Science Fact: Robot /Man - Exoskeleton

     FROM AMAZING SCIENCE FICTION TO SCIENCE FACT! 

The robot exoskeleton and giant mecha warriors, previously the exclusive domain of sci-fi pulp magazines, comics, ambitious Japanese animae and cinema, are now active development projects with functional prototypes. It's all here in this month's robotic feature.  From the serious and militant to a "big kid's" toy for those who can afford the price tag, from the deadly serious to the patently absurd, or artistically odd and even a dose of downright silly just for fun;)

If I didn't know better, I'd think we were preparing for some kind of Mech-War!





I think this guy he thinks he's Tony Stark;)



How do you get this damn thing on the tour bus?



Save up your pennies and platinum for this 300,000 dollar gem;)




Ok, Ok ...It's silly as all get out...But man what a lot of work and fun it must have been to put that costume together, he better just hope it doesn't rain...



Till next time, keep well oiled;)
See ya again, same robot time, same robot channel.

Guns, Girls, and Giant monsters - Assault Girls - Another Mamoru Oshii TKO

I think I love this movie and I haven't even seen it yet.

Here's why:

Did I mention, this movie has it all! The 3 Gs: Guns, Girls, and Giant Monsters. Don't know that I need to say more, but for those that need convincing, take into account that it is a Mamoru Oshii film ( The same guy responsible for the groundbreaking "Ghost in the Shell", Avalon, and perhaps less well known, but no less intriguing and bizarre "The Red Spectacles" (1987). The music was done by Kenji Kawai. http://www.kenjikawai.com

In case you are not convinced yet:

Check out the trailer:

"Assault Girls" is scheduled for a 12/19/09 Japanese release. I can't wait to get it here!

Horror and SciFi writer, Robert Hood usually beats me to the punch on these hot new films, I just toss one or two in that really strike my fancy. You can check out his fine blog @ http://undeadbrainspasm.blogspot.com

Rise of the Retrobots Update and blog notes

Rise of the Retrobots Update for 07/10/09

Greetings Robot, Monster, and Music Freaks & Connoisseurs,
This update is a personal note to inform everyone of the status of the Rise of the Retrobots project, The Monster Makers Lab and the Nightmare Sound Blog.
I have received several excellent contacts with interested Artists some of whom are busy working hard and some even having already submitted tracks which have proven qualified to be eligible for selection.
All three of these projects were launched simultaneously this June (2009) in a fit of ambition and artistic passion. There are still some communication and networking structures I need to establish to make this easier for me to communicate with all participants (and potential participants and sponsors) so that I don't have to spend all my time re-iterating the same ideas via different forums/formats and individual emails. So bear with me and please participate in the alignment as the infrastructure gets molded to make this all smooth and easy.
What is in place currently is as follows:

I have already established a decent FTP solution for submissions, important file exchanges, and
Artists who want to collaborate. The details of which will be provided as I get contact from the individual Artists.
To help centralize communications, please send all correspondence and inquiries to:
retrobots@nightmaresound.com

Postings of latest news and instructions on compilation project are available at:
RISE OF THE RETROBOTS OFFICIAL SITE UPDATES
http://nightmaresoundlab.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/monstermakerslab/

In addition to some duplicate Blog info and updates, some sample excerpts of the types of tracks and other media that will be on this project is available at:
RISE OF THE RETROBOTS on MySpace
(Currently there is 1 sample available: "Kill Robots Rise")...More examples will be added as submissions are completed and accepted.

Because of the greater scope, the uniqueness, and complexity of this multi-media compilation project, I am still in the process of honing down the best system and guidelines to bring everything together smoothly and create an enormously cool project we can all be proud of. My sincerest wish is that all who choose to participate and can contribute a quality piece and/or some assistance promoting the project will be able to use this project as their own promotional tool and have an excellent creative experience.

Of course, all my regular work and pursuit of paying prospects must continue right alongside these projects that I foster out of love for the subject matter and the collaboration involved.
I am currently wrapped up in a critical phase of screenwriting with a partner where some deadlines are involved, so I may be a bit sparse with updates and communications over the next 2 weeks in July, but please sign on to publicly follow the Nightmare Sound Lab Blog to keep posted and informed, and to be eligible for contests.
NEW CONTEST WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON! SO KEEP YOUR EYES PEALED
I will do my best to keep things coming and keepin it fresh and exciting!
Keep those submission ideas coming!
Thanks!

T. Reed - TAO X Productions - Nightmare Sound Laboratory

They're Here! "The Outer Space Men" in the 21st Century.

Just received this blast from the past. These are probably some of the first really cool action figures ever! Created by Mel Birnkrant, they came and went just a couple years before I would have been old enough to appreciate them, but they are cool designs even to this day. The 2nd series (unfortunately left un-produced in the 1960's) is even better! Well it appears that new blood has infused "The Outer Space Men" with a second resurrection of the line as both a Graphic Novel and a new collectible toy series. Best of luck to everyone at OSM!

http://www.theouterspacemen.com/

You can check out their Blog at:

http://theouterspacemen.blogspot.com/

Humans Only!

On a recent trip to San Francisco to do some recording, I noticed these AWESOME 'Humans Only' signs at the Bus Stops! That of course elicited a look at the D-9 website they list at the bottom of the poster. Turns out it's Peter Jackson's latest, "District 9" coming out August 14th 2009. Their website www.d-9.com and viral campaign are pretty cool, so here's to hoping this will be a movie every bit as cool as the promotions promise.

Welcome to the Nightmare Sound Laboratory

King Komodo/Cryotanks Image by Todd Tennant used with permission

I'd like to begin with a brief introduction and a story to help you make sense of the many oddities you will doubtless encounter herein. My name is T. Reed and I am a Composer, Music Producer and Artist. This affliction possessed me as a small child infatuated with horror movies, and obsessed with comics, monsters and robots (Oh how little has changed;). I believe I can pinpoint the exact moment in time when my course and purpose was set and permanently engraved upon my soul much like the Curse of the Werewolf that was placed upon Lawrence Talbot in the old Saturday Night creep shows.
At age two, I drew pictures of Batman and declared that I would be an Artist when I grew up, but it was Kindergarten, the ultimate horror story for some, destroyer of youth and innocence, that pushed me into what I am today. In my first encounter with the agencies of conformity and assimilation, I remember nothing of note upon that day until, much to my surprise and wonder, the teacher announced that we were all going to take a trip to the laboratory. As we walked in an orderly fashion down the halls, I envisioned a room with scales, skulls and bones, vials of glowing substances, and beakers of preserved specimens and creatures of unknown origin. I could see a mad scientist suspiciously similar to Boris Karloff in appearance, teaching Mad Science 101 in the Science Lab in my minds eye. On that first day of school, I was launched into society, into the Belly of the Beast, and for one brief shining moment I had hope for a life of excitement and joy. So this was School, eh? AWESOME! This momentary ecstasy was of course merely the product of my imaginings and shattered into pieces on the cold tile floor of the hallway that we seemed to have stopped in inexplicably.
As I waited patiently, I noticed that little by little, the teacher was allowing students to use the bathrooms. "Ah, I see, I told myself, a pit stop on the way to the 'real' laboratory" but even then, a sinking feeling had begun to build in the pit of my stomach that I just couldn't shake. It was confirmed when we turned around and walked back the way we'd come. Who came up with the word 'Lavatory' anyway, and when were we, (as 5 year olds), supposed to have assimilated that word? All I know is that those 8 letters spelled my first great disillusionment. Welcome to the 'real world': disappointment, misunderstanding, boredom, and waiting in line to crap out numbers and yesterdays food products....It was then, that somewhere deep inside, I cracked and made a solemn unspoken oath to fulfill the imaginary world of Laboratories and Mad Scientists I had envisioned waiting in that hallway. That hallway that crushed my childhood and my dreams in one fell swoop, also swung wide the doorway to my imagination.
I now open that door to you.
Never again will you have to face the annoying disappointment of utilitarian blandness! Here at the Nightmare Sound Laboratory there is a monster in every room and a robot doorman to guide the way. Mad science is the only science studied here, and outlandish sonic experiments are the rule and not the exception.
Welcome to my World.

T. Reed - Composer, Music Producer, Artist
King Komodo/Cryotanks Image by Todd Tennant used with permission