About Us

Formed in 1996, the Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra is a robot-fronted rock band from San Diego. We play experimental, electronic pop songs inspired by the likes of Andy Kaufman, Talking Heads, Kraftwerk, They Might Be Giants, Devo, and Spinal Tap. The Plugg said it pretty well:

    "In a truly overzealous gesture of elevating the somewhat strange to the wholly ridiculous, Professor B. Miller has completed a 4 disc, mega-release of his minimalist, robot-lead compositions under the name Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra. Combining Adult Swim style set-ups (with songs like Cheap Trapeze Lessons, I Stole Your Daddy's Time Machine and Haunted Rental Car), concept album consistency (um, the entire thing is sung by a robot) and enough musical range to keep things actually interesting, the new release conjures roughly 20+ years of absurdity and satire the likes of which Spinal Tap, Blues Brothers, They Might Be Giants and Devo are just a small reference."

Band Members

The Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra consists of SPO-20, the robot vocalist, and his human counterpart, the mad scientist Professor B. Miller.

Some Fun Facts

  • We released the best selling debut 4 CD box set in history.
  • Our debut album was taught as a multi-media work of fiction to 250 students at San Diego State University along with works by Kurt Vonnegut, Rene Magritte, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Dan Clowes.
  • We played for more than 10,000 people on Halloween for "Heaven and Hell" at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.
  • We once played to less than 200 people at a car wash.
  • We were nominated for a San Diego Music Award.
  • Our songs have been featured on lots of San Diego radio stations, WFMU in New York, and on BBC Radio in London, and various college stations across the US.

Some Influences

Forbidden Planet, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Jonathan Richman, Vincent Price, Les Savy Fav, Skeleton Key, Oingo Boingo, Mike Patton, Post Modernism, oldies, Anton LaVey, P.T. Barnum, Andy Warhol, the Flaming Lips, Daniel Johnston, Wesley Willis, South Park, The Simpsons, Captured By Robots, Rene Magritte, Kids in the Hall, Upright Citizens Brigade, Mr. Show, The State, Arrested Development, Monty Python, The Blues Brothers, 8-bit Nintendo, Atari 2600, etc...

Upcoming Performances

Saturday, December 14, 2019 at Vinyl Junkies in San Diego - All Ages! Release party for "Go Caroling" with Lion Cut

Interested in booking the Satanic Puppeteer Orchestra? Drop Professor B. an email.

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