Perhaps best known as the production mastermind behind the brash, beat-riddled textures found on U2’s techno-rock masterpiece, POP, Howie B. has actually been an integral part of the U.K. music scene since his days as a London-based studio hand in the 1980s. An early stint as posse member of British club mainstays Soul II Soul saw him absorbing an eclectic array of influences, from hip-hop and house to jazz. Into the ‘90s, his collaborations with likeminded artists Massive Attack and Tricky laid the groundwork for the nascent trip-hop sound. By 1993 he launched his own imprint, Pussyfoot, followed closely by several critically well-received solo albums and production work for Skylab, Bjork, and U2.