Retard-O-Bot

TJ Brainz, Peter Pepper, Benny Normal.
Origin: Tampa, Florida, USA
Instrument: Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar, Drums
Genre: Alternative Rock, Electo-Punk, Post Industrial, Post Punk, New Wave
Established: 1999
Label: Mangled Media Inc.

Retard-O-Bot is an Alternative, Electro-punk band that first performed in the year 2000 in Tampa, Florida.

The core members are Peter Pepper (vocals), Benny Normal (keyboard, bass), TJ Brainz (drums).

History

1999

In the year 1999 Retard-O-Bot conceptually came into existence as music to accompany a series of cartoons.

2000

In 2000 after their first live performance, Retard-O-Bot recorded and released their first demo entitled “8-Track” which contained 8 songs, nearly all of which were under 2 minutes in length. The album was characterized by fast tempos, percussive synthesizers, aggressive and comical vocals.

2001

In 2001 Retard-O-Bot recorded and released a second demo entitled “Cassette Tape”, which contained 11 songs counting 1 hidden track. A song entitled Façade on the “Cassette Tape” demo was featured on thePRP.com as “the MP3 of the week” that year. [http://www.theprp.com] Retard-O-Bot also recorded a cover of the song “Straight out the Dancehall” for a Warlock Pinchers tribute album. The album also contained covers by The Melvins and Crispin Glover, who is most notable for his performance as George McFly in the Back to the Future series.

Chester Bennington of Linkin Park wore a Retard-O-Bot shirt in their “Points of Authority (live)” Video which was in regular rotation on MTV.

2002

In 2002 Retard-O-Bot were invited to tour with the S&M Shock Rock group The Genitorturers by David Vincent, Genitorturers’ bassist, and former frontman of Morbid Angel. It was on this outing Retard-O-Bot frontman Peter Pepper had brought destruction to 10’ tall robots, ignited homemade pyrotechnics, rolled around in broken glass and engaged in physical altercations involving audience members. The aforementioned became characteristic of the band’s live show during this tour.

2003

The album “Scatter Brained” was recorded and released. The sound was considered heavier than their past demos.

2004

In 2004 The “Rabid” EP was released, the song “Role Models” was the chosen single, On a Cleveland, OH radio interview, Gen of the Genitorturers declared “…Retard-O-Bot was the hardest working band she knew…”. Retard-O-Bot was invited to join Tub Ring on tour then also toured for the first time with Screaming Mechanical Brain who would become close comrades and go on to tour together regularly, performing onstage together and eventually creating material together in later years.

2005

2005 saw the release of the nationally distributed, full length record “Friendship Forever” on September 20th. Songs chosen as singles include “I Don’t Think You Really Mean It” and “Pass Go, Collect $200”. Although not being chosen as an official single, Piggly Wiggly became a viral sensation.

Retard-O-Bot was invited to join the Mindless Self Indulgence tour and after, picked up on the Combichrist & Genitorturers tour. The band continued touring with Screaming Mechanical Brain before concluding their tour of the rest of the country headlining with local support. A drawing of Benny Normal can be found in the pictures section of Tub Ring’s 2005 DVD release “Optics and Sonics” available on Underground Inc.

2006

In 2006 Retard-O-Bot became the topic of several national news radio stories including on Fox News Radio 970 WFLA with Robert Pankau and a CBS News segment entitled “The Weekend Roundup”.

The band performed with such acts as Kill Hannah, and MSI and continue touring. Peter Pepper is credited in the 2006 Screaming Mechanical Brain CD “There Is No God In Space” with “Design, layout and photo manipulation by Peter Pepper for Mangled Media Inc.” 

Dance Music guru DJ Moody (a.k.a. Andrew Rajala) and producer/remixer Vinnie Saletto (Ashes of Grisum, ex. Genitorturers) have both separately remixed the single “I Don’t Think You Really Mean It”.

2007

The band toured with Foxy Shazam and Tub Ring. On Tuesday, March 13, 2007 – Retard-O-Bot was featured on notable Nerdcore Rapper MC Lars’: The MC Lars Show: Episode 3. On April 9th, 2007 the highly sought after first pressing of the “Rabid EP” traded hands on eBay for $177.50 USD.

Linkin Park spoke on Fuse TV on the topic of Retard-O-Bot. Chester Bennington stated “He was very happy for Retard-O-Bot”. An EP was released on November 20, entitled “I Don’t Think You Really Mean It: Rabid”, which was a part remix, part reproduction EP, containing remixes of songs from “Friendship Forever” and re-recordings of songs from the “Rabid” EP. The band began work recording an LP, slated for release in 2008.

2008

Touring continued. Benny Normal filled in on Bass Guitar for Mindless Self Indulgence in Orlando, FL May 9th, 2008. Retard-O-Bot performed with The Medic Droid. and appeared in AP Magazine. Touring continued through the summer with Screaming Mechanical Brain.

2009

Peter Pepper continued writing and producing the full-length follow up to Friendship Forever, additional production provided by Benny Normal, Andy Rajala. Mixing and Guitar provided by Frank Gryner (Rob Zombie, A Perfect Circle, Andrew W.K.)

2010

The WHATEVER EP was released, followed by Peter Peter Vs. The Great Whatever. The albums were released under the group name Peter Pepper.