Interview with Fellow Robot

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

• My dad played guitar and from a young age I was very curious. By 11 or so I was proficient enough to start writing some simple songs and joined a punk band with some friends. If I had not been so into music, I think I would’ve spent my time acting with a focus on writing. I’ve always been drawn to the stage in some fashion.

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

• I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, gardening, cooking, hiking and playing video games. Cooking is especially gratifying because it’s very much like writing music, the chef is very much in control of what ingredients are used and  how they are presented. I also enjoy activities where I can zone out and attack my projects with a clear mind.

How long has your band been around? Also, please tell me about the dynamic of the band of what brought you all together.

• We’re approaching our 7 year anniversary this fall. We (Luis and Anthony) first started out solely as a recording project, we had no intention of playing live. As we started recording more, we added members and got the itch to support our recordings we loved so much with live performances. We are very kind to each other, and we’re all about saying “yes, and”. We support each other’s ideas and see everything through. We’re friends, brothers and partners who love making music together.

Where are you based and how did that influence your music?

•  We’re based in Long Beach, California. Our studio is in a lock out space we’ve had for the past 7 years which is filled with many LB bands and artists we love including Anthony Colocho, Slice, Eden Vincent and friends from Fusion Babies.

How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?

• I wrote a sci-fi novel from the perspective of a robot, Fellow Robot, who strives to save humanity through music. Music brings people together and I wanted to show our robot is a fellow and not a foe.

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

• One of my most memorable shows was our debut record release show at Fingerprints in Long Beach. All of our friends and family came out and we played at one of the coolest spots in town.

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

• We love playing Alex’s Bar, and used to love playing the Prospector before it went out of business. We would love to play in Europe!

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

• A bill with Pixies, The Smashing Pumpkins and  Idles would be so much fun.

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

• Say Yes, be open to other peoples ideas. I would tell myself to write more songs.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

• That’s not fair! This is a difficult question as our songs are all very different from each other. But I would like to talk about our upcoming song “Poppy Fields” coming out April 21st. “Poppy Fields” is our longest song clocking in at 9:54. The song showcases a gorgeous orchestra and is in three movements. I love this song because of its depth musically and it’s vulnerable lyric’s which are about the opioid epidemic.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

• We’re really excited to play songs off our new record Misanthropioid. We do get a lot of requests for “Tools of War” from our first album.

What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?

• We typically start with a melody followed by a structure and put drums on it first, then everything else falls into place. The world around us greatly influences the songs we write.

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

• Fairness, justice, equality, love, fear, paranoia, anxiety, sarcasm, truth. We like writing songs about mostly anything, as long as there is truth and a they are genuine.

Do you have any new singles, videos, or albums out that you would like to tell me and your fans about?

• Yes please, we just released “Talk to Me” on February 20th, our latest single “Crash and Burn” will be out in a couple weeks on March 24th. Our new album Misanthropioid drops May 19th on ToneQuake records.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

• We’re currently working on the next album, we love making albums! We’re planning some local shows to support Misanthropioid that are going to be a blast. I’m looking forward to the release of my comic book that is coming later this month through Salish Sea Records, which is also titled “Fellow Robot”, illustrated by Josh Wolf.

How can your fans best keep up to date with you, any socials you want people to check out?

• We’re most active on Instagram at @fellowrobot

  You can hear our music on all streaming platforms such as Spotify. Please check out some of our amazing music videos on YouTube.

  Also, thank you so much for asking us about our band.