Unsigned Bands: Black Robot

What is the alchemy of rock? Turning basic riffs and clever lyrics into a golden song. Sure the formula for success has other ingredients – attitude, image, instrumental chops and universal timing come to mind – but at the core, the molten, smoldering, incendiary core, is two-hands manipulating six strings and a commanding voice to deliver the message. You don’t have that; you don’t have shit.

From the opening AC/DC inspired groove of “Cocaine” – a wickedly arranged cover of J.J. Cale’s narcotic classic – Black Robot serves instant notice with their self-titled debut that not only do they have it, they damn near destroyed the laboratory to get it. This mechanical/musical beast was conceived and constructed for the divine, ultimate destruction of brain cells, ear fibers and false perceptions about what it truly means to rock as if our very survival as a race depended on it.

Black Robot is the brainchild of founding Buckcherry bassist, Jonathan “JB” Brightman and Detroit-bred front man, Huck Johns. JB began sketching out his futuristic comic-book hero shortly after the turn of millennium in the wake of his departure from the band that gave him a sweet but fleeting taste of the rock n’ roll dream.

Enter the robot. Big, black, and extremely badass. In this do-it-yourself liberated garage band/YouTube/MySpace culture, any band has the remarkable opportunity to not just own their product but play a significant role in how that product is perceived and disseminated into the marketplace. JB and Huck did not just fall off the cabbage truck. They’ve been through the system, learned some lessons and believe they possess a keen understanding of where their monster is headed. “We really believe, as far as the music goes, we’ve made our own fierce, dirty, honest, complete record,” says JB.

The songs bear witness to this proclamation. “Baddass” possesses a Buckcherry locomotive drive and playfully narcissistic theme. “Love on a 45” grabs you with its saccharine hook and makes no bones about its message: “It kinda describes what it’s like to date L.A. girls that have their heads up their asses,” laughs Huck. “Dissatisfaction” further exemplifies the depth of the LP with its Led Zeppelin ferocity.

Black Robot is one formidable effort. It stalks the listener, demands attention, and delivers the way a great rock record should.

Visit Black Robot at:

www.myspace.com/blackrobot

www.blackrobotmusic.com  

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