Retard-O-Bot

Infobox musical artist 2
Name = Retard-O-Bot

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Img_capt = From left to right: TJ Brainz, Peter Pepper, Benny Normal.
Background = lightblue
Border = black
Status = Active
Country = flagicon|USA USA
Origin = Tampa, Florida
Instrument = Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar, Drums
Genre = Alternative rock
Post industrial
Electropunk
Years_active = 1999 - Present
Label = Mangled Media Inc.
URL = [http://www.retardobot.com www.retardobot.com]
Current_members = Peter Pepper
Benny Normal
TJ Brainz

Retard-O-Bot is an Alternative, Electropunk band that first performed in the year 2000 in Tampa, Florida.

The band currently consists of Peter Pepper "(vocals)", Benny Normal "(keyboard)", TJ Brainz "(drums)".

History

1999

In the year 1999 Retard-O-Bot conceptually came into existence as music to accompany a series of cartoons.Fact|date=April 2008

2000

In 2000 after their first live performance, Retard-O-Bot recorded and released their first demo entitled "8-Track" which contained 8 songs, nearly all of which were under 2 minutes in length.Fact|date=April 2008

2001

In 2001 Retard-O-Bot recorded and released a second demo entitled “Cassette Tape”, which contained 11 songs counting 1 hidden track. A song entitled Façade on the “Cassette Tape” demo was featured on thePRP.com as "the MP3 of the week" that year. [http://www.theprp.com] Retard-O-Bot also recorded a cover of the song "Straight out the Dancehall" for a Warlock Pinchers tribute album. The album also contained covers by The Melvins and Crispin Glover, who is most notable for his performance as George McFly in the Back to the Future series. [http://www.warlockpinchers.com/imposters.html] And Chester Bennington of Linkin Park wore a Retard-O-Bot shirt in their "Points of Authority (live)" Video which was in regular rotation on MTV. [http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid895184306?bclid=909829656&bctid=953521820 Bamboozle Player ] ]

2002

In 2002 Retard-O-Bot were invited to tour with the S&M Shock Rock group The Genitorturers by David Vincent, Genitorturers' bassist, and former frontman of Morbid Angel. [ [http://www.genitorturers.com Genitorturers ] ] It was on this outing Retard-O-Bot frontman Peter Pepper had brought destruction to 10’ tall robots, ignited homemade pyrotechnics, rolled around in broken glass and engaged in physical altercations involving audience members. The aforementioned became characteristic of the band's live show during this tour. [ [http://tampa.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/music_menu/Content?oid=1130 Creative Loafing Tampa | Music | Music Menu ] ]

2003

In 2003 Retard-O-Bot recorded and released “Scatter Brained,” considered heavier than their past demos this was the last recording Johnny Robot performed on.Fact|date=April 2008

2004

In 2004 The “Rabid” EP was released, the song “Role Models” was the chosen single, On a Cleveland, OH radio interview, Gen of the Genitorturers declared “…Retard-O-Bot was the hardest working band she knew…”.Fact|date=April 2008 Retard-O-Bot was invited to join Tub Ring on tour then also toured for the first time with Screaming Mechanical Brain. [ [http://www.smbband.com Screaming Mechanical Brain - In Defiance of Science ] ]

2005

2005 saw the release of the nationally distributed, full length record “Friendship Forever” on September 20th.Fact|date=April 2008 Songs chosen as singles include "I Don't Think You Really Mean It" and "Pass Go, Collect $200". Retard-O-Bot was invited to join the Mindless Self Indulgence tour and after, picked up on the Combichrist & Genitorturers tour.Fact|date=April 2008 The band continued touring with Screaming Mechanical Brain before concluding their tour of the rest of the country solo. A drawing of Benny Normal can be found in the pictures section of Tub Ring's 2005 DVD release "Optics and Sonics" available on Underground Inc.Fact|date=April 2008

2006

In 2006 Retard-O-Bot became the topic of several national news radio stories including on Fox News Radio 970 WFLA with Robert Pankau and a CBS News segment entitled "The Weekend Roundup". [ [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/07/25/podcast_weekend/main711480.shtml Weekend Roundup Archive, - CBS News ] ] The band performed with such acts as Kill Hannah, and MSI and continue touring.Fact|date=April 2008 Peter Pepper is credited in the 2006 Screaming Mechanical Brain CD "There Is No God In Space" with "Design, layout and photo manipulation by Peter Pepper for Mangled Media Inc."Fact|date=April 2008 Dance Music guru DJ Moody (a.k.a. Andrew Rajala) and producer/remixer Vinnie Saletto (Ashes of Grisum, ex. Genitorturers) have both separately remixed the single "I Don't Think You Really Mean It". [http://www.myspace.com/retardobot MySpace.com - RETARD-O-BOT - TAMPA, Florida - Alternative / Industrielle / Punk - www.myspace.com/retardobot ] ]

2007

The band toured with Foxy Shazam and Tub Ring.Fact|date=April 2008 On Tuesday, March 13, 2007 - Retard-O-Bot was featured on The MC Lars Show: Episode 3. [ [http://mclars.blogspot.com/ The MC Lars Show ] ] On April 9th, 2007 the highly sought after "Rabid EP" traded hands on eBay for $177.50 USD.Fact|date=April 2008 Linkin Park spoke on Fuse TV on the topic of Retard-O-Bot. Chester Bennington stated "He was very happy for Retard-O-Bot". An EP was released on November 20, entitled "I Don't Think You Really Mean It: Rabid", which was a part remix, part reproduction EP, containing remixes of songs from "Friendship Forever" and re-recordings of songs from the "Rabid" EP. The band began work recording an LP, slated for release in 2008.Fact|date=April 2008

2008

The band kicked off the year by touring the south. Benny Normal filled in on Bass for Mindless Self Indulgence in Orlando, FL May 9th, 2008 [ [http://www.mindlessselfindulgence.com New Site Coming In 10 Years ] ] . Retard-O-Bot performed with The Medic Droid [ [http://www.statemedia.com State Media Dot Com ] ] . and appeared in AP Magazine [ [http://www.atlpress.com Science & Technology Publications ] ] They did a summer tour with Screaming Mechanical Brain and continued work on the follow-up to their Friendship Forever LP.

Previous Members:

*Johnny Robot "(guitar, vox)": 1999-2003
*Trevor Jr. (Travis Inskeep) "(guitar)": 2003-2004
*Nik "(guitar)": 2005-2006
*Edward Rendini "(guitar)": 2006-2007, 2008
*Raf "(guitar)": 2007 & 2008
*Jeff Enokian "(guitar)": 2007-2008

Past bands and sideprojects

*TJ Brainz was in the metalcore band …Till I Die and the grindcore band Towtruck
*Benny Normal was in the New Wave band Overstimulated
*Peter Pepper is said to also be a member of The Partyoneer Brothers, signed to Mangled Media Inc.
*Peter Pepper, TJ Brainz and Johnny Robot were all members of the gory spectacle Throat Cutter, famous in the Tampa Bay area for their excessive use of blood in their stage show. [http://www.sptimes.com/2003/02/28/Citytimes/Taking_off_the_mask.shtml] , [http://www.sptimes.com/2002/10/25/Citytimes/Neighbors_frown_at_Yb.shtml]
*Trevor Jr. (a.k.a. Travis Inskeep) performed with the band Crossbreed for a period playing keyboards.
*Edward Rendini was a member of Cold.

Discography

ingles

* 2003 "Ugly"
* 2003 "Scatter Brained"
* 2004 "Role Models"
* 2005 "Pass Go, Collect $200"
* 2005 "I Don't Think You Really Mean It"

References

External links

* [http://www.retardobot.com Retardobot.com]
* [http://www.myspace.com/retardobot Retard-O-Bot's Myspace Profile]
* [http://www.purevolume.com/retardobot Retard-O-Bot's PureVolume Profile]
* [http://www.mangledmedia.com MangledMedia.com]