Up and coming solo artist POWER ROB became a project out of another project, which would grow into him releasing music, playing shows, and touring. Rob himself talks about his music releases, further plans, and more!
1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or did it come out just like that?
For Power Rob it came from a joke between myself and the other half of my other project Megatronix, Robbie. We brought up how I performed, liked power metal and he liked darker metal, so he was Dark Rob and I was Power Rob. We went with those names when Megatronix was launched, I was approached by a pop label to launch a solo project and went with what I called myself in the other project so there was synergy.
2. Why did you want to play this genre?
I did metal/rock for years and then stumbled onto synthwave around 2015 and became a major fan. As a writer I try to write music I would want to listen to, not what I can make, and I happen to like synthwave a lot.
3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?
Power Rob is a solo project, might be best skipping this one. lol
4. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
I'm based out of Baltimore, it's a decent music scene, synthwave is growing here. Years ago I'd say the music scene really hit a peak thanks to 98 Rock's Noise in the Basement, these days my projects focus more out of the region so I'm not too keen on how the local scene is these days.
5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?
I don't really get inspired to write per se, ideas just kind of come out of the blue or I have an instrumental sent over to me. It's very rare I write because of something that inspires me to do so, the last time I guess that occurred was when a label had a meeting with me and told me the kind of music they'd want me to write. I got the idea in my head, sat down and banged it out.
6. What are your songs about? (What specific themes do they cover?)
With solo material a lot of songs are about romance, I try to capture the essence of classic 80s pop songs but to do so earnestly while other songs like Dark Star are about personal perseverance I've had over my adult life as an artist. The songs I do with Battlejuice vary, one song is about Freddy Krueger, another about recent events in Russia, while another is about the addictive elements of social media.
7. Do you write your own songs? (Discuss the songwriting process in detail.)
Yes, for the most part. Aside from covers and one original I write all of my vocals, sometimes I collaborate with producers while for many songs I write the music as well.
If it's a collab I'll listen to the original, map the melodies out, figure out what syllables enhance the melody then from there fill out words and then a theme. The most important aspect of a vocal line is the melody itself; the words must serve this above all else.
If I write music usually it's because an idea hits me out of the blue, I sing the melody to my voice recorder app then later take the idea to FL studio and build it via MIDI, after that I construct the rest of the notes by ear.
8. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?
Everything? That's a list, at least two dozen albums, here's the main ones that are still available.
Aries - Rise (Album)
Thrillkiller - Showdown (Album)
Thrillkiller - San Francisco Moto (EP)
Megatronix - Powerwave (Album)
Megatronix - Limitbreaker (EP)
Power Rob - Runaway (EP)
Power Rob - Monsterman (Album)
Power Rob - So Alive (feat. Elevate the Sky, Single)
Ehrah - A Little Time(feat. Power Rob
Ends 84 - Thunder (feat. Power Rob)
Miami Nights 1984 - This Christmas (feat. Power Rob)
Power Rob - Dark Star (Album)
Battlejuice x Power Rob - The Edge of Death (Single)
Battlejuice x Power Rob - Roll the Old Chariot Along (Single)
Battlejuice x Power Rob - Love to Hate (Single)
Power Rob x Night Rider 87 - Phantoms (Single)
Power Rob - Gettin' Heavy (feat. Fulvio Colasanto, Single)
Megatronix - Invisible (Single)
Megatronix - Shot in the Dark (Single)
Megatronix - Blood Red Skies (Single)
There's a bunch of others but that's a good list.
9. Do you have any new music in the works?
Yes, I have an EP I'll be announcing soon, I'm also going to be featured on two upcoming albums as well as a new collab with Battlejuice.
10. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?
I had a show not that long ago at Reclaim Arcade in Virginia, which will be followed by more shows that will be announced soon.
11. What plans do you have for the rest of this year?
Releasing new music, booking tour dates, teaching vocal lessons online and from my home studio near Baltimore.
12. Where can we find you online, listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
Most of my socials use the handle PowerRobMusic, Power Rob is super easy to find on Google too!
Post a Comment