Robin Paine
Bob was a reprobate and proud of it. You might have called him a romantic reprobate. I think it is easy to think of him at his best, as a romantic. His extraordinary deep love and knowledge of music, for instance, was impressive. He read widely, was a patron of the arts and a good friend to some. He loved adventure even into the darkest places and he loved chasing women. He knew so many interesting and amusing people, some of whom he introduced me to. We had many late nights of scintillating conversation with selections of his favourite operas playing through his incredible loudspeakers. With his background in film as a sound engineer and later making his own documentaries, most recently about talented women artists, Bob was an artist in his own right. His last project filming specialist music festivals will be fascinating to watch.
Bob didn’t like getting older. Suffering bouts of ill health he became his own worst enemy. He called me a day before he died complaining of the wintry conditions in Suffolk but looking forward to returning to The Sanctuary, on Kho Phan Gan Thailand.
I’m glad he died at home, unexpectedly, while his gardener worked outside on his much loved garden and I can’t help wondering what music he might have been listening to.
Bob Edwards 1945-2016 