Julio Roberto Valverde Valencia (born 1955), better known by his

stage name A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...

Robo, is a Colombian-American drummer. He came to prominence in the early 1980s with punk band Black Flag, and more recently has been a member of

Misfits MiSFiTS was the acronym for the ''Minnesota Society for Interest in Science Fiction and Fantasy''. This organization has now changed its name to GPS, an acronym for Geek Partnership Society. It was founded in 1999 and was the parent non-profit org ...

Life and career

Robo (at the time known by his birth name, Roberto Valverde), born in

Cali Santiago de Cali (), or Cali, is the capital of the Valle del Cauca department, and the most populous city in southwest Colombia, with 2,280,522 residents estimate by National Administrative Department of Statistics, DANE in 2023. The city span ...

, who came to the United States on a student visa in early 1975. He stayed after the visa expired. Robo began playing drums in 1976, while living in

El Segundo, California El Segundo ( , ; ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located on Santa Monica Bay, it was incorporated on January 18, 1917, and is part of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments. The population was 17,272 as of t ...

and working in a plastics factory. In 1978, he joined Black Flag as the band's second drummer, replacing Brian Migdol. He toured and recorded with them through 1981, performing on the EPs '' Jealous Again'' and '' Six Pack'', and their first full-length album, '' Damaged''. He was forced out of the band after being detained at Heathrow Airport over visa complications just prior to Black Flag's return from their 1982 UK tour; in order to fulfill existing commitments back in the US, the band replaced Robo before he was able to return to the country. When he did eventually return later that year, he learned that the

were seeking a drummer. He relocated to New Jersey to join that band full-time, touring and recording the '' Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood'' album before quitting in the summer of 1983, a few months before The Misfits' final dissolution. Robo would eventually, along with Jerry and Doyle Caiafa and Frank LiCata (aka Franché Coma), be a party to the 1992 lawsuit against

Glenn Danzig Glenn Allen Anzalone (born June 23, 1955), better known by his stage name Glenn Danzig, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actor, film director and record producer. He is the founder of the rock bands Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig. He ...

which led to the settlement of unpaid back royalties to Danzig's former Misfits bandmates, as well as provisions for the apportionment of future royalties and merchandising/licensing rights. This settlement was also significant in establishing the exclusive right of the plaintiffs, rather than Danzig, to perform and record as The Misfits moving forward, giving rise to the Caiafas' revamped version of the band from 1995 on. In 2003, Robo drummed for Black Flag during their reunion shows. He was joined by

Dez Cadena Dez Cadena (born June 2, 1961) is an American punk rock singer and guitarist. He was the third vocalist and later rhythm guitarist for hardcore punk band Black Flag from 1980 to 1983. Cadena played guitar with Misfits from 2001 to 2015, initi ...

on vocals and rhythm guitar,

Greg Ginn Gregory Regis Ginn ( , born June 8, 1954) is an American musician and songwriter, best known for being the leader, primary songwriter, and the only continuous member of the hardcore punk band Black Flag, which he founded and led from 1976 to ...

on lead guitar, and

C'el Revuelta Black Flag (band), Black Flag is an American hardcore punk band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California by Greg Ginn, the band's guitarist, primary songwriter, and sole constant member. During Black Flag's 10-year existence, the band went thr ...

on bass. In 2005, he rejoined the Misfits, then featuring Jerry Only on bass and vocals and fellow former Black Flag member Cadena on guitar. When touring, the band played Misfits songs as well as Black Flag songs, with Cadena singing the Black Flag songs. Robo appeared on the " Land of the Dead" single. He was briefly mentioned in the

Jim Jarmusch James Robert Jarmusch ( ; born January 22, 1953) is an American film director, screenwriter and musician. He has been a major proponent of independent film, independent cinema since the 1980s, directing films such as ''Stranger Than Paradise'' ...

short film '' Coffee and Cigarettes: Somewhere in California'' by

Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter, actor and radio broadcaster. He was the vocalist and lyricist of proto-punk band the Stooges, who were formed in 1 ...

, who suggested using Robo's drumming talents to an offended

Tom Waits Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on society's underworld and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He began in the American folk music, fo ...

. Robo has been married once, to Barbara Mazzone Valverde, and they have one son, Vincent Valverde (formerly of the band TALP), who was born on December 6, 1985. Robo and Barbara subsequently divorced. In 2010, Robo dropped out of the Misfits due to passport troubles. On January 25, 2013, it was announced that Robo would be participating in Black Flag's upcoming reunion show at

Hevy Music Festival Hevy Music Festival was a rock festival established by Claire Baker and James that took place annually near Folkestone, Kent, in the UK. It was originally held on 1 August 2009 on Folkestone seafront as a one-day festival with Feeder, Gary Num ...

Folkestone Folkestone ( ) is a coastal town on the English Channel, in Kent, south-east England. The town lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. It was an important harbour, shipping port, and fashionable coastal res ...

, their first UK show in 30 years, in August. A few days later, it was announced that Gregory Moore would be the drummer for Black Flag, not Robo.

Playing style

Robo's drum style relies heavily on open high-hat to generate the frenetic sounds on early Black Flag records. His signature drum kit during that era was transparent to match

's see-through

Dan Armstrong Dan Kent Armstrong (October 7, 1934 June 8, 2004) was an American guitarist, luthier, and session musician. Biography Armstrong was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He started playing the guitar at age 11, and moved to New York in the early 1 ...

guitar, and was unique in that all of the drums and cymbals were parallel to the ground rather than tilted towards him in the typical style. He was also known for wearing plastic and metal bracelets during concerts and recording sessions; they can sometimes be heard faintly clattering on recordings. While many drummers utilize a style which uses quick movements originating from the wrist, Robo's style consists of stiff, robotic movements of the entire arm. His stage name was given to him by his Black Flag bandmates, and is both a play on his name (Roberto) and a reference to his drumming style.

Discography

Black Flag

* '' Jealous Again'' EP (

SST Records SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was first founded in 1966 by Ginn at age 12 as Solid State Transmitters, a small business through which he sold elec ...

, 1980) * " Six Pack" EP (SST Records, 1981) * "

Louie Louie "Louie Louie" is a rhythm and blues song written and composed by American musician Richard Berry in 1955, recorded in 1956, and released in 1957. It is best known for the 1963 hit version by the Kingsmen and has become a Standard (music), stand ...

" single (

Posh Boy Records Posh Boy Records is a Hollywood, California-based record label owned by the American-born, British-educated Robbie "Posh Boy" Fields, a sometime high school substitute teacher and former copy boy at the ''Los Angeles Times'' who took an interest ...

, 1981) * '' Damaged'' (SST Records, 1981) * '' Everything Went Black'' compilation (SST Records, 1983) – selected tracks * '' The First Four Years'' compilation (SST Records, 1983) – selected tracks * '' Wasted...Again'' compilation (SST Records, 1987) – selected tracks Note: Robo was credited as the drummer on early pressings of Black Flag's ''

Nervous Breakdown A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness, a mental health condition, or a psychiatric disability, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. A mental disorder is ...

'' EP but did not play on the actual recording.

The Misfits

* '' Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood'' (1983) * "

Die, Die My Darling "Die, Die My Darling" is a song by the American horror punk band Misfits. It was released in May 1984 on singer Glenn Danzig's label, Plan 9 Records, seven months after the band's breakup. The song is titled after the 1965 horror film '' F ...

" single (1984) – selected tracks * ''

'' compilation (1986) – selected tracks * '' Collection II'' compilation (1995) – selected tracks * '' The Misfits Box Set'' (1996) – selected tracks * '' Cuts from the Crypt'' (2001) – on the song "Rise Above" * " Land of the Dead" single (2009)

References

External links

MisfitsCentral.com
– band bio of Robo
Recording of Robo playing with the Misfits
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robo 1955 births Living people Musicians from Cali Colombian rock musicians Black Flag (band) members Misfits (band) members The Undead members American punk rock drummers American male drummers Hardcore punk musicians Horror punk musicians Colombian emigrants to the United States Colombian percussionists 20th-century American drummers