Maximum Bob (singer)
Encyclopedia
Robert Barnum, better known under his stage name Maximum Bob, is an American musician known for his work as the lead singer and founding member of rock band Deli Creeps
and for his singing on various releases related to avant-garde
guitarist Buckethead
.
. This only lasted a short time, recording only one album with them, their debut album Mr. Bungle
in 1991. After this, he became the full time lead singer for the Deli Creeps
alongside friend and guitarist, Buckethead. Combining hard rock with shock factors based on the Sawyer family from the movie The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
, they played shows for a short time with Mr. Bungle. In 1999, after creating two demo tapes with the Deli Creeps (one in 1991 and the other in 1996) and touring along the San Francisco Bay area
, Maximum Bob contributed to Buckethead's "Personalized Recordings", and a year later fronted "The Hook And Pull Gang", a Deli Creeps derivate that is not to be confused with the 80s punk rock
band from Edinburgh, Scotland.
The Deli Creeps reactivated for a tour in 2003 and finally released their studio album
Dawn of the Deli Creeps in 2005. Afterwards, the band went on a hiatus. Travis Dickerson
, the owner of the Creeps' record label TDRS music
, stated in a 2003 interview that there might be plans for a Maximum Bob solo album, but didn't give any specific dates. This was revived in 2008.
Meanwhile, Maximum Bob has contributed vocals and lyrics for "The Hand" off Buckethead's all-star album Enter the Chicken
(2005, re-released in 2008) as well as singing parts of "Worship" on Profanation (Preparation for a Coming Darkness)
, an album by Bill Laswell
led supergroup Praxis
, released in January 2008 but recorded years earlier.
with the audience, usually about sex and murder. These all play into the dark and psychotic theme of the band. He also uses a form of recitative with onomatopoeic stuttering as part of the act.
, both at the same time, usually creating octave
s.
, little to nothing was known about Barnum's past, apart from the musical projects he had been involved with. Before the album Enter the Chicken
, the only album that refers to him by his birthname, he was only known by his stage name, and remains out of the public eye. Despite this, the official biography of Buckethead states that Maximum Bob was the one who took Buckethead in. Barnum is not to be confused with artist Robert L. Barnum.
reality series Trick My Trucker
. During the show, many of the unknown elements of his life were revealed and made public. It was revealed that he currently lives in Hesperia, California
with his wife of six years (as of 2007) Angelique, and their three children, however his current career was never mentioned. The episode also never mentions though his work as a musician, other than an allusion to it when host Bob Guiney
tells the audience to "see if spending time with us has brought him back to rock star status".
Deli Creeps
The Deli Creeps were an avant-garde band consisting of singer Maximum Bob, guitarist Buckethead, drummer Pinchface and various bass players, currently Daniel Monti...
and for his singing on various releases related to avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
guitarist Buckethead
Buckethead
Brian Carroll , better known by his stage name Buckethead, is a guitarist and multi instrumentalist who has worked within several genres of music. He has released 34 studio albums, four special releases and one EP. He has performed on over 50 more albums by other artists...
.
Music career
Maximum Bob first attracted public attention when performing backup vocals for the band Mr. BungleMr. Bungle
Mr. Bungle was an experimental band from Northern California. The band was formed in 1985 while the members were still in high school and was named after a children's educational film. Mr. Bungle released four demo tapes in the mid to late 1980s before being signed to Warner Bros. Records and...
. This only lasted a short time, recording only one album with them, their debut album Mr. Bungle
Mr. Bungle (album)
Mr. Bungle is the 1991 self-titled album by Mr. Bungle. The album contains many genre shifts which are typical of the band, and helped increase the band's popularity, gaining them a reasonable following and fanbase...
in 1991. After this, he became the full time lead singer for the Deli Creeps
Deli Creeps
The Deli Creeps were an avant-garde band consisting of singer Maximum Bob, guitarist Buckethead, drummer Pinchface and various bass players, currently Daniel Monti...
alongside friend and guitarist, Buckethead. Combining hard rock with shock factors based on the Sawyer family from the movie The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American independent horror film directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, who cowrote it with Kim Henkel. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen, who respectively portray Sally Hardesty, Franklin Hardesty, the...
, they played shows for a short time with Mr. Bungle. In 1999, after creating two demo tapes with the Deli Creeps (one in 1991 and the other in 1996) and touring along the San Francisco Bay area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
, Maximum Bob contributed to Buckethead's "Personalized Recordings", and a year later fronted "The Hook And Pull Gang", a Deli Creeps derivate that is not to be confused with the 80s punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band from Edinburgh, Scotland.
The Deli Creeps reactivated for a tour in 2003 and finally released their studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
Dawn of the Deli Creeps in 2005. Afterwards, the band went on a hiatus. Travis Dickerson
Travis Dickerson
Travis Dickerson is an American musician and producer, best known for his work with Buckethead and Viggo Mortensen. He also runs TDRSmusic, a recording studio with its own record label that has recorded and released albums by Bill Laswell, Jethro Tull, Linda Ronstadt, and Vince DiCola...
, the owner of the Creeps' record label TDRS music
TDRS Music
Travis Dickerson Recording Studios Music is a label founded by musician and producer Travis Dickerson. The label is characterized by the way it sells records...
, stated in a 2003 interview that there might be plans for a Maximum Bob solo album, but didn't give any specific dates. This was revived in 2008.
Meanwhile, Maximum Bob has contributed vocals and lyrics for "The Hand" off Buckethead's all-star album Enter the Chicken
Enter the Chicken
-Personnel:* Tracks #1-7, 9-11 Recorded at John Merrick Recorder* Track #8 Recorded at the Serjical Strike Dungeons* Vocals for Tracks #1-4, 6-10 Recorded at the Serjical Strike Dungeons* Produced by Serj Tankian* Engineered, Mixed and Co-Produced by Dan Monti...
(2005, re-released in 2008) as well as singing parts of "Worship" on Profanation (Preparation for a Coming Darkness)
Profanation (Preparation for a Coming Darkness)
-U.S. Release :-By Song:-General Credits:*Produced and arranged by Bill Laswell*Created at Orange Music Orange, NJ*Engineer: Robert Musso*Assistant: James Dellatacoma*Drums and Amps/Set up: Artie Smith*Mastered at Turtle Tone Studio...
, an album by Bill Laswell
Bill Laswell
Bill Laswell is an American bassist, producer and record label owner....
led supergroup Praxis
Praxis (band)
Praxis was the name of an ever-changing musical project, led by prolific producer Bill Laswell. Praxis combine elements of different musical genres such as funk, jazz, hip-hop and heavy metal into highly improvised music...
, released in January 2008 but recorded years earlier.
Performance style
Maximum Bob is known for his unorthodox behavior on stage. Among the things he has done, he has stopped songs to ask the audience a question (though it usually doesn't interrupt the overall flow of the song), erratically moving around on the stage making strange gestures and noises, and making extremely dark and sexual jokesBlack comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
with the audience, usually about sex and murder. These all play into the dark and psychotic theme of the band. He also uses a form of recitative with onomatopoeic stuttering as part of the act.
Musical style
Maximum Bob uses a wide range, using deep and high pitched singing. He usually delivers lyrics in either slow short sections or long fast spoken segments in a deep bass range. His delivery of the chorus uses either deep or high pitched singing or, in studio recorded materialStudio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, both at the same time, usually creating octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
s.
Personal life
Prior to a surprise appearance on the reality show Trick My TruckerTrick My Trucker
Trick My Trucker is an American reality TV show broadcast on Country Music Television. A spin-off of the Trick My Truck series, the show features "trucker makeovers" in which out-of-shape truck drivers learn how to work out, eat healthier foods, and improve their appearance. The show is hosted by...
, little to nothing was known about Barnum's past, apart from the musical projects he had been involved with. Before the album Enter the Chicken
Enter the Chicken
-Personnel:* Tracks #1-7, 9-11 Recorded at John Merrick Recorder* Track #8 Recorded at the Serjical Strike Dungeons* Vocals for Tracks #1-4, 6-10 Recorded at the Serjical Strike Dungeons* Produced by Serj Tankian* Engineered, Mixed and Co-Produced by Dan Monti...
, the only album that refers to him by his birthname, he was only known by his stage name, and remains out of the public eye. Despite this, the official biography of Buckethead states that Maximum Bob was the one who took Buckethead in. Barnum is not to be confused with artist Robert L. Barnum.
Appearance on CMT/Trick my Trucker
In 2007, Barnum was a selected contestant on the fourth episode of the CMTCMT
- Medicine :* California mastitis test* Certified Massage Therapist* Cervical motion tenderness, a sign of pelvic inflammatory disease* Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease* Chemically modified tetracyclines* Circus Movement Tachycardia...
reality series Trick My Trucker
Trick My Trucker
Trick My Trucker is an American reality TV show broadcast on Country Music Television. A spin-off of the Trick My Truck series, the show features "trucker makeovers" in which out-of-shape truck drivers learn how to work out, eat healthier foods, and improve their appearance. The show is hosted by...
. During the show, many of the unknown elements of his life were revealed and made public. It was revealed that he currently lives in Hesperia, California
Hesperia, California
Hesperia is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is located in the Mojave Desert north of San Bernardino. The locals refer to the surrounding area as the High Desert...
with his wife of six years (as of 2007) Angelique, and their three children, however his current career was never mentioned. The episode also never mentions though his work as a musician, other than an allusion to it when host Bob Guiney
Bob Guiney
Robert "Bob" Guiney was a contestant on the first season of The Bachelorette and later, appeared as the bachelor in the fourth season of The Bachelor. He has hosted GSN Live from 2009 until the show's ending in 2011....
tells the audience to "see if spending time with us has brought him back to rock star status".
Discography
- 1991: Mr. BungleMr. BungleMr. Bungle was an experimental band from Northern California. The band was formed in 1985 while the members were still in high school and was named after a children's educational film. Mr. Bungle released four demo tapes in the mid to late 1980s before being signed to Warner Bros. Records and...
- Mr. BungleMr. Bungle (album)Mr. Bungle is the 1991 self-titled album by Mr. Bungle. The album contains many genre shifts which are typical of the band, and helped increase the band's popularity, gaining them a reasonable following and fanbase... - 1991: Deli CreepsDeli CreepsThe Deli Creeps were an avant-garde band consisting of singer Maximum Bob, guitarist Buckethead, drummer Pinchface and various bass players, currently Daniel Monti...
- Demo Tape - 1996: Deli Creeps - Demo Tape
- 2005: BucketheadBucketheadBrian Carroll , better known by his stage name Buckethead, is a guitarist and multi instrumentalist who has worked within several genres of music. He has released 34 studio albums, four special releases and one EP. He has performed on over 50 more albums by other artists...
- Secret RecipeSecret Recipe (Buckethead DVD)Secret Recipe is a two disc DVD set by musician Buckethead, containing a compilation of video and music clips, photos, artwork and concert footage documenting the guitarist's first 13 years as a performer....
(DVD) - 2005: Deli Creeps - Dawn of the Deli Creeps
- 2005: Buckethead - Enter the ChickenEnter the Chicken-Personnel:* Tracks #1-7, 9-11 Recorded at John Merrick Recorder* Track #8 Recorded at the Serjical Strike Dungeons* Vocals for Tracks #1-4, 6-10 Recorded at the Serjical Strike Dungeons* Produced by Serj Tankian* Engineered, Mixed and Co-Produced by Dan Monti...
- 2006: Buckethead - Young Buckethead Vol. 1Young Buckethead Vol. 1Young Buckethead Vol. 1 is the second DVD made by the guitarist Buckethead, released in 2006 by Jas Obrecht's label, Avabella.The material from this DVD was cut in half making 2 volumes of the DVD, Vol...
(DVD) - 2006: Buckethead - Young Buckethead Vol. 2Young Buckethead Vol. 2Young Buckethead Vol. 2 is a DVD made by Buckethead and released in 2006 by Jas Obrecht's label, Avabella.Vol. 2 consists of a recompilation of concerts made by Buckethead and the band Deli Creeps, in which Buckethead is part of, just as Buckethead and the Deli Creeps were beginning to play outside...
(DVD) - 2008: PraxisPraxis (band)Praxis was the name of an ever-changing musical project, led by prolific producer Bill Laswell. Praxis combine elements of different musical genres such as funk, jazz, hip-hop and heavy metal into highly improvised music...
- Profanation (Preparation for a Coming Darkness)Profanation (Preparation for a Coming Darkness)-U.S. Release :-By Song:-General Credits:*Produced and arranged by Bill Laswell*Created at Orange Music Orange, NJ*Engineer: Robert Musso*Assistant: James Dellatacoma*Drums and Amps/Set up: Artie Smith*Mastered at Turtle Tone Studio...
External links
- Bob Barnum on Trick My TruckerTrick My TruckerTrick My Trucker is an American reality TV show broadcast on Country Music Television. A spin-off of the Trick My Truck series, the show features "trucker makeovers" in which out-of-shape truck drivers learn how to work out, eat healthier foods, and improve their appearance. The show is hosted by...
- BMI entry for The Hand