Dr Robert

Born Bruce Robert Howard on 2 May 1961 in Haddington, Scotland, Dr Robert is the co-founder and creative engine of the Monks Road Records universe. He formed The Blow Monkeys in 1981 upon his return to the UK after spending his teen years in Australia, combining the glamour of Roxy Music with the energy of post-punk and the sophistication of modern jazz. The band's politically charged soul-pop made them one of the defining acts of the mid-80s, scoring hits including "Digging Your Scene" and "It Doesn't Have To Be This Way."

Beyond the band, Robert played bass on Paul Weller's Wild Wood (1993) and Stanley Road (1995), recording on "The Changingman" — a connection born from both artists living close to The Manor studio in Oxfordshire. His solo output through the 1990s and 2000s explored roots, acoustic and folk territory, before he reformed The Blow Monkeys in 2007. The band continued to tour and release albums, including The Wild River in 2017 and Journey To You in 2021.

Robert was the curator of Monks Road Social — an ever-evolving collaborative outfit built around the Monks Road Records community. Richard Clarke brought him in as the connection point for a collective of musicians, and the project led to several acclaimed albums, sharpening his production work and rekindling his love of collaborative music-making. He produced Peter Capaldi's debut album St. Christopher (2021) and its follow-up Sweet Illusions (2025), cementing his role as both artist and in-house producer for the label.