Flobots

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Biography

The Flobots are a rock music|rock and hip hop musical group from Denver, Colorado , formed in 2000 by Jamie Laurie . Flobots found mainstream success with their major label debut Fight with Tools (2007), featuring the single " Handlebars (song)|Handlebars ", which became a popular hit on Modern Rock Tracks|Modern Rock radio in April 2008.

History

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 (Flobots album)|Onomatopoeia in 2001, and the title track ended up in a compilation by the MIT Songwriting Club (Yahktoe's alma mater ). The title track featured guitar player David Gralow, cello 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 Mackenzie Gault, bassist Jesse Walker, guitarist Andy Guerrero (from funk 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...Platypus , which went on to sell over 3000 copies over the next two years. In August 2007, Flobots opened for Colorado locals The Fray 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 Tools and sold out their CD release show at the Gothic Theatre in Englewood, Colorado .

Flobots entered a contest held by Denver radio station 93.3 ( KTCL ), 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 concert|live performance 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 Republic on a two CD major label deal. On March 31, the band announced that they would be playing Tucson , Arizona|Arizona's major alternative rock festival, KFMA Day, with Metallica , Apocalyptica , Chiodos , and Scars on Broadway on May 16. Flobots were also part of the sixteenth annual KROQ-FM|KROQ KROQ Weenie Roast|Weenie Roast on May 17, along with Atreyu (band)|Atreyu , Bad Religion , Flogging Molly , Metallica , The Offspring , Pennywise (band)|Pennywise , The Raconteurs , Rise Against , Scars on Broadway and Seether . 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 Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival in Seattle, Washington.

The single " Handlebars (song)|Handlebars " became popular on alternative rock radio in April 2008 and peaked at #3 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart.

They made their television debut on Last Call with Carson Daly|Carson Daly's talk show on May 20, 2008. Also on May 20, Flobots spent two hours with Dr Drew|Dr. Drew and Stryker (disc jockey)|Stryker answering sex questions on Loveline 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 (1992 TV series)|The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on June 5, 2008 with their song " Handlebars (song)|Handlebars ". They performed their second single " Rise (Flobots song)|Rise " on Late Night With Conan O'Brien on October 13, 2008.

Survival Story (2009–2010)

On February 17, 2009, the Flobots announced in a MySpace 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 YouTube that the album was to be titled Survival Story . 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 Laurie|Jamie "Jonny 5" Laurie – lead vocalist|lead vocals

Stephen "Brer Rabbit" Brackett – lead vocals

Jesse Walker – bass guitar

Kenny Ortiz – drum kit|drums

Mackenzie Gault – viola , vocals

;Former members

Andy "Rok" Guerrero – guitar , vocals

;Session members

Joe Ferrone – trumpet

Discography

;Albums

Fight with Tools (2007; re-released in 2008) – Billboard Hot 200|US #15 266,867 copies sold in the US, UK Albums Chart|UK #52

Survival Story (2010) Billboard Hot 200|US #44

Stop The Apocalypse (TBA 2012)

;EPs

Flobots Present...Platypus (2005)

Live at the House of Blues – Anaheim, CA (2009)

Singles

Year	Title	Peak positions							Album
Year	Title	US cite web	US Pop	US Mod	US DS	CAN cite web	UK cite journal	NZ cite web	Album
2008	Handlebars "	37	34	3	20	63	14	26	Fight with Tools
2008	Rise "	—	—	33	—	—	—	—	Fight with Tools
2010	" White Flag Warrior " (ft. Tim McIlrath from Rise Against )	—	—	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)

'' Handlebars (song)|Handlebars - Now That's What I Call Music& #33; 71 (UK series) (2008) Disc 2 Track 13

They appeared as part of the Audition Online|Audition computer video game soundtrack compilation as a playable song with Handlebars (song)|Handlebars

Their song "Rise" was included in the Winter Dew Tour Soundtrack 2009 after performing a concert for the tour's stop at Mount Snow .

Webcomics

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 "", and features stories inspired by fans and the music of the Flobots along with a science fiction twist.

Copyright Citations

This article is licensed under the GNU License
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1. 2000s One 2. Ludo 3. Rise

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