Bikini robot army
Encyclopedia
Bikini Robot Army is an American
rock-based dance band from New York City
, New York
, founded by Val Broeksmit. The first fully sampled reorganized montage dance rock pop art music, as well as one of the first rock and roll internet filesharing produced band.
Original members Val Broeksmit, Brandon Geiger and Matt Goldsborough formed the backbone while in college. After graduation, the three went their separate ways but would continue to send recorded music tracks to each other via email and other file sharing programs.
When Broeksmit learned to use Pro Tools
, the recording become more and more professional and marketable. Getting the attention of Keith Richards
at a New York show, Broeksmit brought his computer to the tour bus, where he and Richards put down the basis for the track "The Cocaine Lady", which became the title track from the next album that came to be known as Old Soldiers.
Soon after, The Good Time Charlies fell apart. Brandon Geiger went on to form The Burnside Bums in Philadelphia, and, along with Matt Goldsborugh, formed The Great Unknown, also in Philadelphia. Both bands recorded and rewrote tracks Broeksmit sent them via email.
Broeksmit began to sample popular instrumental songs from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Where rap musicians would sample small lick from popular songs, and build beats around them, Broeksmit would sample the entire songs and cut them together with other popular instrumentals until they formed something completely new, indistinguishable from their original form.
After the music was 'put to hard drive', Broeksmit would write and record original vocals on these songs. He was one of the first to did this. His song "Pretty But is it Art caught the attention of the like minded work of DJ, Moby, who contributed to the album that was to be Old Soldiers under the newly named Bikini Robot Army.
Bikini Robot Army released their first album, Old Soldiers, independently, and it went on sale on iTunes, Amazon.com and most online music retail stores in February 2007.
In September 2007 Andrew Jarecki
, the film director and writer of the theme song to the television show Felicity, joined the band as a drummer, co-writer and backing vocalist. Jarecki directed the documentary Capturing the Friedmans
, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Feature length Documentary. He is currently in post production on his debut feature film All Good Things
.
In 2008 Broeksmit won seven Awards for his work on the popular Ourstage.com
, including 3 "best song" wins.
Broeksmit is currently working on Bikini Robot Army's next studio album, tentatively titled Cat Theft Electric, to be released February 2011.
When asked in an interview with Spin
magazine who his biggest influence was, Broeksmit answered, "Keith Richards, all riffs lead back to Richards".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock-based dance band from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, founded by Val Broeksmit. The first fully sampled reorganized montage dance rock pop art music, as well as one of the first rock and roll internet filesharing produced band.
Original members Val Broeksmit, Brandon Geiger and Matt Goldsborough formed the backbone while in college. After graduation, the three went their separate ways but would continue to send recorded music tracks to each other via email and other file sharing programs.
Early history
Before forming Bikini Robot Army, the three original members formed The Good Time Charlies. They played small shows in and around New York City and Philadelphia and recorded an album.When Broeksmit learned to use Pro Tools
Pro Tools
Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation platform for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, developed and manufactured by Avid Technology. It is widely used by professionals throughout the audio industries for recording and editing in music production, film scoring, film, and television...
, the recording become more and more professional and marketable. Getting the attention of Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
at a New York show, Broeksmit brought his computer to the tour bus, where he and Richards put down the basis for the track "The Cocaine Lady", which became the title track from the next album that came to be known as Old Soldiers.
Soon after, The Good Time Charlies fell apart. Brandon Geiger went on to form The Burnside Bums in Philadelphia, and, along with Matt Goldsborugh, formed The Great Unknown, also in Philadelphia. Both bands recorded and rewrote tracks Broeksmit sent them via email.
Broeksmit began to sample popular instrumental songs from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Where rap musicians would sample small lick from popular songs, and build beats around them, Broeksmit would sample the entire songs and cut them together with other popular instrumentals until they formed something completely new, indistinguishable from their original form.
After the music was 'put to hard drive', Broeksmit would write and record original vocals on these songs. He was one of the first to did this. His song "Pretty But is it Art caught the attention of the like minded work of DJ, Moby, who contributed to the album that was to be Old Soldiers under the newly named Bikini Robot Army.
Bikini Robot Army released their first album, Old Soldiers, independently, and it went on sale on iTunes, Amazon.com and most online music retail stores in February 2007.
In September 2007 Andrew Jarecki
Andrew Jarecki
Andrew Jarecki is an American filmmaker, musician, and entrepreneur. He is best known for Capturing the Friedmans, which won eighteen international prizes including the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and the New York Film Critics Circle award, and was nominated for an Academy...
, the film director and writer of the theme song to the television show Felicity, joined the band as a drummer, co-writer and backing vocalist. Jarecki directed the documentary Capturing the Friedmans
Capturing the Friedmans
Capturing the Friedmans is a documentary film directed by Andrew Jarecki. It focuses on the 1980s investigation of Arnold and Jesse Friedman for child molestation...
, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Feature length Documentary. He is currently in post production on his debut feature film All Good Things
All Good Things (film)
All Good Things is a 2010 romantic mystery film directed by Andrew Jarecki starring Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst. The film is inspired by the life of accused murderer Robert Durst. All Good Things was filmed between April and July 2008 in Connecticut and New York...
.
Present
After impressive initial sales on iTunes, Bikini Robot Army went on tour, during which tracks were recorded for a future live album.In 2008 Broeksmit won seven Awards for his work on the popular Ourstage.com
Ourstage
OurStage.com is a web and mobile-based music community offering free music streaming, discovery, and editorial content. It is owned and operated by OurStage Inc., headquartered in Chelmsford, Massachusetts...
, including 3 "best song" wins.
Broeksmit is currently working on Bikini Robot Army's next studio album, tentatively titled Cat Theft Electric, to be released February 2011.
When asked in an interview with Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
magazine who his biggest influence was, Broeksmit answered, "Keith Richards, all riffs lead back to Richards".