If it’s closing time at your local cantina but there are still species from all over the galaxy getting up and shaking their groove appendages, then you’ve already experienced the musical dance sensation known as The Kyberpunks. It’s not surprising that they’ve been dominating the holonet for countless rotations with their inkabungamix of funky beats, hybrid lyrics, and non-stop energy.
Growing up on the streets of the Corellian citty of Tyrena, vocalist and six-string paktoset player Trevor Veeros is accustomed to performing for crowds; he spent several years on the notoriously risky swoop racing circuit. “Racing Ubrekkian Skybirds was a thrill, but not lucrative,” he says of his eight years in various semi-pro and a few underground leagues. “And except for a few dicey gigs on Ord Mantell, singing and playing the paktoset has proven far less hazardous.”
It was during downtime between competitive events that Trevor formed a friendship with Jaad Kalen, a veteran Incom test pilot and in-demand mechanic nicknamed “The Repulsorlift Whisperer” for his uncanny ability to get even the most stubborn swoop engines running at top speed. Between races, the two bonded over music, playing Jaad’s custom synthosets while test-piloting his modified JR-4s. “We can claim the title of ‘garage band’ more than any other group,” says Jaad. “I mean, our rhythm section was built in one.”
Indeed, the percussive power behind this power trio is B3-4T, an RX-series droid rescued and reprogrammed by Jaad. “I was told the droid was irreparable, but I like a challenge,” says the seasoned engineer. “And she was definitely not factory spec when I started working on her, but that just made her even better for our music. The quirks became perks.”
B3, a passionate crusader for droid rights, not only plays multiple drum parts simultaneously but will often add synth bass lines and other melodic elements to live performances. “I’m fond of these meatbags, but honestly, they’d be lost without me as the rhythm section,” says B3. “I was literally built for this.”
In part due to their diverse backgrounds, The Kyberpunks have adopted a multi-lingual approach to their lyrics. Some songs are in Basic; some are in Huttese; some are a blend of both. “Huttese is the second most common language in the galaxy, so it just made sense,” explains Trevor, who grew up in the shadow of Groola the Hutt’s gambling hall in Tyrena. “If you want to reach the maximum amount of people, you’ve got to speak their language.”
That bilingual delivery elevates tracks like the neon-soaked “Nar Shaddaa Party” – with its signature lyric repeated in both Huttese and Basic – into adrenalizing anthems that everyone can enjoy. And with a wild variety of instruments, from esoteric synthesizer patches to gritty paktoset tones, The Kyberpunks are dedicated to giving every listener something that feels fresh but familiar – like the band is a friend they’ve known all along. “We’ve been inspired by sounds from all around the galaxy, and even more than one specific dialect, we believe melody and rhythm are the true language of the universe,” says Jaad. “Our motto is if it sounds gootu, it is gootu.”
The Kyberpunks’ gootumusic can be heard at destinations around the holonet, including Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon, among many others.
To hire The Kyberpunks to play at your terran creativity convention or event, please send a Booking Inquiry comm in Galactic Basic (or English if necessary).
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Representation: Aoife Cade Management, Coruscant
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