Feature: Rob Lynch
By Seamus Gallivan
A true renaissance man, Rob Lynch might be the busiest musician in Western New York – the list of running gigs he lists at the bottom of this piece is exhaustive, but proven not quite exhausting by a simple search of his name on this site, which reveals even more places he’s played of late. Amazingly, music is not even his full-time gig – Lynch is an art teacher at Niagara Falls High School by day.
Lynch’s expansive drumming abilities alone endear him to a wide range of musicians in need of a backbeat; his status as an extraordinary gentleman seals the deal. His work with Robot Holiday takes it further, as he’s not only the main man behind the drums but also a singer/songwriter of much of their robot-themed material, often employing an electro-lounge vibe that’s at once weird and warm – such songs might seem creepy if we didn’t know Lynch better…or do we?
Get to know Lynch below, and join us on Friday, December 6th, as he and his Robot Holiday bandmates leave the robots at home in favor of an all-human, two-hour set at the second annual Holiday Live at Larkin presented by First Niagara!
How did you first get involved with RH?
Well over a decade ago, Jonathan used to design the most spectacular holiday cards. Getting one in the mail was like receiving a very special gift. I found it very inspiring; I wanted to be involved. Designing cards turned to designing music, which turned into Robot Holiday; at first, I was simply called in as a friend to play some drums. Now it has became a yearly ritual of sorts, beginning in August with writing songs and recording them well into November, followed by the December show.
Rob Lynch decorates his drum set accordingly for Holiday Live at Larkin 2013 – photo from Robot Holiday
Has your work with RH influenced your overall approach to making music?
It is a much appreciated creative outlet. The “rules” are so open that we approach the recording process in terms of, “Let’s see what happens when we…” I’ve worked on various projects with Jonathan over the years, and each one is very fulfilling. With Robot Holiday, I’ll show up with instruments that I can’t play very well in order to use the technology of the studio to get interesting results. You can imagine how much fun that is – it’s like a mad scientist’s lab!
What’s your favorite RH song – of your own as well as that of another member?
“Brau Brommert” is a song that I made with Jim Zito, recorded on his couch in Raleigh, NC. It was recorded in probably an hour, and the extremely loose vocal had to be edited line-by-line to cut out our laughter. We had tears in our eyes about the insane concept of a masterful European gift-wrapping specialist who looked down on the careless American wrappers!
Click here to listen to and download for free Rob Lynch and Jim Zito’s “Brau Brommert”
Jonathan’s “Robot Holiday” takes the cake for me. It’s such a solid piece of music that serves as a flagship for the entire project. Jim Zito’s video makes it that much better.
What’s your favorite robot?
Low Velvet, of course! That robot is missing a few critical circuits. He will howl at inopportune times while robotically “singing.”
On “Christmas Makes Me Sing Low,” inspired by his own vocal performance on “Holiday Slow Dance,” Low Velvet shows off his range for the certain amusement of bored friends and family who sit around the tree, waiting for something to happen.
Are there any unique holiday customs in your native Niagara Falls that would make good material for a future RH song?
I’d say most ideas come to me while running – and running around the Niagara Falls State Park in the winter is otherworldly. The constant mist freezes and encases everything in a huge glossy puff of white. It’s spectacular. That’s definitely something that should be visited – both the topic and the park!
What other projects are you involved with throughout the year?
I recently played drums and guitar with the Irving Klaws for their annual Halloween show, something I’ve been doing with them for the past seven years. Drumming with Peter Case at Larkin Square was another incredible gig, which is also turning into something of a yearly tradition.
Behind only fellow Robot Holiday member Jim Whitford, Rob Lynch spent more time onstage at Live at Larkin in 2013 than any other musician – he hit the opening notes in June with John & Mary and the Valkyries, backed the Women of Robot Holiday with Whitford in July and here in this photo, again with Whitford (right), the last moments of the series finale with Peter Case – photo by Seamus Gallivan
I’ve been playing with Mr. Conrad and the Excellos about one Wednesday a month; gigs with Doug Yeomans are always in the calendar; The Ronnie Davis Combo and John and Mary and the Valkyries both play the first Saturday of the month at the Sportsmens Tavern, which makes for a long day of drumming!
A “funky improv” gig with Ronnie and John Allen at the Sidebar comes up every few months; The Sid Winkler Band with Joe and Sue Rozler along with some of the best saxophone players in the world – Bobby Militello, Dave Shiavone, Bruce Johnstone) is deeply satisfying.
The David Kane Quartet rises from the ashes to play a few times a year; Michael Oliver and the Sacred Band are recording a great bunch of songs in Boston and Buffalo along with a yearly Buffalo gig; Tadaaki Naganuma flies in from Japan to preform a Beatles/McCartney set once a year; a few gigs with Micheal Tarbox and the Tarbox Ramblers this year, one in Rochester, one in Buffalo.
Jonathan and I had an Autobahn gig this year, our first since 2007! In that duo, we get the laptops out and make “kraftworkian” blips and bleeps, which we performed at Trimania this year. I also performed there with Down to the Roots, a bluegrass band – yikes, I’m busier than I thought!
– See more at: http://www.thegoodneighborhood.com/2013/11/24/robot-holiday-musician-profile-rob-lynch/#sthash.CrggBARZ.dpuf
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Feature: Robot Holiday Live!
Robot Holiday will be performing at Larkin Square on Friday, December 5th, 2014.
http://www.larkinsquare.com/things-to-do/events/
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