Rise of the Speedmen is the brainchild of just one man, San Diego native Gene Padigos Jr.. An evocative investigation into electronic sound, ROTS seems to have opened a pandoras box of digital sound bites. Placed cleverly amidst alluring guitar melodies and tangible drum loops this experiment in sound becomes startlingly accessible. Padigos began playing piano at age 10, and soon found himself enrolled in a performing arts school where he received classical training in the cello and string bass. One day on his motorcycle, Padigos had an encounter with a drunk driver, or more aptly with the hood of his car. The ensuing insurance settlement led to padigos’ first major musical purchase: a tascam 8 track. Thus began the Rise of the Speedmen. Playing each instrument himself, Padigos passed countless hours in his garage creating lo-fi compositions and developing his indie/post rock sound. His influences included My Bloody Valentine, the Smiths, David Bowie, and Guided by Voices. In 2000, Padigos relocated to Hawaii and quickly immersed himself in its budding electronic scene. Djing for underground clubs, the breadth of his musical domain widened to encompass new influences like Amon Tobin, NEU! and Kraftwerk. It was here that Padigos met his other half: a laptop. Falling deep in computer love, Padigos eagerly answered his call to digital sound. The transition was a natural one, as his do it (and that means all of it) yourself approach became much more realistic. Suddenly he could orchestrate, manipulate, and filter the very root of sound and its placement with a simple click. Padigos returned to San Diego and his love affair intensified. new techniques and new equipment led to new levels of sound application and ingenuity. In 2005 Rise of the Speedmen finally broke out of the garage and hit the streets with its debut release “Introduction.” Padigos also hit the streets, performing throughout southern California. Electrifying performances, high critical acclaim, and international distribution produced a loyal following both at home and overseas. Ceaselessly exploring the limits of his craft padigos has continued to push the boundaries of electronic music today. He now sits poised to drop a second album, “Arrows and Bridges.” Those who know Rise of the Speedmen wait with bated breath. Everyone else will surely have their breath taken away. And its anyone’s guess what new dimensions he will reveal. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.