Gobotron
Encyclopedia
Gobotron is the solo side project of Manchester Orchestra
's lead guitarist and backing vocalist, Charles Robert "Robot" McDowell. His debut album On Your Mark, Get Set...
was released on January 19, 2010, through Manchester Orchestra
's own label Favorite Gentlemen Recordings.
's 2008 headlining tour in the summer of 2008, Robert McDowell has decided to start working on his own solo material in his parents' house in Atlanta, Georgia
. He was anxious to move into a new direction and create something different than the music he's done working with the band.
McDowell decided to call his solo project by the name Gobotron. The Gobotron moniker comes from the initial nickname “Robot” given to McDowell years ago as a play on words with Robert, that evolved into Robo, Robo Cop, Robotron, Robby Robot, Rorby, Gorby, Gorbatraz and many more before ultimately and finally graduating into Gobotron. The album title is inspired from a dream he had after watching The Simpsons
one night. "I was falling asleep, drifting in and out. The episode mixed in with one of my dreams and made me think of the title. I woke up laughing and wrote it down. It's nothing deep, it just made sense for the album title."
McDowell wrote, played and recorded a whole album worth of material during the summer of 2008, before Manchester Orchestra
was going into another short tour and pre-production for their next album, which has become 2009's critically successful Mean Everything to Nothing
. Of the album's sound, McDowell has said he was influenced by artists ranging from Ben Kweller
to Brian Wilson
, and features mostly a pop rock
sound. Since he had no time to keep working on his own material due to the Manchester Orchestra
schedule, he delayed the project until the summer of 2009, when his album was finally mixed and mastered, a whole year after being recorded.
The debut album, entitled On Your Mark, Get Set...
was finally released on January 19, 2010, through Manchester Orchestra
's label Favorite Gentlemen Recordings.
Robert McDowell (as Gobotron) made his debut live solo appearance in October 2010, as a supporting act touring with Bad Books
, a supergroup he is also a part of, on their 4 date East Coast
promotional tour for their self-titled debut album
. He has also supported Kevin Devine
and Andy Hull
on their acoustic 5 date tour in December 2010, which was also in support of the Bad Books
debut album, though nor McDowell nor the full band joined Devine and Hull on these dates.
Manchester orchestra
Manchester Orchestra is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2005. The group is currently composed of rhythm guitarist-singer-songwriter Andy Hull, lead guitarist Robert McDowell, keyboardist and percussionist Chris Freeman, bassist Jonathan Corley, and drummer Tim Very...
's lead guitarist and backing vocalist, Charles Robert "Robot" McDowell. His debut album On Your Mark, Get Set...
On Your Mark, Get Set...
On Your Mark, Get Set... is the debut album by Gobotron, the solo side project of Manchester Orchestra lead guitarist and backing vocalist Robert "Robot" McDowell, released on January 19, 2010, through Favorite Gentlemen Recordings....
was released on January 19, 2010, through Manchester Orchestra
Manchester orchestra
Manchester Orchestra is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2005. The group is currently composed of rhythm guitarist-singer-songwriter Andy Hull, lead guitarist Robert McDowell, keyboardist and percussionist Chris Freeman, bassist Jonathan Corley, and drummer Tim Very...
's own label Favorite Gentlemen Recordings.
History
Upon returning from Manchester OrchestraManchester orchestra
Manchester Orchestra is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2005. The group is currently composed of rhythm guitarist-singer-songwriter Andy Hull, lead guitarist Robert McDowell, keyboardist and percussionist Chris Freeman, bassist Jonathan Corley, and drummer Tim Very...
's 2008 headlining tour in the summer of 2008, Robert McDowell has decided to start working on his own solo material in his parents' house in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. He was anxious to move into a new direction and create something different than the music he's done working with the band.
McDowell decided to call his solo project by the name Gobotron. The Gobotron moniker comes from the initial nickname “Robot” given to McDowell years ago as a play on words with Robert, that evolved into Robo, Robo Cop, Robotron, Robby Robot, Rorby, Gorby, Gorbatraz and many more before ultimately and finally graduating into Gobotron. The album title is inspired from a dream he had after watching The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
one night. "I was falling asleep, drifting in and out. The episode mixed in with one of my dreams and made me think of the title. I woke up laughing and wrote it down. It's nothing deep, it just made sense for the album title."
McDowell wrote, played and recorded a whole album worth of material during the summer of 2008, before Manchester Orchestra
Manchester orchestra
Manchester Orchestra is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2005. The group is currently composed of rhythm guitarist-singer-songwriter Andy Hull, lead guitarist Robert McDowell, keyboardist and percussionist Chris Freeman, bassist Jonathan Corley, and drummer Tim Very...
was going into another short tour and pre-production for their next album, which has become 2009's critically successful Mean Everything to Nothing
Mean Everything to Nothing
Mean Everything To Nothing is the second studio album by the Atlanta-based indie rock band Manchester Orchestra. It was released on April 21, 2009 through independent record label Favorite Gentlemen Recordings and produced by Joe Chiccarelli and Dan Hannon....
. Of the album's sound, McDowell has said he was influenced by artists ranging from Ben Kweller
Ben Kweller
Ben Kweller is an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.-Early life:Ben Kweller was born in San Francisco, CA in 1981. In 1982, his family relocated to Emory, Texas, where his father, Howard Kweller, became the town's first doctor. In 1986, the Kwellers moved to a much larger city,...
to Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
, and features mostly a pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
sound. Since he had no time to keep working on his own material due to the Manchester Orchestra
Manchester orchestra
Manchester Orchestra is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2005. The group is currently composed of rhythm guitarist-singer-songwriter Andy Hull, lead guitarist Robert McDowell, keyboardist and percussionist Chris Freeman, bassist Jonathan Corley, and drummer Tim Very...
schedule, he delayed the project until the summer of 2009, when his album was finally mixed and mastered, a whole year after being recorded.
The debut album, entitled On Your Mark, Get Set...
On Your Mark, Get Set...
On Your Mark, Get Set... is the debut album by Gobotron, the solo side project of Manchester Orchestra lead guitarist and backing vocalist Robert "Robot" McDowell, released on January 19, 2010, through Favorite Gentlemen Recordings....
was finally released on January 19, 2010, through Manchester Orchestra
Manchester orchestra
Manchester Orchestra is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2005. The group is currently composed of rhythm guitarist-singer-songwriter Andy Hull, lead guitarist Robert McDowell, keyboardist and percussionist Chris Freeman, bassist Jonathan Corley, and drummer Tim Very...
's label Favorite Gentlemen Recordings.
Robert McDowell (as Gobotron) made his debut live solo appearance in October 2010, as a supporting act touring with Bad Books
Bad Books
Bad Books is an American indie rock supergroup formed in early 2010, and is composed of folk/indie artist Kevin Devine and members of indie rock band Manchester Orchestra...
, a supergroup he is also a part of, on their 4 date East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
promotional tour for their self-titled debut album
Bad Books (album)
Bad Books is the debut self-titled album from the folk/indie rock collaboration project by folk artist Kevin Devine and members of indie rock band Manchester Orchestra. It was released digitally on October 19, 2010, and with a physical CD copy following on November 9, 2010 through Manchester...
. He has also supported Kevin Devine
Kevin Devine
Kevin Devine is an American songwriter and musician from Brooklyn, New York, who is known for alternately introspective and political lyrics and melodic acoustic guitar songs...
and Andy Hull
Andy Hull
Andy Hull is an American singer, guitarist and song writer for the indie rock band Manchester Orchestra. He also has a side project Right Away, Great Captain, as well as co-founder of a side project with friend and folk musician Kevin Devine by the name of Bad Books.Hull was born in Atlanta, Georgia...
on their acoustic 5 date tour in December 2010, which was also in support of the Bad Books
Bad Books
Bad Books is an American indie rock supergroup formed in early 2010, and is composed of folk/indie artist Kevin Devine and members of indie rock band Manchester Orchestra...
debut album, though nor McDowell nor the full band joined Devine and Hull on these dates.