Memorial to Rob Needham
| Browse information by: Location Makers General Information Classification Object Parts Object Condition History References Photographs |  Copyright for Photograph: Steve Needham |
Location
| Street: | Lewes Road |
| Town: | Brighton |
| Parish: | Brighton |
| Council: | Brighton & Hove City Council |
| County: | East Sussex |
| Postcode: | BN1 |
| Location on Google Map | |
| Object setting: | Garden |
| and in: | Road or Wayside |
| Access is: | Public |
| Location note: | Parking spaces, east side of The Level |
| In the AZ book: | East Sussex |
| Page: | 162 |
| Grid reference: | G4 |
| The A-Z books used are A-Z East Sussex and A-Z West Sussex (Editions 1A 2005). Geographers' A-Z Map Company Ltd. Sevenoaks. | |
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Makers
| Company/Group : | Friends and family of the deceased |
| Role: | Assistant |
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General Information
| Construction period: | 25 September - October 2005 |
| Installation date: | 25/09/2005 |
| Work is: | Lost |
| Object listing: | Not listed |
| Description: | Dilapidated car, decorated with graffiti, floral and written tributes as a temporary memorial to 'Punky Rob' (Rob Needham, 1972 - 2005). A homeless guitarist who died from a heroin overdose at the West Pier Project, Regency Square, Brighton on 25th September 2005. He slept in the car when he had nowhere else to go. |
| Inscription: | 'never hurt noone loved by everyone sleep tight my old mate love Jung Jung (?) |
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Classification
| Categories: | Commemorative, Temporary, Roadside / Wayside |
| Object type1: | Readymade |
| Subject type1: | Symbolic |
| Subject type2: | Figurative |
| Subject type3: | Pictorial |
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Object Parts
| Part 1: | N reg. Vauxhall Astra Car |
| Material: | Sleeping bags, flowers, paper messages, tributes |
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Object Condition
| Condition 1 of type: | Surface |
| Condition 1: | Corrosion, Deterioration |
| More details: | Car dilapidated, floral tributes etc. decaying. |
| Date of on-site inspection: | 20/10/2005 |
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History
| History: | Information also provided to Jill Seddon by sister of deceased in discussions at the site on 20 October 2005.
'A fond farewell to Punky Rob' (first published Tuesday 11th Oct 2005.) Friends of a popular homeless guitarist who has died have decorated his car with loving messages. Rob Needham, 33, better known as Punky Rob, played with a number of punk and metal bands including Mutant Cells, The Black Hat Band and Sperm of Doom. He also busked outside The Spa, in Lewes Road, Brighton, where he would happily chat with passers-by. After battling for years with Brighton and Hove City Council to get housed, Rob was eventually taken in by The West Pier Project, in Regency Square, which helps drug addicts get back on their feet. Rob had become addicted to heroin in the early Nineties and was determined to kick the habit but was found dead from an overdose at the project on September 25 - just two days after he arrived. Rob, also an alcoholic, would often sleep in a car parked at The Level. Friends have transformed the vehicle into a vigil commemorating the Brighton-born man. His brother, Steve Needham, 36, of Old Shoreham Road, Southwick, has inherited Rob's 16-year-old mongrel Cabbage. He said a tribute gig was being organised in memory of his brother. Mr Needham said: ''Everyone knew him around town. Old ladies would stop and talk to him because he was such a nice guy. He had a great sense of humour. ''He had charisma. But he got involved in drugs over a period of years and it ended up ruining his life. You only get one shot at life, and I ended up nagging him so much to quit drugs that it created a distance between us. ''He was nearly there and could have got himself better. The last time we saw each other, he said he loved me. That was great.'' About six years ago Rob featured in the Channel 4 series Best Friends. The episode showed Rob and his friend Chris Savage, also homeless at the time. Another friend, Brighton-based tattooist Stephen Griffin, 36, grew up with Rob. He said: ''He was like my brother, and I loved him. He was one of a kind, and had the time of day for everybody. He could listen to anyone with a story. It didn't matter who you were, he wouldn't judge you. ''He made one mistake and paid for it with his life. I'm angry at him because it's such a waste of a beautiful person.'' Rob's funeral is at Downs Crematorium, in Bear Road, Brighton, at 2.15pm on Thursday. |
| Hard archive file: | Yes |
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References
| Source 1 : | |
| Title: | Brighton Argus |
| Type: | Newspaper |
| Author: | Kwintner, Adrian. |
| Date: | 11/10/2005 |
Further information: | |
| http://www.punkyrob.fotopic.net/ | |
| http://archive.theargus.co.uk/2005/10/11/203955.html | |
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Photographs
Date: 10/2005 Copyright: Steve Needham |  Date: 10/2005 Copyright: Steve Needham |
 Date: 10/2005 Copyright: Steve Needham |  Date: 10/2005 Copyright: Steve Needham |
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