Johnny Quazar & the Swingbots

Cosmic rockabilly featuring Tom Roschkov (guitar & vocals), Kelly Pikula (drums), Thom Golub (upright bass) and Johnny Quazar on Theremin.




Johnny Quazar & the Swingbots are the latest addition to Edmonton's bustling rockabilly scene - and they bring a decidedly different twist to the genre.  Johnny Quazar (aka John Armstrong) has become one of Western Canada's most prominent Theremin players and has gained international attention for his unique approach to one of the world's oldest electronic instruments.  He is joined by long time band mates, Tom Roschkov (vocals & guitar) and Kelly Pikula (drums) and one of Edmonton busiest bass players, Thom Golub.  Johnny Quazar has developed a playing approach that allows the use of multi effects processing, wah wah pedal and other electronics.  Combined with classic rockabilly, blues and roots music, the Theremin adds a bold new take on these traditional forms.



Tom Roschkov brings more than two decades of rockabilly to the table as lead Swingbot.  His early forays into rockabilly included heading up such bands as the Screaming Roosters, Charlie Don't Surf and the inimitable Swingin' Ya Band.  Kelly Pikula also played in the Ya Band and with Tom and John in the Stone Merchants and their improvisational alter egos, the Ancestors.  Thom Golub has proven to be a perfect match for the new project.  His upright bass stylings provide a solid anchor for the deep grooves of the Swingbots.



While the Swingbots do feature several original songs from their Stone Merchants and Swingin' Ya Band repertoires, the bulk of their material comes from the early pioneers of rockabilly including Carl Perkins, Johnny Horton, Johnny Cash, Eddie Cochrane and Elvis Presley.  But don't be surprised if they sneak in some Ray Charles or Bo Diddley just to keep things interesting.  Check out Johnny Quazar & the Swingbots for all your cosmic rockabilly needs !

This is the website of John Armstrong, an artist and producer based out of Edmonton, Alberta.  Whether he's laying down bass with a roots band, manipulating Theremin and other electronic instruments or staging a guerrilla-style, community folk festival, John is all about musical interactivity.

In recent years, many of his projects have also utilized film, video and computer media.  And he has become known for his Theremin performances.

Although John has been playing music for close to 30 years, it is only within the last 5 years that he has become a specialist in electronic music and an internationally recognized Theremin player. As a solo performer, John utilizes a loop station to play back loops he has created in ProTools and through live looping. He also uses a variety of effects processing devices for his voice and Theremin. Watching him perform is similar to witnessing a simultaneous recording session, dance performance and music recital.

One fascinating component of a performance by John Armstrong is simply the demonstration and explanation of his chosen principal instrument, the Theremin. When time allows, John is happy to allow audience members to try the instrument for themselves. As one of the world's oldest electronic instruments and one of the very few that does not require physical contact, the Theremin is a very unique device. Even a brief history of its inventor, Lev Termen (Leon Theremin) is enough to send listeners off in search of the biographical film "Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey" or the 2000 Albert Glinsky biography, "Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage."

For more information on the Theremin, visit:

Theremin World