FAULT Favourite: Bass Drum of Death
Mississippi duo John Barrett and Colin Sneed aka
Bass Drum of Death are
about to release their first full length album called GB City on April 12th via their label
Fat Possum Records. Label mates include such artists as: The Black Keys, Crocodiles, The Walkmen and Smith Westerns. The 11 track GB City is classic old school garage rock at it’s best
definitely worth a listen! John and Colin are starting a North American Tour this week which includes a stop at
AUSTIN PSYCH FEST. FAULT caught up with John Barrett to ask about the new album, up coming tour and what we can expect from BASS DRUM OF DEATH in the months to come.
FAULT: How did you guys come up with your name Base Drum of Death?
John: I started the project as a one-man band of sorts, and called it “John Barrett’s Bass Drum of Death”. It was just a bass drum, guitar, and vocals. The drum had this weird ass painting on the front of it. When I got tired of playing by myself, I recruited a drummer and dropped the “John Barrett’s” from the name.
FAULT: John can you tell us about the recording process for GB City, when and where did you record your debut?
John: I recorded it in a series of basement apartments summer ’09 – summer/fall ’10. I did it all myself so it was trial and error. Some songs I nailed the first time, some I re-recorded and altered the structure of the song up to 6 or 7 times.
FAULT: What are some of your inspirations behind the songs found on the album?
John: Girls, partying, drugs, hallucinations, living in a shitty southern college town, anxiety, working terrible jobs; early 20’s shit.
FAULT: Your about to start an North American Tour, will this be the first time your performing the new material live?
John: Nah, We’ve been playing this stuff for a while. A couple of the songs are newer to the live set but for the most part we’ve played this stuff a lot.
FAULT: Any word on the next single release from GB City?
John:- A lot of the songs are already kinda out there on the Internet, so the next big thing we’re gonna release is a music video for “Get Found”. We just shot it last night at a house party. It was the weirdest house party that I’ve ever been to…dirt bikes inside, gorilla suits, masks, fights; pretty fun.
FAULT: What Musicians/Bands inspire you John?
John: Nirvana, T-Rex, Ramones, Sonic Youth, KISS, 3-6 Mafia, Black Sabbath, 60’s girl group stuff, Johnny Cash and my friends. Most of my friends make music too, so we always try to one-up each other. In a good way though, not like a “fuck you I’m better” way.
FAULT: How important to you are the visuals that go along with your music?
John: Pretty Important, the music is pretty basic (instrumentation, personnel) and that’s how I like the visuals; basic but striking.
FAULT: What’s the music scene like in Mississippi?
John: It’s actually really good right now in Oxford, where I’m from. Lots of people doing really cool, different stuff (Flight, Dent May, Dead Gaze, Junk Culture, Young Buffalo, Black and Whites, Gray Things, etc). There’s a decent punk scene in Jackson too.
FAULT: What your favourite kind of guitar?
John:It’s a Surf Green Greco, which is a Japanese knockoff of Airline. It’s impossible to keep in tune, but I don’t care because it sounds like an angel having an orgasm.
FAULT; If you could collaborate with any artist on the Fat Possum roster who would you choose and why?
John: T- Model Ford because he is badass and he would make me look like a pussy, and it’s good for you to get put in your place sometimes.
FAULT: You’ll be performing at Austin Psych Fest next month have played the festival before?
John: Nope, looking forward to munching some heady goo balls and tripping out to some light shows in an old power plant, sounds rad.
FAULT: Any plans to tour the UK and Europe this year?
John: Hopefully, trying to work that out now.
FAULT: What’s your FAULT?
John: shiiit…what isn’t?
GB CityTracklist:
01. Nerve Jamming
02. GB City
03. Get Found
04. Velvet Itch
05. High School Roaches
06. Spare Room
07. Young Pros
08. Heart Attack Kid
09. Leaves
10. I Could Never Be Your Man
11. Religious Girls
*Special thanks to Heathcliff Berru
Life or Death PR & Management
* Stay tuned to this space FAULT will be checking in with Bass Drum of Death on the first leg of their tour!
