May. 26, 2010 - Issue #762: Timeland
Music Notes
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes
The life and death and life of Ima Robot frontman Alex Ebert
As the founder of the '90s power-pop act Ima Robot, Ebert quickly found himself at the eye of a storm, immersed in the chaos of major label life, LA's relentless lifestyle and a spiraling heroin addiction. At its height, Ima Robot was signed to Virgin Records, yet Ebert found himself homeless, discouraged and lost. As he told Mother Jones magazine, "I quickly lost my grip on what the music was supposed to be about and began thinking only with A&R and the radio in mind.
By our second album I'd gone from a whiney brat with something to say to a whiney brat with nothing to say. I felt like a robot, like I was ignoring my instincts and at the end of my rope."
In order to turn his life around, part of Ebert's rehab included revisiting his earliest, brightest memories of music: music from childhood roadtrips. The pure innocence of that era of music—'60s pop and country music—was a revitalizing force for someone who had barely survived the clichéd rock star meltdown.
Along with the new love of his life, fellow Edward Sharpe band member Jade Castrinos, Ebert underwent a complete rebirth while rediscovering the simple process of singing and playing music. Early Edward Sharpe demos comprised of unison singing, acoustic instruments and not much else—just the pure act of seeking salvation through signing.
This baptism lead to the invention of Edward Sharpe, Ebert's on-stage bearded, long-haired and barefoot persona. His own messianic comparisons aside, the Magnetic Zeroes are Ebert's dedicated group of disciples, and the 10-piece band's live show have been described as revival of sorts.
Wed, Jun 2 (8pm)
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes
(Starlite Room, $28.50)
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