Here's a Portuguese blog we did an interview for, check it out :) by Frank Marques
Photo- Tatsu
Photo- Tatsu
TheBots's Blog
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THE BOTS feature on Frankmarques' Blog (Portuguese)
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THE BOTS - S! Buenos Aires, Argentina
Check out this cool article about us in S! all the way in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Writer-Pablo Raimondi
Photo by Tatsu -
THE BOTS feature in Topman GENERTION Magazine!
Check out this piece about us in Topman GENERATION Magazine
Meet THE BOTS: California's newest and youngest rockersmagazine.topman.comThe LA- based brothers discuss hanging out with Damon Albarn, brotherly love and juggling school whilst being in aMeet THE BOTS: California's newest and youngest rockers
The LA- based brothers discuss hanging out with Damon Albarn, brotherly love and juggling school whilst being in a rock bandPosted on February 10th 2013Words By Jeremy AllenThere's something life-affirming about interviewing rock monsters who've not yet turned 20. Their enthusiasm is infectious, their tales of touring the world and meeting their idols are not laced with any desperation to retain some cool, and so are therefore adorable. They're not slumped in the corner of the Barfly nursing a pint and telling you how hard it is to be in a band. So, meet
The dynamic brotherly duo (Anaiah and Mikaiah Lei) have spent the last couple of years touring around Planet Earth supporting mega live draws like Britain's own Blur, incendiary Swedish agitprop Noiseniks Refused and Hollywood "comedy" duo Tenacious D, and all of this has taken place while the youngest, 16-year-old Anaiah Lei, has yet to leave school. Having previously caught The Bots sound checking, I note there's a keyboard on stage next to Mikaiah, and it makes me wonder if being only two people in a band can be a little limiting. They're defiant in their defence of their set up...
Topman Generation: Being just two people in a band a little limiting?
Mikaiah: I have a loop station! I just use that, then rip a swamp guitar solo over it or play some keys or something. Ambient noises are good. I also have a Hank, which is an 8-bit noise modulator. It adds elements and dynamics...
Topman Generation: A Hank?
Mikaiah: It's a handmade instrument and that's my name for it. My Uncle Bob made it. It looks like a pedal, but it's got these knobs that make crazy noises! It's quite cool, nobody else has it so it makes me look like a G!
Topman Generation: So you have to be on the money...
Anaiah: Absolutely, I have to play. It's happened before where Mikaiah's gone for it and we've completely messed it up. You do have to be on the money, for sure.
Topman Generation: So how long have you been playing together?
Mikaiah: We've been together for the last seven years but there's been so much progression in just the last few years where people have started to show interest. So much touring and playing with great bands.
Topman Generation: Rock 'n' roll is littered with bands where the brothers don't get on. That doesn't seem to be the case with you two.
Anaiah: Yeah, I hate you man!
Mikaiah: No, musically we get on. I'll suggest something and Anaiah will be like 'are you sure?' and I've got a real feeling for it and I'll really want it to work but sometimes it doesn't. It's just about understanding each other and understanding the music. We never have any trouble with that, we like the same stuff.
Topman Generation: You've been compared to the White Stripes and the Black Keys. I'm not so sure about the latter...
Mikaiah: I can see the Black Keys. People say we sound like everything - The White Stripes, The Black Keys...
Anaiah: Black Flag, Bad Brains, from that to that to that...
Mikaiah: It's everything; we just play music we like to hear. You haven't seen us [live] right?
Topman Generation: I've seen lots of footage on YouTube...
Mikaiah: We're very disappointed with the stuff on the internet. We want to record the new stuff and put that out there so people can see what we're about and what we're aiming for.
Anaiah: This year is really going to be about that, where people get where we're coming from and what we're all about.
Topman Generation: So you've played with some great bands...
Anaiah: With Tenacious D and Blur.
Mikaiah: And Refused.
Topman Generation: Do you get inspired working with others?
Mikaiah: Absolutely. After we played with Blur, Damon [Albarn] invited us back to his studio to hang out. He asked us if we wanted to come on board the African Express - it was the first time we'd heard of it - and I was so grateful because we got to hang out with so many great musicians and learn so much from them. They were brilliant, innovative, simple, minimalist, just working with what they had. I learned a lot from all the other musicians I met there, it was an awesome, fantastic experience.
GLH
The Bots, Glendale, California's newest secret weapon. www.thebotsband.com
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We will be joining our friends from The Pharcyde and bunch of other artist @ The Key Club (2/6)
We'll be joining our friends in The Pharcyde at FREE show they will be playing at The Key Club on Feb. 6 along with a lot of other awesome people! It's first come first serve so if you're out in LA, come through! :)
