Mechanical Cabaret
Mechanical Cabaret are a British electronic synth alternative music project, based on the music and lyrics of Roi Robertson from North London, now together with Steve Bellamy as a full-time member of the band since 2010.
Early years: 1999 - 2004
Together with Tobi Chandler on synths and Bruce Lovelock on Slide Projector, they played many live shows in London, at venues like Slimelight and the Underworld, and several gigs around the UK, for two years. One of their most significant shows around this time was supporting Fad Gadget at his comeback gig in London in 2001.
In June 2002 Roi released his first album We Have An Agenda. The song "Nothing Special" from the CD was picked up on by an American film-maker called Todd Stephens, and used as part of the official Metropolis Records soundtrack for the film Gypsy 83, along with bands such as The Cure and Bauhaus.
In 2003 they played live support to The Damned, Sheep on Drugs, and toured the United Kingdom again, this time with Bruce on synths too, supporting Sigue Sigue Sputnik along with Greenhaus. Later that year, Roi contributed lyrics and vocals to a Greenhaus track called 'Try Harder' which appeared on their album 'Another Life'. Steve Bellamy from Greenhaus went on to work with Roi on the recording, engineering and production of the second Mechanical Cabaret album Product For Your Insecurity and is now an official member of the band.
In 2004, whilst continuing to play live shows around London and the UK, Mechanical Cabaret released the double A-side single "Cheap and Nasty/See Her Smile" on Umami Records. This included a Nag Nag Nag (an infamous Electroclash club of the day) remix of "Cheap and Nasty", the first ever official Nag Nag Nag remix, made by Jonny Slut and his band Atomizer.
2005 - 2007
Mechanical Cabaret played many support slots in 2005, including playing with Karl Bartos of Kraftwerk, Suicide, Doug McCarthy from Nitzer Ebb, Mesh, Covenant, and T. Raumschmiere. In April 2006, they released their second album Product For Your Insecurity. Along with the new album came an offer from electro-pop act Mesh to support them on their European Tour that spring.
Roi remixed 'Like A Bird' from the album 'Synthetik' by long standing Mute Records' artists Komputer (formerly 'I Start Counting' and 'Fortran 5'). This was released as a 7" single and download in September 2007 by Mute.
In 2007 Roi signed a 2 album deal with Hamburg based Major Records Medien GmbH, the European home of Nitzer Ebb, Ladytron and IAMX, and signed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Entertainment GmbH. Major released the song ‘Disbehave' from 'Product For Your Insecurity' as a single at the end of that year.
2008 - 2010
Roi spent 2008 in the studio recording, turning down all live performances in order to finish what was to become the next Mechanical Cabaret full length album. The album "Damaged Goods" and the single GBH were both released by Major Records Medien GmbH on March 20, 2009. During the year they performed live headline shows, and gigs with Motor, fresh off their tour supporting Depeche Mode in Europe, as well as Alec Empire, and A Flock of Seagulls.
On January 2, 2010, the single Careful, Careless was released from the Damaged Goods album. Amongst their live shows this year they supported Nitzer Ebb in Hamburg, and DAF in London.
On September 10, 2010, Mechanical Cabaret released a new single, recorded together with Inertia, on Cryonica Records - a cover version of the Joe Meek/Geoff Goddard hit from 1961 'Johnny Remember Me'. The CD features their joint cover version, and also a remix made by each band.
Also in September, Major released their new single "Ne Plus Ultra", featuring remixes by Lowpulse, and a cover of the Fun Boy Three song The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum.
2011
The band released the remixes and rarities album Disco Vandalism including the single In Loving Memory - DV800 remix - replete with accompanying video. They played many live shows during this year, including a short UK tour with Toyah.
2012
They played main support to VNV Nation in Birmingham in January, and at an alternative festival, also in Birmingham, the following month, debuting some of the new material from the album Roi and Steve are currently working on together. They are due to headline at the Dark Waters alternative music festival in Nottingham on May 13, 2012.
Releases
Albums
We Have An Agenda - Soiled Records 2002
Product For Your Insecurity - Soiled Records 2006
Damaged Goods - Major Records Medien GmbH 2009
Disco Vandalism - Soiled Records/Major Records 2011
Beyond Science and Superstition - Soiled Records/Major Records 2013
Singles
Cheap and Nasty/See Her Smile - Umami Records 2004
Disbehave - Major Records Medien GmbH 2008
GBH - Major Records 2009
Careful Careless - Major Records 2010
Johnny, Remember Me (recorded with the band Inertia) - Cryonica Records 2010
Ne Plus Ultra - Major Records 2010
In Loving Memory - Major Records 2011
Other
Nothing Special - Gypsy 83 OST - Metropolis Records 2003
See Her Smile (Radiophonic Mix: Edit) - Advanced Electronics 5 CD Compilation - SPV Records 2006
Disbehave (Mesh ASBO Mix) - Elektrisch!2 Compilation - Major Records Medien GmbH 2007
See Her Smile (Radiophonic Mix: Full length) - Elektrisch!3 Compilation - Major Records Medien GmbH 2008
Let's Go To Bed - Orbit Electro Compilation - Major Records Medien GmbH 2009
Remixes of other Artists by Mechanical Cabaret
Mesh - Step By Step Mechanical Cabaret remix - Elektrisch! 2 Compilation - Major Records Medien GmbH 2007
Client - Xerox Machine Mechanical Cabaret remix - Elektrisch! 2 Compilation - Major Records Medien GmbH 2007
Komputer - Like A Bird Mechanical Cabaret remix - 7" Single - Mute Records 2007
Helalyn Flowers - Love Like Aliens - Hentai Tentacle Sex Mix by Mechanical Cabaret - Alfa Matrix Records 2009
Kunt and the Gang - Use My Arsehole As A Cunt - Mechanical Cabaret remix - Disco Minge Records 2010
Mesh - Only Better - Bipolar Mix - An Alternative Solution - remix album - Dependent Records 2011
Nitzer Ebb - Once You Say - Mechanical Cabaret remix - Unreleased... so far!