ROBOCOP KRAUS – Why Robocop Kraus became the love of my life

Beschreibung

Long time no hear: after an extended hiatus and just the occasional gig, Robocop Kraus have rewired and reunited. They’re back in the game. Almost a quarter of a century has passed since the band was formed, a period which saw them release on labels like L’Age D’Or, Epitaph, and Anti. Now they have put together a compilation featuring all of the tracks which, for one reason or another, were not available on their regular albums, with an intriguing number of rarities and previously unreleased material. Founded in the late 1990s by members of former (secondary modern and grammar) school bands in the small Middle Franconian town of Hersbruck, endowed with the most rudimentary technical skills on their respective instruments (the deal was that every band member would play an instrument he had yet to master) and unafraid of hammering out songs from blatantly pilfered or well-worn musical ideas, the band was, to all intents and purposes, set up to fail.
Nevertheless, Robocop Kraus became the love of our lives: 5 albums between the years of 1999 and 2007, the first on the band’s own label Swing Deluxe, the last on the internationally renowned Epitaph label. Hundreds of shows across Europe, the USA, Russia and Japan. Encounters and friendships with people and bands, adventures and events in squats, bars and clubs. Enough answers?
Things quietened down in 2010, a lengthy break with just the odd show here and there. But last year, 2021, we had to concede that Robocop Kraus really are the love of our lives: a concert request was spontaneously accepted – surprising even the promoter, not to mention ourselves. Back to the rehearsal room. Now we are six and we have more instruments too.
We had to listen back to the old songs so we could practise, and as we rummaged through the archives we happened upon the 28 songs now gathered here together for you. They range from our very first recordings to songs for (and in) 2022. EPs, compilation tracks, a few all-time faves like Poor Soul Relax (on vinyl for the first time) and previously unreleased songs or alternative versions. This ist he first ever Robocop Kraus double vinyl (check), with superb artwork by Lorenzo Zimmermann and meticulously detailed liner notes courtesy of the band, divulging no end of anecdotes or secrets true and false.