"One
of Vancouver's most notorious musicians" - Globe
& Mail
Big
John Bates fuel-injects his blues-based,
rockabilly roots with his own vision of rock'n'roll;
adding his big Gretsch to his pulp-fiction style lyrics.
The sexy sCare-oline brings her slap upright bass,
harmony vocals and passion for the southern sounds
of American-gothic. With drummer StageCoach pounding
the toms that drive them, this world-class trio seems
to constantly be on tour in North America & Europe
... and BJB is infamous for pouring fuel on the fire,
namely the Voodoo Dollz two burlesque vixens who bring
the tease during BJB's howlin' live set!
BJB
& the Dollz' high-energy CDs showcase
tunes that have roots in blues-based rock'n'roll and
pumped-up rockabilly and both "Flamethrower"
and "Mystiki" are into multiple pressings
around the world. "Mystiki" cruised the
top 50 college charts for six consecutive weeks making
a buzz in the scene that is swirling in rock'n'roll
circles and BJB has been embraced by that growing
crowd that are re-discovering the primitive form of
entertainment known as live rock'n'roll.
The
Big John Bates live show tends to become
an event in areas the group has played through. The
word that spreads across the internet and mouth to
mouth is "Entertainment". Not just a great
band with excellent performers and instrumentalists,
couple that with the Voodoo Dollz - riveting burlesque
choreographed to John's vision of our pre-millennium
culture and filtered through his pulp fiction-style
lyrics. This has lead BJB to be featured in coffee
table books such as "Burlesque - The New Bump
and Grind" from Speck Press in the USA and in
L.A.'s fetish-oriented "Nugget Magazine".
BJB
& the Dollz have played shows and festivals
from London to Zurich and from Montreal to Los Angeles.
Some wilder performances have seen the band at a federal
prison in Antwerp, Belgium, at the 10th Annual "Psychomeeting"
in Barcelona, Spain and headlining a Halloween show
at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas.
2004 saw their first Scandinavian and fourth European
tour, and BJB got full support of the Norwegian press
and rock'n'roll scene.
Big John was interviewed
this summer in L.A. for the A&E / Discovery documentary
on Russ Meyer (which also included John Waters, Dita
Von Teese and other personalities) and the group will
be featured in an upcoming issue of Bizarre Magazine.
BJB has made fans of many other performers and they're
staying on the road, making converts around the world.
The
Band...
Big
John Bates - Rock'n'roll riffs roar out from
his big Gretsch guitars; early rockabilly and blues
turned sideways and played with a punk's disregard
for formal execution. He's "Big Bad" John"
to his buddies, probably alluding to a youth fuelled
by an absolute disregard for authority. After picking
up guitar at 15 and heavily contributing to the writing
of Annihilator's Alison Hell and Never Neverland (combined
sales 400,000), the charismatic band leader went straight
back to his roots. After owning some 8 Gretsch guitars
his current favorites are his '04 Black Falcon and
his '59 Country Club although a Golden Anniversary
might just have his number. His amplifiers are equally
unique - a '63 Guild Thunderbird and an '04 Gibson
Goldtone - small but rawk & raw all the way.
John's
trio arrangements are influenced by sCare-oline and
Stagecoach as much by Cab Calloway and Bo Diddley.
John's lyrics, filtered thru the 20 years of guitar
playing & singing under his Hank Williams belt
buckle, veer into the tradition of old pulp fiction
style novels: B-movies, criminal behavior & wild
women
sCaroline
- Caroline "sCare-oline" Helmeczi
claims she had to pawn her halo to buy her 3/4 upright
and we don't think she'll ever get it back, there's
evil brewing behind those big brown eyes. An electric
bassist at 13 and a BJB convert to upright, she's
since developed a unique gothabilly style of playing
that began with an infatuation with Nick Cave, Bauhaus
and Echo & the Bunnymen. These days the darker
stylings of southern gothic bands like 16 Horsepower
are her favorites.
sCare-oline
loves the big sound of Ampeg amplifiers and she gets
the tones she needs with her K&K Rockabilly Special
- a pickup she swears by. She also creates the chainmail
that she wears and belly-dances in, while her banjo
and concertina wait in the wings.
Stagecoach
- John ran into Gregory "StageCoach"
Macdonald at their favorite guitar store in Vancouver
when BJB's last drummer was retiring and things clicked
right away. StageCoach really has a drummer's charm
(just ask any Voodoo Doll) and he also plays upright
piano like a JLL contender. He's usually pounding
toms behind his vintage kit (and he likes 'em small,
preferring a 20" kick, 14 & 16" toms
and a 14" snare) Except when he wanders to center
stage to dig up trouble. As far recording goes, his
favorite recording drums are vintage Gretsch and Ludwig
kits.
For
CD's, swag, more photos and tour schedule, visit www.bigjohnbates.com
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