I Robot

Zoo Freaks, get ready to groove to the futuristic vibes of I Robot by The Alan Parsons Project from their iconic 1977 album of the same name. This instrumental title track sets the stage for a concept album inspired by Isaac Asimov’s science fiction stories, though the band had to pivot due to rights issues. Eric Woolfson, the band’s co-founder, revealed in a conversation with Asimov himself that the author was enthusiastic about the project, but a prior TV/film deal forced the band to drop the comma from Asimov’s I, Robot and generalize the robotic themes. The album’s cover, designed by the legendary Hipgnosis, features assistants posing in the escalator tubes of Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport, capturing a sci-fi aesthetic that perfectly matched the era’s fascination with robots, especially after Star Wars hit theaters the same week in 1977. As noted on TheOfficialAPP’s X account, this coincidence helped propel the album’s success, making it the only record with a robot on the cover at the time.

Another fun tidbit comes from the band’s website, where they share that the song Some Other Time from the album was inspired by a casual exchange with Paul McCartney. When Alan Parsons asked McCartney to read a line of poetry for their debut album in return for a favor, McCartney replied, “Some other time Alan, some other time,” sparking the idea for the track’s title. The I Robot album also showcases innovative production, with the title track layering synthesizers, drums, and a choir to create its signature swelling sound. Fans on Reddit’s progrockmusic community praise the track’s groovy yet electronic vibe, with one user calling it “an energetic yet groovy little electronic piece” that blends late ’70s funk and glam rock. The album’s experimental edge is further highlighted in the 2007 remaster, which includes a 10-minute instrumental medley called The Naked Robot, offering a fresh, atmospheric take on the original recordings.

The Alan Parsons Project was born in 1975 in London, the brainchild of Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson. Parsons, a prodigious audio engineer, cut his teeth at EMI’s tape duplication department before landing a gig at Abbey Road Studios at just 18. There, he worked as an assistant engineer on The Beatles’ Abbey Road and Let It Be, and later engineered Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, experiences that honed his knack for pristine sound production. Woolfson, a songwriter and pianist, was composing material for a concept album based on Edgar Allan Poe when he began managing Parsons’s production career. Their partnership clicked, leading to the formation of The Alan Parsons Project, a studio-based outfit that never performed live during its peak but relied on a rotating cast of session musicians, including members of Pilot and Ambrosia. Their debut, Tales of Mystery and Imagination in 1976, was a hit, paving the way for the sci-fi exploration of I Robot.

For more on The Alan Parsons Project, check out their official website for news, albums, and merchandise. Connect with them on social media via their Facebook page, Instagram account, and X profile. Fans can also visit Alan Parsons’s personal website for updates on his solo work and live shows. For community vibes, join the Alan Parsons Project Fan Group on Facebook, where Zoo Freaks can share their love for the band’s progressive sound. Other fan hubs include Progarchives, a treasure trove of reviews and discussions, and Rate Your Music, where fans rate and dissect the band’s discography.