After playing countless hometown shows, the Futureheads took the show on the road with a massive helping hand from Slampt Records' Milky Wimpshake. A tour of Squats and Youth Centres in Central Europe came in summer 2001, due to which the band switched out drummers. In place of Peter Brewis ambled a young pretender, Mr David Hyde (Drums, Vocals).
Several singles followed - the first, Nul Book Standard, can now be seen casually hanging out on eBay from time to time. A relationship with the lovely people at Fantastic Plastic briefly followed. 'The Futureheads' was released in summer 2004, on 679 Recordings, and then the band hit the road. Some highlights of 2005 include playing Glastonbury Festival on Baz's birthday, Hounds Of Love going Top Ten, meeting Dennis Hopper on Jimmy Kimmel's US TV Show, and getting that most infamous of Albatrosses, The Second Album under their belts.
‘News and Tributes’ was released in May 2006. It reached 11 in the album chart, and saw the band touring the world and continuing to win fans and supporters with their exhilarating live shows.
Fast forward to 2008, and The Futureheads are back, bolder and better than ever, exploding back onto the scene with their new album ‘This Is Not The World’. Embracing the punk-rock ethic like never before, Barry, Ross, Jaff and Dave are releasing their third album independently and taking control of their own destiny. It’s going to feel like the first time, all over again…
Annoyed and frustrated too many times by the bureaucratic nightmare that music had become, the band split with former label 679 in late 2006. A silently busy year followed which saw the band writing and recording, and launching their own label Nul Records, solely to release music by The Futureheads. Free of major label shackles, the band are taking back control and relishing being their own bosses.
‘This Is Not The World’ was recorded in 3 weeks in the summer with super-producer Youth at his studio ‘Space Mountain’ in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Andalusia. About as far away atmospherically as you can get from the bleak Scarborough farm in which they recorded ‘News And Tributes’, the band couldn’t help but be influenced by Youth’s enthusiasm, and describe the album as one of ‘defiance, optimism and joy.’
Keen to share the joy with fans, the band released 2 tracks as free downloads and played intimate shows in London and Sunderland at the end of 2007. They begin 2008 with a tour of uni venues and kick off the year with storming new single ‘The Beginning Of The Twist’, released March 10th.
Robot
The Futureheads Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Talk like a robot in the habititting way
Look up to the sky (robot)
You can trample over me (robot)
Do anything you do now the ground has gone
I am a robot, living like a robot
In the future we all die (robot)
Machines will last forever (robot)
Metal things just turn to rust when you're a robot
I am a robot, living like a robot
Talk like a robot in the habititting way
The best thing is our life span (I don't mind)
We last nigh on hundred years (I don't mind)
If that means we'll be together, I don't mind
I have no mind, I have no mind
I'm programmed to follow you (robot)
Do exactly as you do (robot)
Now my nervous system's blue; I feel fine
I am a robot, living like a robot
Talk like a robot in the habititting way
The best thing is our life span (I don't mind)
We last nigh on hundred years (I don't mind)
If that mean's we'll be together I don't mind (I have no mind)
The best things last a life time (I have no mind)
When you age I will not change (I have no mind)
I think I'll be around forever if you don't mind
I have no mind
Why don't (I have no mind)? (robot)
I have no mind
Why don't (I have no mind)? (robot)
I have no mind
Why don't (I have no mind)? (robot)
I have no mind
Why don't (I have no mind)?
The song "Robot" by The Futureheads is a commentary on the disconnection and dehumanization that technology can cause. The lyrics depict the singer as a robot, living and talking like a robot, implying that they are devoid of emotion and individuality. The chorus, "I have no mind," suggests that the singer has been stripped of their thoughts, desires, and memories. They are simply following orders and performing tasks, like a machine.
The verses touch on the idea that machines will eventually outlive humans, and the best thing about being a robot is their long lifespan. The line "Metal things just turn to rust when you're a robot" implies that even though robots may last longer than humans, they will eventually become obsolete. The final verse suggests that the singer's existence revolves around their relationship with their human master. They will always be there, unchanging, as their human ages.
Overall, "Robot" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of becoming too reliant on technology and losing sight of what it means to be human.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a robot, living like a robot
I am a machine, existing and functioning like such
Talk like a robot in the habititting way
Communicating in a robotic manner as per programming
Look up to the sky (robot)
As a robot, looking towards the sky
You can trample over me (robot)
One can easily overpower me like a machine
Do anything you do now the ground has gone
In a state of powerlessness and taking cues from others
In the future we all die (robot)
Inevitable death awaits humans, not machines
Machines will last forever (robot)
Contrasting the mortality of humans, machines have longevity
Metal things just turn to rust when you're a robot
Despite being enduring, even robots end up being reduced to debris
The best thing is our life span (I don't mind)
Longevity is desirable, even as a machine
We last nigh on hundred years (I don't mind)
Robots have a comparatively longer life than humans
If that means we'll be together, I don't mind
Implying robotic loyalty
I have no mind, I have no mind
A machine's lack of consciousness
I'm programmed to follow you (robot)
Conditioned to obey and emulate humans as a machine
Do exactly as you do (robot)
Copying human actions, mimicking their behavior
Now my nervous system's blue; I feel fine
Implying a computerized nervous system register and the result of a successful output
The best things last a life time (I have no mind)
Robots, being inanimate, are more resilient than humans in holding value
When you age I will not change (I have no mind)
Machines maintain their form and functionality, not subject to physical decline
I think I'll be around forever if you don't mind
A witty sarcasm, consistent with the predictive capabilities of machines
Why don't (I have no mind)? (robot)
Reiterating the machine's lack of consciousness and emphasis on programming
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Barry Hyde, David Craig, Ross Millard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind