Monster Bobby
Encyclopedia
Monster Bobby is an English
singer-songwriter
, best known as the creator of and guitarist
for the indie pop
girl group
The Pipettes
.
Monster Bobby is most well known as being guitarist for The Cassette(s), The Pipettes' all-male backing band. He is frequently credited by The Pipettes both with developing the idea of a modern girl group, and with introducing the members of The Pipettes to one another. He has been described as the group's "Svengali", but rejects any notion of "individual genius" in his role with The Pipettes, stating that "most of the most interesting music is made in such a collective fashion that it is very hard to assign individual responsibility".
Monster Bobby's solo work is a conceptual mix of electronic samples, offbeat songwriting and avant-garde intellectual influences, significantly different from the upbeat girl group pop of The Pipettes. To date, many of Monster Bobby's recordings have appeared as limited edition singles and on compilations, though his debut album, "Gaps" released in 2007, was made up of original material and was widely available.
Since the late 1990s, Monster Bobby has run an irregular series of club nights, concerts, events and a fanzine
called Totally Bored or "TB". The bands that were initially involved in TB included The Electric Soft Parade
), British Sea Power
, The Tenderfoot and The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster
, who were based around Mockin' Bird Studio, run by Marc Beatty, keyboardist in Tenderfoot and later, member of Brakes
. It was in this milieu back in Brighton that the idea for the Pipettes was eventually conceived. Totally Bored eventually spread along with Monster Bobby's more "academic" interests to London's New Cross
, where it grew into a zine and a radio show.
Monster Bobby claims his music to be as affected by Freud, Stockhausen and Derrida as it is by The Human League
, The Archies
and S'Express
.
Monster Bobby also writes a blog at thebombparty and frequent online and printed articles principally on music and film in amongst others "the Quietus" "Electric Sheep" "the Wire" and "Frieze".
He started the "Little Orchestra" to play original contemporary classical music and contemporary classics such as "Terry Riley's" "In C"
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, best known as the creator of and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
for the indie pop
Indie pop
Indie pop is a genre of alternative rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid 1980s, with its roots in the Scottish post-punk bands on the Postcard Records label in the early '80s, such as Orange Juice, Josef K and Aztec Camera, and the dominant UK independent band of the mid...
girl group
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
The Pipettes
The Pipettes
The Pipettes are a British indie pop girl group formed in 2003 in Brighton by "svengali" Robert "Monster Bobby" Barry. The group has released two albums, We Are the Pipettes, and Earth vs...
.
Overview
Back in the 2003 when Monster Bobby was just Bobby Barry he starred in the spin off series of the Worst Witch, Weirdsister college he played the mysterious Nick Hobbs. Prior to that he featured in the film "New Years Day" as Stephen directed by Suri Krushnamma and released in 2000Monster Bobby is most well known as being guitarist for The Cassette(s), The Pipettes' all-male backing band. He is frequently credited by The Pipettes both with developing the idea of a modern girl group, and with introducing the members of The Pipettes to one another. He has been described as the group's "Svengali", but rejects any notion of "individual genius" in his role with The Pipettes, stating that "most of the most interesting music is made in such a collective fashion that it is very hard to assign individual responsibility".
Monster Bobby's solo work is a conceptual mix of electronic samples, offbeat songwriting and avant-garde intellectual influences, significantly different from the upbeat girl group pop of The Pipettes. To date, many of Monster Bobby's recordings have appeared as limited edition singles and on compilations, though his debut album, "Gaps" released in 2007, was made up of original material and was widely available.
Since the late 1990s, Monster Bobby has run an irregular series of club nights, concerts, events and a fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
called Totally Bored or "TB". The bands that were initially involved in TB included The Electric Soft Parade
The Electric Soft Parade
The Electric Soft Parade are an English psych-pop band from Brighton, comprising brothers Alex and Thomas White, the creative core of the band, as well as a number of other musicians with whom they record and perform live, most recently including Andrew Mitchell and Damo Waters, as well as...
), British Sea Power
British Sea Power
British Sea Power are an indie rock band based in Brighton, England, although three of the band members originally come from Kendal in Cumbria. Critics have likened their sound to a variety of groups, from The Cure and Joy Division to the Pixies and Arcade Fire. The band are famed for their live...
, The Tenderfoot and The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster
The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster
The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster were an English rock band from Brighton, England, formed in 1999. They have released three full-length albums, Hörse Of the Dög , The Royal Society and Blood And Fire...
, who were based around Mockin' Bird Studio, run by Marc Beatty, keyboardist in Tenderfoot and later, member of Brakes
Brakes (band)
Brakes is a four member band from Brighton, England. The group formed in 2003. It consists of Eamon Hamilton , Thomas White , Marc Beatty , and Alex White .-Biography:Brakes formed in 2003, when Thomas White and Alex White of The Electric Soft Parade saw Eamon Hamilton perform...
. It was in this milieu back in Brighton that the idea for the Pipettes was eventually conceived. Totally Bored eventually spread along with Monster Bobby's more "academic" interests to London's New Cross
New Cross
New Cross is a district and ward of the London Borough of Lewisham, England. It is situated 4 miles south-east of Charing Cross. The ward covered by London post town and the SE 14 postcode district. New Cross is near St Johns, Telegraph Hill, Nunhead, Peckham, Brockley, Deptford and Greenwich...
, where it grew into a zine and a radio show.
Monster Bobby claims his music to be as affected by Freud, Stockhausen and Derrida as it is by The Human League
The Human League
The Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
, The Archies
The Archies
The Archies are a garage band founded by Archie Andrews, Reggie Mantle, and Jughead Jones, a group of adolescent fictional characters of the Archie universe, in the context of the animated TV series, The Archie Show...
and S'Express
S'Express
S'Express were a British dance music act from the late 1980s, who had one of the earliest commercial successes in the acid house genre."Theme from S'Express", based on Rose Royce's "Is It Love You're After", was also one of the earliest recordings to capitalize on a resurgence of sampling culture...
.
Monster Bobby also writes a blog at thebombparty and frequent online and printed articles principally on music and film in amongst others "the Quietus" "Electric Sheep" "the Wire" and "Frieze".
He started the "Little Orchestra" to play original contemporary classical music and contemporary classics such as "Terry Riley's" "In C"
Television
| Year | Title | Role | | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Weirdsister College Weirdsister College Weirdsister College is the sequel to successful British children's television series The Worst Witch . Weirdsister College ran for only 13 episodes and there have been no publicised talks for a returning series.... |
Nicholas "Nick" Hobbes | Series 1 (13 episodes) |
Albums
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 2007 | Gaps Gaps (album) Gaps is the debut album from Monster Bobby. The title is ironic in that there are no actual "gaps" between songs on the record. It was released on CD in America on August 7, 2007 by Hypnote Recording Concern, followed by a release in the UK a week later on August 13.-Track listing:#"fresh start" –... |
Singles
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2006 | "Even Monsters Can Be People" |
| 2006 | "Heaven Hides Nothing" |
| 2008 | "I am a Pedestrian" |
External links
- Monster Bobby at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Monster Bobby at Hypnote Recording Concern