13 Cent Bob
Vancouver, Washington, United States | SELF
Music
Press
I’m not sure there has been a more urban musical production to come out of Vancouver than 13 Cent Bob’s new album, King Robot. At least in the couple years I’ve been here. I love the country-tinged everything and throwback classic rock sounds of most local music. But I also like variety, along with fresh sounds to help build a local music scene.
King Robot is the second album for the electric funk/hip-hop band. Its debut, The Sweet Life, was way back in 1997, when the group was amassing fans in Seattle. Group founders Andrew “Onedee” Wunderlich (vocals, turntables, percussion) and Scott “Doctor C” Craig (guitars, vocals, keyboards, programming) spawned from The Art Institute of Seattle back then. After a decade-long hiatus, 13 Cent Bob returns to form, with Wunderlich and Craig joined in Vancouver by original bassist Andrew “The Dogg” Stratton and new members Nick “The Kid” Vigo (drums) and Jeremy “Sticky Fingers” Knuth on keyboards.
The music itself is right out of the funkin’ 90s. Its dance-driven rhythms with funk and hip-hop rock crosshairs give homage to the late 70s Clinton/Parliament Era while partying like the perfect antithesis to the dreary, downer NW grunge acts. Under the rising instrumentation and catchy choruses, there’s a foundation steeped in big city rhythm & blues and jazzy colors.
“I’ve always had an ear for pop melody, but also for fun, bouncy, old-school hip-hop,” Wunderlich says. “That’s what I grew up on, so I really tried to incorporate that into the new record. The call-and-response of old school, the pop sensibilities of any top 40 act and the undeniable groove of late 70s funk.”
There’s also plenty of mustard on this dog. 13 Cent Bob flies out of the gates chock full of passion and confidence. “Here we go again / Back in the fight / Back in it to win / And every time we step away / We shake the world up in our own way.” Even when showing its vulnerabilities, the group is cool and above it all. On “West 14th Street,” Onedee and Doctor C trade lines about girlies tangling up their hearts. But the cool summertime groove a la Fresh Prince, Run DMC or young G. Love gets them through the lonely nights without a hitch. Compare that with “East 14th Street,” a rug-cutting getup with an intoxicating set of guitar riffs, and it’s easy to tell the variety of flows and song styles make the album easy to listen to over and over. There’s never a dull moment to be had.
A 5-piece skit going by the same name frames the album. It is, to be honest, kind of weird. But it adds to the celebration by chronicling the triumph over turmoil by a young, adventure-seeking robot. The album was produced in Vancouver at Shelter Studios, where Wunderlich and Craig double as producers under the name The Digital Gorillas.
King Robot is available on iTunes and other digital stores as well as several Northwest regional record stores. 13 Cent Bob plays next at The Brickhouse on Oct. 30. For more info, visit www.13centbob.com, or check the band out on Myspace, Facebook, YouTube (their video of “I Love NY” is great), Soundclick and ReverbNation. - Vancouver Voice
Discography
1997: LP - "SWEET LIFE"
2000: EP - "JUST A SIP"
2008" Single "Situations" played on VH1's "All Access Celebrity Feuds"
2010 SINGLE: "SIDESWAY" from upcoming LP release STREAMING ON www.mollyradio.com
September 25th 2010: LP - KID ROBOT released
Photos
Bio
13 Cent Bob is an American funk and hip-hop group that formed in 1996 in Seattle, Washington. Their name, 13 Cent Bob, was prompted by several encounters with a local legendary Seattle homeless man named Bob, who would notoriously ask people for 13 cents. Vocalist Andrew “Onedee” Wunderlich, met chief songwriter and guitarist Scott Craig while both were attending The Art Institute of Seattle. Soon after, the pair joined forces with bassist Andrew “Tha Dogg” Stratton, Brent “B.A. Baracus” Barnett (drums), and Casey “SpaceCase” Nefcy (DJ) who completed the original lineup.
Combining influences such as Run-D.M.C., The Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, 311, Jamiroquai, and late 70’s funk acts such as Parliament Funkadelic, 13 Cent Bob’s sound embodies a unique blend of funky rhythms, hip hop beats and textured jazzy guitars.
After a year of playing extensive gigs at local Seattle spots such as The Crocodile Café, 13 Cent Bob accumulated a large underground following on the west coast, and recorded their debut album, “The Sweet Life” in 1997.
The band went on hiatus in 1999, then re-formed under the name “Juice” in Portland, Oregon. They recorded a 3-song EP titled “Just a Sip” but a change in their musical approach soon short-circuited the band’s fresh start and what once looked promising imploded into the ashes.
It wasn’t until the summer of 2009 that a simple phone call between Onedee & Dr. C would set the wheels in motion on what would become an amazing resurrection. Deciding to put aside past differences and follow their dreams, the band rose like a phoenix from the ashes. Going back to their roots and original name, 13 Cent Bob formed again and recorded their best work to date, an album about never, ever giving up and following your passion, “King Robot.”
Today the band resides in Vancouver, Washington where Onedee and Dr. C opened up a professional recording studio and work as producers under the name “The Digital Gorillas.” With new members Nick “The Kid” Vigo on drums, and Jeremy “Sticky Fingers” Knuth on keyboards, the band is hitting the peaks only dreamed about years earlier. They have gained much notoriety for their incredibly creative and fun live shows, incorporating choreographed dancers “The Bobcat Divas” and a little person in a robot costume who greets the crowd.
After all the struggles 13 Cent Bob has had to overcome during the years, it’s amazing the band is more vital and influential as they’ve ever been. They are an inspiration to all, a role model for never giving up on yourself or your dreams. They have overcome enormous odds and are still fighting every day for their true passion, which is playing music together.
13 Cent Bob is promoting their new release “King Robot” which is available on iTunes and other digital stores as well as several northwest regional record stores. Their first single “Up in the Air” is at #48 on the alternative hip-hop charts on Soundclick. They have also had their song “Strip City” selected to be included in a national soundtrack to the movie “Stripperland.” They have been heard on VH1’s “All-Access Celebrity Feuds” and had their music video for “I Love New York” produced by Jill Solz of VH1. With extensive gigging in the Pacific Northwest and a scheduled West Coast tour in the near future, there is no limit to the heights this band can reach, especially after the hard years spent crawling up from the bottom.
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