Big John Bates

Who is Big John Bates?

Big John Bates has been hailed as "one of Vancouver’s most notorious musicians". In 2010 Bates, a Gretsch-endorsed guitarist, partnered with Brandy Bones on Hofner upright bass and pioneered an explosive gothic-indie-roots style. They call their style "Americana Noir" to reflect their unique western offshoot of dark cabaret. Although they record with cello, accordion, acoustic, electric, slide and dobro guitars the core of the live band is bowed bass, trap kit with tympani, electric and slide guitars.

Big John is known for his gruff baritone and enigmatic themes while Brandy brings a strong female perspective and a poetic bent to her rustic lyrics. Her “soulful screams" and "eerily whispery vocals" have been compared to Siouxsie Sioux and "a darker version of Wanda Jackson". The group has been reviewed as sharing stylistic elements with both Jack White, and 16 Horsepower.

Brandy was born in Fairbanks, Alaska and raised in Missoula, Montana, but it was after moving to Bellingham, Washington to attend university that her band opened for Big John Bates and she was invited to perform with them on a German tour with The BossHoss. Bates was born in Toronto and raised in Ottawa, Canada from a Halifax family. His formative summers were spent in the 1000 Islands where his father worked as a boat captain. Although he started performing in Ottawa with Annihilator, it was after moving to British Columbia in 1999 that he began working internationally as Big John Bates, operating the record company and publishing company.