September 2019 interview by Todd Jolicoeur, photos by mintypics.com

According to a recent press release: “During late 2017, the Crobot boys started to write what would become Motherbrain. Signing to Mascot Records, the group went from writing at Chris’ spot in Austin, TX to Marietta, GA where they holed up in the studio with Corey Lowery [Seether, Saint Asonia, Sevendust, Stereomud] for a month. The producer’s direction to embrace the dark side took life, while Brandon delivered some of the most emotive recordings Crobot has delivered to date. “I think it’s a much darker record, musically, lyrically, and thematically,” says the front man. “It’s some of the heaviest material we’ve ever done, but it’s also some of the funkiest. We’re widening the Crobot spectrum even more. It’s the catchiest too. It’s less about wizards and dragons and more about everyday turmoil and the struggles of life. Corey made it digestible and appealing for not just dudes with beards or chicks with dicks.” Crobot has been confirmed as direct support on Steel Panther’s upcoming Heavy Metal Rules Tour. Crobot has releases a brand-new studio album titled MOTHERBRAIN. The lead single “Low Life” celebrates a Top 40 debut this week on both Media Base and the Billboard Rock Airplay Chart. Singer Brandon Yeagley offers, “It’s an anthem about this outside perspective on the definition of a low life. There’s a misconception that being a touring musician without a lot of money makes you a lowlife, but how is that really any different from the rest of the world? And, if that does make you a lowlife, we’re okay with it!” We spoke with Brandon a week before the latest offering was released, discussing new music, touring, and much more…

Toddstar: Brandon, thank you so much for taking time.

Brandon: Hey no problem.

Toddstar: Let’s talk about something so exciting. August 23rd Motherbrain hits the world head on. What can you tell us about this album that your fans may or may not grab the first or second time through when they listened to it, Brandon?

Brandon: You know, I think we made the heaviest darkest record that we’ve ever done and working with Corey Lowery definitely lends its hand in making this also the most melodic and catchiest record that we’ve done too. We’ve managed to take the best of our demo process and even wrote some songs in the studio with Corey as well. So I think it’s definitely an evolution of the band and we never want to make the same record twice. So we came into this album and it just seemed like there were a lot of heavy songs kind of making the cut what we wanted to put on the record.

Toddstar: What do you kind of attribute that heavier vein to? Is it a mindset that you got or is it just that push that you have internally to not recreate the same record?

Brandon: I think it’s a little of everything. We had a lot of time to write for this record, and we went into the recording process and the pre-production process with over a hundred songs. So we went in and out of different phases. You got to deal with things where all the demos kind of sounded like proto-metal, 80’s steel metal. And then we had a side where some of it kind of sounded like synth-pop rock. We’re all over the place all the time. So it’s just kind of happened that way I think. But we really wanted to bring the influence of 90’s grunge to this record and I think that kind of pushed it to be a heavier, darker record and, not only sonically, but thematically and lyrically as well. And I think with the passing of Chris Cornell, I know for me personally I think that really pushed me to almost pay homage and wear that influence on my sleeve a little more so this record…

Toddstar: Makes total sense. I was introduced to your guys’ music on Something Supernatural and then Welcome to Fat City which is an album that still gets regular spins in my collection. I love that album. What pushed it for me was your live performance. I got to see you at one of the cool dates in ’17 when you guys did the Chicago Open Air.

Brandon: Oh, yeah.

Toddstar: You were kind of rolling out a new live line up and everything else for that show and it was just a cool show but what really draws me to you personally is the way you handle yourself on stage. You totally immerse yourself. Is that something that just takes over or is that something you actually have to work out when you’re getting ready to hit the stage?

Brandon: I mean it’s a little of everything I think. I’ve definitely worked my tail off. I’ve tried to be the best performer and singer that I can be. I still do my vocal warm ups and I still have a pretty hefty work out regiment. Regiment that I try to keep myself in shape to be able to get up there and just let everything happen and just kind of let the persona that I have on stage kind of take over and prepare my body for it. I mean I couldn’t be out there looking like Vince Neil and doing this and maybe the guy’s got a couple of years on me so I can’t knock him too harshly, but I have to keep myself in check. Physically for sure.

Toddstar: There’s a few dates out there, you know, some release type dates where you guys go out and do some shows around the town, a release date next week. Any dates in mind for a full tour? Because up here in Detroit we’d love to see you. And I know you’ve also graced the stage at one of my favorite places, just north of here in Flint at The Machine Shop.

Brandon: Oh yeah. I mean we always love coming back to The Machine Shop. We always try to make it a dot on the map and Grand Rapids as well. We love to play. We love to bounce around Michigan so we don’t really have anything lined up per say for the next run but I’m certain that we’ll be making our way out your way.

Toddstar: Going through the album, are there any songs that you’re surprised how well they came out compared to where they were when you were first starting up pre-production and finalizing the writing stage as it come, Brandon?

Brandon: Yeah. I think for me that the, kind of, the sleeper, the surprise track was with “Blackout,” which we wrote with Corey while we were there. We worked with some writers and on this record and a lot of them didn’t make the album but we really wanted to keep all the doors open and in terms of working with other people and writing with other people and just taking all those avenues because we are in the thought process that we will learn anything from anybody and we just wanted to welcome any time to collaboration in any way. But working with Cory in the studio on “Blackout” was just such a cool moment. And when we were looking to name the record as well, Motherbrain kind of, it started out as a song but I kind of slipped it into the lyrics of “Blackout,” because I felt like that song sums up the entire experience and sound and the snapshot of where we were at the point of making a new record and I just think it was so cool to work with Corey on a song and actually write a song with them. And, again, it’s just one of those songs that takes on that 90’s grunge sort of feel to it and it just all happens in the room and it was really easy and there weren’t many hold ups of any kind while writing it .I think that one for this record, for me, is if I had one song to pick for somebody to listen to, to kind of sum up the entire album and where we were, where our thought process was during the record, I think it would be “Blackout.”

Toddstar: I got hooked when I watched the video for “Low Life” and got the visual that went along with the musical piece of it. What was it about that song that made it kind of easy for you to say this is going to be, they don’t call them singles anymore, the lead track, to kind of introduce the world to the new and improved Crobot?

Brandon: Well it’s definitely got the elements of American radio rock in there that we really wanted to pay attention to this album in particular and kind of widen the net a little bit, if you will, but still maintaining our identities throughout the process. And I think that song is the sort of stand out for our label especially. They really thought that that song could have some legs and could really make a splash at rock radio. So we went with that one as the lead single and the response seems to be pretty good so far. And, even live playing that song, it stands out. There’s something about that song where by the time we get to the end of it, anybody who hasn’t heard it still knows the words and can sing along. So there’s a lot of power in a song like that. And it’s a little bit of a stretch for us, I think, just personally. And I think collectively as a band, we thought it might be a little bit of a mainstream stretch for us, but we just want to evolve as a band and we want to be able to reach as many people as we can simultaneously. So, but I think that track… it stands out on the record and live.

Toddstar: I can’t wait to hear it live when you finally do make it up into the Michigan area. I know you’ve got a lot going on so I want to keep it short because you’ve been so accommodating for me but if you were to go back to a younger brand and back in 2010, 2011, when Crobot was forming in your mind and the band was being pulled together, what’s the one thing you would look back and tell yourself to be weary of going into it?

Brandon: Man, I don’t know. I think it’s something I’ve been kind of kept in the back of my mind from the get go. But the turn of the industry has really native a lot harder for bands to stay afloat and us as individuals, it makes it even harder for us to keep the bills paid, but I certainly didn’t get into rock and roll for the paychecks. But I think it’s a hard thing to kind of take a step back and know what the future holds for the record industry and the rock world. But I think we kind of maintained our mission statement. Is to just keep pressing forward and not really worry about those things too much and it seemed to work out so far. But I think that the silver lining in where the industry is right now is that it’s a place where everybody who is still doing it genuinely loves it. And that’s the coolest thing about where we’re at right now in the music world is that you have to do it because you love to do it.

Toddstar: Truer words couldn’t be spoken. It’s like they say, do what you love you’ll never work a day in your life.

Brandon: Absolutely.

Toddstar: Well listen Brandon, I appreciate you taking time out for us and I can’t wait until the world, especially the rock fans out there, whether they’re mainstream or not, they wrap their hands and ears around Motherbrain next week when it comes out. And hopefully it’ll spread off interest so we can get you guys on the road sooner than later.

Brandon: Absolutely. Thanks for taking your time. We’re really super excited and very proud of the record and hope to make it out your way soon.

Toddstar: Sounds good, Brandon. We’ll talk to you then.

Brandon: Ah, excellent. Have a good one, Todd.

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