I was browsing through a Dutch social network Hyves, until I was captured by a song “Six Feet Down”. The Chris Isaak sound in the guitar riffs made me stop and wonder, who are these guys? The Bad Back Bones is a rockabilly band from Helmond (The Netherlands). Their style can be described as Roots ‘n’ Billy – The Southern Way, so Rockabilly, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Country, Swing and Blues. They play covers, most of them not so well known, as well as their own written songs. They are Mike van Lierop (double bass), Marnix van den Biggelaar (electric guitar), Charles Verrijt (drums), Ernst le Coq Darmanville (acoustic guitar).
Charles also plays with Catslappin’ Chrissie. And Mike plays with the Hi-Tombs.
I am talking to bass player Mike.
Tell us about how you started the Bad Back Bones.
Charles and I were friends. We heard about a guy in our city who played the guitar and who wanted to start a rockabilly band. We didn’t really know him. We were going out in Eindhoven, and there he was, this guitarplayer! We talked, we asked and a week later we were all sitting in my garage. The guitarplayer brought another guitarist/ singer, who appeared to be my old classmate from twenty years ago. A coincidence. We all clicked immediately so thats why we still have fun making rockabilly music.
How did your first love for rock and roll start?
It goes way back to the early eighties when I discovered the Stray Cats and Elvis ofcourse.
How do you write your songs?
Well first our guitarist makes up a nice tune on his guitar along with a refrain. He burns that on cd for us to listen to it. Our drummer and other guitarplayer write the lyrics on that. Then we mix it all together and put a finishing touch on it. Sometimes a song is based on reallife experiences. But others are just made up crazy lyrics.
Do you also play for a non rock and roll oriented audience?
Yeah, we play quite much for non rock and roll audiences. We always get a lot of positive reactions because with four singers we can sing close harmony. People don’t hear that often. Most of the time we get a new gig out of that. Even other bands compliment on or close harmony.
Which celebrity do you like to play with?
Well ofcourse, a lot of the original artists we’d like to play with are not alive anymore. But to be the opening act for the Stray Cats or Brian Setzer would be awesome.
Where would you love to play?
It would be great to play in Paradiso Amsterdam one time.
We played at the American day in Almere. During the break someone came up to us to ask if we play on weddings. Well ofcourse, we said. After our show, that same man came again for a favor. His future wife loved our music and he wanted to surprise her. So the next day, early in the morning we stood in his yard playing for them.
The Bad Back Bones
You got a band story for us?
We played at their wedding too. For us it was very surprising and fun how this all started and worked out.
What would you tell to Rockabilly newbies?
Try to stay true to your own style, or at least try to give it your unique sound. But most of all, keep on having fun.
What are your stage do’s and don’ts?
A nice beer, “zonder drank geen klank” = no drink no sound. ;-). A smoke and fun on stage. Only “do’s”. We don’t have “don’ts”.
Finish this sentence: in 10 years we’ll be…
Celebrating our 12/5 year anniversary, with a cool gig somewhere. We hope to write more songs and to record a couple of good cd’s. Ernst will be tattood all over. And we’ll still have fun and great laughs together, making music.
Visit their Hyves page: http://badbackbones.hyves.nl/
Or myspace: http://www.myspace.com/badbackbones
