Flobots
Flobots at KFMA Day in Tucson, Arizona on May 16, 2008.
Background information
Origin	Denver, Colorado, USA
Genres	Alternative rock, alternative hip hop
Years active	2000—present
Labels	Universal Republic, Island Def Jam
Website	www.flobots.com
Members
Jamie Laurie Stephen Brackett Mackenzie Gault Jesse Walker Kenny Ortiz
Past members
Andy Guerrero

The Flobots are a 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", which became a popular hit on Modern Rock radio in April 2008.

History[link]

[edit] 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 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.

[edit] 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.^[1] 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,^[2] one of their largest performances to date.

[edit] 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 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.^[3]

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.^[4] On March 31, the band announced that they would be playing Tucson, Arizona's major alternative rock festival, KFMA Day, with Metallica, Apocalyptica, Chiodos, and Scars on Broadway on May 16.^[5] Flobots were also part of the sixteenth annual KROQ Weenie Roast on May 17, along with Atreyu, Bad Religion, Flogging Molly, Metallica, The Offspring, 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" became popular on alternative rock radio in April 2008 and peaked at #3 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart.^[6]

They made their television debut on Carson Daly's talk show on May 20, 2008.^[7] Also on May 20, Flobots spent two hours with Dr. Drew and Stryker answering sex questions on Loveline ^[8] 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 on June 5, 2008 with their song "Handlebars".^[9] They performed their second single "Rise" on Late Night With Conan O'Brien on October 13, 2008.

[edit] 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."^[10]

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.^[11]

[edit] 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[link]

Discography[link]

Albums

• Fight with Tools (2007; re-released in 2008) – US #15^[12] 266,867 copies sold in the US, UK #52^[13]
• Survival Story (2010) US #44
• Stop The Apocalypse (TBA 2012)

EPs

• Flobots Present...Platypus (2005)
• Live at the House of Blues – Anaheim, CA (2009)

Singles[link]

Appearances in compilations[link]

• MIT Songwriting Club – Songs From the Institute, Vol. 1 (2001) [Track 16: Onomatopoeia, credited to Flobots]
• Handlebars- Now That's What I Call Music! 71 (UK series)(2008) Disc 2 Track 13
• They appeared as part of the Audition computer video game soundtrack compilation as a playable song with 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[link]

Rise of the Flobots[link]

The new webcomic series created by D.J. Coffman (13) Rise of the Flobots: Architects of Change launched June 9, 2008 at "flobots.net", and features stories inspired by fans and the music of the Flobots along with a science fiction twist.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website

Timothy James McIlrath
Tim McIlrath performing as a part of Rise Against at 2006's Warped Tour
Background information
Birth name	Timothy James McIlrath
Also known as	James Kaspar (pseudonym during The Killing Tree)
Born	(1978-11-03) November 3, 1978 (age 33) Indianapolis, Indiana U.S.
Origin	Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres	Melodic hardcore, punk rock, post-hardcore, hardcore punk, metalcore, alternative rock
Occupations	Musician, singer-songwriter, lyricist, composer, vocalist, guitarist, bassist, activist,
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, bass
Years active	1995–present
Labels	Fat Wreck Chords, Geffen, DGC, Interscope
Associated acts	Rise Against, Baxter, Arma Angelus, The Killing Tree, Berri Txarrak, Cancer Bats, Flobots
Notable instruments
Gibson Les Paul Gibson SG

Timothy "Tim" James McIlrath (born November 3, 1978) is an American punk rock musician. He is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, songwriter and co-founder of the American punk rock band Rise Against. McIlrath is known to support animal rights and actively promotes PETA with his band.^[1] He follows the straight edge lifestyle, along with Rise Against bassist Joe Principe and guitarist Zach Blair.^[2]

Biography[link]

Personal life[link]

Tim McIlrath was born November 3, 1978 in Indianapolis, IN. At a young age he read dystopian novels such as Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, which would influence his later work. As a child he went to Our Lady of the Wayside, where he was taunted for his left eye being blue and his right eye brown,^[3] known as heterochromia. As a teenager, McIlrath's friends were interested in snowboarding, so he saved his money for a snowboard. But, as his interest in music grew, he instead decided to spend the money he had saved on a Gibson SG guitar.

Education[link]

McIlrath attended Rolling Meadows High School in Rolling Meadows, IL. This was also the set for the music video, "Make It Stop (September's Children)." In college (Northeastern Illinois University), McIlrath majored in English and Sociology. In his junior year, he met Joe Principe at a Sick of It All concert. Principe asked McIlrath to sing over a few tracks that he and Mr. Precision had recorded. It was at this time that Rise Against was formed, and McIlrath left college.

Music career[link]

Baxter (1995–1999)[link]

McIlrath began his musical career in his teenage years; he was very active in the Chicago local alternative rock/punk scene. His first band was the post-hardcore band Baxter, formed in 1995 along with future The Lawrence Arms drummer Neil Hennessy and future Killing Tree and Holy Roman Empire bassist Geoff Reu. Their first release was a full length, self released, cassette, Troy's Bucket, which was released in 1996. Troy's Bucket was met with warm reception from the scene, and Baxter became a popular band in the Chicago underground scene.

In 1997 they released a 7" EP Lost Voices on Static Station Records. After some local touring, the band split up.

McIlrath played bass and sang backup in the first incarnation of The Honor System. He sang on their demo and on some songs on their debut album Single File. He and drummer Neil Hennesy could also be found in a brief lineup of the grindcore band Yellow Road Priest, whose members went on to form Pelican. The band broke up in 1999.

Arma Angelus (1998–1999)[link]

McIlrath joined the band Arma Angelus, Chicago metalcore band fronted by Pete Wentz, who was to become bassist in mainstream pop punk/emo band Fall Out Boy. McIlrath played bass with the band until 1999 when he quit to form Transistor Revolt, which would eventually become Rise Against.

Rise Against (1999–present)[link]

In 1999 McIlrath formed the band that would become Rise Against with former 88 Fingers Louie bassist, Joe Principe, guitarist Dan Precision (A.K.A. Mr. Precision), and drummer Toni Tintari under the name 'Transistor Revolt'. Drummer Brandon Barnes did not join until 2001; it was at the same time the band was renamed Rise Against. They officially recorded their debut album The Unraveling on Fat Wreck Chords in 2001.

In 2003 guitarist Mr. Precison left due to arguments with the band, and Todd Mohney filled his role. Later that year they released their second album Revolutions per Minute which was greeted with warm success . They toured the U.S. steadily that year, though by the end of it, Mohney left. In order to replace him, former Reach the Sky guitarist Chris Chasse joined in 2004 and they released their Geffen debut Siren Song of the Counter Culture.

With the release of the singles "Give It All", "Swing Life Away", and "Life Less Frightening", Rise Against became more popular with mainstream fans, but still kept their underground sensibility. After more touring (including a European tour and spots on the Vans Warped tour), the band went back to the studio and recorded their fourth album The Sufferer & the Witness, which included five singles ("Ready to Fall, "Prayer of the Refugee", "The Good Left Undone", "Behind Closed Doors", and "The Approaching Curve".)

They had ended their tour and were back in the studio in the process of making their next album, when Chris Chasse decided to leave the band in order to pursue family life.

In 2008, Rise Against recorded their fifth album Appeal to Reason with the help of guitarist Zach Blair, who is now a permanent member and has known the band for many years. Appeal to Reason was released on October 7, 2008. The band recorded it at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado with Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore, who produced Revolutions Per Minute and The Sufferer & the Witness.

Rise Against's sixth album, Endgame, contains singles "Help Is On The Way", "Architects", and "Make it Stop (September's Children)" as well as "Satellite" and was released on March 15, 2011.^[4]

The Killing Tree (2000–2004)[link]

McIlrath has played in his metalcore side project The Killing Tree along with former Rise Against guitarist Todd Mohney and former Baxter and Holy Roman Empire bassist, Geoff Reu. During the early years of the band, all members used pseudonyms out of concern for it. The Killing Tree has not produced any music or toured since 2004, but contributed their previously unreleased song "Dressed to Fuck" on the 2006 Thick Records compilation album Hair: Chicago Punk Cuts, which featured Emily Schambra (of Holy Roman Empire) as guest vocals on the song.^[5] Schambra also contributed vocals on Rise Against's album The Sufferer & the Witness for the songs "The Approaching Curve", "Roadside", and the b-side "But Tonight We Dance".

Discography[link]

Guest

This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (April 2012)

• Tim is featured on the song "Denak ez du balio" by Basque alternative rock band Berri Txarrak from their album Libre ©.
• Tim was also in "Lords of Dogtown" a film in which he performs "Nervous Breakdown" of Black Flag.
• Tim sang on the song "Let Them Eat War" in Bad Religion's Live at the Palladium DVD
• Tim sings vocals in the Cancer Bats song, "Harem of Scorpions". From their 2008 album Hail Destroyer.
• Tim is featured on the song "Resuscitation of a Dead Man" by Thursday from their album Common Existence.
• Tim sang vocals on the Bullet Treatment 7" on Fat Wreck Chords in 2009.
• Tim provided vocals for the song "Mute Hearts" by Holy Roman Empire.
• Tim was featured at the end of the NOFX music video for "Cokie the Clown".
• Tim sings vocals in the Anti-Flag song, "The Gre(A)t Depression". From their 2009 album "The People or the Gun"
• Tim is featured on the Flobots song, "White Flag Warrior" on their album, Survival Story.
• Tim is featured in "The Sims 3 - Ambitions". He sings the song called "Savior" in Simlish.
• Tim sang vocals on Stephen Egerton's song "South for the Winter" from his album, The Seven Degrees of Stephen Egerton.
• Tim is featured on the song "Achtung" by Basque alternative rock band Berri Txarrak from their album Payola.
• Tim appeared briefly in the cover of "Short Songs" on Silverstein's 2012 EP of the same name, originally performed by Dead Kennedys
• Tim represented Rise Against on the German television channel Pro7 in March 2012.

Straight Edge[link]

Tim and his bandmates, except for Barnes, are straight edge; a lifestyle that eliminates drugs, alcohol and tobacco, but can also encompass other things seen as potentially addictive such as promiscuous sex or caffeine.

PETA work[link]

Tim is Vegan, as are his fellow band members. They are active with the animal rights group PETA. Tim often takes part in PETA protests and gives out PETA books and flyers at shows. Rise Against's fifth album, Appeal to Reason, even included a PETA sticker, encouraging people to stand up for the rights of animals. He has given many interviews on the matter along with other bands.

He has appeared in many videos made and distributed by PETA expressing their beliefs on veganism as well as issues and the meat industry and fast food industry, fur and fashion use of animal skins and animal testing and dissection.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Tim McIlrath at the Internet Movie Database
• The Killing Tree's Website (Hasn't been updated since 2004)
• Rise Against's Official Website
• The Killing Tree's Website (archived)
• Tim Mcllrath Interview