Ghost of the Robot
Encyclopedia
Ghost of the Robot is a rock band, based in Southern California. It gained a following mainly due to its lead singer, actor James Marsters
. Influences include, Nirvana
, Weezer
, Bob Dylan
, The Beatles
, David Bowie
, Rolling Stones, Pavement
, Ben Folds
, Pink Floyd
, Muse
, and Radiohead
among others.
in five days, a showcase of De Mars' song writing skills, with Marsters writing "Dangerous", "Angel"' and Sellers writing "Valerie". The album was a sell-out success, as were both European tours in 2003 and 2004.
On their 2004 European tour, the band chose to release an EP entitled It's Nothing, giving a taster from their second album. The second album was not released as Marsters left to pursue other creative activities, leaving the band to its original form Power Animal who shortly thereafter released their album Vs. the world.
Marsters went on a successful solo performer career with a sold-out tour in the UK in April 2005. The other band members continued in several different bands including Friendship, Fictionist
, Gods of the Radio, Power Animal and Demi Lovato
.
on March 15, 2011. It is a compilation of all their EPs and singles, which was released by EyeLAshout on iTunes and Amazon, as well as their first album, Mad Brilliant
on March 5, 2011. James Marsters' son, Sullivan Marsters is involved in several songs by the band filling in as one of the guitarists.
In April 2011, on the band’s Facebook page, it was noted that a documentary of Ghost of the Robot may be in the works, entitled, “The Worst Best Band” (working title), several excerpts were released and can be found online.
In late July 2011, it was reported that the third album has finished recording and will be named Murphy's Law
, which was chosen from a group of names pitched and voted for by several fans on their Facebook page. The same week, the band hosted a listening party of the new album, which was followed by a Q&A session with the band. The album received positive reviews with "College Pulse Magazine" stating, "The Ghost of the Robot sounds very much like a new-age type of Beatles, Pop-Rock with more soul." The band also confirmed they will be doing an extensive West Coast tour in the summer of 2012 and try to work around the band members' busy schedules. The release date is scheduled for late November 2011.
Past members:
James Marsters
James Wesley Marsters is an American actor and musician. Marsters first came to the attention of the general public playing the popular character Spike, a platinum-blond yobbish English vampire in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series, Angel from 1997 to 2004...
. Influences include, Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
, Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, Rolling Stones, Pavement
Pavement (band)
Pavement is an American alternative rock band that formed in Stockton, California in 1989. In their career, they achieved a significant cult following, and they were called the best band of the 1990s by prominent music critics Robert Christgau and Stephen Thomas Erlewine...
, Ben Folds
Ben Folds
Benjamin Scott "Ben" Folds is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and television personality. From 1995-2000, Folds was the frontman and pianist of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five. Since the group disbanded, Folds has performed as a solo artist and has toured all over the world...
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
, and Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
among others.
Formation and early years
Ghost of the Robot formed when Marsters met guitarist Charlie De Mars. In the early 2000s, De Mars had moved from Sacramento to Marsters' Santa Monica neighborhood. One night, De Mars brought his guitar over to Marsters' place and they began playing together. Within one month to six weeks (by the actor's estimates) they were playing in front of crowds. Their first gig was at 14 Below, where they performed songs DeMars and Marsters wrote individually, as well as a few Nirvana covers. It didn't take long for them to invite Steven Sellers and the rest of the band mates of Power Animal (Charlie De Mars' former band) to form Ghost of the Robot.Mad Brilliant and breakup (2002–2004)
The band recorded their first studio album, Mad BrilliantMad Brilliant
Mad Brilliant is the first studio album from the South Californian Band Ghost of the Robot. It was released in 2003.On March 5, 2011, the album was re released on iTunes and Amazon, preceding their second studio album, "B-Sider", a compilation of their rare EPs and singles.- Track listing :-...
in five days, a showcase of De Mars' song writing skills, with Marsters writing "Dangerous", "Angel"' and Sellers writing "Valerie". The album was a sell-out success, as were both European tours in 2003 and 2004.
On their 2004 European tour, the band chose to release an EP entitled It's Nothing, giving a taster from their second album. The second album was not released as Marsters left to pursue other creative activities, leaving the band to its original form Power Animal who shortly thereafter released their album Vs. the world.
Marsters went on a successful solo performer career with a sold-out tour in the UK in April 2005. The other band members continued in several different bands including Friendship, Fictionist
Fictionist
Fictionist is a indie pop rock band currently from Provo, Utah, with origins in Salt Lake City, Utah and Sacramento, CA. The band's line-up is Stuart Maxfield , Robbie Connolly , Brandon Kitterman , Jacob Jones , and Aaron Anderson...
, Gods of the Radio, Power Animal and Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato
"She’s got the range, the full emotional spectrum, incredible control… Vocally, she’s the best thing Disney’s had since Christina Aguilera."—Producer Toby Gad on Demi Lovato's vocals...
.
Reformation, B-Sider and Murphy's Law (2010 – present)
Ghost of the Robot reformed and played few gigs in late 2010 as well as releasing a compilation album, B-SiderB-Sider (Ghost of the Robot Album)
B-Sider is a compilation album from the South Californian Band Ghost of the Robot, consisting of all their rare EPs and singles. The album was released on iTunes and Amazon in 2011 and is the first record to be released since the band re-united in late 2010....
on March 15, 2011. It is a compilation of all their EPs and singles, which was released by EyeLAshout on iTunes and Amazon, as well as their first album, Mad Brilliant
Mad Brilliant
Mad Brilliant is the first studio album from the South Californian Band Ghost of the Robot. It was released in 2003.On March 5, 2011, the album was re released on iTunes and Amazon, preceding their second studio album, "B-Sider", a compilation of their rare EPs and singles.- Track listing :-...
on March 5, 2011. James Marsters' son, Sullivan Marsters is involved in several songs by the band filling in as one of the guitarists.
In April 2011, on the band’s Facebook page, it was noted that a documentary of Ghost of the Robot may be in the works, entitled, “The Worst Best Band” (working title), several excerpts were released and can be found online.
In late July 2011, it was reported that the third album has finished recording and will be named Murphy's Law
Murphy's Law (Ghost of the Robot album)
Murphy's Law is the second studio album by American rock band Ghost of the Robot due for release late November 2011 and will be available digitally on both Amazon and iTunes....
, which was chosen from a group of names pitched and voted for by several fans on their Facebook page. The same week, the band hosted a listening party of the new album, which was followed by a Q&A session with the band. The album received positive reviews with "College Pulse Magazine" stating, "The Ghost of the Robot sounds very much like a new-age type of Beatles, Pop-Rock with more soul." The band also confirmed they will be doing an extensive West Coast tour in the summer of 2012 and try to work around the band members' busy schedules. The release date is scheduled for late November 2011.
Band members
Current members:- Charlie De Mars – guitar
- James MarstersJames MarstersJames Wesley Marsters is an American actor and musician. Marsters first came to the attention of the general public playing the popular character Spike, a platinum-blond yobbish English vampire in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series, Angel from 1997 to 2004...
– guitar and vocals - Jordan Latham - drums
- Kevin McPherson – bass
- Sullivan Marsters – guitar
Past members:
- Steven Sellers – keyboard and backing vocals (died February 21, 2009)
- Aaron Anderson – drums
Albums
- Mad BrilliantMad BrilliantMad Brilliant is the first studio album from the South Californian Band Ghost of the Robot. It was released in 2003.On March 5, 2011, the album was re released on iTunes and Amazon, preceding their second studio album, "B-Sider", a compilation of their rare EPs and singles.- Track listing :-...
(2003) - B-SiderB-Sider (Ghost of the Robot Album)B-Sider is a compilation album from the South Californian Band Ghost of the Robot, consisting of all their rare EPs and singles. The album was released on iTunes and Amazon in 2011 and is the first record to be released since the band re-united in late 2010....
(2011) - Murphy's LawMurphy's Law (Ghost of the Robot album)Murphy's Law is the second studio album by American rock band Ghost of the Robot due for release late November 2011 and will be available digitally on both Amazon and iTunes....
(2011)
EPs and singles
- It's Nothing EP (2004)
- "It's Nothing"
- "Runaway"
- "Pre-War"
- "This Town"
- "She Likes Rap Grooves" (Featuring Ice Berg, Rockmaninoff and Sir-Rock)
- David Letterman
- "David Letterman"
- "Sounds Like a Personal Problem"
- "Mefiant"
- Valerie
- "Valerie"
- "Goodbye"
Sources
- http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2011/08/james_marsters_ghost_of_the_ro.php Retrieved August 3, 2011
- http://sunnydale-la.webs.com/jamesmarsters-fanpage/gotr/ Retrieved May 11, 2011
- http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Ghost-Of-The-Robot-Biography/FC43E3CFC5D7E61C48256D450013E87D Retrieved May 11, 2011
External links
- http://www.gallery.civilizedjames.org/index.php?cat=11 Civilized James Gallery Ghost Of The Robot