NADA ROBOT Interview with Addam Farmer, producer / founding member / bassist NADA ROBOT
December (1999)
Interview conducted November 24, 2020
By Dan Locke
ADA ROBOT was founded by husband/wife team Addam & Mia Farmer, shortly followed by the addition of brothers Heath & Austin Farmer. The band is greatly influenced by Talking Heads, The Beach Boys, Muse, & Daft Punk.
What is your upbringing?
Addam Farmer: Just to get it all out on the table: Nada Robot is a family band. My name is Addam Farmer, producer/ bass player. Our lead singer, Mia Farmer, is my wife. The other band members are my brothers, Austin & Heath Farmer.
My brothers and I grew up in Irvine, California (a suburb of Orange County), and Mia grew up in Burbank. We all participated in our school musicals, orchestra, jazz band, choir, drama, etc. We were all very lucky to have amazing programs with extremely competent faculty.
What is it like growing up backstage of a Beach Boy Concert? How often did you hang out with Brain Wilson?
Those experiences had a dramatic impact on our approach to music. Both of our uncles Terry & Chris Farmer played with the surf group “Jan & Dean” in the late 80s, followed by Uncle Chris continuing on with the Beach Boys in the 90s and 2000s. We would sometimes be brought out on stage to sing “Barbara Ann” with all the other Beach Boys kids. It led to an immediate appreciation for artists like The Four Freshmen and The Beatles, and really a general open-mindedness to experiment in ways that may not feel so “mainstream.”
Brian Wilson was touring with his solo project during those years, so we weren’t around him during those years. We got to meet him ONCE backstage at the Hollywood Bowl later in his career- it was an honor!
How did you discover music?
For the Farmer brothers, music is a part of our family. As other family members had made a profession out of it, there was no question that it could become a career. For Mia, she comes from a family of actors who are also extremely musical, so they were very supportive of her with her musical aspirations.
How was it to work for Disney? You were in two different parks. How did you meet?
Working for Disneyland was quite an experience. My brothers & I played in Tomorrowland Terrace at Disneyland Anaheim before while it became the Star Wars stage, so for me (as a Star Wars fan) it was a dream come true. We became friends with the Jedi, and even crossed paths a few times with Darth Maul.
Mia was flown to Hong Kong Disneyland to perform for a few years in their Christmas celebrations, which led to some other amazing opportunities over there.
Hong Kong Disneyland is fascinating – it is similar to the US parks but has some key differences. It would take too long for me to write about it in this interview. Perhaps I will touch on that in a live video 🙂
How did you start to write music?
We started writing music in middle school. I formed my own band called “Us Against the World.” Heath had a band called “Edge of the World” (we took ourselves very seriously). We experimented with post-emo rock…heavier stuff. This led to more experimentation with other genres.
NADA ROBOT is a family project. How did you start it?
We have all played together in various capacities, whether it be touring with other bands, television music production, or on stage in musical productions. Since we have been locked away from live events during the pandemic, it made sense to push Nada Robot since we had more time to work together in the studio now, as a family.
Why NADA ROBOT for the name?
I came up with the name one day while literally proving I wasn’t a robot. The online world is so inundated with bots and fraud that the “not a robot” captcha has become a determining factor in what is real vs. fake. The play on words with “Nada Robot” was perfect for the band as it really relates to how we approach our music. December (1999) is a good example of this; we have thick, un-tuned, Beach Boys harmonies that weave in and out throughout the song, but in the bridge, we jam them through auto-tune, which is then followed by a throw-back guitar solo. We want our music to feel classic and nostalgic, but also utilize (and kind of comment on) the technology available to us.
Describe your music.
We are extremely influenced by The Beach Boys, Beastie Boys, B-52’s, David Bowie, Muse, and Daft Punk. We love the intensity & energy of bands like “Twenty-One Pilots”, but also love the finesse of bands like “bird & the bee.” We don’t place limits on our creative process, but are very purposeful in the later stages of production to make sense of the broader sonic picture.
What was your first performance like?
Although we’ve played festivals in other bands for the past 10 years, unfortunately, due to COVID-lockdowns, we haven’t had the opportunity to play in person yet as Nada Robot, but we look forward to our first live performance in early Spring 2021!
What makes a good songwriter?
Honestly, I think that it is up to interpretation. As long as you are creating something, and people are responding, who’s to say what’s “good”? Music is not an objective art. Yes, there are common patterns that people respond to, but in the end, it is a collection of one or more sounds that someone CHOOSES to listen to.
A good songwriter is someone who makes connections with people – that’s it.
Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association?
Some of us are with ASCAP and others are with BMI.
What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?
Our first original song was “Got It Good,” and it started out as a TV demo for a cruise line commercial. It was the experimental soundscape for NADA ROBOT.
Why did you write “December 1999” about Y2K, over 21 years after the fact?
December (1999) was first written in 2008 by me & my brother for our old band “The Bolts.” Back then we were dealing with the financial crisis (the Great Recession of 2008), and people were losing their jobs left and right. It felt a lot like the Y2K crisis, but even more dire. We never ended up recording “December” and it just sat in our demo bank for years.
This year, the world has dealt with significant blows related to COVID-19. We felt it was more important than ever to produce & record the song, regardless of how popular it would become.
Amongst the chaos of Y2K and the potential of failing machinery (related to programming dates/internal clocks in computer systems), humanity banded together to find solutions. Humanity still had hope and a motivation to push forward.
Now that we are dealing with a biological threat, we once again are seeing humanity push forward to create significant change and solve a debilitating crisis. I absolutely believe there was no better time than now to release the song.
What were you doing on NYE 1999/2000?
We were kids at the time, and there was a ton of fear being thrown at us left and right. We had our lives in front of us, but you couldn’t help but still dream about the future, regardless of an “impending apocalypse.” I hope that same sentiment can be shared today.
What is your favorite track on the album?
My favorite track of ours so far is “(December) 1999” because of all those reasons. The track turned out better than I even expected.
How do you stay healthy while touring?
Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to tour this year. While touring in other bands previously, it’s important to maintain a healthy diet as it’s super easy to fall back on fast food.
What are you’re feeling about streaming music?
Streaming platforms are here to stay – there is no fighting it. It helps stop piracy because it’s so much more convenient to pay a small amount each month to have all your music/playlists available all the time, regardless of device availability. While I would personally like to see an increase in streaming revenue for artists, the balance must be found to keep these companies afloat.
How can people forget about the origin hashtag # Sharp in a musical score?
They shouldn’t!
Digital vs. vinyl?
I love the convenience of digital streaming. The problem is, people are not willing to invest in the proper speaker setup to truly hear the differences between vinyl vs. digital. If the setup is accurate, then the listening experience with vinyl wins out 100% of the time.
Is there 2 United States?
I don’t know about that. I think there are actually 100+ United States as people have deeper, more sophisticated viewpoints than the media lets on. I think it’s important to recognize that contrasting opinions often lead to smart compromises, paving the way for effective solutions.
What is the mental health situation of the United States? How can the public help the doctors and nurses on the front line?
I am not a health professional, but I believe the mental health situation is deteriorating, both from the virus’s direct effects and the economic/social impacts of lockdowns. I am praying for everyone, especially our health workers on the front lines!
What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?
Beastie Boys “Intergalactic” is so nasty and awesome. We try to bring that raw grit into Nada Robot. There is a sense of playfulness that is undeniably freeing.
Both Pfizer and BioNTech have conclude Phase 3 Study of the Coronavirus vaccine. With the vaccine it takes two shots. How many people do you think will take it and how many will forget to take the second shot?
This is an interesting question. As I said before, I’m not qualified to answer the question. I hope people will take both doses so we can get this thing over with.
Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
I am very optimistic about the future. I think this year will be “the year of perspective.” In the end, I believe people will cherish the moments of live performance even more than they did before. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
We’ve been continuing to work on new material and develop ideas. We’re just trying to make the best out of a terrible situation.
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
My wife and I have had a lot more time together, so in addition to the music, we’ve been getting extremely good at Mario Kart & Super Smash Bros.! My wife also loves Animal Crossing and has been selling many flowers & bugs to the evil raccoon.
95% of people said that they have changed the way they watch television. This includes people who don’t have television and using their computers to do streaming of programs and movies. Which is your favorite streaming channel?
I think Disney+ has absolutely hit it out of the park with “The Mandalorian.” It’s my favorite platform just for that show.
Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses.
The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will include [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only.
How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?
Clearly the laws around copyright and live-streaming are broken. When artists are getting hit for playing their own recorded material, there is a problem. I hope that Facebook, Twitch and the other leading livestream services are developing better ways to deal with this issue that are inhibiting artists abilities to perform.
How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merch to them at the show?
I believe bands have to engage more with fans online and keep a steady stream of content. Live, in-person shows are vital to connecting with fans and cannot be replaced by virtual streaming, so the reality is we’re dealing with a piecemeal situation until a vaccine is widely distributed and people feel safe to come out again.
Is pay-to-play still a thing? Now pay to play also means thinks like playlist on the internet?
Pay-to-play seems to still be a thing, and unfortunately, it seems it’s more widespread than ever. Now, scammers are rampantly targeting people who want to engage in pay-to-play. If you are an artist, be aware of people “guaranteeing” plays for your song – those are fake bot plays that will mess up your chances of being discovered by fans of music similar to yours (via the algorithmic placements).
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
It’s crazy that this is even a topic of discussion! While living room holographic concerts are super cool, I still think it won’t ever replace the live, in-person experience.
If you can’t do music what would you like to be doing?
We are interested in multiple arts, including film & theater. However, I am also very taken with the developing field of blockchain technology.
Anything you would like to say in closing.
During this difficult time, just get through it. If you are suffering as a result of this COVID-19 situation, do what you need to do to just get to the next day. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
And thanks so much to UnRated Magazine for having us!! You rock! Thank you for pushing forward in making this content available for us during these difficult times.
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