Seeing My Robot Friend live is an unsettling experience. It is instantly apparent that anything could, and probably will, happen, maybe even including a nasty accident. In fact My Robot Friends presence on stage, and the wonderfully subversive music that accompanies it, appears not only dangerously edgy, but outright dangerous too.
The truth is no one can be sure whether there is a Wizard of Oz-like human behind the curtain, or if the mechanical man on stage is a carbon-based life form at all. When he hasnt got shards of Roman candle, or indeed confetti, pouring from his metallic anatomy, Howard Robot as he is also known, has been seen in New York. It seems likely that the robot isnt always deactivated after his performances but is probably put to use in a musical production setting.
More clues can be derived from listening to the robots creative, other-worldly music. The seeds of a fondness for synth-pop as well as well-crafted rock are evident. Yet this man-machine is clearly programmed to create electronic music with a bite.
Metamorphosing from a talented studio-based musician to mind-blowing performance artist was a robotic leap that is paying off for My Robot Friend. On one hand his music is winning praise from both fans of left-field, quirky art-rock and die-hard electronic music buffs, whilst on the other his ability to steal the spotlight through his live shows at underground parties and festivals across the world is taking him to larger, spectacle-hungry audiences. This was always part of the plan. He was never going to be a stationary silhouette tucked behind a midi console.
His show is something like Devo in terms of influences, the sense of humour and aesthetics. There are all these props that He have made: videos, pyrotechnics and more. You get transported to the robots world. That is his goal. He is not trying to be too serious. People are out there to have a good time. He wants to match the mood of the crowd. He have done that from the beginning when he performed at parties where I had to compete with all these people getting drunk or high and dancing. In those situations all of a sudden everything stops and they have to watch you. So he always wanted to keep the party going at the same energy level and not be a comedown.
His stage show aside, Howards endearing electro-rock sound is far from being a comedown. It is song structured and has rock influences but it is personality-based electronic and synthetic pop music mixed with lewd lyrics and noises that havent been heard before. It's a sound that has not only won him a warm place on the NY art scene, but has got him included in Rolling Stones Hot List as well as opening slots for Scissor Sisters and Herbert amongst others.
The pinnacle of his success so far came with acknowledgement from one of his teenager years favourite bands: The Pet Shop Boys. They were a big part of my life. I did a song that was a tribute to them called Were The Pet Shop Boys. Every time I spoke to anyone in the industry I asked if they knew them. Eventually I got the song to them and they liked it. They were very generous about it. They played it the first time they DJd at Return To New York as their opening song and put it on their website which meant lots of crazy Pet Shop Boys fans wrote to me. Then they covered it. Their version is amazing. It was enough of a coup for me to retire from music.
Thankfully he didnt. Instead his new album Dial 0 appears on the highly-respected Scottish electronic label Soma. Its a fascinating insight to a seriously unserious, creative musician. His cover of Lunas 23 Minutes In Brussels is set to be one of the years coolest club tracks, while his version of Blondie's Rapture is likely to prick up the ears of many music journalists. Antony, minus his Johnsons, also intriguingly collaborates on One More Try. Borne out of acquaintance with mutual friends and doing shows in New York together around 2001, Howard saw an artist with similar aspirations. Initially I asked Antony to record an acoustic song which I thought was perfect for him, then he came over and we discovered we had a shared love for Soft Cell & Yazoo so we talked about doing something along those lines.
Such influences, as well as cult acts like the B52s, are definitely audible on Dial 0, but it is the cheeky subversion of pop and electronica that have garnered him appearances at festivals as good as Barcelonas Sonar. His new audiences are likely to be all-at-once shell-shocked, bewildered and probably a little scared, but also very much delighted by music and a performance that are so daring and original. Never has man and machine come together to make such an exciting avant-garde commotion. Whether this creativity and intelligence is artificial or not, it is brazenly theatrical but also most delectable indeed.
by your side
My Robot Friend Lyrics
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Streetlights flicker all alone and start to die
Lost your way so many times so many times you don′t know what to do
But if you come outside tonight you know that I'll be waiting there for you
I′ll light a million candles from a single little spark
At night I'll hold your hand and never leave you in the dark
Come on, i know a better way to go
This life won't end, I′ll always be your friend.
I'm gonna be right, gonna be right by your side
Midnight and the stars shoot through the air like rubber bands
Hold tight, and everything just slips right through your hands
You′ve lost it all so many times so many times
You don't know what to say
And as you step into the night
The words sneak out and slowly wash away
I′ll light a million candles from a single little spark
At night I'll hold your hand and never leave you in the dark
Come on, i know a better way to go
This life won′t end, I'll always be your friend.
I'm gonna be right, gonna be right by your side
I′m gonna be right, gonna be right by your side
The lyrics of My Robot Friend's song, By Your Side, contrasts the overwhelming darkness and loneliness of the night with the possibility of finding comfort and companionship. The first stanza hints at an outdoors cinema setting or perhaps a roof where the singer and their companion gaze at the stars, and the singer assures their companion that they will never be alone, for they will always be there waiting for them. The second stanza carries a similar promise, but the imagery used gives it a more melancholic and introspective tone, with the shooting stars symbolizing the fleeting nature of happiness and the singer's desire to hold on and protect their companion from this truth.
The chorus, which repeats the phrase "I'm gonna be right, gonna be right by your side," solidifies the theme of companionship and loyalty. The singer pledges to light a million candles from a single spark, both physically and metaphorically, to illuminate and guide their companion through the darkness. It's a hopeful message that acknowledges the struggles of life but also offers a comforting presence to lean on.
Overall, My Robot Friend's By Your Side is a heartfelt and sincere song that speaks to our universal need for companionship and support, no matter how daunting the world may seem.
Line by Line Meaning
Midnight at the movies where we make up in the sky
We spend time together in the dark, under the stars, where we can be ourselves without judgment.
Streetlights flicker all alone and start to die
The surroundings are full of misery and loneliness, and things just aren't turning out for the better.
Lost your way so many times so many times you don’t know what to do
You've tried and failed so many times that you feel like you've lost direction, and are running out of options.
But if you come outside tonight you know that I'll be waiting there for you
Even when you're at your lowest, at your breaking point, I'll be there for you, waiting to help you find your way.
I’ll light a million candles from a single little spark
I'll bring warmth and light into your life, even if it's just a slight glimmer of hope, and help guide you towards a better future.
At night I'll hold your hand and never leave you in the dark
I'll be a steady support system for you, always there to offer comfort, guidance, and help you navigate through life.
Come on, I know a better way to go
I know a better path for us to take in life, one that will lead us to happiness and prosperity.
This life won't end, I’ll always be your friend.
I'll always be by your side, even when times are tough and life seems to be at its worst. I'll never leave you.
I’m gonna be right, gonna be right by your side
I'll always be there for you, no matter what. You can depend on me to help you through anything.
Midnight and the stars shoot through the air like rubber bands
The beauty of the night sky reminds us that there's always hope and something to look forward to, even when things seem bleak.
Hold tight, and everything just slips right through your hands
It's easy to feel like life is slipping away from us, but it's important to hold on and keep our focus on what's truly important.
You’ve lost it all so many times so many times
You've experienced loss and hardship numerous times, and it's left you feeling defeated and uncertain about what comes next.
You don't know what to say
Sometimes life leaves us speechless, and it's hard to put into words what we're feeling or experiencing.
And as you step into the night
As you move forward, into the unknown, it's important to know that you're not alone and that there's always support available to you.
The words sneak out and slowly wash away
It's easy to get caught up in our own minds and let our fears and doubts get the best of us, but those negative feelings can be washed away with the help of a supportive friend.
Writer(s): Howard Evan Rigberg
Contributed by Adalyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.