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Ima Robot

rogerbmiller

rogerbmiller

Gold Supporting Member
Sep 16, 2003
7,103
5,920
NYC
#1
JMJ,

So glad you are on TB. I'm having lots of fun reading your forum. Hope you feel the same.

Your presense here inspired me to take a new listen to the first Ima Robot record on my walk to work this morning. First, I should let you know that I love that record. It was such a breath of fresh air when I first heard it almost 5 years ago. It is still one of those works where I can and do listen top to bottom, repeatedly, and it certainly improved my musical quality of life during the period when I first discovered it.

Anyway, if you have the bandwidth or desire, would you mind briefly running down the record track by track and giving us your perspective in a few sentences for each one. Maybe let us know about the songwriting process, how you came up with your bass lines, what bass(es) you played on the track, and how the band arrived at the final cut/mix?

Thanks.


RBM
 
#2
So it occurred to me that this is a lot to ask. Don't wanna give you carpel tunnel. Sorry. :hiding:

Can you tell us a little bit about the genesis of my favorite 3 tracks maybe:

-Alive
-Dirty Life
-Let's talk Turkey


:bassist:
 
#3
Roger,

Thanks, man. Your appreciation of that record is really fantastic and means a lot to me!! I think that album still stands on its own, and I'm glad people continue to refer to it and discover it. (Sales apparently keep on rolling for that one, by the way).

Alive is just a song we wanted to have as a poppy type of thing. The original chorus was different, we wanted one a bit bigger, so that's what we ended up with. But it was always this dancy, uplifting kind of utopian sentiment. Bass-wise, I just wanted it to be driving and not to deep sounding, just more of a midrange voice.

Dirty Life was just one of those basslines that appeared during a jam, and the song was built completely off of that. The middle section was a response to my need to have a distinct contrast occur, and was a response to Alex and I needing a moment of total bedlam. Joey kills the groove on that one. The chorus locks in so hard with that "hand-played" drum machine he did with the main groove. Great guitar interplay...those intros are sweet. My backround "vocals" are hilarious in the verse. Sick keyboard playing, for sure! That song is my '79 Wal Pro IIe bass.

Let's Talk Turkey is a neat little bassline...you'll hear the 4th fret harmonic of the e-string on the downbeats and the upbeats being the open e. That bass tone is so cool - Thunderbird, B-15, Marshall JTM-45 with Fender Tonemaster 2x12. My second favorite song on the album...great lyrics, very tidy arrangement, simple. Another thing that got written in half a day out of a jam. I love my background vocals on that one. Tim's two guitar parts in the chorus are awesome. One of the only Ima Robot songs with an actual 8-bar guitar solo! Break down has some weird pedals going on, maybe prunes & custard, octaver with an analog delay. In the out chorus, you'll hear a vocoder double of the vocal if you listen closely! A crowd favorite, for sure. Dig that snare sound!

Thanks for asking! I could go on all day...

JMJ
 
#4
JMJ,

THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!!!! So cool to hear such detail about the process behind those great songs. Had to ask as from what I've read it seems you were so personally vested in the project. It really is a great record start to finish.

Honestly, 'Turkey is my absolute fave on the record and perhaps one of my favorite songs I've discoved this decade (could say the same for the record as a matter of fact). I have to take yet another "fresh" listen given all that you've shared below. If it is your second favorite, I am curious as to what is your fave???

Thanks again!


Roger

jmjbassplayer said:
Roger,

Thanks, man. Your appreciation of that record is really fantastic and means a lot to me!! I think that album still stands on its own, and I'm glad people continue to refer to it and discover it. (Sales apparently keep on rolling for that one, by the way).

Alive is just a song we wanted to have as a poppy type of thing. The original chorus was different, we wanted one a bit bigger, so that's what we ended up with. But it was always this dancy, uplifting kind of utopian sentiment. Bass-wise, I just wanted it to be driving and not to deep sounding, just more of a midrange voice.

Dirty Life was just one of those basslines that appeared during a jam, and the song was built completely off of that. The middle section was a response to my need to have a distinct contrast occur, and was a response to Alex and I needing a moment of total bedlam. Joey kills the groove on that one. The chorus locks in so hard with that "hand-played" drum machine he did with the main groove. Great guitar interplay...those intros are sweet. My backround "vocals" are hilarious in the verse. Sick keyboard playing, for sure! That song is my '79 Wal Pro IIe bass.

Let's Talk Turkey is a neat little bassline...you'll hear the 4th fret harmonic of the e-string on the downbeats and the upbeats being the open e. That bass tone is so cool - Thunderbird, B-15, Marshall JTM-45 with Fender Tonemaster 2x12. My second favorite song on the album...great lyrics, very tidy arrangement, simple. Another thing that got written in half a day out of a jam. I love my background vocals on that one. Tim's two guitar parts in the chorus are awesome. One of the only Ima Robot songs with an actual 8-bar guitar solo! Break down has some weird pedals going on, maybe prunes & custard, octaver with an analog delay. In the out chorus, you'll hear a vocoder double of the vocal if you listen closely! A crowd favorite, for sure. Dig that snare sound!

Thanks for asking! I could go on all day...

JMJ
Click to expand...
 
#8
I'm in Stuttgart bored out of my skull right now while waiting to do my gig, so I downloaded a couple Ima Robot tracks off Itunes (12 = 3 and Black Jettas)...that's some wild stuff, dude! Not that it sounds exactly like them or anything, but I'm betting that the singer is a fan of Sparks. Very reminiscent of stuff they did, although the singer isn't quite as operatic (read: pretentious) as Russell Mael. I think I'll have to spring for the whole album. I like experimental stuff that rocks, and Ima Robot certainly qualifies.

There's another band in that experimental vein that I dig called Of Montreal, although they're much more disco than Ima Robot. Ever hear them? They have some funky flatwound Ric with a pick bass going on. They can get a little femmy at times, but it's good stuff with killer bass.
 
#9
Ima Robot, via me, was very influenced by Sparks. They are a favorite of mine. Alex the singer never heard them until after our first album! But I'm a huge fan. Very glad they are touring and recording again these days.

Of Montreal is cool, we've met those people a bunch of times at festivals and stuff. That really destroyed me when they used their single for an Outback Steakhouse jingle, though. Minor career suicide.

JMJ
 
#10
I hate that comercial. Last time my wife and I saw it she looked at me really panicked like and said "I don't think I can remember the real words to that song!" So I had to sing it to soothe her woes. The band still does great stuff though, so it's not a complete loss right?
 
#11
jmjbassplayer said:
Ima Robot, via me, was very influenced by Sparks. They are a favorite of mine. Alex the singer never heard them until after our first album! But I'm a huge fan. Very glad they are touring and recording again these days.

Of Montreal is cool, we've met those people a bunch of times at festivals and stuff. That really destroyed me when they used their single for an Outback Steakhouse jingle, though. Minor career suicide.

JMJ
Click to expand...
LOL! Well, I hear what you're saying, but on the other hand, radio pretty much ignores them, so it's one way to get their music out there and make a bit of a payday. I have to admit that I'd do it in a New York minute if I were them. The music business is in such a state of flux that I think bands are just throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks, and this is probably an example of it. It does bum me out a little to think of overpriced below average steaks when I think of them, but if someone ever offers me the opportunity to sell out at my advanced age, I'm doing it without even the slightest hesitation :bassist:
 

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