Ima Robot In Spin
Finally we picked up the November issue of Spin (Dave Matthews on the cover) and were able to view the fantastic photos by Jelle Wagenaar. If you
check out the behind the scenes shots we have in the photo gallery, you can see a cryptic setup with JMJ, Tim, OG, and Joey holding a white placard
together--in the final photo, Alex is superimposed upon the card, with the caption "Ima Robot do their impression of a city bus." They are
also featured on the contents page, where Oligee is referenced as "Justin Timberlake's older brother." Oh boy, can the cover of
Rolling Stone be far off?
Here's the short article:
IMA ROBOT
"Who: Quirky Los Angeles art project gone berserk. Lead singer Alex Ebert recruited Beck's former bassist, Justin Meldal-Johnson (sic), and
former drummer, Joey Waronker, to provide the frenetic, pulsing grooves for his shimmering new-wave tunes. Sound like: Their self-titled debut is
equal parts David Bowie, Duran Duran, and Blur. Ima Robot tug on so many disparate sources--punk, glam, '80s pop--that they make New York's
electro scene seem downright lazy. "Our music clashed pretty badly with itself in a great way," says Meldal-Johnson. Beyond the valley of
the dolls: Despite Los Angeles' plastic rep, Ebert says that the group's hometown is key to their sound. "L.A. is a breeding ground
for individuality," says the singer, decked out in billowy toile pants. "Whatever you want to do, you can get away with it." Okay, so
they're not really robots: Though their name conjures an image of geeky knob twiddlers or alienated technophiles, Ima Robot are in touch with
their emotional side: They've been known to cry at their live shows--literally. "I feel like the audience has to be indoctrinated, because
the energy can be very intense," Ebert says soberly. "I have fucking epiphanies on stage."
-Caryn Ganz
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