The American Heavy Rock band CROBOT is on tour supporting VOLBEAT and promoting their new album ‘Welcome To Fat City’. Meanwhile, their singer Brandon Yeagley, found the time to answer our questions. Read below some interesting details about their new effort as well as some good advice about life and how to keep your voice in shape!
Hello from Greece and Metalpaths.com! Could you please introduce your band to our readers?
Hello everybody! It’s your neighborhood-friendly Crobot here!
Your new record, ‘Welcome To Fat City’ will be released in a few days. It is once again produced by, the well known producer, Machine and mixed by the great Alan Moulder. How much did they contribute to the album?
Simply being in the same room as Machine seems to be a muse for us and this time around it was no different. Of course, adding Alan Moulder to the mix certainly made things a hell-of-a-lot better!
Judging by the 4 songs (out of 11) that I listened on your Soundcloud page, I think the new material sounds a bit heavier than your previous album (‘Something Supernatural’, 2014). I was excited about that! Was that a conscious move during the album’s writing process?
It’s just a simple progression due to playing together for a longer period of time. Also, given our extensive touring schedule, we’ve been able to road test a lot of the new material, too. That more often than not brings immediate results, whether they are good or bad.
The new album’s title is taken from a campaign promise author Hunter S. Thompson made when he ran his campaign to become Sheriff of Aspen, Colorado, right? Where is the “Fat City” that you welcome us too?
Absolutely correct! Our version of Fat City however is a much different place than imagined by the gonzo himself. Fat City in the Crobot universe is a planet of greed, corruption, and all-out, no-holds-barred livin’. The scum of the universe collects here to fulfill their terrible destinies without consequence. A space-pirate’s safe haven, if you will.
The album cover was made by your guitarist Chris Bishop. Is there a special meaning behind it?
He really went for a Simpsons on acid approach this time around. He made a conscious decision to create something different from the previous album’s artwork. There are characters that will play a role in the Crobot storyline, much like the previous effort. But, this time around things are a lot more psychedelic. There’s a lot of emphasis on money and power on this record and the art does a great job of foreshadowing that. There is also a hidden character within the art; one you may recognize.
You released a video clip for the song “Not for Sale” 2 months ago. It was quite different from the usual rock videos that feature pretty women and macho men, instead, elderly men were rocking out while you were playing. Was that an idea that came from wordplay of the chorus (with the word ‘dept’ sounding like ‘dad’)?
Nailed it! Yeah, we don’t take ourselves too seriously and our new video is a testament to that fact. It was actually an idea we came up with but in no way did we think that anyone was going to hop on board. It started out as a joke and came full circle into fruition.
“…But who paid your debt to be here? No one, my soul is not for sale!” these are lyrics that people in my country can relate to. Did you have the state of the world economy in mind when you wrote that?
I love hearing other people’s perspective on my lyrics. It’s one of the reasons I try to remain so vague sometimes, leaving more for the imagination. I won’t say that it wasn’t in my mind when writing this track. On the whole it is definitely about carving out your own place and paving your own destiny, nevermind anything anyone else has to say about it.
The tour to promote your new release has already started in US and you will be in Europe once again in October and November. How do you feel about it?
We are currently out with Volbeat and Airbourne (my apologies for not getting this interview back to you quicker). It’s been a great experience all-around and we have been having a blast over here! We’ve been playing in front of the biggest crowds to date and though it takes some getting used to (we are a club band who likes to sweat in your face, ya know?), we enjoy the opportunity very much and can’t thank the Volbeat guys enough for bringing us aboard!
You also did a great show in this year’s ‘Hellfest’ in France. Any fun stories from that one?
Wow! That was an amazing gig for us! We saw a lot of familiar faces and a whole lotta new ones. By far, that has been the best festival we’ve been apart of. The set-up of that fest was unparalleled.
Is life on the road getting easier or more difficult for you?
It certainly is situational. Some tours are tougher than others due to many reasons, mostly beyond our control. (That Murphy’s Law can be one bad mother-shut-cho-mouth.) But, we love what we do and it’s most definitely the best job I’ve ever had. It sure beats the 9 – 5.
Along with Miles Kennedy, you are one of the most talented vocalists in the new hard rock American scene. How do you keep your voice in shape during the tour?
That is a huge compliment. Thank you very much for the kind words. I attribute it to a lot of hard work and dedication. There are always hurdles to jump and mountains to climb when living in a van on the road, especially for a vocalist. So, you have to know your own limits. Whether that means taking it easy on the alcohol or doing everything you can to try and stay healthy, it is a lot of building a regiment that keeps you consistent. Coconut water, honey, slippery elm lozenges, and lots of water are your best friends on tour. Oh and did I mention sleep? Yeah, that’s really hard to get sometimes.
Is the new breed of the heavy rock bands like yours getting any attention from the media in the States?
We have a great support system in the states but the media culture is certainly lacking in regards to aiding new bands that stand out from the crowd. When you don’t fit a certain formula or look, you don’t get as many eyes and ears on ya. But, when you refuse to be compromised and just do what you do best, you always win.
I would love to see you in a local gig together with our local heavy rock heroes Nightstalker. Is there any chance for this to happen someday?
We are begging for an excuse to come to Greece! You say the word and we’re there, dude! Let’s put that thought out into the universe. The power of will is a great one, indeed!
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. I wish you receive more success with the new album. The last words are yours.
Thank you very much for the incredibly kind words and we hope to bring our beards to you sooner than later!