Bobgoblin

Inspired by a vast array of musical styles including punk, post-punk, new-wave, 70s glam-rock, prog rock, and even orchestral music, BOBGOBLIN began to act on their inspirations in Denton, Texas in the early 90s, soon after lead vocalist/keyboardist Hop Litzwire and drummer Rob Avsharian met at the University of North Texas. After bassist Hech MaHech andf guitarist Lech Vogner helped get the concept off the ground, personell changes led to guitarist/bassist Tony Jannotta joining Litzwire and Avsharian in 1994. The angular, tight, and aggressively melodic BOBGOBLIN sound, along with a socially-conscious and satirical ideology, was then set. Aided by the strength of their intense performances, their visual concepts, and their 1994 independent release JET, the band was soon signed to a major-label. After the group recorded their major-label debut, The 12 Point Master Plan, guitarist Jason Weisenberg joined the band, and they excitedly hit the road in support of their new release. Though the experience in the corporate music business had some advantages, disagreement with the label over how the record and the band's concepts were being utilized, along with disagreement over the quality of the second recording, led to the termination of BOBGOBLIN's collaboration with the label. The group then started a new project under the moniker AOJ, or Adventures of Jet (a reference to the group's first independent release). Bolstered by the collaboration with My Records - Lagwagon front-man Joey Cape's new label - the first AOJ record, Part 3: Coping with Insignificance, met with a moderate amount of worldwide acclaim. Inspired by the group's negative experiences in the corporate music world, Coping further showcased the band's ability to put insightful lyrics to infectious melodies and surround them with rich, powerful guitar sounds and distinctive keyboard counter-melodies. Following Coping, the band parted ways with Weisenberg, and Jannotta went back to assuming the roles of both guitarist and bassist. Litzwire, Avsharian and Jannotta continued on with another conceptually-minded AOJ record - Muscle. Equating early muscle cars with the band's advancing age and natural inclination toward nostalgia, Muscle used car songs from the 60s as inspiration for the sound and tone of the record. Though it was not as well-received with critics, some fans count the theatrical Muscle as a favorite among the group's collection. Following tours in support of AOJ's first two records was a fairly dormant period; the band played a few BOBGOBLIN "reunion" shows while each individual ventured into a number of separate creative endeavors and along new paths in life. However, the political and economic environment of the mid to late 2000s compelled the band to return to the original BOBGOBLIN concept and to the influences that led to their union several years before. Though the group went on a tear in terms of writing material that expressed their opinions on a number of issues - from class inequality to corporate invasiveness - the now long-distance friendship among the band's members has resulted in a more gradual pace to the latest releases.. Their nearly complete LP collection, Love Lost for Blood Lust, is available in its current, nearly-complete state through many outlets including via this website, while their nostalgic, classic-arcade tribute EP is being held until full completion. Already at work on another LP, the group also drops the occasional single - including the recently released "PLAY" - while they work toward their many musical and visual goals. As energetic and intense onstage as ever, BOBGOBLIN plans a few short tours every year, continuing the rock and roll ride they started over 20 years ago.