Missouri: Your State Auditor’s son has a rock band.

Hot Bot is a noisy mess of synth and drums that features Austin Montee, son of Missouri State Auditor Susan Montee.

I met the family back in 2006, when I was living in St. Joseph, which the local convention and visitor’s bureau insists is the place where “the West officially started to get wild.” Although a wildness in the historical Jesse James sense is very much appreciated in the township, the wild attire of hipster kids isn’t so much. This is why Austin stuck out like a sore thumb in his super skinny jeans and bold neckerchiefs. Also: The Montee parents provided Austin and his older brother with The Apple House, a former grocery store where the boys had band practice and all-ages rock shows (including one that I helped organize for the St. Joseph News-Press).

I didn’t know Hot Bot was still around until I noticed a MySpace bulletin from Austin about a new song he’d posted, “Final Fight for the Future.” I did know Austin had moved to KC, though. I ran into him at a party a few weeks ago — his wild accessory: a pet cat.

Check ’em out: MySpace.com/hotbot