OITO Behind the Music: Roy and the Circuit Breakers

Producer: They're that infamous band from Tybee. They have kept the locals swaying for waaayyy too long. That's right, it's Roy and the Circuit Breakers. We're not talking glamorous or even good for that matter. No, we're talking about a man and a computer. We're talking about Buffet covers at their...... Roy dubs his ensemble, "The perfect backyard pool party barbecue entertainment around."

Let's explore the collective mind behind that interesting sound because we all know, Roy and the Circuit Breakers are much more than just "backyard pool party barbecue entertainment".

As a boy, Roy dreamed of entertaining people. He loved singing songs his way. He always had a knack for making a song his own. Even at a young age, his parents or his first critics deemed his act "watery, boring, repetitive, and down right terrible", but Roy keep plugging away...


Roy: "I was 12 and a late "bloomer" of sorts. I used to bang on pots and sing Woolly Bully...I guess that's where it all started. When I was 23, I used to walk down Tybrisa and watch Pete "Do It All" Peterson. His talent amazed me, but I thought, what if I could get a computer to do all of the hard stuff and leave the singing to me? Pretty good idea, huh?"

Producer: Yes, Roy knew he was on to something, but no one really knew what a computer was in '83. He knew one day his dream would come true, and he wouldn't have to lift a finger while playing all the hits. In the mean time, Roy kept on banging those pots and learning guitar cords...

Kickin' it.

Roy: "Some guy named Doc let me play at his bar for $20 and some beer. Not a bad gig, and the women sure were nice, if you know what I mean. Ah, who am I kindin? One lady in particular caught my eye from the get go; she was older, way outta my league, and could play the hell out of a tambourine. I had to have her on my team. We were called Roy and the Heart Breaker... "

Producer: The years flew by, and Roy and the Heart Breaker were on top of the world. Then, that world came crashing down...

Roy: "Yeah I wanna say it was '94, Sylvia and I had a bit of a falling out. She like to drink these hurricane drinks and she developed a pretty bad heroin problem. God, I loved her and that damn tambourine, but I had to fire her. Little did I know, she be back by my side years later. It was tough, but I sought some terrific advice from a mentor and a great friend."


Producer: That friend was Randy "Hatman" Smith.

Hatman: "You can't rely on people! That's what I said to him."

Producer: Yes, a man of few words, but a wise man never the less. Hatman loaned some of his talent to Roy in the form of a laptop and some really catchy background music. Roy hit the Tybee music scene with some circuit breakers and a computer, and he hasn't looked back sense.


The Circuit Breakers: "You're asking me has it been fun? It's been something. Roy's different, and he's got a unique music style. Who am I kidding? I'm not getting a dime for all the bullshit I put up with. I've got some stories for you."

Roy: "The CBs really got things rockin and rollin. They really provide me with some great back up. My shows would be a lot more dull without them."

The Circuit Breakers: "Could you imagine what it would be like if he was up there by himself? Listen, he's a nice guy and all, but give me legs and I'm walkin. Roy filled my circuits with some BS about the big stage, and I ate it up. Now, I'm stuck in a corner spitting out every Buffet song imaginable. I don't have feelings, but if I did, I'm pretty sure I would be miserable. I heard Miley played with those Courtnay douches, I'll never experience anything like that. I bet we were 3 minutes in to our changes in latitudes gem when the cool stuff was happening over at Sting Ray's."

Roy: "I guess I owe a lot of our success to Hatman."

The Circuit Breakers: "Fuckin Hatman. Back in '99, Roy had this thing about doing medleys of the most random songs. We were at Doc's one night, and he busts out this number featuring Buffet's "Pirate Looks at 40", some Fleetwood Mac song, and "All Star" by Smash Mouth. Yeesh. I'm a computer and even I know that's a terrible idea."

Roy: "We were flyin high! Boy I tell you what, we were on fire during that Buffet>Fleetwood>Smash Mouth medley."

The Circuit Breakers: "That was one of many the low point in the bands history."

Roy: "I gotta tell ya, that was probably the high point in our careers. Hittin' the note, if ya know what I mean. We've grown though, doing more originals now."

The Circuit Breakers: "We're still doing that same 'ol shit, just slowly rotting away... but Roy always tells people 'we're hitting the note', what the hell does that even mean?"

Roy: "We are just a salt of the Earth kinda group. It's been a long crazy trip, but I would have it any other way."

The Circuit Breakers: "I want out. I'm a machine, so there's not a whole lot I can do about it."

Producer: It appears that we are just scratching the surface of some deep rooted issues, but Roy and the Circuit Breakers keep on doing whatever it is they do. Somehow this "love, hate" relationship works. Just ask all of the tourist and locals at Doc's, and they'll tell you all about a R&TCBs show. It's one you would like to forget, but you just can't.