Formation The Blow Monkeys formed in London in 1981 when lead singer, songwriter, guitarist, bassist, and piano player Dr. Robert (born Bruce Robert Howard, 2 May 1961,
Haddington, Scotland) returned to the United Kingdom after having spent five years in Australia. Dr. Robert is thought to be named after the Beatles song "
Doctor Robert". The other band members are Mick Anker on bass guitar, Neville Henry on saxophone and Tony Kiley (born 16 February 1962) or Crispin Taylor on drums.
Recording In 1984 the group released their debut album
Limping for a Generation, but their first hit single came in 1986 with "
Digging Your Scene", from their second album
Animal Magic (which reached number 21 in the
UK Albums Chart). It peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and number 7 on the
Hot Dance Club Play chart. In addition, it reached No. 12 in the UK Singles Chart, No. 24 in Italy, and No. 25 in Germany. Their third album ''
She Was Only a Grocer's Daughter'' (whose title is a reference to then-prime minister
Margaret Thatcher), was released in January 1987. It reached No. 20 in the UK, thanks to its biggest hit, "It Doesn't Have to Be This Way," which reached No. 5 in the UK and No. 28 in Italy, and is featured in the movie
Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol. The record featured harmony vocals by singer-songwriter
Grayson Hugh. It was released in the United States but failed to chart there. The album also featured a duet with soul legend Curtis Mayfield on "Celebrate (the Day After You)". The song "
You Don't Own Me" appears on the
Dirty Dancing soundtrack. Outside the group, Robert Howard released a single, "Wait", which featured early
Chicago house singer
Kym Mazelle on female lead vocals. It reached No. 7 on the UK chart and was included on The Blow Monkeys' fourth album,
Whoops! There Goes the Neighbourhood), and on their first greatest hits album
Choices – The Singles Collection. This was their highest-charting record, reaching No. 5 in the UK Albums Chart in 1989.
Split and reunion The band split up in late 1990, In June 2009, the band released a special-edition double digipack CD and DVD of their performance at the
100 Club in London. It featured the original line-up performing fifteen songs including "Digging Your Scene," "It Doesn't Have to Be This Way," and "Wait," plus other tracks from the band's earlier work, and a few new songs from ''Devil's Tavern''. January 2011 saw the release of the album
Staring at the Sea, with "Steppin' Down" as the first single.
Feels Like a New Morning was released in April 2013 on Cherry Red Records , accompanied by a bonus CD containing 10 Blow Monkeys songs performed by Dr. Robert. In 2013, Sony Music issued a comprehensive, three-disc box set,
Halfway to Heaven: The Best of The Blow Monkeys & Dr Robert, including a 1984 concert from the
Hammersmith Palais. In October 2014, the band went to Monnow Valley Studios,
Rockfield, Monmouthshire, Wales to record a new album, with mixing and engineering by Jon Withnall. The resulting album
If Not Now, When? was released in April 2015. In October 2017, the band released their tenth studio album
The Wild River on Monks Rd. Records. It was written and produced by Robert Howard and recorded and mixed at Gismo 7 Studio in
Motril, Spain. The album features Crispin Taylor on drums and is a return to their soul/funk roots. In October 2018, the band supported
Level 42 on their Eternity Tour. In September 2021, they released their 11th studio album
Journey To You, produced and written by Dr. Robert. In January 2024, they announced their 12th studio album
Together/Alone on Scottish label "Last Night From Glasgow" , to be released in that May. ==Discography==