Artist Interviews

Q&A: Robots In Disguise

By | Published on Thursday 7 July 2011

Robots In Disguise

Known collectively as electro dance-punk mavericks Robots In Disguise, London-based duo Sue Denim and Dee Plume first got together as students at Liverpool University, recruiting Sneaker Pimps’ Chris Corner to produce their self-titled debut album in 2001. Longstanding associates of Noel Fielding, the Robots portrayed a pair of haughty goth girls in a batch of initial ‘The Mighty Boosh’ episodes in 2004, returning as haughty electro girls for the show’s second series. Capitalising on their televisual triumph, RiB released second and third longplayers ‘Get RID!’ and ‘We’re In The Music Biz’ in 2005 and 2008 respectively.

After promoting the latter LP on tour with fellow synth enthusiasts Gary Numan, Cyndi Lauper and The Gossip, the Robots began work on their latest LP ‘Happiness V Sadness’ with financial assists from fan-funded pledges. They then holed up in a studio space in London’s King Cross and concocted a host of disco-destroying hits, which are now due for release on 11 Jul.

In the run-up to a string of tour dates which kick off on 20 Jul at Komedia in Brighton, the in-demand duo were good enough to tackle our Same Six Questions.

Q1 How did you start out making music?
Sue: I learnt a tiny violin as a tiny kid. And a few chords on a tiny guitar. Then, as a teen, I acquired a bass for a few quid, that subsequently lived under my bed. I listened to music more than trying to play it, though I did occasionally pose for photos with the bass. I then lent it to a boy I had my eye on and never saw him nor it again. Dee and I were friends, she wanted to be in a band, I didn’t. I hooked her up with a singer, then they asked me to play bass. I still couldn’t play, but borrowed a guitar and did the gig. That band didn’t work out but somehow Robots In Disguise was born like an electro butterfly out of that garage caterpillar. We’ve still got a bit of garage rock caterpillar in our hearts!

Q2 What inspired your latest album?
Sue: London, broken hearts, self-help, growing up.

Dee: Nam myoho renge kyo!

Q3 What process do you go through in creating a track?
Sue: On this album, it’s been mostly like this: a song originates with one of us, then we come together and bash it out on electric guitar and drums, before moving to guitar and bass together. Beats and production follow. Sometimes we have started from almost nothing but the concept, decided on some specifics and jammed until the track appears (eg ‘I’m A Winner’).

Q4 Which artists influence your work?
Dee: Amanda Blank, Peaches, Madonna. I am reading ‘Women Who Run With The Wolves’ on holiday in Cannes  and that is turning my head inside out. I am power.

Sue: Longtime musical influences are The Slits, X Ray Spex, The Beatles (who were practically the only band played in my house growing up, them and fiddledeedee folk music), Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Gary Numan, my dad (plays folk guitar and bagpipes!), Pixies and Velvet Underground. This month though I am mostly listening to The Death Set and Tender Forever. I’m also very influenced by art, film, love, life, everything. I try to keep the well of inspiration full! Other random stuff influences my music-making MORE than other music. Perhaps because I go to see more other types of art than I do gigs. Gets a bit ‘busman’s holiday’ going to gigs all the time…

Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
Sue: Hello! Thanks for listening… I do hope you will fall in love with our music… Oh, and did you know we have a back catalogue?!

Dee: Listen to it again, it’s multi-textured and can take time to ‘get’!

Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest album, and for the future?
Sue: We want you to love this album as much as we do! And we want to be HEARD! Come out of the underground and make a little money so we can keep doing our job! Oh, and win the Mercury Music Prize! Come on! We could be the female Elbow! Or do we have to be on our fifth album for that? I reckon our fourth album is THE ONE!

MORE>> www.robotsindisguise.co.uk



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