Oxbow Founder Eugene Robinson Departs After 35 Years

After over 35 years, Eugene Robinson has decided to leave Oxbow.

Eugene co-founded the band with Niko Wenner after their time in Whipping Boy, and they started Oxbow in 1988. They dropped their first album, Fuck Fest, a year later and quickly built a loyal following with their wild noise-rock shows. Over the years, they kept releasing music like Let Me Be a Woman, Serenade in Red, and more recent works such as Thin Black Duke and Love’s Holiday.

Eugene shared his reasons for leaving on Substack, saying it was due to “irreconcilable differences” that weren’t about the band’s music or style. The band hasn’t said anything official yet about his departure.

I think it’s always sad when bands break up.

Eugene wrote that even though he doesn’t feel physically threatened, these differences have made him decide to step away from Oxbow. He mentioned having some really tough times lately and hopes that leaving might help heal things so he could possibly come back one day. If not, then that’s just how it is.

The last five shows of their European tour got canceled, and Eugene found himself in a budget hotel in Spain reflecting on how the band started and thinking about their latest video from Love’s Holiday. The song “All Gone” felt like it summed up everything perfectly for him.