Yesterday I had the pleasure to chat with Brandon Yeagley front man for Crobot. Currently on tour promoting their up coming album Welcome to Fat City. Brian called in from a tour stop outside Lubbock, Texas.
Side Stage Magazine: Hello Brandon this is Ron from Side Stage Magazine.
Brandon Yeagley: Hey Ron how’s it going.
Keeping busy?
Yeah yeah, slowly lol,
So you’re the front man…
Yeah yeah
So where are you guys right now?
We are on our way to Lubbock Texas. Were about an hour outside right now.
Lubbock Texas, So you guys have been in Texas for a while now?
Yeah yeah quite a few days, were rounding out the last few days of this tour with The Virgin Mary’s and Aeges. The last few stops Lubbock Texas and Tyler tomorrow night.
How have the shows been going?
Great, it’s a really good line-up. You know to finally be able to hand-pick bands we want with us out on the road. This bill that we got out there right is really cool. It’s been a lot of fun.
So the bands that you have out there with you now you have known for a while?
Yeah The Virgin Mary’s are label mates with us on Wind Up Records. Our first shows in England they brought us over there so it’s cool to kind of return the favor.
Yeah for sure.
And the band Aeges that’s also on the bill, we played a show with them at The Viper Room and when we heard those guys we really enjoyed their sound and made a show happen.
Congratulations on the new album “Welcome to Fat City”. Release date Sept 23. I’ve heard a couple of tracks and I can honestly say I haven’t been rocked like this in years. Did you set out to make this kind of rock from the get go?
Absolutely we all grew up listening to old school rock and roll that really comes through in what we do. But you know I really think it was just writing songs for US hope that people enjoy them as well.
I like the overall groove of the songs. For instance the guitar parts are very fluent throughout the songs. I don’t get the impression of repetitiveness. Just groove.
Yeah we certainly like to keep that groove going. When we write songs we just get in a room together and see what happens. People can see through the fake most of the time
So what is the writing process like for you guys?
Yeah it’s a little bit of everything. Anybody can come in with a riff. To build on.
You worked with Machine on this record as well as the last one. How was the process different this time? this time
It was different in the fact that Machine moved his operations to Austin. So instead of freezing in New Jersey we enjoyed winter in Austin.
And what about where you guys are from Pottsville, PA is there a lot going on there?
It’s like a coal town in the northeast. Not much going on there anymore. It looks as though at one point it may have been a booming city, but not anymore. The pride of Pottsville is Yuengling beer.
Yuengling beer lol
Yep you get a lot of that.
Grand rapids was named beer city USA. I’m not kidding. There’s a lot of breweries here. Have you guys played here? Can you recollect?
I don’t think so, I don’t think so. I know we have one coming up. It’s gonna be cool were excited to be headed back out that way.
So you do have a Grand Rapids show booked?
Yeah the date escapes me. I know it’s the end of August mid Sept.
Probably at The Intersection I’m guessing.
Yep yep that’s it.
That’s a great venue you’ll enjoy it. It’s right in the middle of downtown. How did you guys come up with the name Crobot?
We wanted to make something risky heavy like Crowbar. Chris Bishop uses robotic effects with his guitar one of our buddies was like, why don’t you name the band Crobot? And were a fan of the one word band names.
How long have you been with Wind Up Records?
It’s been about three years now.
But you did put out an independent release Before Wind Up?
Yeah we did put out something in 2012 that is since out of print. At that point we were just playing wherever we could. At one point we traveled to Alaska to do a residency for a month. We have always had that mentality of playing wherever whenever and it’s stayed that way as well.
Now Chris and you started the band. Did you two get together and just start writing songs? Did you have a different rhythm section before you met Jake and Paul? we just kept writing songs and tried to find like-minded people. What happened was I was in a band that lasted about a month. What happened is we kind of took band’s and combined forces and started writing songs.
Had you had any kind of touring experience prior to that?
No nothing other than touring the east coast in cover bands playing casinos that was really the only opportunity to get out and travel.
Well it was good talking to you, hopefully I can get out and catch the show. Good luck to you. Be sure to catch Crobot along with Sevendust, Wilson and Twelve Foot Ninja on Sept. 13
