- The Medic Droid
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The Medic Droid 
Background information Origin Phoenix, Arizona Genres Synthpop
ElectropopYears active 2005–2008 Labels Modern Art Records
Epic RecordsPast members Chris Donathon
Hector Bagnod
Greg Rudawski (Live Drums)
Johnny ChavezNotable instruments Synthesizers
KeytarsThe Medic Droid was a synthpop band from Phoenix, Arizona.
Contents
History
The Medic Droid was started in 2005 with Chris Donathon, Hector Bagnod and Johnny Chavez (Droid). Bagnod and Donathon first met in 2003, but Donathon moved away from the city after they met, only to return (and begin the band) a few years later.[1] The group gained a strong initial following through the social networking site MySpace; by mid-2008 the song "Fer Sure" had logged almost 2 million plays on the site[1] and the group had accumulated over 100,000 friends there.[2] Soon they were noticed by their now former manager Avery Andon who brought the band to New York where they played their first live show opening for Enter Shikari at The Bowery Ballroom and caught the eye of A&R's from Epic Records who would later go on to sign the band. The group eventually made two new songs "Keeping Up With The Joneses" and "FScene8", enlisting the help of Australian DJ S3RL to remix these songs. In 2007, Johnny Droid left the band, due to issues with the other members and created his own one-man band called J0hnny. In 2009, he announced he was making a band with S3RL called R0bots. They later hired Greg Rudawski as drummer for live shows.
The Medic Droid was signed to Modern Art Records, a local Phoenix indie label distributed by Epic Records. They wrote and recorded their debut album What's Your Medium? and it was released June 10, 2008. What's Your Medium reached #33 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.[3]
The band was heavily inspired by 1980's popular culture, taking their name from a character in the Star Wars sequel The Empire Strikes Back,[4] writing a song based on a catch phrase from Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, and even recording a version of the Madonna anthem "Into The Groove".[5]
Touring and break-up (2008)
The Medic Droid went on a "Spring Tour" with A Cursive Memory in Spring 2008 across the US. A Cursive Memory was the only band to go to every show with them. They co-headlined for every date. Breathe Carolina and The White Tie Affair joined the tour for select dates, but did not go for the whole tour.
Kill Hannah's Hope For The Hopeless US Tour 2008 was presented by Hot Topic. Kill Hannah was the headliner and had the tour for their recently released album of b-sides and rarities. The Medic Droid, InnerPartySystem, and The White Tie Affair joined them as special guests for the whole tour. The tour began in July, 2008 and ended August, 2008. The Hope For The Hopeless tour continued in the UK and Europe in September, but the other bands didn't continue.
The Blackout's headlining tour, "Sleep All Day, Party All Night", toured in Japan, Europe, and the UK. The Medic Droid was on the road for the UK dates in October. From First To Last and We Are The Ocean also toured with them.
The Medic Droid headlined their final tour with supporting acts Hyper Crush and Chronic Future in November and December 2008.[6] It wasn't planned as their final tour, but the group's members showed strain from constant touring,[4] and on December 16, 2008, both Bagnod and Donathon posted notice on their MySpace pages that the band had dissolved.[7]
As of 2011, Bagnod went on to start a new dance/pop band called DirtyLow. Which also includes member Krista Willman (who appears on the album cover for What's Your Medium) [8]
Discography
Whats Your Medium Studio album by The Medic Droid Released June 10, 2008 (United States) Genre Techno, Power pop Length 30:27 (without bonus track)
32:56 (with bonus track)Label Modern Art Records Whats Your Medium is the band's 2008 debut album, released in the United States on June 10, 2008, by Modern Art Records.[9]
Track listing
All lyrics written by Chris Donathon, all music composed by The Medic Droid except where noted.
No. Title Length 1. "Keeping Up with the Joneses" 3:48 2. "Saddle Up" 2:52 3. "Fscene8" 2:32 4. "Get Into the Groove" (Madonna Cover) 4:13 5. "It's About Love" 4:48 6. "Tease" 4:36 7. "Fer Sure" 4:13 8. "The Killer Anna" 3:27 9. "Sho-Fer" (No longer on iTunes, but most sites have it available for download) 3:48 References
- ^ a b The Medic Droid. Arizona Central, May 24, 2008.
- ^ The Medic Droid at Allmusic
- ^ Charts, Billboard.com
- ^ a b The Medic Droid's Electro Power-Pop and Ambisextrous Antics Are Driving Kids Wild Nationwide. Phoenix New Times, December 10, 2008.
- ^ Don't Avoid The Droid. Phoenix New Times, December 10, 2008.
- ^ Medic Droid, Chronic Future, Hyper Crush. Chicago Decider, November 19, 2008. Accessed April 19, 2009.
- ^ The Medic Droid Calls it Quits. Phoenix New Times, December 17, 2008.
- ^ DirtyLow. DirtyLow Music, June 2011.
- ^ http://www.picattic.com/files2/rfz25hpwodzgsv69ymgg.png
External links
Categories:- Musical groups from Phoenix, Arizona
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