Bob Leith

Bob Leith
Leith with Cardiacs at The Garage in 2024
Leith with Cardiacs at The Garage in 2024
Background information
Birth nameRobert G. Leith
Also known asBob "Babba" Leith
Born (1964-04-17) 17 April 1964 (age 60)
Buckinghamshire, England
OriginMilton Keynes
GenresRock
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Drums
  • vocals
  • percussion
Member of
Formerly of

Robert G. Leith (born 17 April 1964) is an English musician, the drummer for the rock band Cardiacs from 1993 and Blurt from 2005 to 2008. Leith played in secondary school bands in Milton Keynes inspired by the punk ethos and co-formed the anarcho-punk band Part 1, which he played with from 1980 to 1983 in the early death rock scene.

Before joining Cardiacs, Leith was the singer and drummer in the progressive pop band Ad Nauseam with guitarist Jon Poole. Both Cardiacs fans, they became friends with the band after following them on tour and Poole took Bic Hayes' place on guitar in 1991, recruiting Leith to replace Cardiacs' long-time drummer Dominic Luckman when Luckman left in July 1993. Leith joined in December, which found Cardiacs their second "classic" lineup on the albums Sing to God (1996) and Guns (1999) which he contributed lyrics to. He played on the 2005 live album The Special Garage Concerts and the 2017 DVD Some Fairytales from the Rotten Shed which comprises rehearsal footage prior to the 2003 concerts. Leith was active with Cardiacs until the band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2008.

Leith also played with the reformed Alternative TV in 1995 and 1996 and sang in the band Katherine in a Cupboard which Cardiacs bassist Jim Smith played in. He made his debut with Blurt at the 2004 Glastonbury Festival and recorded three tracks on their album Cut It! released in 2010. Leith played with Ablemesh and Dr Brighton in the 1990s, Hayes' band Panixphere since 2019, and has guested with Crayola Lectern all alongside Poole. He has drummed for the bands Leisur Hive, Spiritwo, Mark Cawthra's band Redbus Noface, the Italian pop group Sterbus, and the Stephen Evens Band. He returned to drumming with Cardiacs in the 2024 Sing To Tim gigs commemorating Tim Smith.