Rupert Hine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rupert Hine
Hine in 1982
Background information
Birth name	Rupert Neville Hine
Born	(1947-09-21)21 September 1947 Wimbledon, London, England
Died	4 June 2020(2020-06-04) (aged 72) Wiltshire, England
Occupation(s)	Producer, musician, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, various instruments
Labels	Ariola, A&M, Purple
Associated acts	Quantum Jump

Rupert Neville Hine (born September 21, 1947 – died June 4, 2020) was a talented English musician, songwriter, and record producer. He helped create albums for many famous artists like Rush, Tina Turner, Howard Jones, and Stevie Nicks.

Rupert Hine also released eleven of his own albums. Some were under his own name, some as part of the band Quantum Jump, and others as a "pseudo-band" called Thinkman. With Quantum Jump, he had a big hit song in 1979 called "The Lone Ranger," which reached number 5 in the UK. He also wrote music for movies and TV shows, including the 1989 film Goldeneye and the comedy Better Off Dead.

Rupert Hine's Life Story

Rupert Hine was born in Wimbledon, London, England, on September 21, 1947. His father, Maurice, sold timber, and his mother, Joan, was a Red Cross nurse. Rupert grew up in a home filled with music. His mother loved ballet, and his father played drums in a jazz band when he was younger.

Rupert's mother thought he would become an architect, but Rupert first wanted to be a mapmaker. He started playing music at age 14, choosing the mouth organ because it was cheap. He went to St John’s school in Horsham, West Sussex, and later King’s College School in Wimbledon. He taught himself how to play music.

Early Music Career

In the early 1960s, Rupert formed a folk music duo called Rupert & David with David MacIver. They played in pubs and clubs and sometimes shared the stage with a young Paul Simon. In 1965, they released a single, "The Sound of Silence" by Paul Simon, on the Decca label. This song wasn't a hit, but it featured a young Jimmy Page (who later formed Led Zeppelin) on guitar.

For several years, Rupert wrote songs with David while working temporary jobs. Later, Deep Purple's bassist Roger Glover helped them. Rupert and David signed with Deep Purple’s Purple label. Roger Glover produced Rupert’s first solo album, Pick Up a Bone (1971). His second album, Unfinished Picture (1973), followed, but neither became very popular.

However, Rupert Hine became more and more wanted as a music producer. He first produced a single in 1972 called "Who Is the Doctor," which featured Jon Pertwee from TV’s Doctor Who. He then produced albums for artists like Yvonne Elliman and Kevin Ayers.

Quantum Jump and Solo Albums

In 1973, Rupert Hine started a band called Quantum Jump with guitarist Mark Warner, bassist John G. Perry, and drummer Trevor Morais. They released two albums: Quantum Jump (1976) and Barracuda (1977). In 1979, their song "The Lone Ranger" became a surprise hit in the UK, reaching the top five. After this, a third album, Mixing, was released, which had new versions of songs from their first two albums.

After Quantum Jump broke up, Rupert Hine released three albums under his own name: Immunity (1981), Waving Not Drowning (1982), and The Wildest Wish to Fly (1983).

Film Music and Big Hits

In 1985, Rupert Hine wrote and produced much of the music for the comedy film Better Off Dead. Later, he worked with composer Eric Serra to write "The Experience of Love," the end song for the James Bond film GoldenEye. He also contributed to the music for The Fifth Element and The Addams Family.

Rupert Hine worked with many of the biggest music stars of his time. In 1984, he helped Howard Jones reach the top of the UK charts with his first album, Human’s Lib. That same year, Rupert achieved his most famous success by working on Tina Turner’s album Private Dancer. This album made Tina Turner a huge solo star and sold 20 million copies! Rupert produced the Grammy-winning song "Better Be Good to Me" and helped write "I Might Have Been Queen" on that album.

Later Projects and Awards

In 1990, Rupert Hine worked with Kevin Godley on a project called "One World One Voice." This was a musical project that involved 300 artists from around the world, starting with Sting and ending in Moscow. It was an album and a two-hour TV show that aimed to raise awareness about the environment. It was watched by 650 million people worldwide.

In 1993, he formed a band called Spin 1ne 2wo with other musicians like Phil Palmer and Tony Levin. They released an album of rock cover songs by artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin.

In 2008, Rupert Hine helped create the album Songs for Tibet: The Art of Peace. He also added a remixed version of his song "The Heart of the Matter" to it. This album became the third most downloaded album globally on iTunes during the Beijing Olympics.

In 2011, Rupert Hine received a special award called the Sound Fellowship Award from the APRS. This award recognized his important contributions to music recording. He received it from Sir George Martin, who produced The Beatles.

In 2015, Rupert Hine produced Songs for Tibet II to celebrate the Dalai Lama's 80th birthday. This album featured contributions from famous artists like Sting, Peter Gabriel, and Kate Bush.

In 2017, Rupert Hine became the Chairman of the Ivor Novello Awards, which are important awards given to songwriters and composers in the UK.

Thinkman and Legacy

In 2019, a "best of" album was released from Rupert Hine's "Thinkman" project. Thinkman was unique because it wasn't a real band. Rupert Hine performed most of the music himself, and the people who appeared with him in public were actors, not musicians! The project aimed to highlight the dangers of powerful media and later focused on environmental issues.

Many artists, including Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks, and Dusty Springfield, have recorded songs written by Rupert Hine. He also directed many music videos for the artists he produced. Rupert Hine was one of the first to use electronic music production techniques.

Rupert Hine passed away at his home in Wiltshire on June 4, 2020, at the age of 72. He is remembered for his amazing work as a musician, songwriter, and producer who shaped the sound of many famous artists.

Discography

Solo Albums

Studio albums

• Pick Up a Bone (1971)
• Unfinished Picture (1973)
• Immunity (1981)
• Waving Not Drowning (1982)
• The Wildest Wish to Fly (1983)
• The Deep End (1994)

Soundtrack

• Better Off Dead (1985)

Compilation album

• Unshy on the Skyline - The Best of Rupert Hine (2015)

Thinkman Albums

Studio albums

• The Formula (1986)
• Life is a Full-Time Occupation (1988)
• Hard Hat Zone (1990)

Compilation album

• Fighting Apathy With Shock - The Best of Rupert Hine as Thinkman (2019)

Quantum Jump Albums

Studio album

• Quantum Jump (1975)
• Barracuda (1977)

Compilation

• Mixing (1979)

Spin 1ne 2wo Albums

• Spin 1ne 2wo (1993)