THE BUZZ OCT 10, 1989 Robertsons struggle for stardom on local scene

    Excitement filled the air as The Pugslies prepared for their debut performance at Club Oasis on the night of October 14, 1988. Little did the band know that something terrible and devastating would soon happen. Hoping the audience would soon begin to enjoy themselves, the band continued to play full of energy, using all the talent they had gained during those long hours of practicing.
    All of a sudden, there was silence. Not one note could be heard. The speakers completely shut off. The band members looked out at the audience just to see their blank expressions staring at them. The band stood there, embarrassed and frightened about what the audience would do to them.
    Their egos were shattered after that debut performance. It seemed as if it were the end of the world for them.
    Situations like this are normal for a band trying to become successful in the music industry. They road to success doesn't come very easy for most bands trying hard to achieve stardom, just like The Robertsons found out.
    Lead singer Jack Stamps, guitarist and back up vocalist Luis Delgado, and bass guitarist Manuel Delgado (not related to each other) played together in the East Central Marching Band, not knowing that they would venture out together to try to find their own place in the music world.
    Luis Delgado recalls the early history of The Robertsons.
    "It all started when Jack, Manuel, and I saw this cheerleader at a football game for the first time. We all thought she was so beautiful that we wrote a song about her that same night. After recording it four times, we all thought it sounded great, so naturally, we were inspired by it," said Delgado.
    The three East Central graduates with added drummer Greg Beiller, guitarist David Segal, and vocalist Gini Malav� began to write more originals and started to discover their own identity in the music world. They first began as the short-lived band called The Pugslies, a name derived from the television show "The Addams Family."
    Playing post-modern music, The Robertsons have experienced a rise in popularity at clubs all over San Antonio such as Beauregards, Alfreds and Changez. The Robertsons not only perform original material, but also sing hits from such artists as The Cult, Morrissey, R.E.M. and the Violent Femmes.
    "The music we play is really difficult to place in a category. I guess you could say we are the edge of the unacceptable. We don't like playing keyboards, we enjoy the sound of guitar much better," said Manuel Delgado.
    The band has been very optimistic about their career since the beginning. Despite their horrible experience when the power went off while playing at Club Oasis the first time, they continued to practice. Only this time as The Robertsons.
    "We decided to change our name because we wanted to start out once again from the very beginning. Jack came up with the name after he saw T.V. Evangelist Pat Robertson from the "700 Club," said Luis Delgado. "We wanted to give our audience the impression that we were like a family called The Robertsons."
    The Robertsons soon performed at a small club called Alfreds. Performing at clubs had made it easier for them to gain more fans and have confidence in their music and themselves, preparing them to perform at Changez, which became their biggest break ever.
    Unless a band breaks into a big name club, they will have more difficulty trying to get anywhere with their music and their fans. At first, we were really nervous about playing at Changez. We thought we wouldn't fit in with the crowd, but we were definitely wrong because the people there really made us feel comfortable," said Delgado.
    Changez was very important to The Robertsons' career because it introduced them to a whole new crowd besides their audiences at Alfred's and Beauregards.
    "A band shouldn't get stuck playing at the same club all the time. They have to reach a variety of people in different environments so their name can get around," said Luis Delgado.
    The original material that The Robertsons have composed has a unique style that usually reflects upon their personal and past experiences. Writing music can be very challenging for the band. It can be nerve-wracking and time consuming to come up with a song that the entire band is proud of. Stamps writes the lyrics while Luis and Manuel Delgado compose the music.
    "I want to achieve an understanding between myself and our audience," said Stamps. "I want people to listen to our music like they should look at life objectively. The lyrics basically come from inspiration, one thing I cannot write without."
    Becoming successful in the San Antonio local scene has been very difficult for The Robertsons. How did they manage to survive the hardships that come along with being in a band?
    "Focus. You have to have focus on a certain direction, or you will never get anywhere. Have fun with it," said Stamps.
    Performing for their fans means a lot to them. After all, the fans are a band's most important asset in their career. They are the ones who decide if a band can can make it or break it.
    "We are just an honest band that just wants to have fun. We want our audiences to have as much fun as we are having, performing for them," said Luis Delgado.

�Jay Gabor

SA NEWS JAN 16, 1992

    A warm welcome back is order for the prodigal sons of S.A. alternative, The Robertsons. The lads have been drawing crowds with original material this time around, though they have yet to completely shed their R.E.M. coat.
    A recent performance that kept the crowd dancing and Simon listening throughout the night ended with a truly groovy one-man encore of Seal's "Crazy." 'Twas touching.

�Simon V. Okrevz

SAN ANTONIO LIGHT JAN 24, 1992 Robertsons send fresh air into music scene

    With the demise of practically every live music venue in town, you might think that local musicians are packing up their instruments and bailing out of this sinking ship.
    But just as things were looking darkest, four bright, young and vaguely familiar faces came bouncing down St. Mary's Street, bringing with them a much needed breath of fresh air and a renewed sense of optimism for the local alternative music scene. They are the Robertsons.
    "We've been together on and off since late 1987," explains Jack Stamps, the Northern Exposuresque vocalist of the Robertsons. He is a pensive, though engaging, combination of the coolness of R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe and the quirkiness of former Talking Head David Byrne.
    "We didn't have the idea to form a band at first," explains Stamps. "We had an idea to write a song, which then gave us the idea to start a band. It was a song about a cheerleader."
    And what better impetus? Actually, there is a bit more substance to the story. Stamps, and bassist, Manuel Delgado, along with lead guitarist, Luis Delgado, all played saxophone together at East Central High School.
    "It's been frustrating because we get to a certain point, and then it's stifled by someone quitting," says Stamps. "Right now, our drummer Jason (Garner) is our biggest plus. I want to believe that the four of us can stay together and keep progressing."
    Indeed, the Robertsons are back, and seemingly with an agenda. The band has close to two hours of original material, and an independently produced EP titled, "Onethatgotaway." In addition, they have been drawing sizable audiences after having played only a few shows since their return in November.
    Yet the Robertsons are not without their critics. Because of a presumably natural (though no less deniable) likeness to the voice of Michael Stipe, Stamps and the Robertsons have yet to gain their own reputation by some standards.
    "We can't deny the influence," says Stamps, "but I resent the people who say we're copying R.E.M. They drew from Velvet Underground and the Byrds heavily, and now we're drawing from R.E.M. � it's just another evolution. But we're also influenced by groups like XTC and Frank Zappa."

�Richard Baimbridge

SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS JULY 6, 1993

    The Robertsons, a band that has, since it's inception a few years ago, shown flashes of brilliance because it mixed imagination with original music, has, of late, been absent from the alternative scene.
    That will be rectified Wednesday when the Robertsons and Bohemian Holiday, another local outfit with high style, sharp wits and cool instruments, team at Wacky's.
    Word from the front is the Robertsons have been corresponding with record producer/songwriter/etc. Kim Fowley.
    Fowley � worthy of a story or two � has been involved with a bunch of rock 'n' roll outfits, including Paul Revere & the Raiders, the Sir Douglas Quintet, the Runaways, the Hollywood Argyles and Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers. Stay tuned.

�Jim Beal, Jr.

SAN ANTONIO CURRENT APRIL 21, 1994

    BUZZING: A recorded performance isn't always the best indication of how good a band really is, but sometimes it's the only thing musical scribes have to go by, In my case, demo tapes serve as a filter, separating the wheat from the chaff when it comes time to decide how to spend my time and dinero checking out new or recycled local talent. During the past few weeks, I've received quite a few tapes from local groups in search of publicity, four of which made my "I'm curious enough to shell out a few bucks to see these bands" list. The list includes:
    Ballistic: The three original songs on Ballistic's demo may have original words, but the hard-edged, cock-rock delivery is a road well traveled � the Wanna-be Boulevard. Like most young mammals (they're all under 17 years of age) in their formative years, Tommy Munter, Lee Castro, Eric Lara, Ray Juarez, and Bob Mercier may just be emulating their elders as they search for their own identities. Even though Ballistic's music may lack originality at this stage, it's musicianship and polish can't be denied. These are talented kids. If they hang in there and don't cop a 'tude, Ballistic will give most of the local hard-rock groups a hell of a run for their money.
    Dominion: message rock that lifts itself above the message. Dominion's save-the-world lyrics are a bit too naive for a cynic like me, but the package in which the lyrics are delivered is wrapped tight. Vincent Livingston, Jim Boring, Darryl Bright, and Adel Diaz have crafted a superior five-song cassette, Calling On, that's a step above the usual college angst.
    The Robertsons: The Robertsons' self-titled 10-song cassette bodes well for the fringe-rock scene in San Antonio. A healthy dose of original tunes combined with covers (my favorite is Frank Zappa's "My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama") help make this Robertsons' sampler a welcome oasis in a desert of dreck. The Robertsons are not the most commercial band in the area � thank God � which makes it doubtful the band will ever enjoy large monetary rewards, at least locally. Unfortunately, The Robertsons may be one of those bands that has to relocate to Austin in order to be appreciated. Based on the way other local bands that have marched to a different drummer have been treated, The Robertsons may be too good for San Antonio.
    Evergreen: Once you get past vocals that combine the sounds of Maurice Gibb under real stress and John Mellencamp making goat noises, Evergreen's true gift shines through � the ability to make babble sound interesting. That may sound like a left-handed compliment, but it's meant as high praise. I happen to like babble, inventive babble like Bob Dylan used to make. Unfortunately, most of today's babble emanates from pathetic, self-indulgent, rain-soaked, Seattle-based, post-punk poseurs. Evergreen bucks this trend, and, in doing so, lifts babble back to its rightful place as a damn fine art form.

�Mike Hood