Ghost of the Robot

THE BAND

From 2002 to 2004, James was a member of the band Ghost of the Robot, along with Charlie DeMars (lead guitar), Steve Sellers (keyboard and guitar), Aaron Anderson (drums) and Kevin McPherson (bass). In 2004, Aaron left the band and was replaced by Sean Hutchinson.

In late 2010, the band reformed — Charlie De Mars, Kevin McPherson, Jordan Latham and Sullivan Marsters (James' son) — and played a few gigs. Since then, the band has released the albuns B-Sider and Murphy's Law.

[Gigs]

How They Met

Charlie DeMars and Aaron Anderson were in a band called Soccer Hooligans; after recording a CD, they split up. Next, Charlie and Aaron formed a band called Power Animal, along with other musicians, till Charlie decided to leave Sacramento and the band to go to Los Angeles and help his step-brother Steven McPherson to make an original soundtrack. In LA, Charlie met James, who lived near his house, and they started playing the guitar and writing music together. Soon, they were performing at 14 Bellow; it didn't take long for them to form the Ghost of the Robot.

What does Ghost of the Robot mean?

It's a metaphor, it's talking about how, often in life, things happen to you, where your ghost, the real you — kind of goes away. If that happens, you're a robot and you're pretty much defenceless. If your ghost comes back it can be very horrible and painful, but you can be reclaimed and not be empty and hollow. It's just a highfaluting way of talking about your soul, really! (James - SFX)

The best argument to convince the audience that we are not just a freak show, or a celebrity show, is to play them the music; and quite frankly, once we do that... get'em in the venue, and then start playing the music, and you get the converts. Half audience are people who have seen the show (BtVS) and are ready to erupt at anything, and I love that, and there's half the audience who are at the back going "Bring it on." And it's wonderful to see them start moving, and by the end of the show they're going, "YEAH!" (James - SFX - 2003)

NEWS

Ghost of the Robot No More

To all fans of the band Ghost of the Robot,

After two great years of music making and touring I have decided to dissolve the band Ghost of the Robot. This was not an easy decision to make but one that was thought out thoroughly with consideration to you, the amazing fans and my amazing band mates. There are no bad feelings or creative differences that lead to this decision. I have always given 100% of myself to my craft and I felt that the band and the fans would suffer now that I will be devoting all my time to new film and television projects since "Buffy" and "Angel" are no longer in production. Please know how much I have appreciated everyone's support of me and of the band. I hope that you will continue to support me in my future film and television projects. This decision will not affect me participating in or attending any conventions. I love the feedback I get from my fans and look forward the next time I
see you.

All my best,
James Marsters

Charlie DeMars' message:

Much to your surprise as well as mine the band Ghost of the Robot created by me and James Marsters is no longer. Although I do not agree I must respect the decisions made by my fellow band member. My aspiration in life is to rock as hard as possible in every aspect of entertainment, I will continue to do so and I hope that you will all join me as I hope you will go on and support everyone in the band in whatever they decide to do. I leave you but only for a moment with the lyrics to a song by a band called Power Animal. Some of you might remember them as the group that turned into Ghost of the Robot, some of you may not. I thank you all for your continued support and I thank you for giving me the chance to bleed...

Hear we bleed

We see you, seem so far away.
We hide it, in our own little way.
We want to, go so far away.

Is this what you wanted?
Is this what you bleed?
Did you take for granted, this means everything?

So hear we go,
So far away.

Is this what you wanted?
Is this what you bleed?
Did you take for granted, this means everything?

We see your expressions,
We feel how you care,
We notice your motions,
And where you hold your stare.

So hear we go,
So far away,
We'll never know,
Just what to say.

You never,
I never,
You'll never,
We'll never. know.

We thank you for giving us the chance to
bleed....................................through.
All the other lines, they should have been mine.

And now it's our time to rise up, to the challenge. YEAH!!!

Regret you, and do it everyday,
They left you in a shallow grave,
You like this or go so far away.

Charlie DeMars

Steven Sellers' message:

You've all been so great over the years and I consider myself lucky to have met such an interesting group of people. I am happy to say that I consider a lot of you as new friends. It would be a shameful to let all of this "dissolve".

Charlie and I have had a plan B for quite some time now so here it comes...

Gods of the Radio has a new website nearly completed. Our new self titled album should be done by the end of summer and ready for fall with perhaps, a single some time soon. We will now be able to go full throttle with the music. Kevin will of course be with us Sean however, will not.

I don't mind that James has gone in pursuit of acting though, I do find his official posting on the subject quite selfish.

After the New York shows I went to Bad Lauterberg, Germany for a week only to come back and find his posting on our website with no prior notification.

We hope that you will continue to support the music and enjoy it as much as we do making it for you.

Many Thanks.

-Steven Sellers

Ghost of the Robot attended An Audience With James Marsters at The Mermaid Conference and Events Centre in London, on May 15, 2004.

[Report 1]
[Report 2]
[Pics 1]
[Pics 2]
[Pics 3]
[Pics 4]
[Pics 5]

Ghost of the Robot attended An Audience With James Marsters at the Crowne Plaza Berlin City Centre, in Germany, on May 9, 2004.

[Q&A]
[Report]

Ghost of the Robot took over live radio station FCUK, whose studio is based in the windows of the FCUK store in Regent Street, in London, on May 3, 2004. The band played as well as talked about their European gigs, their music and their forthcoming album.

[Pics 1]
[Pics 2]
[Pics 3]

Ghost of the Robot performed their new song It's Nothing on [The Sharon Osbourne Show], on April 28, 2004.

[Pics]

LYRICS

Good Night Sweet Girl
Charlie DeMars

Are we done for now,
or is this for good,
Will there be something in time?
With us there should.

Only girl for me is you
There can be no other one
If I didn't have faith
I would come undone

So much promise in your eyes
seems that I can only see
It always makes me wonder
if you save it all for me

Maybe you do
Maybe you don't
Maybe you should
Probably won't

'cause there will be

There will be other guys
who will whisper in your ear
say they'll take away your sadness
and your fears

They may be kind and true
they may be good for you
but they'll never care for you
more than I do

I'll be always there
there to the end
I can't do much
but be your one true friend

To the end
Through the end
Our lives to spend
With each other till the end
Of time

Still see the promise in your eyes
and still wonder if it's for me
But I know it's still there
even when you sleep

So I say, good night sweet girl

Valerie
Steven Sellers

Got an old Smiths' record
and I put it on endlessly.
To mourn a lethal fascination
with a girl named Valerie.
She got a XXX rating
and maybe someday she'd have married me.
But, she was born to keep me waiting.
Her name was Valerie.
With a little more time, I was thinking
we could've worked my hooks into you.
Over a recent complication
I came to find that she'd tired of me.
She wrote the book of Revelations.
Her name was Valerie.
With a little more time, I was thinking
we could've worked my life around you.
With a little more time...

David Letterman
Charlie DeMars

Wouldn't it be nice, if I could be, David Letterman?
Wouldn't in be rad, if I could be, your favorite TV personality?
Wouldn't it be sweet, if I could laugh you to sleep, five nights a week?
And I try as hard as I can, but I could never be David Letterman...
I know he knows you look up to him, but you don't visit his sleep,
I know I know this is what I missed, your eyes are just for me, really don't see how we could be, I still put trust in fate, it's something slow that I don't know so I say...
Wouldn't it be nice, if I could be, David Letterman?
Wouldn't in be rad, if I could be, your favorite TV personality?
Wouldn't it be sweet, if I could laugh you to sleep, five nights a week?
And I try as hard as I can, but I could never be David Letterman...

German. Jewish.
Charlie DeMars

I'm German, you're Jewish
How could we ever make it through this?
I've got this problem, that seems to linger
Every time I find myself around your finger
This would make more sense, in another time
Not in America where we're westernized
But if we were, what would I do
What would I have said to what we've gone through?
War won't stop me, I'm no Nazi
That's why i'd never tell
If you were fighting, surviving hiding
Behind an old bookshelf
I'm German, you're Jewish
How could we ever make it through this?
I've got this problem, that seems to linger
Every time I find myself around your finger
you've always been above, in some higher class
i'm just a small rock star, you're an actress
what could i say, to ever prove to you
that there can be a love between a German and a Jew?
War won't stop me, I'm no Nazi
That's why i'd never tell
If you were fighting, surviving hiding
Behind an old bookshelf...

Vehicles Shock Me
Aaron Anderson

So you caught me all alone
Did you think I'd care at all
Now I'm sitting by the phone
Waiting for you to call

It rang a million times
Before I picked it up
I wear a stupid smile
Saying that I'm stuck
The effervescent beauty of a face so thin
All the stupid questions
Well they did me in

Who was I to think to tell
You drove her to uh oh oh
Fake plastic trees are dead
Have a good time when you fall

Everything
Is upside down
Everything
Is over now

It rang a million times
When you lied to me
It rang a million times
When you lied
It rang a million times
It rang a million times
It rang a million times
It rang a million times

It's your birthday
And I'm not there
Because you don't even
Know that I'm here
Fake trees you
Plant behind you
When it's me there
Right beside you
I'm the shade that
Creeps your shoulder
When it hides your face from me

I Can't get over
Can't get under
Can't get around or
Through to you

Everything
Is over now

Mefiant
Steven Sellers

It's not fair ya know
When you're the only one in tune.
It's not fair my love
When you're not broken hearted too.
It's not fair anymore...
All the schemes that you dream about
Won't matter at all when you wake up alone.
And if she really haunts you now
Just pick up the phone.. but, you know you won't.
It's not fair ya know
When you're the only one in tune.
It's not fair my love
When you're not broken hearted too.
It's not fair anymore...

Sounds Like a Personal Problem
Charlie DeMars

What is this crap, I'm going through,
where am I at, and who are you,
to make me feel, like I'm so scared,
caught me off-guard, was not prepared,
for you,
so smart, so cool,
to me,
life seems, it shouldn't be this way.
So here I am, and there you are,
sitting so close, feeling so far,
from me and I, can't figure out,
what I should say, what's this about,
to you,
to smart, to cool,
for me,
life seems, it shouldn't be this way...

Good Night Sweet Girl
by: Charlie DeMars
Are we done for now,
Or is this for good,
Will there be something in time?
With us there should.
Only girl for me is you
There can be no other one
If I didn't have faith
I would come undone
So much promise in your eyes
Seems that I can only see
It always makes me wonder
If you save it all for me
Maybe you do
Maybe you don't
Maybe you should
Probably wont...
Because there will be...
There will be other guys
Who will whisper in your ear
Say they'll take away you sadness
And your fears
They may be kind and true
They may be good for you
But they'll never care for you
More than I do
I'll be always there
There to the end
I can't do much
But be your one true friend
To the end
Through the end
Our lives to spend
With each other till the end
Of time...
Still see the promise in your eyes
And still wonder if it's for me
But i know it's still there
Even when you sleep
So I say, good night sweet girl

The End
Charlie DeMars

Once upon a time
Spent just one night
still never feeling the same
It took someone like you
To get me through
All my troubled minds

Know you understand
Didn’t mean to cut your hands
All your beautiful words
I don’t deserve
You and all the great things you do
Be happy ever after

It’s over before it begins
Touched your hands they bled
Moved to fast
They said
Alone just like before
Can’t take this anymore
I need to know

Know you understand
Didn’t mean to cut your hands
All your beautiful words
I don’t deserve
You and all the great things you do
Be happy ever after

In the end
In the end
In the end!!! Top of Form 1
Bottom of Form 1

Call 911
Charlie DeMars

No longer shines on your side
Remember this cold
When the fog won’t lift in your town
And you turn old
I heard you killed your only friend last year
You’re such a disease
You can buy your other friends
But you can’t buy me

Chorus

Disarm, can you hear the British ambulance
Breaking down, trick, bomb still goes
Tick tick time on by, watching me explode
When did I create you?
Did you ever destroy me?
Can this be settled with questions?
I can’t think of anything.
I’m just a little boy with an untrained voice
But I have cannons for arms
I play the guitar and songs
With hidden missiles and bombs

Liar
Charlie DeMars

I don't mean to sound mean when I talk about the day
I believed every single word she say but
Things change like she changed
Some things not the same
Found the things she said and did do
Were never true cause.

She's a liar
Who wont expire
Fools with desire
Leaves you behind

She didn't break me
She said "cant you see
We could never be
Because you're crazy"

Sure I'm crazy only crazy thinking she could change forever
She would lie even if the truth sounded better
You never tell someone you love them, when they love you cause
They will die when they hear the truth

She's a liar
Who won't expire
Fools with desire
Leaves you behind
She's a liar
She's a liar
She's a liar

It's Nothing
Charlie DeMars

Come on, quickly catch me
You really are the best thing
That has happened to me
Since 1983

You buy into the views
Of the Hollywood feuds
Kick your feet up
Watch the world fall

You say it's nothing on your mind
It's something
Nothing ever stays forever
When you gonna give me a call?

Because you don't know what to do
You follow men in suits
Who tell you everything is so cool

Don't act dumb
I know where you're coming from
From the magazines
Oh you demographic teen

The statistics are your sickness
Oh, I need a witness
Why can't anybody else see?

You say it's nothing on your mind
It's something
Nothing ever stays forever
When you gonna give me a call?

Because you don't know what to do
You follow men in suits
Who tell you everything is so cool

I want more than this
Something without tricks
Something of my own

I want you to see
Something more than dreams
Fed intravenously
By the TV screen

Sure they flash and gleam
Think nothing what it seems
Is this really what you wanted
After all