Robby Davis has been playing since the age of two-years-old when he picked up his first musical instrument; "Since I've been old enough to walk, I've been old enough to rock! I have always been rockin' out and had some type of musical instrument in my hands... even if I had to make it myself or just pretend!"
Robby has been chasing his musical dreams for over two decades, but despite his tireless efforts, those dreams have often remained just out of reach. His story is not one of meteoric success or instant recognition, but rather a testament to persistence, passion, and the stubbornness required to stay in the game long after it seems like the world has moved on.
"I was sick and tired of seeing people say that I wasn't good enough, the pitch was wrong or my timing was off. BULLSH*T! So, I'd set out to prove to the world that I had what it takes and hopped on a bus and got halfway to Los Angeles and hitchhiked the rest of the way. Took me nearly two f****n' weeks to get there--walking with my thumb sticking out like some kind of a**hole because no one would pick me up! Anyway, I'd finally arrived (very late) to audition for America's Got Talent. Unfortunately, as I had anticipated, I was rejected yet again by that pompous f****n' Brit with the square haircut! This was a repeat of two years earlier when I was passed over in Boston, and then a second time in New York just a month later! By now I'd thought that a material change in my unique interpretation of the songs would garner a more positive reaction but, in the end, I was clearly too serious and not "Pop" oriented enough and, as someone told me backstage, ``I killed it but was dressed all wrong.`` Regardless, realizing that I didn't fit the ``Cookie Cutter clone`` of a f****n' Justin Timberlake Pod Person and that it was all just political and not me or my attitude that was the problem, I had still taken it personally and it was a harsh blow to my reality. I'd just stopped even trying for a short time, and instead focused on my job laying linoleum floors and doing the working-man thing and just tried to forget about all of it. I'd resigned myself to Thursday night karaoke at the Show Boat Lounge where at least I knew people there would appreciate my talents."
Robby's impressive vocal experience was honed at the famed WKRP television station in Cincinnati, OH, where he would create and perform unique voice impressions for various characters at a local children's sock puppet television show. As Robby tells it, "As silly as it might seem, that's all singing is; voice impressions, telling a story and rhymes. I'd put a Donald Duck impressionist against someone like Freddie Mercury any day!" It didn't take long for Robby to rekindle his love of music and performing in front of crowds when he was invited to play with the Pecos Red Alert Band at the Buck Jackson Rodeo Arena in Pecos, TX, for a WWII Veterans benefit concert, for which he penned the acoustic song, "Hot Summer Sidewalk (Hobo Bitches in Heat)" -- later renamed to "I Choose to Deny You"; an ode to a beautiful, yet conceited woman he ran into (literally!) at a Stop-n-Pump convenience store in Burbank, California. This aggressive tongue-in-cheek rock ballad (or as Robby calls it, "A musical temper tantrum about the angst felt from years of being outclassed.") would ultimately lead to a path with a modicum of success. Albeit tempered and somewhat short lived--but the spark was ignited and there was no stopping this locomotive of creative talent. This recognition would lead Robby to perform on stage with such acts as Corey Feldman's Corey's Angels which would be one of the highlights of Robby's life. "I'm a major nerd for 80s movies and although I've never watched The Goonies, I am aware he was in it. So, it was awesome to go on tour with Corey and to be one of Corey's Angels! I know he gets a lot of backlash for his art and so do I, so we hit it off and co-wrote a few unusual tunes that most people wouldn't understand... but Corey and I do and that's all that matters!"
Born and raised in bustling Liverpool, England, on the other side of the pond, his family moved to California when he was ten-years-old. By the time he was 12, he had picked up his first real guitar, inspired by the sounds of classic rock legends, but he always had his first instrument--his voice! Once he assimilated into the Southern California culture and lost his British accent, people seemed to take him more seriously and his experience matched his musical and emotional maturity which amalgamated into a powerful and undeniable musical force. Of course, with such attention pressures exist in the form of responsibility to uphold that image and Robby felt it would be dishonest and a disservice to himself to adopt such a toxic perspective. "I have always been a working class bloke, and I always will be... no matter how successful I am!"
His earliest musical influences included the likes of Jimmy Page and Randy Rhoads, though, by his own admission, his early attempts to emulate them were… far from perfection. "I wasn’t great at first, but I had something,” he says. “It was more about feeling it than getting it right and I'd rather feel right about something than to get it right! People that stress perfect timing and are unwilling to see the value in the imperfect are emotional robots! They wouldn't recognize true musicianship if it bit them in the ass and inserted a suppository in the form of Bach himself.”
It was this raw determination to feel music that would define Robby’s career. At 18, he formed his first serious band, "GodPhish and the Milksops" with short stints in the bands, "Fopdoodle", "Pillockish", and, later, the even more serious band (and a throw back to his time doing voice impressions), "Restless Sock"--a name that would become emblematic of his life—ambitious, enigmatic, and, for better or worse, a little difficult to explain. The band's genre was ever-evolving, often described as “experimental rock” by fans and critics alike, though no one could ever quite settle on a description. They never had the commercial success their hard work seemed to warrant, but they did gain a modest cult following among the underground scene.
Throughout Sock’s run, Robby played guitar and served as the band's creative heart and co-co-vocalist. The band toured extensively, visiting cities across Europe, North America, and parts of Asia. Though their music was often unconventional, blending elements of rock, jazz, and post-punk, their performances were electric, if at times erratic. Stories from these years are often marked by disorganization—broken equipment, last-minute venue changes, and the occasional impromptu performance on the street when the scheduled gig fell through.
"Look, we were never the polished kind of band," Robby recalls. “But we were real. We were hungry. We had something to say. Maybe we didn’t always say it the right way, but we tried.”
Despite their dedication, Restless Sock struggled with internal tensions. Lineup changes were frequent, and the band’s many breakups—sometimes over creative differences, sometimes over personal disputes—became as much a part of their legacy as their music. Robby was often the constant, both in his commitment to the band and his ability to reconcile with former bandmates after every fallout. In fact, it’s one of the things he’s most proud of. “There was always this sense that we were meant to be together, even when things fell apart,” he says. “Maybe that’s just what being in a band is all about, you know? It’s like a family. You fight, you break up, you go to court, and then somehow, in the end, you find your way back. Maybe it's that undeniable collaborative energy resulting from living in your car when you girlfriend kicks you to the curb and that survival instinct of needing a place to crash that ignites frustrated creativity with your bandmates, you know?”
But as time went on, Sock’s prospects began to wane. Their music, while earnest, never quite found the mainstream recognition they believed it deserved. Robby would often reflect on the band's inability to break through, even when they put in the time and effort. “We got rejected by every label. Everyone. To the point where they told us to stop contacting them! Some of the bands that made it big? They turned us down, too. And yet, somehow, they made it, and we didn’t. You can’t tell me it’s not all politics,” he says with a trace of bitterness. “We were better than most of them, but it just never lined up.”
When Restless Sock disbanded for what would be the final time, Robby’s career took a sharp turn. He briefly pursued solo projects, but without a stable backing band or a clear direction, his output was erratic while brilliant. A planned solo album, "Socks Off / Wang Hung", was supposed to showcase his vision, but after a few demo tracks, it was left unfinished. “I don’t want to say it was just that it wasn’t ready, but it wasn’t ready,” Robby admits. “I think I got caught up in the idea of what it should be instead of just making it, and I wasn't ready for that realization. I realize that now.”
Since then, Robby has struggled to find consistent work as a musician. There have been sporadic gigs—usually solo acoustic shows in small venues—but nothing that would compare to the life he imagined when he first started out. He’s auditioned for other bands, but, as he often tells it, he’s just never found the right fit. “They always liked me at first, but then they’d see how I approach things and it was, ‘Oh, maybe this isn’t going to work after all,’” he says. “You’d think they’d appreciate the passion. But no one seems to get it. Everyone is so in the box with their creativity and I'm more purposely irrelevant. Assume what you want and make excuses, I don't give a damn!”
The difficult realities of his career have also led to personal struggles. Robby’s financial situation has often been precarious, and he’s been forced to lean on family for support more times than he’d care to admit. He's had a series of, as Robby phrases it, "Out of one bed with one termagant woman and right into another mercurial creature's bed. They have these preconceived notions of a long term relationship, but when they realize I'm a Rock 'n Roll dude, they inevitably accuse me of having too many unpaid bills and unfulfilled promises. Hey, I'd made it clear, I am not ready to settle and those aren't my bills!" This cycle has repeated itself several times over the years.
"I’m not proud of it, and I’ve always tried to make it right in spite of my reluctance of being monogamous. I can't expect big things to happen if I'm going to live a humdrum life! Listen, I WILL make this happen, even if I have to live out of my car. I am a musical addict and I need my fix! Nirvana got their first record deal when they were essentially homeless. Just think about that. I think I can see that happening to me."
Despite the setbacks, Robby’s persistence remains unwavering. His belief in his potential is unshaken, even as his dreams continue to elude him. “I’m not the easiest person to understand, but I know what I’m capable of,” he says. “I just need the right band. The right situation. I’m still waiting for it. I just have to keep believing that it will happen!”
Robby’s story isn’t one of triumph or fame, but it is one of resilience. He’s a man who’s been through countless auditions, rehearsals, and failed projects—never quite making it, but never quite giving up. And while the world may not have yet recognized his genius, he holds onto the belief that someday, it will.
"One time while on tour in Japan and doing these shows in tiny rooms, I was feeling a bit wild and jumped into the crowd without thinking. I'd thought the crowd was bigger, but no one was there to catch me. I broke my leg in three places and that ended the tour."
Robby Davis utilizes the following instruments: Vocals, rhythm and lead guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, harmonica, violin/fiddle, banjo, and much more! See his YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RobbyDavisOfficial for recorded demonstrations if you're interested in his talents and for contacting him for any auditions. You can also contact Robby at: robbydavisofficial@gmail.com
