Robyn live. In 2018, Emma was handling the merch table, but didn’t perform.

Robyn performed two sets, and Emma sang with him on 6 songs, 3 in each set. In the first set, Robyn played the ultra-rare “For Debbie Reynolds,” which I believe he said he’s never played live before. (It was only released on a rarities and outtakes album.) Robyn played one of my favorite songs of his, “Adventure Rocket Ship,” and he also sang “Balloon Man,” probably his biggest “hit” song. The three songs Emma joined Robyn for during the first set were all lovely: “Raining Twilight Coast,” “So You Think You’re in Love,” and the catchy “Up to Our Nex.”

The second set opened with the beautiful “I Often Dream of Trains,” which resonated strongly with my friend Jo, who grew up in the same part of England as Robyn. “Sudden Town,” from the Soft Boys reunion album, reminded me that I should dig out my CD and listen to Nextdoorland again. Robyn sang the goofy “Trilobite,” which was a treat, and “Alright, Yeah,” one of my favorites from Moss Elixir, one of the first Hitchcock albums I owned. I was also very pleased to hear “Ole! Tarantula,” from the album of the same name. Robyn closed the concert with “Visions of Johanna,” the Bob Dylan song that has practically become Robyn’s own, given how many times he’s performed it.

I was thrilled that there’s more Robyn Hitchcock merchandise available, and I got a pair of polka-dot socks, and the “Somebody Ring the Cheese Alarm!” towel. I told Emma that I’m waiting for Robyn’s signature line of shirts. Her response was “I know!” Robyn’s shirt for the second set was outstanding. It had birds on it, which makes any shirt better. I was explaining to Jo that the cats on the cheese alarm towel are Tubby and Ringo, Robyn and Emma’s Scottish Fold cats, and Emma said that the only people who get the towel are “Groovers,” the nickname for those of us who watch Robyn and Emma’s web concerts.

Robyn had fewer monologues than usual, but he still went on some amusing riffs about the planet Europa, and he said that life is “scary, creepy, absurd, and beautiful.” An apt quotation from modern rock’s champion of the surreal.

Robyn Hitchcock and Emma Swift: Sweet Home Quarantine Week 8

Robyn Hitchcock and Emma Swift.

Week 8 of Robyn Hitchcock and Emma Swift’s “Sweet Home Quarantine” shows happened on May 6, 2020. You can watch Robyn and Emma on the Stageit website. Week 8 was another dig through the back catalogue of Robyn Hitchcock.

The show opened with “If You Were a Priest,” the opening track from Element of Light, Robyn’s 1986 album with his band the Egyptians. This was followed by “A Skull, a Suitcase, and a Long Red Bottle of Wine,” an early 1980’s outtake that first appeared on the 1986 compilation Invisible Hitchcock. It’s since been added as a bonus track to the Yep Roc reissue of Robyn’s first solo album, Black Snake Diamond Role. It doesn’t do much for me as a song.

Robyn sang a lovely version of “Mr. Kennedy,” a song from the Soft Boys reunion album, 2002’s Nextdoorland. It made me think I should revisit that album, since I haven’t listened to it in a long time. After the song, Robyn had some very humorous banter with Emma, as Robyn did a Beatle voice and was wondering how Paul and Ringo stay so thin. He said, “They probably have personal trainers.” Emma replied, “You could have a personal trainer too, but you just spend your money on cheese.” This made Robyn laugh. It always cracks me up when Emma makes Robyn laugh, because you can tell it’s genuine. For all his reputation as a “quirky surrealist” or whatever term you want to use to describe him, Robyn seems like a serious fellow, so when he laughs, I think he’s genuinely amused by something.

Concert staple “I’m Only You” was next, and as usual, featured a superb guitar solo from Robyn. In concert, this is almost always the song where Robyn shows off his guitar chops. I don’t know why he doesn’t play more guitar solos because he’s a terrific guitar player. Emma got her solo spot, singing her original song “How to be Small.” It was lovely, and hopefully she’ll record more in the future.

Robyn sang “No, I Don’t Remember Guildford,” the tune he sang over the closing credits of the 1998 concert film Storefront Hitchcock. It’s a very pretty song, with great harmonies from Emma. Robyn sang one of my favorite songs, “I Often Dream of Trains,” played on the very same Fender Telecaster that he originally recorded it on. I’ve always loved the lyrics of “I Often Dream of Trains.” The last songs of the night were “1970 in Aspic,” from Robyn’s 2017 self-titled album, and “Cynthia Mask,” from 1990’s Eye. The lyrics of “Cynthia Mask” have always intrigued me, with their references to Napoleon and Neville Chamberlain. From reading a biography, I learned that Napoleon really did eat a lot of chicken, as he apparently instructed his chefs to always have one roasting, so he could have one whenever he felt hungry. The perks of being First Consul. The night ended with a minute or so of the truly odd “Antwoman.”