It's All Saints Day so what better reason to post something by The Saints, the antipodean punk pioneers who's debut single was released in September '76, making them the first 'punk' group outside the USA to release a single. The Saints are still active and are hailed as a major influence on the punk genre.
Do the Robot (AKA International Robots) is taken from their 1978 LP 'Eternally Yours', although it does appear as a bonus track on one re-issue of their 1977 debut album '(I'm) Stranded'. This is proper punk, not that 'shock your granny' punk-pop that the Sex Pistols sold us... enjoy!
Tuesday, 1 November 2016
Monday, 31 October 2016
Death Orgy 9000 : Kaviar
Whilst I've been neglecting this blog for far too long, I've also managed to forget that a handful of readers have suggested some robot songs for me to post. This suggestion came from 'Anonymous' back in February, and since it's scary on several levels, it's an ideal robot song for Halloween.
Death Orgy 9000 is by Kaviar, a band fronted by Kevin Gilbert and is taken from one of several posthumous releases; The Kaviar Sessions (2002). Gilbert died in 1996 from apparent autoerotic asphyxiation which, without wanting to appear disrespectful, is a really silly way to die.
Don't try it at home kids... or anywhere else!
You may want to check out some other robot songs with a vague Halloween theme, or you may not.
If like me, you've nothing better to do, then have a look at my post from Halloween 2014 which features Black Sabbath, Bender and Bruce Haack.
Death Orgy 9000 is by Kaviar, a band fronted by Kevin Gilbert and is taken from one of several posthumous releases; The Kaviar Sessions (2002). Gilbert died in 1996 from apparent autoerotic asphyxiation which, without wanting to appear disrespectful, is a really silly way to die.
Don't try it at home kids... or anywhere else!
You may want to check out some other robot songs with a vague Halloween theme, or you may not.
If like me, you've nothing better to do, then have a look at my post from Halloween 2014 which features Black Sabbath, Bender and Bruce Haack.
Sunday, 30 October 2016
Electric Barbarella : Duran Duran
The other day when posting the Hungry Like the Wolf parody song Cyborg 101, I wondered if Duran Duran's Electric Barbarella was on topic or not... so I perused the lyrics and you can guess the rest.
As most of you will know, Duran Duran took their name from the film Barbarella and as many may rightly assume, this song is another of their homages to that film. The lead role of Barbarella was played by Jane Fonda.. although she ain't no robot. However Duran Duran's Electric Barbarella is a bot... but it's a long way from my favourite Duran Duran song. It lacks their classic sound of funky bass and cutting guitar but its better than nothing, which is what I've been posting for most of this year.
As most of you will know, Duran Duran took their name from the film Barbarella and as many may rightly assume, this song is another of their homages to that film. The lead role of Barbarella was played by Jane Fonda.. although she ain't no robot. However Duran Duran's Electric Barbarella is a bot... but it's a long way from my favourite Duran Duran song. It lacks their classic sound of funky bass and cutting guitar but its better than nothing, which is what I've been posting for most of this year.
Saturday, 29 October 2016
Space Girl : Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger
My ongoing quest for robot songs has thrown up more than a few surprises... but I didn't expect for one second that the great Ewan MacColl would be making an appearance. This song was co-written with Peggy Seeger (who I presume is on vocal duties) in 1952 for a short opera titled 'You're Only Young Once'. According my source, Space Girl parodies The Ghost Soldier Song which I cannot find but its a WWI song and therefore, undoubtedly grim. Space Girl also parodies 1940s sci-fi themes and has its robo-reference at the end of the first verse. It's a cracking tune but as a robot song, it's a bit tenuous so I wasn't sure whether to post it or not... but I did, I did, I did.
*The 1952 date could be wrong... one source says Space Girl was written in 1952, but another source says MacColl & Seeger began working (and loving) together in 1956. Either way, it's the first song I've dug up with a robot reference from the 50s and the second oldest on this blog.
*The 1952 date could be wrong... one source says Space Girl was written in 1952, but another source says MacColl & Seeger began working (and loving) together in 1956. Either way, it's the first song I've dug up with a robot reference from the 50s and the second oldest on this blog.
Friday, 28 October 2016
Cyborg 101 : Bonecage
I'm quite fond of a parody song. I'm also quite fond of Duran Duran and have been wondering if their late 90s single Electric Barbarella counts as robot song or not... although admittedly, I haven't studied the lyrics for a definite robo-reference. I'm more of a Rio / Seven & the Ragged Tiger era Duranee and Hungry Like the Wolf was one of my favourites. Here, it's been reworked as an homage to the classic cyber-thriller Terminator and although a bit underwhelming... it is bang on topic so here it is, Bonecage's Terminator/Hungry Like the Wolf parody, Cyborg 101.
I won't leave it quite so long before my next post... but I've said that before, so who knows?
In the mean time, keep on robot-rocking!
I won't leave it quite so long before my next post... but I've said that before, so who knows?
In the mean time, keep on robot-rocking!
Friday, 25 December 2015
Want You Gone : Jonathon Coulton
The first robot song I posted by Jonathan Coulton was titled Still Alive; his gloriously haunting contribution to the video game Portal... and it remains to be one of my all time favourite robot songs.
This final instalment of the hugely anticipated Jonathan Coultonathon is the song he contributed to Portal 2... Want You Gone, also sung by GLaDOS and is just as beautiful and haunting as Still Alive but with a hefty chunk of analogue synth programming thrown in for good measure.
Check out the Easter Egg in this post to hear my favourite version of Still Alive featuring vocals by Sara Quin and some ecstatic theramin playing by Dorit Chrysler... but only after you've given the wonderful Want You Gone a spin.
This final instalment of the hugely anticipated Jonathan Coultonathon is the song he contributed to Portal 2... Want You Gone, also sung by GLaDOS and is just as beautiful and haunting as Still Alive but with a hefty chunk of analogue synth programming thrown in for good measure.
Check out the Easter Egg in this post to hear my favourite version of Still Alive featuring vocals by Sara Quin and some ecstatic theramin playing by Dorit Chrysler... but only after you've given the wonderful Want You Gone a spin.
Thursday, 24 December 2015
The Future Soon : Jonathan Coulton
There's not much to say about this penultimate instalment of the 101 Songs About Robots 2015 Jonathan Coultonathon apart from the fact that Jonathan Coulton is still fantasising about having a girlfriend, possibly, one day, maybe [dream on]. Actually, I shouldn't be so flippant since for all I know, Mr C could at this very moment be cybernetically enhancing himself and building his own robot army, one laser at a time...
The Future Soon is the opening track on Jonathan Coulton's first EP titled 'Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow' and was released in 2004. From such humble beginnings, who'd have thought he'd have gone on to pen so many wonderful songs? Not just about robots but all sorts of things such as love, lobsters, monkeys, writing code, being a geek, having a beard and zombies. But this one's about robots.
Tune in tomorrow for the final blah blah blah blah of the Jonathan blahblahathon... oh go on... there's an Easter Egg in it for you!
The Future Soon is the opening track on Jonathan Coulton's first EP titled 'Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow' and was released in 2004. From such humble beginnings, who'd have thought he'd have gone on to pen so many wonderful songs? Not just about robots but all sorts of things such as love, lobsters, monkeys, writing code, being a geek, having a beard and zombies. But this one's about robots.
Tune in tomorrow for the final blah blah blah blah of the Jonathan blahblahathon... oh go on... there's an Easter Egg in it for you!
Wednesday, 23 December 2015
Better : Jonathan Coulton
Sharing the future with cybernetic lifeforms is inevitable, and it seems that more often than not this prospect is painted as some sort of living nightmare... for the humans anyway. In this robot song, Jonathan Coulton vividly imagines not only having a girlfriend, but one who upgrades herself with cybernetic implants such as infra-red eyes, underwater breathing apparatus, a personal flight system and even a few extra thumbs (not to mention a weapons system)... dream on you weirdy beardy!
Tuesday, 22 December 2015
Battle of Galactica : Jonathan Coulton
People my age look back at Battlestar Galactica with fond memories, and most of us spat out our popcorn when news came through that a remake was in the pipeline... especially when the producers decided that the legendary Starbuck character was going to be female! Now I know there's many who'll disagree, but the remake was a cracking bit of telly. Great characters, top-notch CGI, loads of dog fights, gun fights and fist fights and one or two sexy cylons... what's not to like?! My biggest fear whilst sitting through the four series was that it'd nosedive before being prematurely pulled. But that didn't happen... they gave us a complete adventure, the stuff of legends, from its explosive mini-series to its predictable finale... OK, there were some sh!te episodes, and Lee (Apollo) Adama has a face that is almost as punchable as Matt (bloody) Damon's... and that goodie-two-shoes teacher played by Donnie Darko's mum got progressively annoying... but other than that, I like it! ...and I guess Jonathan Coulton does too.
Tune in tomorrow for part three of this cybergsongathon! (nearly wrote cybergsongathong :P )
Tune in tomorrow for part three of this cybergsongathon! (nearly wrote cybergsongathong :P )
Monday, 21 December 2015
Todd the T-1000 : Jonathan Coulton
The neglectful blogmeister is back and finally, after a twelve month wait, I bring you, without further ado, the much awaited, the anticipated, the very first instalment of the cyber-special you've all been waiting for, so without another further ado, here it is... part one of a week long Jonathan Coultonathon!!!
[drum roll]...
"Who the f**k is Jonathan Coultonathon?" I hear you yell.
With a hollow sigh and a slightly shaky head, "It's just Jonathan Coulton!" I yell back at the faceless voices that echo through the blogosphere.
"WHO?" you holler. I give up.
Imagine a slightly younger, mildly beardy and wildly nerdier Richard Digance, but one who's more "Who loves Star Wars?" than "Who remembers Spangles?". Looking at Jonathan Coulton's wikipedia page, I now realise that I should have started this cyber-celebration three weeks ago as JC celebrated his 45th birthday on 1st December... happy belated birthday JC!
You may recall JCs first feature on 101 Songs About Robots with Still Alive which featured in the video game Portal and graced the pages of this blog back in August 2014... and his much appreciated contribution to last year's 101 Songs About Robots Xmas Special where he gave us the cyber-chrimbo-classic Chiron Beta Prime. Well he's back with five more robotic ballads; one a day from today until Friday, making this Jonathan Coultonathon a very short android-advent... and you won't be disappointed!
Well you might. Today's song warns of the trouble and turmoil that could arise when one decides to upgrade their old domestic android for the very latest model...
[fan made video alert]
Todd the T1000 is taken from Jonathan Coulton's third studio album titled 'Our Bodies, Ourselves, Our Cybernetic Arms' from 2005... tune in tomorrow for another robo-ditty from the cyber-songsmith himself; Jonathan Coulton... athon.
[drum roll]...
"Who the f**k is Jonathan Coultonathon?" I hear you yell.
With a hollow sigh and a slightly shaky head, "It's just Jonathan Coulton!" I yell back at the faceless voices that echo through the blogosphere.
"WHO?" you holler. I give up.
Imagine a slightly younger, mildly beardy and wildly nerdier Richard Digance, but one who's more "Who loves Star Wars?" than "Who remembers Spangles?". Looking at Jonathan Coulton's wikipedia page, I now realise that I should have started this cyber-celebration three weeks ago as JC celebrated his 45th birthday on 1st December... happy belated birthday JC!
You may recall JCs first feature on 101 Songs About Robots with Still Alive which featured in the video game Portal and graced the pages of this blog back in August 2014... and his much appreciated contribution to last year's 101 Songs About Robots Xmas Special where he gave us the cyber-chrimbo-classic Chiron Beta Prime. Well he's back with five more robotic ballads; one a day from today until Friday, making this Jonathan Coultonathon a very short android-advent... and you won't be disappointed!
Well you might. Today's song warns of the trouble and turmoil that could arise when one decides to upgrade their old domestic android for the very latest model...
[fan made video alert]
Todd the T1000 is taken from Jonathan Coulton's third studio album titled 'Our Bodies, Ourselves, Our Cybernetic Arms' from 2005... tune in tomorrow for another robo-ditty from the cyber-songsmith himself; Jonathan Coulton... athon.
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