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electric chair

becomes ELCTRIKCHAIR

The band's founders, siblings, Andrew Rodriguez (Lead Guitar/Vocals) and Robert Rodriguez "Bobby" (drums/percussion) adopted the name 'ELCTRIKCHAIR' from the outset (2003).

The band name, pronounced 'electric chair' was intentionally misspelled as a tribute to the band's roots which signaled a; we're going to speak out, whenever we feel the need to do it and we don't care what anyone thinks or who it offends; to quote one of our punk favorites, "'f$#k you and society too."' A punk reminder that our troops have fought and continue to fight for free speech in America and around the world, not for any one group or person but for all Americans. We salute them!

To fully understand the band's temperment you have to take a walk in their shoes. When Andrew was sixteen he was involved in nearly every sport, despite demonstrating above average athletic ability, he rejected sports in favor of learning to play guitar, compose music and form a band.

Andrew never fit the mold of the traditional high school student, at one point becoming a victim of the uniformed national media and being blamed [by unsophisticated classmates] for the tragedy at Columbine High School, because he was a metalhead. Hello world. Andrew is a metalhead, not a goth kid. The national media is at times a comedy of people who have earned college and university degrees but somehow have thus far failed to obtain an education. The next time a media person speaks from ignorance ask him how many metal shows he's been to, he'll cringe at the question and you'll understand what the experts don't know and never bothered to ask.

Andrew never felt welcome in mainstream public or private high schools and was always at home with classmates that shared his frustrations and values, the metalhead, the social misfits.

But being discounted by mainstream types had a motivating effect on Andrew. After struggling through the early part of his high school career, then discovering himself in metal; live entertainment; the arts, Andrew was twice named to the principal's honor roll prior to earning his high school diploma.

Andrew would tell you that his unanticipated success came about not because receiving recognition meant anything to him, but because he realized that he could not achieve his goal of 'performing live at CBGB's in New York City' without first setting a standard of excellence for himself; not for anyone else.

In 2006 Andrew and his band, ELCTRIKCHAIR were privileged to grace the stage of the original and legendary CBGB's and performed, as the headliner, for a capacity crowd of crazed fans and a world-wide satelite audience.

After weeks of interviews to find a drummer for his band, Andrew had become frustrated. Someone suggested putting his then nine year old brother 'Bobby' in the band. Because of the obvious age difference between him and his brother [seven years] Andrew refused initally, then conceded after another string of interviews failed to produce a drummer. But there was a condition. If Bobby couldn't handle it after one show he would be cut from the band.

Not only did Bobby handle it but the bands first show was a successful display in front of a respectable gathering of genuine punkers. Bobby would end up stealing the show, competing in a drumoff with drummers twice his age and winning [a glass chess board, he still has]. There was something more memorable about that show, you would have expected the older drummers to be angry, they weren't, in fact all they did was praise Bobby and offer words of encouragement. At the time, Bobby had already adopted the long spikes and punker dress and he was continually being ridiculed and objected to by classmates, some teachers, administrators and parents at his elementary school, Bobby was officially a 'misfit.'.

Once while attempting to decide on a name for the band, someone suggested 'electric chair.' It was a common enough name that it would cover every possible sound, the young EC had no idea what to call their sound let alone worry about a genre.

But there was a problem, electric chair was such a common name that there had to be a million bands that had already adopted the name. A quick check confirmed Andrew's fears.

Andrew and Bob decided that naming the band electric chair and intentionally misspelling the name 'ELCTRIKCHAIR' would be the best way to 'in-your-face' a society that was geared to having everything as they wanted it, spelling the band name wrong was sure to piss everyone off or at least give them a real reason to ridicule the band. ELCTRIKCHAIR was born in the underground.

ELCTRIKCHAIR HEAVY METAL

In 2002, ELCTRIKCHAIR devoted its time and energy to playing in every local club in the Denver metropolitan area that would welcome them. Following a string of successful local gigs former Throcult vocalist, Chris Vigil, approached the band and gave them complimentary front-row tickets to the Iron Maiden concert held at the Greenwood Village Amphitheater [CO]. During Throcult's performance, Chris Vigil named ELCTRIKCHAIR among the up-and-comers in heavy metal.

EC was motivated by Chris' support and continued to make a strong statement in the Colorado local scene, performing at Denver's Hard Rock Cafe in 2003, EC drummer, Bobby Rodriguez was eleven years old.

In 2004 ELCTRIKCHAIR was accepted on Milwaukee Metal Fest XVIII and performed on the main stage along with DEATH ANGEL, THE MISFITS, MACABRE and many of the most prominent heavy metal bands in the world.

In 2006 ELCTRIKCHAIR had adopted a diverse heavy metal sound and a political theme that held back nothing and offended the masses. The question has often been asked why make it your goal to anger people. The answer is; it was never EC's goal to anger people, nor is it now. But if you know and understand the history of metal, in the 70's the prevailing theme was 'drugs, sex and rock-n-roll.'

When EC was formed, Bobby was just out of diapers [figuratively speaking]. So the drugs and sex part of the old school battle cry was out. More importantly, it wasn't what EC was all about.

Musicians and fans don't have to look far to see the end result of a few years of heavy drug use and endless partying to realize that a musician's career built on that philosophy is destined for early termination.

Andrew and Bob realized two things, some musicians may be talented enough to perform well under less than desireable conditions, but Andrew and Bob wanted to give their fans their best, so compromising or taking any chance of compromising a performance and shortening an already limited music career made no practical sense. Controversy and politics gave EC an angry edge, a metal appeal.

EC admires Ozzy like the rest of the world but Ozzy himself would acknowledge the sacrifices he's made. EC needed a new 'piss the masses off' theme but it had to further the existence of heavy metal as the bad boys of society, the misfits, the dark. What better opportunity was there to adopt a controversal political theme. At the time, it wasn't acceptable in metal and nothing tends to anger people more than controversal political issues.

ELCTRIKCHAIR began successfully touring throughout the United States. Making light of its detractors and naysayers. ELCTRIKCHAIR named its tour 'THE WE'RE NOT A REAL BAND TOUR' after someone posted a blog on the internet claiming, 'ELCTRIKCHAIR IS NOT A REAL BAND.'

EC performed for delighted crowds in major venues in New Mexico, California, Washington, Oregan and its first ever international performance in Vancouver, Canada. Controversal Political Heavy Metal was born.

In 2006 ELCTRIKCHAIR toured successfully throughout the mid-west performing at major music venues and clubs throughout the nation's bread basket and on the east coast. ELCTRIKCHAIR was the only Colorado band booked to perform as a headliner at New York City's original CBGB's. This was a milestone for the band. A short time after the grand finale in front of a capacity gathering at CBGB's, the legendary nightclub closed its doors forever guaranteeing that ELCTRIKCHAIR and their accompanying band, GRINDSCAPE, would forever hold a secure place in history among the many incredible bands that had graced the stage in the humble urban club that remains an icon to American punk and every red blooded punk and rock fan around the world. CBGB's was closed to make way for housing for the homeless. What more appropriate end to a treasured era in American music could it have been?

ELCTRIKCHAIR has since returned to the mid-west, the southwest and California's west coast and continues to tour across the United States and may soon broaden its tour appearances to include venues around the world. Among the band's latest hot releases are:

CBGB'S LIVE

ETERNITY INTO DARKNESS

CITICORPSE

TWILIGHT OF WAR [a limited edition black metal project]

Andrew and Bobby Rodriguez have established themselves as two of the most respected and talented musicians in heavy metal in 2008. Andrew is easily among the best shred guitarists in the world and Bobby is in the eyes of many, the best young metal drummer/percussionist in the world.

Adding to the the band's long list of accomplishments, Bobby Rodriguez, was recently listed among TRICK DRUM'S elite metal drummer/artists. The jury is still out among the many incredibly talented and enthusiastic metal musicians, as to which of them will successfully navigate the turbulent waters of American heavy metal and become a permanent part of what appears to be a legend in its infancy.

Born In The Underground

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ELCTRIKCHAIR HEAVY METAL