THE ROBOCOP KRAUS – „BLUNDERS & MISTAKES“

Thomas Lang – Vocals, Guitars
Matthias Wendl - Guitars
Peter Tiedeken - Bass
Markus Steckert – Organ/keyboards
Hans Christian Fuss - Drums

The use of unresolved problems and California

The Robocop Kraus, with a funky sense of self-reflection, put the last nail in the coffin of neo
postpunk and were certified as style icons by Musikexpress, they have recorded
their new record and answer the eternal question as to whether or not they are
the most over- or underrated band in Germany with an unequivocal: „Probably!“

December 2006 – Germany – Robocop Kraus Headquarters: at rock bottom, but with
the undeniable urge to smash the Intro readers charts and become a permanent
part of rock history guys from Nuremburg decided to record a new record. The
next day, bassist Tobias Helmlinger left the band, in order to look for his
salvation in Munich. The Robos have always had a good sense of timing.

So as not to scare the „Hanseatic Phil Spector“ Tobias Levin (Tocotronic, Kante)
they didn't tell him about these details at first. At the end of the day, he
had to be convinced that he should record their new album and at some point
someone, somewhere would 'actually' pay the studio costs. In February 2007 it
was finally time, and the go ahead was given to record in Hamburg, accompanying
them was a new man called Peter Tiedeken who, during auditions was chosen over
Evil Jared.

One thing was clear: the recording of the new songs would go very differently to
the way they went on the last record. It should be frisky and out of control,
colourful and psychedelic. And that is how the concept of the live recording
was carried out. they moved away from the over precise sound of „They Think
They Are The Robocop Kraus“, and towards a more open and lively sound. For days
on end the amps were moved from here to there, the drums were taken apart and
then built over again in every possible corner of the recording studio and the
positions of the microphones were changed until finally they were able to
capture the distinct live sound in the stereo microphones. The concept of the
recording was envisaged so; the whole band, in one room together, at the same
time, playing without headphones and other modern stuff.

The new songs were written in Nuremburg and in the studio rooms of Station 17,
with a rock band of mentally disabled musicians in Hamburg, and were now played
with different instrumental accompaniment. Markus
Steckert abused several Casio kids keyboards, Matthias Wendl practised the
Banjo until his fingers bled, Hans Fuss got a Conga Solo, the bass and drums
were rearranged, and all echoes were directly recorded on tape – there was no
turning back now. Unexpected support came from KundeKoenig (a sister rock band
of Station 17 ), in the form of a choir and slightly Beatles' sounding
improvisations.

In the end The Robocop Kraus had recorded 13 prismatic songs, which they took to
Los Angeles, the studio town, so that Adam Lasus (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Yo
La Tengo, Helium) could take care of the final mix. Adam knew instantly what
the deal was: „It sounds good. But it sounds too good!“ ,so he applied his
distortion and delay effects to corrode the sound. Instead of concentrating on
pop appeal and making the lyrics compatible for the radio he concentrated
instead on the charming contradictions, which make the songs the most exciting
the band have ever recorded. Meanwhile the gents Lang und Wendl recuperated by the pool and decided to record the whole album on a ferrum audiocassette, in order to achieve a more home recorded sound a la Ariel Pink.

How does it sound? Whilst teams of German and French bands go to pains to sound
like The Robocop Kraus in the „Living With Other People“ days, the band has
gone leaps further. „Blunders and Mistakes“ marks a new beginning for the band:
there‘s a new guy on bass and there‘s a new sound. The band is experimental and
pushes the musical boundaries of the band cosmos further and at the same time
positions itself further apart from the mainstream. Everything that we thought
was great about The Robocop Kraus is there, the anthems, the melodies, the
emotions, but there is also another side to discover, a new atmosphere, and a
love of musical details, that has never been heard from them before.

„Snake“ is shards of fading childhood memories that have built up in the canyons
of ones mind coupled with Pavement style melodies, hot spots on the map of never-ending adolescence are pin pointed in Thomas Langs lyrics in „Standing in the
Punchline“, „Hyenas“ has buckets of satire and mockery, and the trials of love
come out as disco hits from the depths of a musical hell („Automotive Man“,
„Chances“). „Minions of Satan“ is something like an open letter to a relative that is in the claws of organised religion and „Gibraltar“ is the first official protest song of the band, which manages to work with practically no guitars and instead
vocal percussion suffice. With „Ease The Pain“ they achieve the most eccentric
ballad since „Purple Rain“ and with that they close the album, which leave many
questions and mouths open. But one thing is clear: The Zeitgeist, which had
once had them in its clasp and deferred them from their correct path, has let
them go. Now it things can finally kick off!


For more information check:
www.myspace.com/therobocopkraus