Big John Bates

Big John Bates

Brandy Bones & Big John Bates
Background information
Also known as John Bates
Origin Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada,
Genres post-punk revival, early garage_rock, dark rock, thrash metal
Labels Alternative Tentacles, Disk Union,[1] Frontman Records, Rookie Records, Glitterhouse Records, Roadrunner Records
Associated acts Annihilator; Sloan (band); The Real McKenzies; Bif Naked
Website bigjohnbates.com
Members Big John Bates
Brandy Bones
Ty-Ty the Saviour
RequiEmily
Past members Timothy Hagberg
JT Massacre
Notable instruments
Gretsch Hofner

Big John Bates is a guitarist/vocalist known for his dark alternative and rustic, post-punk style and has a long association with Gretsch guitars. John's professional career began as singer and writer for Annihilator. Currently co-fronting the Noirchestra with Höfner-endorsee Brandy Bones they add rural gothic lyrics to gritty art-rock to create their "relentless, film noir-inspired Dracula-awaking grooves.” [2] From the beginning Jello Biafra stated the first EP "Headless Fowl is extremely cool" [3] and included the band in his Alternative Tentacles catalog.[4] The Noirchestra features Big John Bates (guitarist/vocalist/songwriter), Brandy Bones (upright bassist/vocalist/songwriter), RequiEmily (electric violin) and Ty-Ty the Saviour (timpani/percussion/trap kit). Big John also records banjo/mandolin while Brandy records cello/violin although they occasionally add additional live players as well.

Early life

Born and adopted in Toronto the Bates family moved to Ottawa when John was five. He taught himself to play guitar by age 14, learning songs with American friends over summers in the 1000 Islands, eventually learning techniques from local Exciter guitarist John Ricci. Bates' early guitar bodies were made by his brother Bruce in high-school workshop and wired by John from old Sears guitars. After high school John had his guitar and amp stolen, leading him to focus on lyrics and vocals. He formed his first professional band Annihilator with Jeff Waters, co-writing together for about two years. After leaving the group John returned to business school then moved to Vancouver in 1992. He continued devoting himself to underground music, creating the musical identity Big John Bates after his previous dark rock band Bates Motel.

Musical career

Annihilator

As a founding member (singer and songwriter) of Annihilator, the "highest-selling thrash metal band from Canada" Bates began his career with notoriety. Meeting Jeff Waters through mutual friends with the intention to cover AC/DC songs, they instead decided to write originals together and the two of them formed Annihilator.[5] John then recruited bassist Dave Scott and Jeff brought in drummer Paul Malek. The band rehearsed five days a week over a two-year period honing their craft as songwriters and beginning the band's legacy with a residency in Val D‘Or Quebec. During this time Waters and Bates co-wrote most of the tracks from the albums Alison Hell and Never, Neverland before the first version of the band dissolved. John later co-wrote songs on King of the Kill, engineered the demos for the record deal, and sub-sequentially wrote songs included on the three following albums. Bates also contributed a guitar track to "Remains".[6]

Big John Bates & the Voodoo Dollz

The band formed in 2000 and considered themselves a garage band although they were often grouped with the psychobilly scene. They cited influences such as Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, the Cramps, Reverend Horton Heat, early Alice Cooper, the pioneers of swing music and the new burlesque revolution. They were the first touring band to incorporate burlesque performers and performed over 1000 shows and festivals throughout Europe and North America. Shortly after forming the band John bought his trademark handmade Gretsch White Falcon 6136 (after a conversation with Rick from SCOTS and Elvez) from the bassist in Badfinger and it remained his main guitar for the duration of the band. BJB & the Dollz supported such notable artists as the Fuzztones, the Blasters, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Solomon Burke, Koko Taylor, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, The Boss Hoss and Andre Williams[7] (Dynamite Magazine).

Each of their four albums (and live DVDs) had different drummers and upright bassist sCare-oline. She also incorporated traditional and gothic bellydance early in the group's career, performing while the songs "Whiplash" and "Salome's Last Dance" were played with guitar and percussion. Documentaries in North America on the A&E Network and Discovery Network interviewed John about the influences of both film-maker Russ Meyer and authors Dashiell Hammett and Mickey Spillane on the lyrical content and neo-burlesque styles. Bates' version of "Tainted Love" from their Mystiki album (2003) was the director's choice for the French film "Un singe sur le clos". All of their recordings involved engineer/producer Todd Simko (Pure).

Big John Bates: Noirchestra

In 2010 Vancouver's Big John Bates and Missoulan Brandy Bones made the first Noirchestra recordings with drummer JT Massacre at Faceplant Studios in Vancouver. The Scarecrow Close 7" single was released on Rookie Records and was also available at Hot Topic across the USA. Further recording was done in Nashville in 2011 (with Orian Case on drums) at Mark Robertson's studio (Legendary Shack Shakers) though most of the drumming for Battered Bones/Headless Fowl was done in early 2012 by Timothy Hagberg. The tracks were mixed and mastered in Denver by Robert Ferbrache (Slim Cessna's Auto Club, Wovenhand, 16 Horsepower), creator of the "Denver Sound".[8]

These sessions were split with six songs (and two videos) released in North America as Headless Fowl in April 2012 by Frontman Records and the remainder released in Europe as "Battered Bones" on Rookie Records (Germany) in Sept 2012. The "Headless" release was accompanied by a March/April 2012 headlining tour of the US and Canada with Murder By Death (band). "Battered Bones" was supported by a Fall 2012 headlining tour through the EU and North America. These dates included the Halifax Pop Explosion (2012) where their performance earned the festival's highest rating among bands such as Black Lips, Elliott Brood, Wintersleep and Deer Tick.[9].

In 2013 Frontman Records compiled 13 tracks from the sessions and released them digitally as The Headless Fowl LP.[10] In 2014 saw the band release the 7" single "Black Timber Bitter Root" mixed by The_Smugglers_(band) guitarist David Carswell (New Pornographers, Teagan and Sara) on Rookie Records and their song "Taste the Barrel" featured on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's TV show Arctic Air.

Bates completed a 22-date headlining tour of Europe in May 2014 and a Can-Am tour with White Cowbell Oklahoma and The Paceshifters in Nov/Dec 2014. On their time off the band wrote and recorded their sophomore LP From the Bestiary to the Leathering Room in their recording studio aboard the Caleuche, Bates' boat moored in Vancouver's False Creek. They followed the release with a two-month European tour May–June 2015 (Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria) with a CAN-AM tour following in Fall 2015. The Canadian release in Spring 2016 was followed by dates in the USA and a second EU tour in Nov/Dec 2016. In March 2017 the Noirchestra completed their first tour of Japan playing 9 shows in 6 cities and recording two songs in Kyoto with Alternative Tentacles artist Ultra Bide.[11][12] In May/June 2017 a third European tour completed the touring for "Bestiary" with both club and festival shows. The band is currently writing their 3rd Noirchestra album and intends to continue touring in 2018.[13]

Discography

Big John Bates: Noirchestra

Big John Bates & the Voodoo Dollz

Bates Motel

Ligeia

Annihilator

References

  1. ↑ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ディスクユニオン
  2. ↑ "Taco Fest at Swangard Stadium". www.beatroute.ca. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
  3. ↑ "Truemmer Booking Homepage". www.truemmerpromotion.de. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  4. ↑ "Alternative Tentacles - Store". www.alternativetentacles.com. Retrieved 2016-11-11.
  5. ↑ "What's In Your Fridge: Big John Bates". Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly. 2016-07-29. Retrieved 2016-11-11.
  6. ↑ "Report: Former ANNIHILATOR Frontman BIG JOHN BATES Touring Europe - "Imagine A Rockabilly Version Of The MISFITS Featuring BIF NAKED On Upright Bass"". bravewords.com. May 23, 2015. Retrieved 2016-11-11.
  7. ↑ "Truemmer Booking Homepage". www.truemmerpromotion.de. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  8. ↑ "Day Two: Big John Bates and Brandy Bones Bates Interview". www.wild4washingtonwine.com. Retrieved 2016-11-11.
  9. ↑ "Halifax Pop review Big John Bates". Thescenemagazine.ca. 2012-10-21. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  10. ↑ "Announcing: The Headless Fowl LP – Big John Bates". bigjohnbates.com. Retrieved 2016-11-11.
  11. ↑ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ULTRA_BIDE
  12. ↑ "Brave Words". http://www.bravewords.com. External link in |website= (help)
  13. ↑ "Big John Bates – Noirchestra". www.bigjohnbates.com. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
  14. ↑ Lejtenyi, Patrick. "Big John Bates - Voodoo Bar-B-Q • Pop & Rock Reviews •". Exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
  15. ↑ "Big John Bates Discography at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
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