Robert Quine

Robert Quine (December 30, 1942 - May 31, 2004), a native of Akron, Ohio, was a guitarist known for his innovative guitar solos. Quine worked with a wide range of musicians, though he himself remained relatively unknown in comparison. His collaborators include Richard Hell & The Voidoids, Lou Reed (notably on The Blue Mask), Brian Eno (on Nervenet), John Zorn, Ikue Mori, Marc Ribot, Marianne Faithfull (Strange Weather), Lloyd Cole, Tom Waits (Rain Dogs), the Patti Smith Group, Matthew Sweet, and many more, including a rare 7" by Lester Bangs.

After graduating from Earlham College in 1965, and then earning a law degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, he spent a number of years practicing tax law before giving up on it. He then worked in a movie memorabilia store in New York City with Richard Hell and Tom Verlaine. Later, he was invited by Hell to join his new band The Voidoids, thus making punk history and beginning his musical career.

Guitarist Marc Ribot once said about Quine that "in terms of punk rock guitar soloing, he could definitely be called the inventor."

Quine continued recording into his 60s. Depressed after the death of his wife Alice in August 2003, Quine committed suicide by heroin overdose in his New York home on May 31, 2004.

Quine was a nephew of the philosopher W. V. Quine.

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