The Emotron
The Emotron (b. Jason Kyle Knight) is a one-man musical group influenced by Atom and his Package and GG Allin. He performs original material in a karaoke-esque style, using a Yamaha QY700 sequencer among other instruments.
The Emotron | |
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | TheEmotron a.k.a. The Emotron a.k.a. Kylemotron a.k.a. Jason Kyle Knight |
| Origin | McDonough, Georgia, United States |
| Genres | Synthpop, punk rock |
| Years active | Jan. 2004–present |
| Labels | Asbestos Records slantyshantyrecords.com |
| Associated acts | Treephort Nightmare Pizza Mose Giganticus |
| Members | Kyle Knight |
The Emotron has played with bands including Superdrag, The Fest, Mose Giganticus, Afroman, Ghost Mice, The Low Budgets, Big D and The Kids Table, Bomb the Music Industry, Dan Deacon, Foxy Shazam, The Show is the Rainbow, Yip Yip, Conestyle, Gil Mantera's Party Dream, Genghis Tron, Cryptorchid Chipmunk, Captured by Robots, Grand Buffet and The Fad.
History
Early years
"From the second I heard Atom and His Package in 1998, I knew that I wanted a QY700 Sequencer. In Sept of 03 I had just Quit the band Treephort I was in and I wanted to start a One Member Synth/Robot influenced band. So I emailed Atom about his Yamaha sequencer, to my surprise I got an email back and soon ordered my Yamaha QY700 and in Jan 2004 The Emotron was born. I started trying to figure the sequencer out and trying to write music for the first time ever in my life and scheduled a few house shows in smaller towns around McDonough, Georgia. I played really early versions of 1989, Jellyfish, Swim in the Dark With Sharks, and As your Teenage Vagina Bleeds. The Emotron character, show, and music has come along since day one. I believe that The Emotron is pretty close to being a household name."
Touring
The Emotron started in early 2004, playing house shows and out of town in the bordering southern states on weekends. - 2006 collaborated with the band Mystechs from Chicago and toured with them for a total of two weeks. - 2007, The Emotron did extensive touring with Mose Giganticus, Andy the DoorBum, Somewhat Golden, and Texas Ska Hardcore band Detonate. - 2008, The Emotron returned touring with Mose Giganticus, traveling throughout Alaska in a vegetable oil fueled bus.[1]
Evolving style
Emotron's music and live show evolved over time. His early works are pop-punk esque while his newest material is more ambient slow rock. In one video that has since disappeared from YouTube, Emotron's live show was seen to include costume changes and lighting his crotch on fire as a finale. This reflected the more upbeat and goofy period in his music. Around 2010, Emotron's style became much darker and mellower, focusing heavily on the fact that Knight was aging, nearing 30 at the time. The song "1998" which can be found on YouTube is a prime example of his later style. Later shows included a bizarre media display featuring up to 10 television sets in a half circle playing static or strange images. Emotron would crouch in front of the televisions, usually wearing a speedo or similar attire. Not much video exists of Emotron from 2011 to present and it is unknown where Emotron has been but he seems to have performed as recently as April 2015 as seen here https://vimeo.com/132492415 The Emotron has resurfaced in recent years, release the self released album Fall in 2018 and appears to perform in California intermittently according to the youtube channel Tron Archive.
Personal history
Born in Tennessee, Knight's family relocated to Atlanta in 1994. Throughout high school he was employed by local grocery store's dairy department. Knight was frequently seen with a small entourage of fellow artists and assorted troublemakers, while being well liked by most everyone. Upon graduating, he was voted "Most Offbeat" by his classmates. Prior to joining Treephort, Knight began his career with FedEx.
From '01-'03, Knight provided keys/vocals in a band Called Treephort[2][3] from the Marietta area of Georgia. During the summer of '03, the group snuck into Warped Tour with the Phenomenauts, performing with minimal equipment. They continued playing as a sideline band (unapproved) without interruption until their behavior got offensive. Treephort was a spectacle at Warped Tour but came to an end when band members Joe Klein and Knight were detained by the cops 2 days in a row and were asked to leave the music event.
- Nightmare Pizza
While in Treephort, singer Lee Satterfield and Kylemotron began writing lyrics to music on a demo keyboard. By the end of the tour there were 32 songs written, all of which were recorded on September 11, 2003. The short-lived project was called Nightmare Pizza.
Discography
| Date of US Release | Title | Label |
| 2006 | Teenage Jesus | Death By Karaoke (compact disc) |
| 2007 | The Decemberwrist | Asbestos Records (compact disc) |
| 2008 | Live at One Member Band Fest | Prison City Archive (digital) |
| 2009 | Reinventing Axel Foley / (split with Rick Johnson Rock and Roll Machine) | Asbestos Records (compact disc) |
| 2009 | For Squirrels (split with Mose Giganticus) | Asbestos Records (vinyl) |
| 2010 | Vampire Lunch Lady Tits | Slanty Shanty Records (compact disc) |
| 2018 | Fall | N/A |
Compilation Appearances
- V/A - Swayze's Venue Compilation - Swayze Records 2006 "The Bacon Boys"
- V/A - Shine Some Light: A Benefit for Dan Lang Gunn - Asbestos Records 2006 "1989"
- V/A - More Bang for Your Buck IV - Asbestos Records 2007 "Bethune Theory"[4]
- V/A - Chicken Ranch Records Christmas EP - 2008 "Santa Claus (I Still Believe in You)"[5]
- V/A - More Bang for Your Buck V - Asbestos Records 2008 "Coin Collector"
- V/A - Atom and His Package Tribute - Hartless Hind Records 2009 "Me and My Black Metal Friends"
References
External links
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