• Big John Bates
• Belvedere’s
• Sunday, October 14, 2012
• Larryville

“Keep the liquor within arm’s reach cause Big John Bates is on a world tour with their new album Battered Bones (Rookie Records). The new band shakes the ghosts out of the woodwork and Bates shares vocal duties with Montana upright bassist Brandy Bones. Her lyrics are passionate tales of small town sins and her soulful screams combine with guitarist Bates’ growl and dark philosophies. Add tuba, accordion, cello & doom-wop piano and you find a sound that ‘is like being serenaded with a rusty hammer’.”

Playing this Sunday at Belvie’s ‘Ultra Dive’ with Slim Cessna, I want to thank Big John Bates himself for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.

• The first album you ever bought?
• Hmmm, bought? Probably AC/DC, “Highway to Hell”.
• Your last album bought?
• Jack White’s “Blunderbuss”.
• Favorite album of all time?
• Our new one.
• Least favorite/most disappointing album?
• I toss them out too quickly to remember.
• First concert attended?
• Van Halen.
• Last concert?
• Murder By Death, but we did tour with them recently ; ]
• Favorite concert ever?
• Playing them is better than watching. Probably one of our European festivals.
• Least favorite concert?
• Any band without charisma.
• Any thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
• Other than watching the Penguins play, I know that Slim Cessna lives there and he’s one of my favorite gothic Americana artists. The first time we go to any city I try to get an idea of what to look for the next time we’re in town. And we’ll be back …

Thanks, Bates. Sounds like a perfect bill on Sunday.