Replaced By Robots Get Animated With 'Zero Joy Zero' Stop-Motion Film

Replaced By Robots have released their stop-motion film Zero Joy Zero soundtracked by their self-titled theme song. The film was directed by Damon Wellner & Heather Joy Morgan.

We were sent these details: "We are obsolete bohemians wandering through this electronic wasteland, creating music for the end of the world and the day after," Replaced By Robots' Heather Joy Morgan (vocals, synths) explains. "The concept is fun," continues singer/bassist Goolkasian. "In some senses, we're pretty serious about being bleak regarding the future of humanity. But in other ways, we have a sense of humor about it. There's really no other way to survive these insane times. We thought it would be funny if we had a Monkees-style TV show, with its own Batman meets Peter Gunn meets Soul Train theme song. Which became the theme to the Zero Joy Zero short film."

Typical of the band's working habits, the lyrics came to Goolkasian in one go and he recorded a rough sketch of the song. Guitarist Adam Wade then listened once before recording all his parts first take. "I don't even show him the chords, he just plays and it's awesome," Goolkasian enthuses. True to their name, the group are transformed into technology in the spectacular Zero Joy Zero short film by award-winning stop-motion toy photographer Damon Wellner. Wellner's known the band since their days together in the 90's Boston music scene though he's since relocated to Hollywood where he founded Probot Animation and was stop-motion animator on Sia's Snowman video.

"We'd been talking about doing a project together," Wellner explains. "And I feel so lucky this is the song I get to work on. I just love everything about it." Once asked, Wellner immediately set to work assembling four different robots from 'junk sitting around my apartment' and utilizing the stop-motion skills he's known for. The robot design is influenced by War Of The Worlds, Knight Rider's K.I.T.T., Fritz Lang's Metropolis, Warner Bros. cartoons like Marvin the Martian, with one even modelled on an old vintage guitar amp. Constructed from Star Wars, Lost In Space, Matchbox, LazerTag, and Fisher Price toys, the robots also feature found objects like the dog chew toys that make up Wade's robot legs. Heather Joy Morgan's look is a tip of the hat to Darryl Hannah's Pris in Blade Runner and there's a million other space age and musical Easter eggs for anyone who cares to look. "I like to play with toys," Wellner confesses. "I refuse to grow up." He's also quick to stress "No AI was used. I made the ray effect with a slinky."

'Replaced By Robots' is the band's fourth release after 2025's The Experiment EP and singles 'Since You Broke My Ouija Board' and 'The Ocean'. Wade: "All our songs will be released as singles and videos. They're like shots, and if you want to buy the bottle, we'll collect them later as an album."

Replaced By Robots is Goolkasian, Adam Wade, and Heather Joy Morgan. Goolkasian was in The Elevator Drops and The Texas Governor before joining forces with Morgan for 2023's Lovesick album. Adam Wade was in Funeral Party. Replaced By Robots came together in 2023 after Wade came to Goolkasian & Morgan's house to see Mark Burgess from The Chameleons play a gig in their living room.

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