Keyboards player in The Manish Boys
Image: David Bowie World collection / editorial use
Bob Solly (Robert Leslie Solly) was a musician and founding member of The Manish Boys, one of the key early bands that worked with David Bowie during his formative years in the mid-1960s.
Unlike later collaborators, Solly’s connection to Bowie comes from the pre-fame period, when Bowie — still performing as Davie Jones — was searching for his musical identity within the British rhythm & blues scene.
- Full name: Robert Leslie Solly
- Born: 4 August 1944
- Died: 7 January 2020
- Band: The Manish Boys
- Role: Orgel / Keyboards
- With Bowie: circa 1964–1965
- Key recording: “I Pity The Fool” (1965)
The Manish Boys and David Bowie
Bob Solly was part of The Manish Boys, a rhythm & blues band from Maidstone that became one of the early backing groups for David Bowie in 1964–1965. At this time, Bowie was still developing his stage persona and musical direction, performing under variations of his birth name.
The band represented Bowie’s immersion in the British R&B movement, heavily influenced by American blues and soul artists. This period was crucial in shaping his early vocal style and performance approach.
“I Pity The Fool” – early recording with Bowie
In 1965, The Manish Boys recorded “I Pity The Fool” for Parlophone, produced by Shel Talmy, who was also known for his work with The Who and The Kinks.
The single was released as David Bowie with The Manish Boys and marked one of Bowie’s earliest professional recordings.
Bob Solly, as a founding band member, was part of this key moment in Bowie’s early discography, helping anchor the sound of the band during this formative phase.
After The Manish Boys
Following the breakup of The Manish Boys, Bob Solly continued working in the music industry as a songwriter alongside Paul Rodriguez, often collaborating with producer Shel Talmy.
Like many musicians of the era, he eventually moved away from performing and built a successful career outside the music business as a designer and architect, working on major commercial developments internationally.
Collector, writer and broadcaster
Solly remained deeply connected to music throughout his life. He became a highly respected record collector, amassing a vast vinyl archive that was often described as one of the largest private collections in the UK.
His expertise in post-war British and American popular music led to contributions to Record Collector magazine and the publication of the book “100 Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Records” in 2005.
In later years, he also hosted radio shows, selecting records exclusively from his personal collection — a reflection of his lifelong dedication to music history.
Historical importance in Bowie’s story
Bob Solly’s place in David Bowie’s history is rooted in the artist’s earliest professional recordings and band experiences.
While his name is not widely known outside specialist circles, his role in The Manish Boys connects him directly to a formative stage in Bowie’s development — a time when the foundations of one of the most innovative careers in music were still being built.