Biography
After his professional start as the keyboard player in Dutch symphonic rock band Line, he soon moved on to form the melodic hardrock band 1st Avenue in 1987, together with vocalist Peter Struyk (ex-Vandenberg). This band released two albums when Robby had already left. In 1989 he joined Dutch 'happy metal' band Zinatra, which enjoyed great popularity in predominantly Asia and South America, as well as The Netherlands. This band toured independently, and opened up for David Lee Roth and Steve Vai.
In 1990, Valentine signed a solo deal and started working on his first album. Although he produced, sang, and played most of the instruments himself, he also worked together with producer Humberto Gatica, guitarist Michael Landau and producer Erwin Musper. The first single, "Over and Over Again" (1991), was released in several European countries and became a big hit in the Netherlands. His selftitled debut album was released on Valentine's Day 1992. By the time his album got released, Robby had already formed a live band and started intensive club touring.
In 1993 a new album, The Magic Infinity, recorded with his live band, was released. Upon hearing this album, Brian May invited the band to join him on his European tour, which they did. Despite this tour and the release of a compilation album (No Turning Back, 1994), the band wasn't able to achieve a European breakthrough. In Japan, though, Valentine became increasingly popular, and the record company re-released the first two albums in Japan.
In 1995 Robby sacked his whole band after he had completed his third album, simply called Valentine. The album didn't generate hit singles or satisfying album sales in Europe, and his European contract was terminated, but not his Japanese contract.
Valentine's next albums, 4 - United (1997), No Sugar Added (1998) and Believing Is Seeing (2001), were released in Japan only. He also released two albums with Valensia: V (1999) and V2 (2002). A third album, Nymphopsychoschizophonic, is as yet unreleased. He also played keyboard on Into the Electric Castle by Ayreon and Fata Morgana by Helloise.
In 2004, he completed The Most Beautiful Pain, but the record company put the release on hold. In 2006, it was released in Europe through Frontiers Records, and several months later in Japan as well. One year later, Valentine's eighth album Falling Down In Misanthropolis was released.
In 2008 Valentine had founded a new band line up consisting of members from (amongst others) After Forever and Ayreon, and in May returned to the European stages, promoting a retrospective double CD, Androgenious, containing old and new recordings of Valentine classics. This album was released in Japan in the last part of 2008, and in 2009 in the rest of the world. "Save Myself" was released as a single in May 2009, accompanied by a videoclip.
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