The Blow Monkeys live in Edinburgh - It Doesn't Have To Be This Way 14 Oct 2025

The Blow Monkeys live in Edinburgh - It Doesn't Have To Be This Way 14 Oct 2025.

The Blow Monkeys are unique with a roller-coaster career spanning over 40 years. Always making new music, always stretching their own musical boundaries.

With worldwide hits such as the classics “Digging Your Scene” and “It Doesn’t Have To Be This Way”, they became household names but there was always so much more going on with these simian soulsters.

Their relentless desire to move forward, to collaborate, to be socially engaged and to have something to contribute. Back in the 80’s they worked with people as varied as Curtis Mayfield, Paul Weller, Cheb Khaled and even Jamaican Toaster EEK-a-Mouse!.

“No band since The Clash in their early 80’s heyday had attempted to act as a sounding board for such politically engaged, eclectic music” Dr Robert even took time out to release one of the UK’s first homegrown ‘house’ records “Wait”, his top 5 duet with Chicago soul diva Kym Maselle.

And so the journey continues. Reformed in 2008 The Blow Monkeys have been incredibly productive releasing eight new albums and playing hundreds of concerts.

The latest album due out in Aug 2025 is called "Birdsong" and is on Alan McGees Creation Youth label. From their beginnings on the underground club scene right through to their appearance on the biggest selling soundtrack of all time “Dirty Dancing” ( You Don’t Own Me) and beyond. Long may they swing.