KCRW’s first Morning Becomes Eclectic session of the year also marked the ONLY live performance LA band Ima Robot have planned at the moment, so it was extra special. In fact, it was the first live radio performance of these songs – and the first time they’ve played them live AT ALL in years.
The band formed about 12 years ago, long before frontman Alex Ebert found success with his other musical venture Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. As Alex mentioned in the interview, the band has experimented with a number of musical variations throughout their existence – from the fiercely catchy pop punk of their self-titled debut to their most recent album, “Another Man’s Treasure,” which ventures into more glam and psychedelic territory. It’s hard not to hear the influence of David Bowie in “Sail With Me,” or perhaps Perry Farrell in “Ruthless,” two of our favorites off the new album.
The songs for “Another Man’s Treasure” were recorded over a long period of time and they didn’t know what would become of them. Alex tells Jason Bentley that the album title reflects that strange process – “they felt like these little lonely songs, hanging around, almost like garbage and we wanted to address that and say that Another Man’s Treasure…as in OUR treasure.”
He also says that, no matter how many other projects they have, they will always return to this band.
“I think that we’ll always be making music together, no matter what is going on. Even if it’s us, 60 years old, hanging out in the garage with our wives yelling at us.”
You could tell there was a lot of love between these guys and you can hear it in the music. Check out a rare live performance with Ima Robot in its entirety.
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Ima Robot Live on KCRW
Sail With Me
Rough Night
Life is Short
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Ruthless
Shine Shine
Pass It On
(Editor’s Note: Alex Ebert was catching a plane to Africa later in the day and dressed appropriately…)