Rowland S. Howard was an Australian guitarist and singer-songwriter best known as the founder and primary creative force behind the post-punk band The Birthday Party, which emerged from the Melbourne underground music scene in the late 1970s. His distinctive angular guitar style and darkly poetic songwriting became influential in post-punk and experimental rock circles throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Howard continued his solo career and collaborative work until his death in 2009, leaving behind a legacy as one of Australia's most innovative and uncompromising musicians.
