The
Flobots are a political
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and
hip hopHip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
musical group from
Denver, ColoradoThe City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, formed in 2000 by
Jamie LaurieJames Laurie better known by his stage name Jonny 5, is the singer and founder of the American musical group, Flobots. He is the only member who has been with the band since its inception in 2000...
. Flobots found mainstream success with their major label debut
Fight with ToolsFight with Tools is the debut album by Flobots released in October 2007 and re-released on May 20, 2008. It features the single "Handlebars", which became a popular hit on Modern Rock radio the following April...
(2007), featuring the single "
Handlebars"Handlebars" is a song by Flobots. It was released as the first single from their debut album, Fight with Tools and is the group's largest success, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks in just less than three weeks after the single's release....
", which became a popular hit on
Modern Rock radioAlternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
in April 2008.
Early career and Onomatopoeia (2000–2004)
In 2000, the group began to form when lead MC Jamie Laurie, (Jonny 5) teamed up with producer Farhad Ebrahimi (Yahktoe). Together they released the album
Onomatopoeia in 2001, and the title track ended up in a compilation by the MIT Songwriting Club (Yahktoe's
alma materAlma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
). The title track featured guitar player David Gralow,
celloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
player T'Errance Favors, and bass player Jaymz Haynes.
Flobots Present...Platypus (2005–2006)
Jonny 5 kept the Flobots name when forming a side project with another lead MC, Brer Rabbit. They teamed up with
violist-Notable violists:A* Julia Rebekka Adler * Sir Hugh Allen , conductor* Kris Allen * Johann Andreas Amon * Paul Angerer , composer* Steven Ansell * Atar Arad * Cecil Aronowitz...
Mackenzie Gault, bassist Jesse Walker, guitarist Andy Guerrero (from
funkFunk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
band Bop Skizzum), trumpet player Joe Ferrone (also from Bop Skizzum), and drummer Kenny Ortiz. By the year's end, their unique instrumentation and politically and socially charged music became popular in their hometown of Denver, and Flobots became a full time project. The group members also identify themselves by numbers; Jonny 5 is 05, Brer Rabbit is 0, Mackenzie is 33, Andy is 17, Jesse is 101, Joe is 79 and Kenny is 69.
In 2005, the band released
Flobots Present...PlatypusFlobots Present... Platypus is the first EP by the band Flobots, released in 2005.The song "Handlebars" was re-recorded and re-released two years later for their next album, Fight with Tools...
, which went on to sell over 3000 copies over the next two years. In August 2007, Flobots opened for Colorado locals
The Fray-Literature:*Fray, a phenomenon in Terry Pratchett's The Carpet People*Fray , a comic book series by Joss Whedon**Melaka Fray, titular character of the comic book series-Music:*"Fray", a song from the album 14 Shades of Grey by Staind...
at Red Rocks, one of their largest performances to date.
Fight with Tools (2007–2008)
In October 2007, after a year of writing and producing, the Flobots released their proper debut album
Fight with ToolsFight with Tools is the debut album by Flobots released in October 2007 and re-released on May 20, 2008. It features the single "Handlebars", which became a popular hit on Modern Rock radio the following April...
and sold out their CD release show at the Gothic Theatre in
Englewood, ColoradoThe city of Englewood is a Home Rule Municipality located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. As of 2007, the city is estimated to have a total population of 32,532. Englewood is part of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area. Englewood is located in the South Platte River Valley east of the...
.
Flobots entered a contest held by Denver radio station 93.3 (
KTCLKTCL is a commercial radio station owned by Clear Channel Communications that airs a modern rock music format. Licensed to Wheat Ridge, Colorado, it serves the Denver, Colorado area. The station uses the branding "Channel 93.3".-History:...
), called Hometown for the Holidays, which allowed fans to vote for their favorite songs from 35 local bands. Flobots subsequently won both the radio portion of the contest as well as the
live performanceA concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
award. As a result, the station put "Handlebars" into full rotation at the end of January due to the immense popularity of the song during the contest.
In February 2008, Flobots held a show at the Gothic Theatre in Englewood called "The Heart Attack" featuring local bands The Hot IQs and Paper Bird. It was after this show that the group was approached by and subsequently signed to
Universal RepublicUniversal Republic Records is a record label, owned by Universal Music Group. It is based on the now-defunct Republic Records label founded by brothers Monte and Avery Lipman...
on a two CD major label deal. On March 31, the band announced that they would be playing Tucson,
Arizona'sArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
major alternative rock festival,
KFMA- Awards :*Tucson Weekly Best of Tucson: public-vote winner for its radio station category every year since 1996 except once....
Day, with
MetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
,
ApocalypticaApocalyptica is a band from Helsinki, Finland, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso and drummer Mikko Sirén...
,
ChiodosChiodos is an American post hardcore band from Davison, Michigan. Formed in 2001, the group was originally known as "The Chiodos Bros," the band's name was a tribute to filmmakers Stephen, Charles, and Edward Chiodo, responsible for the film Killer Klowns from Outer Space. Chiodos released their...
, and
Scars on BroadwayScars on Broadway is an American-Armenian rock band, founded by System of a Down members Daron Malakian and John Dolmayan. The band's eponymous debut album was released on July 29, 2008....
on May 16. Flobots were also part of the sixteenth annual
KROQKROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
Weenie RoastKROQ Weenie Roast is a multi-artist alternative rock concert, presented annually in June by the Los Angeles, California, USA radio station KROQ-FM. Since its beginning in 1993, the event has been traditionally held on a Saturday in June, except from 2005 to 2009 when it occurred in May.Every year...
on May 17, along with
AtreyuAtreyu is an American rock band from Orange County, California, formed in 1998. The band consists of vocalist/lyricist Alex Varkatzas, guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel, bassist Marc McKnight and drummer/vocalist Brandon Saller...
,
Bad ReligionBad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
,
Flogging MollyFlogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish-descendant band from Los Angeles, California, that is currently signed to their own record label, Borstal Beat Records.-Early years:...
,
MetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
,
The OffspringThe Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
,
PennywisePennywise is a Californian punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California, formed in 1988. The name is derived from the monster, It, from the Stephen King novel of the same title....
,
The RaconteursThe Raconteurs is an American rock band that was formed in Detroit, Michigan, featuring four members known for other musical projects: Jack White , Brendan Benson , Jack Lawrence , and Patrick Keeler .-Formation:The...
,
Rise AgainstRise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. The band currently consists of Tim McIlrath , Zach Blair , Joe Principe and Brandon Barnes .Rise Against spent its first five years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords, on which it...
,
Scars on BroadwayScars on Broadway is an American-Armenian rock band, founded by System of a Down members Daron Malakian and John Dolmayan. The band's eponymous debut album was released on July 29, 2008....
and
SeetherSeether is a post-grunge/alternative metal band from Pretoria, South Africa, formed in 1999. The band is currently signed to Wind-up Records...
. On July 20, 2008, Flobots played at the Mile High Music Festival in Commerce City, Colorado with headliners Dave Matthews Band and John Mayer. On July 26, 2008, Flobots played 93.3's Big Gig at Coors Amphitheater in Greenwood Village, Colorado with Offspring. On September 1, 2008 they performed at
BumbershootBumbershoot is an annual international music and arts festival held in Seattle, Washington. One of North America's largest such festivals, it takes place every Labor Day weekend at the 74-acre Seattle Center, which was built for the 1962 World's Fair. Seattle Center includes indoor theaters,...
Music and Arts Festival in Seattle, Washington.
The single "
Handlebars"Handlebars" is a song by Flobots. It was released as the first single from their debut album, Fight with Tools and is the group's largest success, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks in just less than three weeks after the single's release....
" became popular on alternative rock radio in April 2008 and peaked at #3 on Billboard's
Modern Rock TracksAlternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
chart.
They made their television debut on
Carson Daly's talk showLast Call with Carson Daly is an American late night talk show that is broadcast on NBC. The show is hosted by Carson Daly, the half-hour show featuring celebrity interviews, documentary-style coverage of a topic, and musical performances. Last Call airs weeknights at 1:35 a.m. Eastern / 12:35 a.m....
on May 20, 2008. Also on May 20, Flobots spent two hours with Dr. Drew and
StrykerTheodore "Ted" Ramón Stryker known on-air as simply "Stryker", is an American radio personality and disc jockey.-Biography:...
answering sex questions on
LovelineLoveline is a syndicated radio call-in program in North America, offering medical and relationship advice to listeners, often with the assistance of guests, typically actors and musicians. Its flagship station is KROQ-FM in Los Angeles....
and re-released their album Fight With Tools to a wider audience after their newfound success. Flobots also appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on June 5, 2008 with their song "
Handlebars"Handlebars" is a song by Flobots. It was released as the first single from their debut album, Fight with Tools and is the group's largest success, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks in just less than three weeks after the single's release....
". They performed their second single "
Rise"Rise" is the second single released by the alternative rap group Flobots from Denver, Colorado. It was released from Flobots' album Fight with Tools.-Track listing:CD# "Rise " - 3:20# "Rise " - 3:40Play.com...
" on
Late Night With Conan O'BrienLate Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
on October 13, 2008.
Survival Story (2009–2010)
On February 17, 2009, the Flobots announced in a
MySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
blog entry that they were "working really hard on their next album and plan to have it completed soon."
In September 2009, the band finished recording their second album. The band announced on
YouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
that the album was to be titled
Survival Story-Singles:"White Flag Warrior" was the first single from the album, released digitally on 2 February 2010.-Personnel:Group members*Jamie Laurie – vocals, songwriter, guitar, drums, bass, keyboard*Andy Guererro – guitars, background vocals*Kenny Ortiz – drums...
. The album was released on March 16, 2010.
Stop The Apocalypse (2011-present)
On September 17, 2011 while performing at the Gallogly Events Center, UCCS, Colorado Springs, the Flobots announced that "they will be releasing an album in 2012 so they might as well name it Stop The Apocalypse. They also performed a brand new song off the album titled "Circle in the Square".
Band members
Current members
- Jamie "Jonny 5" Laurie
James Laurie better known by his stage name Jonny 5, is the singer and founder of the American musical group, Flobots. He is the only member who has been with the band since its inception in 2000...
– lead vocalsThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
- Stephen "Brer Rabbit" Brackett – lead vocals
- Jesse Walker – bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Kenny Ortiz – drums
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Mackenzie Gault – viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
, vocals
Former members
- Andy "Rok" Guerrero – guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals
Session members
- Joe Ferrone – trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
Discography
Albums
- Fight with Tools
Fight with Tools is the debut album by Flobots released in October 2007 and re-released on May 20, 2008. It features the single "Handlebars", which became a popular hit on Modern Rock radio the following April...
(2007; re-released in 2008) – US #15 266,867 copies sold in the US, UKThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#52
- Survival Story
-Singles:"White Flag Warrior" was the first single from the album, released digitally on 2 February 2010.-Personnel:Group members*Jamie Laurie – vocals, songwriter, guitar, drums, bass, keyboard*Andy Guererro – guitars, background vocals*Kenny Ortiz – drums...
(2010) US #44
EPs
- Flobots Present...Platypus
Flobots Present... Platypus is the first EP by the band Flobots, released in 2005.The song "Handlebars" was re-recorded and re-released two years later for their next album, Fight with Tools...
(2005)
- Live at the House of Blues – Anaheim, CA (2009)
Singles
| Year |
Title |
Peak positions |
Album |
| US The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
|
US
PopThe Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009...
|
US
Mod
|
US
DSThe Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of...
|
CAN The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
|
UK The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
|
NZ New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
|
| 2008 |
"Handlebars "Handlebars" is a song by Flobots. It was released as the first single from their debut album, Fight with Tools and is the group's largest success, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks in just less than three weeks after the single's release....
" |
37 |
34 |
3 |
20 |
63 |
14 |
26 |
Fight with Tools |
| "Rise "Rise" is the second single released by the alternative rap group Flobots from Denver, Colorado. It was released from Flobots' album Fight with Tools.-Track listing:CD# "Rise " - 3:20# "Rise " - 3:40Play.com...
" |
— |
— |
33 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2010 |
"White Flag Warrior "White Flag Warrior" is the official first single from Flobots' album Survival Story. It is about the U.S. troops and war. It's currently charting on the Alternative Songs, and has so far peaked at #22. The song features a guest appearance from Tim McIlrath, lead singer of band Rise Against.-Charts:...
"
(ft. Tim McIlrathTimothy "Tim" James McIlrath is an American punk rock musician. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, songwriter and co-founder for the American punk rock band Rise Against. McIlrath is known to support animal rights and actively promotes PETA with his band...
from Rise AgainstRise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. The band currently consists of Tim McIlrath , Zach Blair , Joe Principe and Brandon Barnes .Rise Against spent its first five years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords, on which it...
) |
— |
— |
22 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Survival Story |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or have yet to chart. |
Appearances in compilations
- MIT Songwriting Club – Songs From the Institute, Vol. 1 (2001) [Track 16: Onomatopoeia, credited to Flobots]
- Handlebars
"Handlebars" is a song by Flobots. It was released as the first single from their debut album, Fight with Tools and is the group's largest success, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks in just less than three weeks after the single's release....
- Now That's What I Call Music! 71 (UK series)(2008) Disc 2 Track 13
- They appeared as part of the Audition
Audition Online , also known as X-BEAT in Japan, is a downloadable multiplayer online casual rhythm game produced by T3 Entertainment. It was originally released in South Korea in 2004, but it has been localized by various publishers around the world. Audition Online is free to play but it earns...
computer video game soundtrack compilation as a playable song with Handlebars"Handlebars" is a song by Flobots. It was released as the first single from their debut album, Fight with Tools and is the group's largest success, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks in just less than three weeks after the single's release....
- Their song "Rise" was included in the Winter Dew Tour Soundtrack 2009 after performing a concert for the tour's stop at Mount Snow
Mount Snow is a mountain and ski area in southern Vermont located in the Green Mountains. It is Vermont's closest big mountain to many Northeast metropolitan areas. It was cohost of the first Extreme Games in 1995 and host of the Winter X-Games in 2000 and 2001...
.
Rise of the Flobots
The new webcomic series created by D.J. Coffman (13) Rise of the Flobots: Architects of Change launched June 9, 2008 at "
flobots.net", and features stories inspired by fans and the music of the Flobots along with a science fiction twist.
External links