Introducing ROGUE ROBOTS

I’ve had my eye on these guys since I stumbled across their myspace and the tracks in the player made a big impression on me. It’s electro, but it’s not electro. It’s breaks, but it’s not breaks. Or is it? The only way I can describe it is fucking bouncy ravey bleepy filthy party music. Ha. Maybe kinda nu-skool electro breaks? Check it for yourself and see.

BASS

Anyway, it’s interview time again so…

Tell me a little about who Rogue Robots are, what you're about and where you're from?

We’re here to take your women and steal your land! No sorry, that was our previous life, we sometimes have flashbacks. We are based in sunny, sandy Bournemouth on the South Coast. We’re about making dirty electro badness tunes because it’s cheaper than buying them, what with the credit crunch n all!

Are you new to the game or have you been hiding under different aliases? if so what's the history?

Well I guess you could say we’re pretty newborn as a duo, running together for only 8 months, but I (Lee Nazari) have been DJing since the summer of 2005 where I learnt my trade in Ibiza surrounded by the most inspiring DJs and producers. Gareth Salmon, Cod as we call him, is in a live breakbeat band called The Freefall Collective who gig all over the place. Breaks Poll, Glastonbury, all round Europe and I’m pretty sure they’ve done even done a Barmitzva! Tough crowd though at a Barmitzva, it’s like they don’t even want you there…!

What are your views on the breaks scene at the moment? Is it dying?

In a nut shell, yes! But more to the point it’s just gone stale. I’ve run a massive breaks night called “Break Da House” here in Bournemouth and we’ve had everyone you could think of like Stantons, Plumps, Evil Nine, Meat Katie, Dub Pistols etc etc. We’re actually stopping it this month after 5 glorious years because it’s not what I’m about anymore. The people at the top just seemed to fancy other genres more. This has left a whole bunch of Breaks people with very little good new music to listen to, so I guess the scene has disbanded into Dubstep, Electro, Crunk and any other genre with phat basslines. Sad really, for Breaks that it. But give it 3 years and it’ll be picked back up again with a fresh blood of eager producers who’ll put an edgy twist on it and away it goes again with a name like Psycho Breaks or something along those lines!

Tell us a little about what's forthcoming and what's already out... where can the video/s be watched?

Out there at the moment is our first EP, the “Get Ya” EP which has 3 very solid dancefloor rockers on it that will do any DJ proud at the right time. We’re also got a few remixes floating around but they’re more House based as that’s what the label required at the time. What’s coming out is more exciting, with remixes for Cadged Baby, Marc Vedo and our 2nd and 3rd EPs all in the bag – just waiting for release dates. The next thing you can get your hands on is a remix for Upstart:Music mid Auguest time which is something we’re really loving as it touches on a real old skool feel with nu skool flavours, it’s called “Big Up Girl” and is definitely one to watch.

BIG UP GIRL REMIX

As regards to music videos, we’re having a full 100% CGI music video being made and it looks amazing! Should be ready September/November but will be worth the wait. Check this one for the time being:


You mentioned a live show in October, is this in progress?

The live show is what Rogue Robots are about really, when we first came together, performing live was our goal and as of October we hope to have achieved that. It will consist of an Allen Heath XONE4D mixer, 3 synths, 2 keyboards, a laptop running ableton, 3 CDJs and a mic for some freestyling… no, that last one is a lie. Haha.

I’m glad the freestyling is a lie! Top five artists at the present?

Well that’s pretty touch because they fill moods not timescales with me, but off the top of my head, some sheer dancefloor smash it outness:

1. Deadmau5
2. Hatiras
3. Mightyfools
4. Mr Oizo
5. Will Bailey

Mightyfools would make my top 5 for sure. Are you into this Dubstep biz?

One of my friends runs a pretty big Dubstep night called “Dubinium” so I’m quite partial to a bit of “electronic Reggae” as I like to call it. It’s pretty much the new DnB scene with a new twist. Anything with phat riffs and dominating bass gets me going so Dubstep definitely puts a big smile on my face.

It definitely puts a big smile on our faces too! If I was to visit your hometown, give me a little brief of what would happen on a Friday night out...

Well it’d more than likely be at one of my parties starting off with a pre gig mix and drinks at mine, getting slowly topped up before we hail a cab and make like the trees. We would arrive at the bash to a host of smiling faces and welcoming hugs from the army of music lovers before heading straight to the bar for another swifty. Then it’s time to wade our way through the crowd to the console, trying not to bash peoples knees with my record box! After doing what I do best, we would then throw some shapes while slowly losing the ability to function but still being propped up by the phatness of the sounds lapping you all over the dancefloor! Before you know it you’d turn to me and say “shit it’s 7am! I’ve got to make my Nan’s breakfast in an hour!” So off you’d skip leaving behind one of the most memorable nights you’ve ever had! (The PG13 version would be something like that…!)

Haha. And lastly, are you heading/been to any festivals this summer?

I’m hoping to do Secret Garden Party but after losing the absolute plot there one year it’s going to take some soul searching if you know what I mean. I’m more of an Ibiza man myself so I’ll be heading over there to stay with my best friend Mr Doris who is Space and Pacha resident – never a dull moment!

RHYTHM MACHINE

Well I hope that was an amusing read and that you’ve got a little bit of Rogue Robots stuck in your head. Check the EP and a couple of remixes on Beatport.