In 2008 John Barrett formed Bass Drum of Death as a musical outlet for his lo-fi, grunge sound. The singer and multi-instrumentalist performs and records all of his own material, and up until 2008 would tour as a one-man-band playing bass drum and guitar. In 2008 Barrett released the band’s debut EP entitled “Stain Stick Skin” on Fat Possum Records, featuring the single of the same name and “The Ballad of Bandit X”.
Following the release Bass Drum of Death toured around areas of the U.S. this time with a touring band consisting of two guitars and drums. In 2010 arrived the follow-up EP “High School Roaches”, succeeded by the band’s full-length debut “GB City” in 2011. The LP was once again released by Fat Possum Records with vinyl editions distributed through Inflated Records. The album became a popular feature of the lo-fi, garage rock genre and spawned the singles “Young Pros”, “Get Found” and “High School Roaches”.
The band has subsequently released the albums the self-titled “Bass Drum of Death” in 2013 and “Rip This” in 2014. On top of this due to the accessible upbeat tempo of Barrett’s songs, Bass Drum of Death has contributed to the soundtracks of “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance”, “The Vampire Diaries”, “Grand Theft Auto” and the BBC TV show “Waterloo Road”.
Live review Bass Drum of Death - sweaty garage mayhem Visits from John Barrett's speed-riffing garage rock outfit 'Bass Drum of Death' are getting almost as regular as those of the craggy grandfather of punk, Iggy Pop, and a welcome reminder that the spirit of 'Raw Power' lives on. Oxford, Mississippi might be a long way from the Detroit, Michigan of the late 60s/early 70s, but as a heaving mob of sweaty fans in the back room of the Shacklewell Arms on Thursday night can testify - the vibe lives on through Bass Drum of Death. Barrett, plus drummer (and seemingly permanent band member) Len Clark and an unnamed guitar-for-hire tore through double-time renditions of some of the hottest tracks from the first two albums - Nerve Jamming, GB City, Get Found, Velvet Itch, I Wanna Be Forgotten, Bad Reputation et al - as well as showcasing selection of songs from their latest release 'Rip This'. As always, there's the feeling that BDOD should be playing to bigger crowds in larger venues but there's something about their 'Room above a pub' DIY tour aesthetic that makes every gig seem like the right place at the right time. The Shacklewell gig was no exception. The typically aloof Barrett seemed wholly at home in his surroundings and, bar a couple of technical hitches, the gig flew through the chilly November night like a supersonic jet, before crash-landing into the ever-wilder, room-wide moshpit with a screech of feedback. With a brief encore comprising a spiky cover of 'Spirit in the Sky' it was over - and all too soon. But you know they'll be back...
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