24 November 2025
Every Monday I will be bringing you an interview with an independent band, duo or music artist. This week, I caught up with Bournemouth based artist Robert Luther Smith to find out more…
Where are you from?
I was born in Ash, Surrey and grew up in St. Albans, Herts and Winchmore Hill, London..
Who were your musical influences when you were growing up and who are your influences now?
I have to say that reviewers have been pretty accurate in saying I’m a mix of Stevie Wonder and David Bowie with a touch of Steely Dan but growing up I famously discovered the bass drum through Let’s Twist Again at age 5 after some years listening to my grandparents’ classical collection. Then we got the rush of r&b via the Beatles and Tamla Motown. I got briefly diverted by Black Sabbath’s Paranoid and Deep Purple’s Black Night and I listened to all the Free albums, then Joni Mitchell and Neil Young but Stevie Wonder introduced me to a wider range of chords and Bowie with his PR stunts and songwriting. Then I was on my own.
How would you describe your sound?
R&B specifically. I always found ballads easy to write as the records show but I wanted to learn how to make an r&b record and get the drum sound on Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together. I worked that out eventually, got into funk, one step behind the Average White Band and a year before Bowie, it has to be said. I like a layered sound and major 7ths which give colour to the sound.
What is your latest release called and what was the influence behind it?
My latest release is called “Didn’t I Say”.
The Stylistics, Stevie Wonder with the drama of Bowie. I wanted to create the feeling of loss rather than tell a specific story but at the same time looking for hope.
What’s your local music scene like?
It used to be massive, now it’s dead.
What do you have planned for the next 12 months?
Re-release all my songs on Spotify and record another album.
Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
Stevie Wonder and Donald Fagen. Stevie can write the chords and Don write the lyrics.
Any funny stories surrounding your live performances?
The fact I play gigs at all. My family didn’t expect it, they’re engineers – no-one but me is musical. My mother thought funky meant smelly. In fact it does. She called it my “jizzy-jazzy” music. However I went on to play support to Hot Chocolate in 1982. I laughed all the way to the bank not.
What is the one thing that you want readers to know about you?
I’m an arty songwriter. I do it because I like it and it clears my mind and keeps my melancholia away. The songs are like dreams or short stories not money-making schemes.
You can find out more about Robert via Facebook, Instagram or Spotify.
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