The Blow Monkeys

A British quartet formed in London in 1981 around singer-songwriter Dr. Robert, alongside Mick Anker, Neville Henry and Tony Kiley. The Blow Monkeys were part of the English pop scene of the 1980s at the crossroads of new wave, sophisti-pop, soul and light funk. Their songwriting marries pop choruses, elegant arrangements, saxophone and danceable rhythms, often with a social edge more pronounced than it first appears. After their debut album Limping for a Generation (1984), The Blow Monkeys gained wider visibility with Animal Magic (1986), notably thanks to “Digging Your Scene”, and continued with She Was Only a Grocer’s Daughter (1987), which features a duet with Curtis Mayfield, and Whoops! There Goes the Neighbourhood (1989). Springtime for the World was released in 1990, shortly before the group split. Dr. Robert then pursued a solo career, until The Blow Monkeys reformed in 2007. Since their return the band has been active again on stage and in the studio with Devil’s Tavern (2008), Staring at the Sea (2011), Feels Like a New Morning (2013), If Not Now, When? (2015), The Wild River (2017) and Journey to You (2021), continuing to blend the sophisticated pop of their early years with looser soul colours.